FIRST-ROUND pick Xavier Lindsay is eyeing a return to full fitness early in the new year, while Melbourne stars Bayley Fritsch and Christian Salem have almost recovered from off-season knee surgery. 

The Demons used pick No.11 to select Lindsay at last month's Telstra AFL Draft after taking Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Harvey Langford at No.6, before adding VFL forward Aidan Johnson with pick No.68 on night two. 

Lindsay sustained a posterior cruciate ligament at the end of August, ending his campaign early, following a season where he cemented his status in the draft pool by earning All-Australian selection mid-year and winning the Morrish Medal in the Coates Talent League. 

The Inverloch product completed a running session with Fritsch and Clayton Oliver at Gosch's Paddock on Wednesday morning and will integrate into training when the Demons report back for pre-season after the Christmas break. 

Fritsch and Salem underwent operations to repair knee cartilage after Melbourne's 2024 season ended in round 24. 

Salem has started returning to drills while Fritsch has mainly been confined to running since Melbourne returned for pre-season training late last month. 

Fritsch has barely missed a game since Melbourne plucked him out of the VFL at 21 in 2017, racing to 149 appearances since then. 

The 27-year-old has led the goalkicking at the club for the past five seasons, booting 41.23 in 2024, although has spent plenty of time in rehab over the past 24 months due to feet and knee issues. 

Both Fritsch and Salem are on track to return to full fitness by the Christmas break. 

All-Australian key defender Jake Lever is also on a modified program after shoulder surgery but completed most of Wednesday's session in Richmond. 

Two-time Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy winner Christian Petracca banked another session as he continues his build towards a return, after his 2024 campaign ended on King's Birthday when he suffered a lacerated spleen, punctured lung and broken ribs. 

Wearing a legionnaires hat and an orange bib, the 28-year-old moved with confidence and commanding presence across the two-hour session, showing no signs of the life-threatening injuries that made Petracca one of the most spoken about players in the game this year. 

West Australian star Kysaiah Pickett was a standout during a small match simulation component of the session, along with veteran defender Steven May. 

Harry Petty has spent the early part of the pre-season training in defence and appears set for a return down back after being used by Simon Goodwin in attack across the past couple of years. 

Mature-age recruit Johnson has made an early impression at the Demons after being the biggest shock selection of last month's draft. 

The 24-year-old was selected out of Werribee with the fourth last pick, 12 months after playing for Yarraville-Seddon in the Western Football Netball League, following stints with Old Brighton in the VAFA and Lavington in the Ovens and Murray League. 

Johnson will fight for a spot in Melbourne's forward line alongside Jacob van Rooyen and Fritsch across the summer, with former first-round pick Matt Jefferson still searching for a debut after 52 goals across his first two seasons at Casey. 

Harry Sharp has turned up as advertised, winning the 2km time trial on Monday after crossing from Brisbane in October, following the retirement of Lachie Hunter. 

Kynan Brown finished runner-up ahead of veteran Tom McDonald, while Kade Chandler and Tom Sparrow rounded out the top five at Gosch's Paddock.