Melbourne Demons News

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says Brad Miller has shown a lot of character to knock back an AFL farewell to play with VFL affiliate Casey.

"He's always been a team-first, club-first player. His involvement at Casey has been very thick for the whole year," Bailey said.

"Inside the football club he is incredibly respected. He's got great love for the club and he works as hard as anyone. His leadership since I've been at the footy club has been fantastic."

Melbourne forward Brad Miller is told he will be delisted at the end of the season but chooses to line up for the Casey Scorpions in their VFL qualifying final rather than play in a farewell AFL match.

"Had to make a big call today ... I have decided to play with the Scorps in the finals this week," he said via Twitter.

"Really appreciate the club's offer for a farewell but know I wouldn't feel right about turning my back on the Scorps for week 1 of the finals."

Melbourne captain James McDonald will retire from AFL football at the end of the season after coming to a mutual decision with the club to call an end to his career.

"My time's come to an end at the Melbourne Football Club and it sits comfortably with me now," McDonald said.

"It has been a fantastic opportunity for me. When I first started out I didn't think I'd end up captaining the club and to be able to do that has been an honour for me. It has been a fantastic life experience for me to spend so many years here at the Melbourne Football Club."

Aaron Davey's season is over after fracturing his left fibula in the Demons' loss to the Hawks.

"It's disappointing for Aaron, but he'll be able to complete a full pre-season and it won't hold him back for his 2011 campaign," Demons general manager Chris Connolly said.

Aaron Davey may have played his last game for 2010, after suffering a suspected broken leg.

Melbourne midfielder Colin Sylvia says he wishes he had his time over again after witnessing the dedication of his younger teammates Jack Trengove and Tom Scully.

"If I could have anything again, it would be the first three or four years at the club," Sylvia said.

"The impact those two boys have made and the kids that they are, how dedicated they are ... they tick all the boxes.

"If I was half the kid they are, I would have been such a better footballer. It's time lost for me and time wasted in a way."

Melbourne's Jordie McKenzie says he is continuing to learn after performing a fantastic shut-down job on David Mundy on Sunday.

"It's the best type of training to go out there up against these types of fellas who are the elite in the competition," he said.

"They show you why they are the elite so by going with them you learn all the little things that they do that makes them good.

"I don't want to be too negative in the midfield and it's an important area to try and hurt them when we do have the footy rather than being all one way. It was good to get off him at times and get a little bit of my own footy."

A win in his return from injury against the Bombers has Melbourne midfielder-forward, Colin Sylvia looking further into the season and even to a possible finals tilt.

"It's been a bit of a frustrating year for me individually, but that's footy," he said.

"It's good to be out there and contributing and coming away with a really good win - I'm looking forward to the next seven weeks, really enjoy my football and notch up a few more wins."

Ruckman Mark Jamar commits to Melbourne for the next two seasons on the back of career-best campaign in 2010.

"Mark has become a very important cog in our team," Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington said.

"We've been given a great advantage through his ruck work. With a younger midfield group, it's vital that we've got some physical presence in there, and Mark provides that for us."

Melbourne forward Liam Jurrah is over his shoulder injury and will play for the Casey Scorpions this weekend.

"We've been very conservative with his rehab," Demons football operations manager Chris Connolly.

"He'll play on the weekend, whether he plays seniors or reserves, I'm not sure. That decision will be made later on, but the club is absolutely rapt to have him back playing."

Melbourne midfielder Colin Sylvia said he came close to losing his toe before begin admitted to hospital.

"In the long run, if I kept going, at that stage there was no blood flow going through - the toe could have possibly died," Sylvia said.

"No surgery at all, all I've had is this nice trolley here for the last three days, hanging onto me closely, showering with it. I've got to know it well."

After a superb pair of games to begin his senior career, Jordan Gysberts earns the round 11 nomination for the NAB AFL Rising Star award.

"It's a lot hard work, and I'm just lucky to have good teammates out there like Brent Moloney and James McDonald. They give me a lot of guidance and they show me the way," Gysbert said about elevating his game to the AFL.

Melbourne on-baller Colin Sylvia is admitted to Melbourne's Epworth hospital after experiencing severe pain due to a blood clot in his right toe following a loss to Carlton.

"This is a rare condition, and Colin's availability for this week's match against Collingwood will depend on his response to the treatment," Melbourne's general manager of football Chris Connolly said.

Young Demon midfielder Jordan Gysberts impresses with 26 disposals on debut against Geelong at Skilled Stadium.

"We had confidence in him starting in at the centre bounce and confidence in him playing as a centre square player with his clearance stuff," Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said.

"We think he's going to be a pretty good player for us; a tall-type midfielder is probably the mix we were looking for."

Liam Jurrah, Jamie Bennell and Neville Jetta have committed to the Demons for two more years.

"All three boys - Neville, Jamie and Liam - are all exciting players who bring a real vibrancy to our playing list," Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington said.

"We've already seen Liam's mercurial talent, but Neville is extremely strong in his defensive work and Jamie has shown he can play in a variety of roles already - down back, up forward and we think there is some scope for Jamie and Neville in the future to play in the midfield."

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey is confident Jack Watts can play his role for the team this weekend against the Eagles.

"Jack will approach it with what we want him to do and we expect him to contribute and apply pressure like every other player in the team," Bailey said.

"He knows what's expected and I'm sure he'll give 100 per cent."

Melbourne has kept the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney at bay by signing key defender James Frawley to a new four-year deal.

"For James to have the confidence to commit to the club for four years and for the club to have the confidence to commit to James for four years is a pretty big thing - you don't do too many four-year deals," Melbourne list management general manager Tim Harrington said.

"Given we see him as a mainstay of the backline for a long period of time, it was a pretty easy decision."

Tom Scully tallies 39 disposals against the Bulldogs including 18 in the final term to earn a rising star nomination for round 7.

"For the first couple of rounds it's just been about getting the pace of the game and making that transition as quick as I can," Scully said of his transition into AFL football.

"I've had a lot of help from the coaches and the players, but it's just a learning experience, and I'm learning new roles every week and really enjoying it."

Jack Trengove earns himself the Round 5 Rising Star nomination after tallying 24 disposals and kicking two goals in a big win over the Brisbane Lions.

West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui surprises no one by winning the round four NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.

Naitanui says he is not overly concerned with winning the season's NAB AFL Rising Star award for 2010.

"I don't really pay attention to it. I'm there to win games, that's the main thing. If something like that happens, it happens. I'm not too fazed about those kind of individual awards at the moment," he said.

Naitanui added that the pressure on Jack Watts who was selected before him in the 2008 national draft and has so far failed to impress is unwarranted.

"I spoke to Jack last week. We have the same manager and keep in touch pretty often. It's sad that he has that pressure on him," he said.

"He doesn't get fazed though, that is the good thing about him. He doesn't pay attention to it and he just plays his footy and enjoys it."

Former gambling addict David Schwarz has revealed he has been approached by player managers to counsel two AFL players over gambling concerns.

"I will talk to them, absolutely," Schwarz said.

"It's in the process now. The problem is, managers have a suspicion about their players, but it's up to the player to acknowledge it."

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says the club will play Tom Scully and Jack Trengove as much as possible this season.

"We're going to play them as much as we can this year and it's great to see these two young fellas put in a fair pre-season, considering where they started. They've worked really hard and they're going to be exciting to watch from this moment onwards," Bailey said.

Melbourne is hopeful Colin Sylvia will recover from a broken jaw in time to play Collingwood.

"Col had a clean break, so it's been wired up and he'll return in about round two," Melbourne football operations manager Chris Connolly said of Sylvia.

"He stayed in hospital on Saturday night - he was operated first thing on Sunday - and was at our team meeting on Monday. We're hopeful for round two, but we'll just have to see how he goes with training."

The prognosis for injured forward Austin Wonaeamirri who has a hamstring injury is less certaini is less certain.

"He was having scans today (Monday), so we're not sure of the severity of the injury, but once that's worked out, we'll put the right programs in place and take a conservative approach with his injury," Connolly said.

Colin Garland will play his first match for the Casey Scorpions since suffering a debilitating foot stress fracture in the opening round of the home-and-away season against North Melbourne at the MCG last year.

Young Melbourne forward Liam Jurrah will be out for four months after injuring his shoulder against the Crows in a NAB Challenge match.

"This is disappointing news to learn of the severity of Liam's injury. Liam met with the surgeon this afternoon, and he'll have the operation to reconstruct his right shoulder on Wednesday. At this stage, he will miss approximately 16 weeks of football," Demons football manager Chris Connolly said.

Melbourne players Liam Jurrah and Daniel Bell will have scans on Sunday to determine the extent of shoulder injuries sustained in a NAB Challenge match against Adelaide in Elizabeth.

Jurrah dislocated a shoulder when going to ground while dislocated an AC joint in a collision with an Adelaide player.

Melbourne midfielder Cale Morton will have scans on his right knee after injuring it in a marking contest running back with the flight of the ball in the fourth quarter and having to leave the ground immediately.

Dean Bailey says he underwent a searching review with the Melbourne board that lasted over three hours to earn his one-year contract extension.

"I put forward my view of the club - the list, the future," he said.

"It was about where we've come from, where we are now and where we should be. We went through the fitness, where our players should be at the end of this year.

"They really want to see where I see the club going. They took their time, and for me they came out with the result."

The contract of Melbourne coach Dean Bailey has been extended by one year, meaning he will be in charge of the club until at least 2011.

"It's a great challenge," Bailey said.

"There is still a lot of work to do but I believe we have the list in place to take us there. I will be doing my utmost and look forward to the challenge with great anticipation."

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says Jack Watts is aware that stories comparing him to West Coast's Nic Naitanui are going to get written particular after Naitanui impressed in the NAB Cup opener against Essendon.

"Jack's going to go about his business. Jack wants to play as well as he can, as soon as he can for the Melbourne footy club and what's written is written and what's said is said," Bailey said.

"We're not going to be distracted by outside stories that are written - they're going to be written anyway regardless of who it is. But Jack's concentrating on developing his football and we've seen that in the last month, so that's good."

Jack Watts who is battling a back injury and may miss the start of the 2010 AFL season.

"We want his body to get through the season, so we're just going to back off and get it right," football operations manager Chris Connolly said.

Melbourne defender Jared Rivers says a strong pre-season should contribute to him having his best year at Melbourne.

"A big pre-season can build you up for the season. I've had no concerns over the pre-season and being appointed to the leadership group has been fantastic for me as well," Rivers said.

"It gives you a lot of confidence knowing you've done all of the work and it definitely gets you cherry ripe for the season ahead. I'm up for any challenge at the moment."

Melbourne's Austin Wonaeamirri says he was castigated by teammates for coming into pre-season training overweight but says he has gotten his weight under control now.

"We all make mistakes, so I put my head down and bum up and worked really hard," he said.

"I became strict with my diet and from that day I thought to myself, 'Why did I come back this heavy, when last year I was trim and fit?' But then I got my skinfolds down pretty quick."

Melbourne's first two 2009 draft picks, Jack Trengove and Tom Scully, say they are both ready to play in the first round of the NAB Cup.

"From where I was pre-Christmas to where I am now, I've made pretty good progress," Scully said.

"I've been pretty diligent in working with the fitness and weights staff, so I've been trying to get my body as right as possible for this time of the year."

"It's obviously a goal of most of the first year boys to play round one, but I'll have to see how I'm going at that stage," Trengove said.

"If I have to start off at Casey, I really don't mind. I just want to go out and earn a bit of respect from the players and get a few consistent games together later on."

Injuries to Melbourne's most experienced ruckman will mean forward Stef Martin may do the tap work during the NAB Cup.

"He went forward and kicked some miraculous goals last year and started off as a backman so he's experienced in all areas," teammate Matthew Bate said of Martin's flexibility as a player.

"It's valuable to have someone nearly 200cm be able to play anywhere on the ground."

Melbourne recruits Jack Trengove and Luke Tapscott have signed three-year deals instead of the usual two offered to new draftees.

Trengove and Tapscott competed together for South Australia in the under 18 championships with both their families becoming close even before they were drafted.

"On draft night the Trengoves had a pretty clear understanding of where Jack would go in the pecking order but they were very interested in where Luke would go," Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington said.

"They were in contact with Luke's parents the morning of the draft just to speak to them and say good luck. As it turned out he joined Jack at Melbourne."

Despite early pre-season setbacks Melbourne believes Jack Watts can be ready to make an impact from round one.

Watts had a delayed start to pre-season training because of illness and is now entering a full program after making up ground over the Christmas and New Year break.

"We're hoping he can keep improving his body and his fitness and his knowledge of what we require him to do," assistant coach Mark Williams said.

"Hopefully his ability will be able to bring him into the fold and put him up for selection early in the season ... whether he's right for round one will be up to him."

Jack Grimes reveals how he overcame two bouts of stress fractures in his back by doing unique core strength exercises which involve twitching or touching his stomach and leg muscles.

"It was pretty extreme, they said a lot of my muscles just weren't working," he said of his condition.

"It was putting pressure on my back and hips, which caused the back and groin injuries.

"The doctors said, 'We are pretty much going to have to start from scratch again with my running technique and lots of things'."

Melbourne assistant coach Mark Williams says prized recruit Tom Scully will begin full training with the squad by the end of next week.

Scully has been handled with care after having fractured his patella when playing for TAC Cup side the Dandenong Stingrays in September.

"We're very careful with all the draftees, as all clubs are, so we don't want to load them up too much," assistant coach Mark Williams said.

Melbourne assistant coach Mark Williams says Joel Macdonald has been a valuable acquisition for his pre-season training input.

"He's been very focused, has done everything right and has prepared himself really well. In the way he trains, you can see his experience, the games he's played and the way he thinks about the footy," Williams said.

"He's been working really hard in the gym and he's really been trying to make sure that his actions build respect from the other players."

Demons president Jim Stynes says his wish for 2010 is simply to get to the next Christmas.

"My hope would be that I get to next Christmas," Stynes said.

"It's pretty simple for me. I don't worry too much about things any more. When your life is threatened with disease everything else pales into insignificance.

"But I'm planning to enjoy my kids growing up and enjoy my relationship with my wife."

Feeling like he let Melbourne down this year, youngster Sam Blease plans to move on from his broken leg and deliver on his potential in 2010.

coaching staff and everyone who had put time into me and gave me an opportunity to play AFL," he said.

"I just need to prove to all of them with [my] actions this year and show them what I can do and why I was taken at pick No.17 last year."

Melbourne's heavy recruiting in the last two years has left 2007 draftee Jack Grimes with something to offer his younger teammates.

"I remember when I first came to the club I looked up to the first and second-year guys," he said.

"I feel like the young guys ... are looking to us for advice, because we've just been through what they're going through. It is good to have some guys come up to you and ask you for advice.

"I couldn't believe it when the new boys came in a few weeks ago - there are now blokes who are two years under me."

Melbourne says forward Austin Wonaeamirri will recover from a hamstring injury in time for the 2010 season.

"Although it's a setback - on the back of a really tough year last season - and it's not ideal, we've been told that if he does the right rehab, he'll recover 100 per cent," Melbourne assistant coach Josh Mahoney said.

"He'll be right to go for the season, so there are no problems there."

Austin Wonaeamirri faces another month before he can re-join full training with the Demons after injuring his hamstring.

"It was really unfortunate for Ozzie, because he was training well," Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said.

"He'll rehab and get up and get going, running and striding again in the middle of January. It's a hiccup but I expect him to be OK."

Jared Rivers is happy to finally have a proper pre-season after being selected to be part of Melbourne's leadership group.

"I had a few bad years there with injury so it's good to be recognised by your teammates and it's an exciting time for me," he said.

"I had two operations and I've never been better. It's the first pre-season I've had for five years. I'm training every session now and I feel great."

Melbourne players vote for James McDonald to continue as Melbourne captain in 2010.

"It's a huge honour to be the captain of the Melbourne Football Club," McDonald said.

"The last three years we have been through a bit of pain, but we can really see some improvement coming through in the younger players. They learned a lot about playing together last season and we're really optimistic and excited about the year ahead."

Aaron Davey and Jared Rivers have been added to Melbourne's leadership group with Davey announcing his attentions to one day captain the side.

"You'd be silly not to want to do that. We've got a great captain in James McDonald, but if the chance ever came up I'd be more than happy to put my hand up," Davey said.

"It would be something special to have an indigenous guy, the oldest Australian people, be the captain of the oldest Australian football club. It would be something unheard of before."

Melbourne draftee Max Gawn, at 208cm, will be the second tallest player in the league behind Fremantle's Aaron Sandilands.

"Back in year nine and year 10, I wasn't always the tallest bloke in the side," he said.

"Running, moving around and agility are among my strengths. I've maintained that as I've kept growing."

Melbourne has ended months of speculation by selecting Tom Scully first overall in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft ahead of South Australian Jack Trengove.

""It's obviously very exciting at the moment for myself and my family," Scully said.

"It's good to be finally drafted, and I'm really just looking forward to getting down to the club."

"We couldn't split them, unfortunately we were required to call then out one-by-one, but if it was up to me, I'd call both of them out together," Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said.

"I see them both as equals, they're going to really contribute to the Melbourne Football Club. They've got great character, and we look forward to them running out and playing next year."

The likely top pick in the NAB AFL Draft, Tom Scully, is refusing to be caught up in the drama one day out from selection day.

"I've spoken with Melbourne but I'm sure they've spoken with a number of other players as well. They've told me that I'm coming into calculations but you never know until your name gets called out," Scully said.

"I'll just have to wait and see and find out and see what unfolds tomorrow."

Hawthorn is considering drafting an experienced ruckmen, one of Chris Bryan, Cameron Cloke, John Meesen, Adam Pattison or Wayde Skipper on Thursday night.

Melbourne has delisted Michael Newton and John Meesen, but says the club is prepared to re-draft them if there is no interest from any other clubs.

Meanwhile, young Demons Clint Bartram, Kyle Cheney and Tom McNamara have agreed to contract extensions.

Melbourne's Colin Sylvia says the self-doubt that plagued him in the early days of his career is now gone.

"I didn't think I could live up to the AFL expectations and standards," Sylvia said of his early years at the club.

"It's taken six years and hopefully I've still got a lot of footy ahead of me now. I'm genuinely excited as a whole for the football club, but individually as well - I've got a very strong belief that my best footy is in front of me."

Aaron Davey has won his first Keith 'Bluey' Truscott trophy, beating Brent Moloney for Melbourne's best-and-fairest award.

Melbourne's vice-captain Cameron Bruce says personal attention from some of his teammates might help bring St Kilda's Luke Ball to the club .

"I was fortunate enough to play in the international rules with Luke and his leadership and professionalism would be unbelievable for this [young] group of players here, and he'd help us older guys too," Bruce said.

"Whatever his decision is, hopefully it involves coming down to the Demons."

Russell Robertson has thrown himself into a rigorous pre-season training program in a desperate bid to revive his AFL career.

"It was completely a situational thing at Melbourne and I understand that, but I still have lots to give," Robertson said.

"The passion to be at my best and contribute is still burning away in the guts. I still think I can kick my 40 or 50 goals a season and provide that exuberance and that excitement, because that's what I do."

Brock McLean requesting a trade to Carlton during the exchange period was a surprise to his teammates, says Cale Morton.

"It was disappointing to lose Brock, a leader of the footy club. When he's playing his best footy, he's a good player and he'll be missed," Morton said.

Melbourne has delisted Simon Buckley and Shane Valenti as it prepares for a new batch of draftees.

Brock McLean is a Blue and Melbourne has another first-round draft pick, after the two clubs finally sealed their long-discussed trade.

"The deal was very clean - Brock for 11," Demons list manager Tim Harrington said.

"We're happy that we're rebuilding the club and get ourselves some prime picks in the draft."

Jim Stynes', battling with cancer, reveals he now has a brain tumour.

"Small bump on recover, little tumour on brain, will know soon,'' Stynes wrote on Twitter today.

"Good news PETscan all clean on rest body. great support everyone xox''.

Carlton list manager Steven Icke says medical screenings must still be completed before the Brock McLean deal is done.

"We're not going to sign off on that until such time as we've done all of our due diligence," Blues list manager Steven Icke said.

"If that takes an extra little while, then we'd rather get it right and tick every box, before we get the paperwork lodged."

Brock McLean says a realisation he was not fully committed to Melbourne made him look to Carlton for a new beginning to his career.

"There were a few little contributing factors, but at the end of the day I just felt deep down in my gut that a change would be the best thing for me," he told SEN radio.

"If I wasn't 100 per cent happy, and 100 per cent committed to the footy club - which I wasn't - then I thought I was wasting the club's time and I was wasting my time".

Midfielder Aaron Davey has committed his long-term future to the Demons after signing a new four-year deal with the club.

"We are very pleased that Aaron has committed to Melbourne," Demons official Tim Harrington said in a statement.

"He is a player who is held in high regard and is a big part of the club's future success.

Carlton coach Brett Ratten says Brock McLean will more strength at the contests when he joins the Blues from Melbourne.

"It is certainly exciting to know we will be adding such a quality midfielder to our playing group in 2010," Ratten said.

"At just 23 years of age, Brock is still a young player and has great experience that will assist our young playing group. He is a fantastic in-close player and I am sure the likes of Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson and the like will benefit from his ability to get the ball out to them."

Melbourne has agreed in principle to trade Brock McLean to Carlton for the Blues' No.11 pick in the national draft.

"It is very disappointing to lose a player of Brock's calibre," Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington said.

"Once Brock made this decision it was important that we secured a commensurate trade and this has been achieved."

McLean is reported to be frustrated with his role at the success-starved Melbourne as a run-with player while also being asked to take a pay cut.

Promising Melbourne forward Addam Maric has signed with the Demons for 2010 and 2011.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says exciting forward Liam Jurrah can only build on his breakthrough season.

"He's going to be a management issue for us next year, because this year he had no pre-season and we had to make sure he played enough games to get him ready for AFL footy," Bailey said.

"He'll now start pre-season on October 12 and we see him as only getting better."