MELBOURNE has lost co-captain Jack Grimes for Sunday’s clash against the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium, with defender Dean Terlich coming back in as his replacement.
Earlier on Friday, the Demons added veteran Daniel Cross to the squad of 25, after he was on the cusp of selection, having missed the past four matches with a leg fracture.
But he has now been listed as an emergency, with Terlich called up and named on the wing after Grimes was forced to withdraw from the squad, due to a hamstring injury.
It will be the first time Grimes has missed a match this season.
Terlich, whose most recent match was against Geelong in round 17, played the opening 11 games of the season. He has since made three appearances for the Dees. Terlich was also an emergency on three occasions from rounds 13 to 18.
The Demons also confirmed their interchange, naming powerful young Demon Dean Kent, speedster Sam Blease, small forward Jay Kennedy-Harris and hard-at-it midfielder Aidan Riley.
Kennedy-Harris has played 12 matches in his first AFL season and Kent has added eight games in his second year.
Riley has featured in five games in his first year at the club, after crossing from the Crows, and Blease had his first taste for 2014 against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval last round.
Along with Cross, ruckman Max Gawn and midfielder Matt Jones, who were included in the initial squad on Thursday night, have been named emergencies.
Cross has played 13 matches in his first season with the Demons after 210 with the Western Bulldogs from 2002-13. But he hasn’t played since round 14, due to injury.
Gawn was also an emergency last round against Port Adelaide, while Jones was left out of the side for the first time since he made his AFL debut in round one, 2013, ending a 38-game consecutive streak.
Gawn has played five matches in 2014 – all since round nine – after a hamstring injury halted his early part of the season. He has also been an emergency five times this season.
The Demons will be aiming to record their first win over the Lions since round three, 2011 at the MCG.
They will also be desperately keen to end an 18-match losing streak at Docklands. In fact, the Dees have won just twice in their past 27 matches at the venue.
Melbourne’s most recent win at Etihad Stadium came in round 19, 2007, when Mark Riley was coach.
Melbourne team: round 19B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Colin Garland
HB: Lynden Dunn, James Frawley, Jeremy Howe
C: Dean Terlich, Bernie Vince, Jordie McKenzie
HF: Rohan Bail, Cam Pedersen, Jack Viney
F: Luke Tapscott, Chris Dawes, Jack Watts
FOLL: Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones, Dom Tyson
I/C: Dean Kent, Sam Blease, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Aidan Riley
EMG: Daniel Cross, Max Gawn, Matt Jones
IN: Dean Terlich
OUT: Jack Grimes (hamstring)
