A broken leg in 2009 was the start of a wretched run of injuries that disrupted Blease’s first two seasons.
 
But a knee injury to Joel Macdonald has paved the way for him to make his AFL debut.

Macdonald is the only omission from the team that defeated Richmond at the MCG last Saturday.

Blease’s inclusion means that for the first time Melbourne’s first four picks from the 2008 Draft - Jack Watts, Sam Blease, James Strauss and Jamie Bennell - will all play together.
 
He is the eighth player from the 2008 drafts to play for the Demons.
 
Defender Colin Garland will play his 50th AFL match this round.

Players will wear black armbands against the Bulldogs in memory of club legend Sean Wight, who lost his battle with cancer on Thursday.
 
Wight played 150 matches from 1985-1995. He was 47.

Melbourne
B: James Strauss, James Frawley, Daniel Nicholson
HB: Colin Garland, Jared Rivers, Nathan Jones
C: Jack Trengove, Colin Sylvia, Brad Green
HF: Tom Scully, Liam Jurrah, Cale Morton
F: Ricky Petterd, Jack Watts, Stefan Martin
FOLL: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, Jordie McKenzie
I/C: Jordie Gysberts, Jamie Bennell, Jeremy Howe, Sam Blease
EMG: Clint Bartram, Matthew Bate, Lynden Dunn
IN: Sam Blease
OUT: Joel Macdonald (knee)
NEW: Sam Blease (Norwood (VMFL)/Yarra Valley Grammar/Eastern (U18)

Western Bulldogs
B: Robert Murphy, Lukas Markovic, Easton Wood
HB: Dale Morris, Tom Williams, Lindsay Gilbee
C: Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Liam Picken
HF: Shaun Higgins, Liam Jones, Luke Dahlhaus
F: Jarrad Grant, Barry Hall, Daniel Giansiracusa
FOLL: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney
I/C: Ed Barlow, Callan Ward, Sam Reid, Andrew Hooper