MELBOURNE expects No.1 draft pick Tom Scully to graduate to a full workload by the end of next week as the squad builds into its NAB Cup campaign.

Scully, 18, fractured his patella when playing for TAC Cup side the Dandenong Stingrays in September and has been eased into training since joining the Demons six weeks ago.

"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 told melbournefc.com.au.

"Today (Wednesday) I think he (Scully) did the full warm-up, the first two kicking drills and the tackling and then he went off to the pool and did the rest of his load off his feet."

So strong is the impression that Scully, Jack Trengove (pick No.2) and Jordan Gysberts (11) have already made at the Demons that Williams and fellow midfield coach Scott West are considering their possible round one selection.

"That's where the education of these young blokes is critical," Williams said. "[We must] really try to expand their minds and allow them to think what is possible.

"It's exciting for the midfield group and it's really exciting for the coaches because once again we get to work with the best talent in the AFL in regards to the drafting.

"Our blokes can really see light at the end of the tunnel now. We've had a couple of pretty dreadful years but as a group mentally and physically we're starting to emerge now."

Each draftee spent the two-and-half weeks over the Christmas and New Year break in the gym and in sprints work, with the aim of catching up to the rest of their teammates' programs.

Though Sam Blease, the Demons' second pick in the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, is in the final stages of his rehabilitation from a badly broken leg, third-year player Jack Grimes is making the most of his fitness to claim the midfield spot vacated by Brock McLean.

Williams said other players who were rotated through the midfield in the late stages of last season, including Neville Jetta, could be given more opportunities.

That may be determined over the next month as Melbourne enters a training block geared towards match fitness and game simulation.

Wednesday's return to the track welcomed a stronger presence at Casey Fields than before Christmas, with small forward Austin Wonaeamirri jogging at the halfway mark of his recovery from a torn hamstring and defender Colin Garland back to running.

After a foot stress fracture kept him to just one game in 2009, the talented Garland suffered a stress reaction in October and was forced to rest again.

"That was obviously because he hadn't done a lot of weight-bearing stuff and some of the bones weren't used to the workload," Williams said.

"By the time we start NAB Cup games he'll be full training and hopefully be up and ready for selection in round one."

Melbourne opens its NAB Cup campaign against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on February 21.