MELBOURNE is tracking a mile ahead of this time last year as the club bids to bounce back from a hellish year on and off the field.
The Demons' follow-up act to their 2018 preliminary final run was, perhaps, ruined before it even started as 17 players – many of them key members – underwent off-season surgery.
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The injuries kept coming through the season as well as they slumped from a top-four finish to second-from-bottom, ahead of only Gold Coast.
A warm one on Gosch's to kick off the week. ?
— Melbourne FC (@melbournefc) December 9, 2019
??: https://t.co/5fnBVL110B pic.twitter.com/gZtO1TzTFY
Fast-forward to this summer and the situation is nowhere near as dire, to the point they're able to contemplate taking a punt on talented ex-Docker and Sun Harley Bennell's troublesome calves.
Melbourne also now has highly regarded fitness guru Darren Burgess overseeing its strength and conditioning program.
Like all clubs, there are still some players on limited duties beyond just potential pre-season supplemental selection period recruit Bennell.
They include ex-Giant Adam Tomlinson (calf), Charlie Spargo (ankle), Mitch Hannan (groin), Kade Kolodjashnij (concussion) and Oskar Baker.
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Co-captain Nathan Jones and Kolodjashnij were restricted to running laps at Gosch's Paddock on Monday, but the hope is the latter will resume contact drills after Christmas.
No.3 draft pick Luke Jackson soars across the pack to mark - much to his teammates’ delight pic.twitter.com/UoUO5UjVEG
— Marc McGowan (@ByMarcMcGowan) December 9, 2019
Key forwards Tom McDonald (knee) and Sam Weideman (jaw/hip) are taking part in all drills after season-ending injuries, while the news is equally – but tentatively – promising for Aaron vandenBerg (foot/ankle).
VandenBerg's only seven games in the past three seasons came in a row from round 20 through to the preliminary final last year, when he carved out a niche as a winger-forward.
The 27-year-old was able to run in the off-season for the first time since arriving at the Demons in the 2014 rookie draft and has been doing so for the best part of four months.
Most encouragingly, vandenBerg took part in midfield drills on Monday.
No.3 draft pick Luke Jackson soars across the pack to mark - much to his teammates’ delight pic.twitter.com/UoUO5UjVEG
— Marc McGowan (@ByMarcMcGowan) December 9, 2019
Melbourne has also integrated draftees Luke Jackson, Kozzy Pickett and Trent Rivers into the program in the past week or so, along with new signing Mitch Brown.
One Jackson pack mark drew a raucous response from his teammates.
No.3 draft pick Luke Jackson soars across the pack to mark - much to his teammates’ delight pic.twitter.com/UoUO5UjVEG
— Marc McGowan (@ByMarcMcGowan) December 9, 2019
Jackson is wearing No.6 at training, Pickett has 36 on his back – most recently worn by fellow Indigenous players Jeff Garlett and Aaron Davey – Rivers 24 and Brown 38.
Former Fremantle winger Ed Langdon is in No.15.
Pickett looks from the outside to have settled in well, and responded with a wide grin to some gentle teasing from a teammate for being a step slow in one drill.
He sought treatment for a sore left patella and had it taped but completed the session without any noticeable issues while running, leaping and wrestling in one-on-one work.
Pickett swapped comfortably between kicking on his left and right foot, was clean at ground level, showed good intensity and displayed clean hands but was blowing hard by session's end.
Kozzy Pickett was feeling it by this stage of the session but shows some very sharp hands on the lead pic.twitter.com/tmQDg8fwIC
— Marc McGowan (@ByMarcMcGowan) December 9, 2019
Jay Lockhart and Harry Petty – who showed promise in attack through necessity this year – continue to train with the defenders and forwards, respectively, but are expected to play at both ends in 2020.
Second-year players Tom Sparrow, Kyle Dunkley and James Jordon were in the thick of the midfield work.
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