Best 22
FB: Grimes, Garland, Rivers
HB: Bennell, Frawley, Davey
C: McKenzie, Moloney, Morton
HF: Green, Watts, Sylvia
FF: Dunn, Jurrah, Petterd 
FOLL: Jamar, Trengove, Scully
I/C: Jones, Macdonald, Bartram, Maric
SUB: Wonaeamirri


Injury list
Robert Campbell (achilles) - 5-7 weeks
Troy Davis (thyroid) - 5 weeks
Jack Fitzpatrick (foot) - 2-3 weeks
James Frawley (shoulder) - 3 weeks
Jordie McKenzie (groin) - 2-3 week
Tom McNamara (foot) - 2-3 weeks
Cale Morton (finger) - 3-4 weeks
Michael Newton (broken wrist) - 2 weeks


Most valuable player
There is no one is more important to Melbourne than ruckman Mark Jamar, who is coming off a career-best season. The Demons have gone to the effort of rookie-listing Robert Campbell as insurance for Jamar but if he goes down they would be in trouble. Jake Spencer, Stefan Martin and untried duo Jack Fitzpatrick and Max Gawn are waiting in the wings but none of them could handle the bulk of the ruck load.


Track specialist
Nathan Jones looked set for a compromised pre-season when he injured his back in the last game of 2010. But he quickly recovered and was soon leading the pack at training. He came close to setting a new record time for the two-kilometre time trial late last year.


Dream Team special
Ricky Petterd only played a handful of games last season before a shoulder reconstruction finished off his year. But he was in white-hot form before he went down and at $286,500 would be a bargain selection up forward.                                                                                    


Pivotal match View the full Demons fixture here
The Demons play their first three matches at the MCG but it is their first match away from home that is their real test. Melbourne will take on Gold Coast at the Gabba in a match that will showcase some of the AFL's best players under the age of 21. Both sides are expected to be big forces in years to come and the Demons will be keen to show the world that they are well ahead of the Suns.


Draftee watch
Jeremy Howe comes to Melbourne with plenty of buzz. The second-round draft pick was an instant hit with fans after video of his high marking surfaced on Youtube. At 20 years of age, he has already played senior football for Hobart and has drawn more than a couple of comparisons with another high-flying Tasmanian forward, Russell Robertson.


The Demons will have a good year if…
Their talented but young list progresses as planned. They also need to find some cohesion in their forward line. Liam Jurrah, Jack Watts, Ricky Petterd and Austin Wonaeamirri have all missed big chunks of the past few years but if they can all be on the park at once, Melbourne will have quite a formidable attack.


The big issues
Can the club cope with the discussion around Tom Scully's future? Scully has been strongly linked to GWS and has delayed contract talks, which will only heighten speculation and discussion.

Is Dean Bailey under the pump? This will be his fourth year in charge and the last of his current contract. The young Demons have been given time to develop, but expectation is going to rise.

What effect will Brendan Fevola have on their developing players? Melbourne has made no secret of its displeasure at the controversial former Lion and Blue joining its VFL aligned club Casey. It remains to be seen if he will be getting in the way of Melbourne's developing youngsters or if he might be able to pass on some handy technical hints and tips.
 
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL