IN POP culture, ‘The Magnificent Seven’ could relate to the 1960 western movie, featuring Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson.

In music, The Clash, one of the original British punk rock bands, released a 1981 single titled The Magnificent Seven.

And in 1996, the gold medal winning American gymnastics team was also known as The Magnificent Seven following the country’s first female win in that discipline.  

On Saturday, Melbourne could laid claims to its own ‘Magnificent Seven’ after its seven new players all made a genuine impact in the red and blue’s 26-point win over the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG.

Heritier Lumumba, Jeff Garlett, Sam Frost, Ben Newton, Jesse Hogan, Angus Brayshaw and Aaron vandenBerg all played their first match for Melbourne.

Lumumba (199 matches), Garlett (107), Frost (21) and Newton (four) brought 331 games to the club over the pre-season, as Hogan, Brayshaw and vandenBerg brought new beginnings.

Interestingly, six of the seven players, except Frost, who was born in Victoria, were either born or recruited from Western Australia.

Lumumba, although born in Brazil, is Western Australian under State-of-Origin, given he was drafted from Claremont, before becoming a premiership player with Collingwood. Hogan also hails from Claremont.

Brayshaw, although he has spent most of his life in Victoria, was born in Western Australia and has strong Claremont links. His father Mark played for the club and grandfather Ian was a premiership player in 1964.

Ex-Blue Garlett was initially recruited from Swan Districts and former Power midfielder Ben Newton was drafted from South Fremantle.

vandenBerg, although having spent a large portion of his life in Tathra, New South Wales and recruited from Ainslie in the Australian Capital Territory, was born in Western Australia.

Perhaps The Magnificent Seven could also be titled ‘Sam and the Sandgroper Six’ given the impact Western Australians had in Melbourne’s first round one win since 2005 – a significant drought to break.

Lumumba, playing his 200^th AFL match, kicked a critical goal in the final term, when he mopped up and kicked a beauty to steady the ship. His effort gave his new side a 14-point buffer at the 11-minute mark of the final term. It also sparked a four-goal streak and the result that ensued.

Garlett was outstanding and pushed for best-on-ground honours, with 20 disposals (12 contested), six tackles and 2.4, plus two scoring assists.

Frost’s ability to play in a variety of roles – although he was earmarked as a key defender to replace James Frawley, who joined Hawthorn as a free agent last year – was evident with his selection as Mark Jamar’s back-up ruckman. But he showed more than that. During the NAB Challenge, he played up forward with promise. And his running and chasing, particularly for a big man, is exceptional.

Newton, who left Port Adelaide as a delisted free agent for greater opportunities, kicked two goals and had 16 touches. It was a fine start for a fifth gamer, who looms as a bargain basement selection.

Hogan’s telling pack mark in the final term – he took a game-high four contested grabs and kicked two goals – was just what Melbourne supporters have been hoping for and whet the appetite for the future.

Brayshaw had a match-best nine tackles – an outstanding effort for a junior playing his first AFL senior match of any sorts – given he missed the NAB Challenge and came through the VFL in the pre-season.

And vandenBerg could prove to be one of the finds of the season, given the 23-year rookie took his opportunity with both hands. He copped ‘a mouse’ under the eye yet again, as sustained in the NAB Challenge – such was his physical style of play. He chipped in with a goal and 17 touches.

It was a most encouraging start by the new Dees – effectively a third of the side – as the team continues its transition under coach Paul Roos.