IN the second of a four-part series on melbournefc.com.au, assistant coach Peter Curran shares the inside word on the 2007 squad, covering all the players’ pre-season programs and what fans can expect in the season ahead.

In this edition, Peter starts with Ryan Ferguson and finishes with Paul Johnson.

Ryan Ferguson: Fergy has managed to get himself fit after an injury-plagued 2006. He is versatile either at centre half-back or across the half-forward line and is a wonderfully courageous player. Ryan gives us another dimension with our talls.

James Frawley: James is a very exciting first-round draft pick. He has acclimatised really well to the rigors of AFL training and doesn't look lost at senior level. He has plenty to learn but has all the attributes to become a significant contributor to the Melbourne Football Club over a long period of time. It wouldn't surprise if James forced his way into the senior team, which would be a fine achievement for a first-year player.

Colin Garland: He's a real smoky, Col. He's a third-round draft pick from 2006 and a deceptively smart footballer for his size. While he's quiet-natured and doesn't say a lot, he's shown that he does have the athletic qualities to cope at the top level. He'll probably spend most of the year establishing himself at Sandringham, but should the opportunity arise and he is playing well enough, he may well surprise and play a senior match for Melbourne.

Simon Godfrey: Simon hasn't had the perfect preparation, but the hallmark of his pre-season has been his work ethic. He really does work extremely hard. Simon did have a knee problem but he is up and running now. He provides wonderful support to our midfield and I'm sure there will be some pretty important roles for him to play in 2007.

Brad Green: Brad has really taken on his leadership role in his second season. He's been a pretty good role model on the track, particularly for our younger players, and has hardly put a foot wrong during our pre-season. Like Cameron Bruce, Brad's versatility is important for us and we need to have our best players playing. 'Greeny' is one of them.

Daniel Hayes (rookie): Daniel is a young player and we expect he will need to acclimatise to the environment for at least 12 months. That will be a big change for him. But if what we saw in the intra-club match at Telstra Dome was anything to go by, he looks like he's a wonderful exponent of the game. He's an exciting prospect and there is enough talent there to suggest he could be a very good player.

Ben Holland: 'Dutchy' has come through training really well. He's a player who is susceptible to soft-tissue problems, yet he has managed to get some continuity in his training, which is really important. He's moving as well as I've seen him in the three years I've been here at Melbourne. He will be really important to us again and his role will be to play down back on the 'gorillas'. He'll provide some wonderful synergy with the likes of Nathan Carroll and Jared Rivers.

Daniel Hughes (rookie): Daniel has worked extremely hard over the pre-season after impressing in a few pre-season matches last year and then establishing himself as a useful and dangerous small forward for Sandringham. But if adversity is a wonderful teacher, then he's had his fair share, because he was extremely unlucky to miss out on last year's Sandringham premiership team. The expectation with Daniel is that he will further improve and consolidate a position in Sandringham's senior team this year.

Mark Jamar: Mark continued to develop in 2006 and this year his focus will be to shoulder some of the first-ruck responsibilities with Jeff White. Mark has a big frame and when he uses it intelligently, he can have a real impact in the ruck and up forward, which he showed at times last year. He kicked a critical goal against Geelong in round 21 last year, and we hope Mark can have a greater impact around the ball and add versatility to our forward structure.

Chris Johnson: Chris's body has really developed over the summer and he has developed some real definition. He has been one of our best trainers over the pre-season, and with such a good preparation behind him, has the opportunity to establish a regular place in the senior side. Chris also provides versatility with his ability to play wing, half-back and half-forward.

Paul Johnson: Paul has recovered from his shoulder injury after displaying terrific courage against Sydney in round four last year when he committed his body to the ball at a crucial contest. He had some residual problems after trying to come back from injury last year, but his shoulder has now been fixed. He's fully fit and we're certainly keen for Paul to continue demonstrating the courage and commitment he showed last year. His versatility will see him fulfill a number of roles.