THERE is always plenty of excitement on the eve of a new season, and while there are some uncertainties around the fixture, this year is no exception.

Melbourne is looking to bounce back hard from the disappointment of 2019, with a number of key Demons expected to help the rise.

Take a look at some of the boys who are ready to have an impact in 2020.

Bayley Fritsch

Bayley Fritsch is a natural forward recruited out of the Casey Demons, but in his first two seasons with the club, hasn’t really had the opportunity to settle.

Last year, the 23-year-old played in just about every position on the ground, filling holes for Simon Goodwin as his side was struck down by injury.

In the last seven games of 2019, Fritsch found himself inside the forward 50, booting 16 goals and showing exactly where he plays his best footy.

With a full pre-season under his belt as a forward, Fritsch is ready to get the consistency he has needed at the top level, and at 188cm, he is a tough match up for the opposition.

Sure, he may not win the Coleman Medal as his skipper suggested, but he could be a big point of difference for Melbourne throughout the year.

Christian Petracca

There has been plenty of talk about Christian Petracca over the pre-season, and rightfully so.

Physically, the former No.2 draft pick looks to be in great shape, covering more distance than ever across the summer.

Petracca put together a dominant 38-dispoal and three-goal display against the Crows in the first Marsh Series game, and while it’s only the pre-season, there are some positive signs for the 24-year-old.

He is a dynamic player who’s strong through the hips, well balanced over the ball and has a knack for hitting the scoreboard.

Across his first 85 games in the league, Petracca has played predominantly as a forward, lacking the endurance to play extended minutes in the centre, but towards the backend of 2019 he showed the impact he can have on ball, and appears ready to play a full season in the midfield.

Steven May

It was well documented that Steven May’s first year in the red and blue didn’t go to script.

He was struck down by injury in the pre-season and never truly recovered, playing just eight games after crossing over from the Suns.

But 2020 should look far different for the key backman, who, barring a minor knee infection, has had a strong pre-season to date.

The 28-year-old is as powerful as defenders come and certainly knows how to make his presence felt.

With Jake Lever cutting across him to assist in the air, May should win more contests than he loses and will become a massive factor in Melbourne’s rise this year.

Ed Langdon

Not all, but a lot of Victorian football fans tend to miss games played between interstate sides.

This means many Melbourne supporters may not have seen much of former Docker Ed Langdon, but they should be excited.

He comes to the club, alongside ex-Giant Adam Tomlinson, as a gut-running wingman, who will enjoy going about his craft on the widths of the MCG.

While Langdon’s ball use would be one area for improvement this season, there is a lot of upside for the 24-year-old, who, in the past two years, placed in the top five of Fremantle’s Best and Fairest award.

There won’t be expectations on Langdon to be a superstar of the competition, but he will play an important role for a club who has been crying out for a wingman, and if he can average 25 disposals, as he did last year, he will be a valuable proposition this season.

Kysaiah Pickett

It would be rare for an 18-year-old to enter the AFL and dominate from Round 1, and nobody is asking Kysaiah Pickett to do that.

But what he can do is add a spark for the Demons and help his side without the ball in hand.

As seen in his first two practice matches for the club, the No.12 draft pick has raw pace and the ability to kick a goal.

Pickett is going to thrill fans for years to come, but it’s his elite forward pressure that will create turnovers and provide most value for his side in the early stages of his career.

He might not play all 22 games, but when he gets his chance expect him to please his coaches with performances that won’t include massive possession tallies.