MELBOURNE has made three changes for Saturday’s clash against Geelong Cats at Etihad Stadium.
As announced earlier in the day, rookie forward Tim Smith has been named for his first AFL game, while 2015 best and fairest winner Bernie Vince returns after missing round two due to a one-match suspension for striking St Kilda’s Nathan Wright.
And powerful small forward Dean Kent has been included for his first match of the season, after a back injury interrupted his summer. He has spent the past few weeks playing for Casey in VFL intra-club/practice matches.
Two forced changes were made after key forward Jesse Hogan and four-time premiership player Jordan Lewis were rubbed out by the match review panel for two weeks and three matches respectively on Tuesday. Melbourne has made one other change, leaving out young midfielder Angus Brayshaw.
Coach Simon Goodwin said Kent was ready to go and Smith had worked hard for his spot in the team.
“Into the team is Bernie Vince, back from suspension, Dean Kent, who has had an injury through the pre-season, but has had three games back at the [practice] games back at the VFL now – and he looks ready to play AFL footy,” he told Melbourne TV.
“And Tim Smith is a great story. He’s a mature-age guy, who is debuting for the footy club and he’s a forward that plays with a great level of intensity and tackles [well], so we’re looking forward to getting him into the team.
“The three outs are the two suspended players in Jordan Lewis and Jesse Hogan and Angus Brayshaw has been omitted for this week’s match.”
Ruckman Jake Spencer has been named an emergency for the third consecutive round. He has been joined by Tom Bugg, who was an emergency in round one and had 32 disposals for Casey last weekend in a VFL practice match. And versatile tall Cameron Pedersen has been named in the 25 for the first time this year.
Melbourne will take on the Cats for the first time at Docklands, with the match to start at 4.35pm.
Goodwin said his side had prepared strongly this week in the lead-up to round three.
“[We’re] really looking to this weekend’s game against the Cats at Etihad. It’s the first time that we’ve played a game against each other at the ground and they’re a formidable opponent that has a lot of experience in their team,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to playing our game style – the way that we know we can play it – against a really good side that’s got a strong midfield. But we feel that we’ve got a really impressive young midfield group that can really take it up to them.
“47,000 fans last week at the ‘G was terrific and we’re looking to get a really big crowd at Etihad. I know the guys and the players are really loving the support that our fans are giving us and we look forward to seeing them all at Etihad on Saturday afternoon.”
Meanwhile, Brayshaw, Spencer, Jack Trengove, Sam Frost, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Tom Bugg, Ben Kennedy, Dion Johnstone, Mitch White, Josh Wagner, Declan Keilty, Corey Maynard and Lochie Filipovic have been named to play for Casey Demons in a VFL practice match against Werribee at Casey Fields on Saturday at 2pm.
Melbourne team: round three
B: Christian Salem, Tom McDonald, Jayden Hunt
HB: Neville Jetta, Oscar McDonald, Nathan Jones
C: Bernie Vince, Dom Tyson, James Harmes
HF: Mitch Hannan, Sam Weideman, Alex Neal-Bullen
F: Jeff Garlett, Christian Petracca, Tim Smith
Foll: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney
I/C: Jack Watts, Billy Stretch, Dean Kent, Jake Melksham
Emg: Tom Bugg, Cameron Pedersen, Jake Spencer
In: Kent, T.Smith, Vince
Out: Hogan (suspended), Lewis (suspended), Brayshaw
