A WEALTH of key Demons will be available for selection in the opening weekend of the 2021 AFL season.
Jack Viney (foot), Jake Melksham (hamstring), Christian Salem (hamstring), Michael Hibberd (ankle) and Angus Brayshaw (foot) have all passed their respective fitness tests, and will line-up at either AFL or VFL level.
Having already been ruled out to take on Fremantle at the MCG, Viney will feature for the Casey Demons on Saturday morning when they go up against the Northern Bullants in a practice match at Casey Fields.
Who he’ll be joined by is yet to be confirmed, with Melbourne to announce its final team to face the Dockers on Friday night.
Meanwhile, several other players are progressing well in their rehab.
Ben Brown, who underwent knee surgery early last month, has started running, but is still expected to be about six weeks off a return, while Sam Weideman (femur) is a week ahead of him.
Mitch Brown (calf), Joel Smith (finger) and Jay Lockhart (groin) are all between two and three weeks away.
Watch below as Melbourne’s Performance Manager Darren Burgess provides a further update.
