MELBOURNE has added Chris Dawes, Lynden Dunn and Daniel Cross to its leadership group following the retirement of Mitch Clark and season-ending injury to Jack Trengove.
The trio adds 422 games experience to the leadership group, joining co-captains Jack Grimes and Nathan Jones, as well as James Frawley and Colin Garland.
Melbourne football manager Josh Mahoney told melbournefc.com.au the club decided its leadership group needed some extra support with two of the original group now absent.
Meanwhile, the Demons will consider recalling ruckman Mark Jamar for his first senior game since round 11 last season against the Sydney Swans on Saturday night.
After bone stress in his toe forced him to miss the second part of last season, Jamar had an interrupted pre-season, but has played the past three VFL games.
Last Sunday, the 2010 All Australian played his best game for the year with Casey Scorpions, winning 10 possessions, having 14 hit-outs and kicking two goals in the team's four-point win over Frankston.
Melbourne coach Paul Roos was more impressed with Jamar's improved performance than he had been with his first two matches this season, but remained cautious as to whether or not the ruckman was right to play.
"Even though he has played three games, he is probably really only a month or five weeks into his preparation; is that enough?" Roos told melbournefc.com.au
Jamar has played just 23 games in the past two years, and his return would add strength to the Demons' ruck division.
Jake Spencer performed well in the team's round four win against Carlton, but he has battled without much ruck support in the first five games.
Max Gawn also played VFL last weekend in his first game back from a hamstring injury.
Roos said youngster Christian Salem was also in contention to be named for his first game for the club.
The No.9 pick in the NAB AFL Draft had 32 possessions in the VFL in what Roos described as his best game for the club. Although Salem was instrumental in the team's win, development coach Brett Allison said the 18-year-old had to work hard on being accountable once the ball leaves the stoppage.
Roos appears keen to hold his nerve to ensure the youngster is ready when he debuts.
"He's improving," Roos said of Salem.
"What we want to try to create at the club is a system where blokes have to bang the door down to get into the team.
"[It's] not an age thing. It's the fact we want players playing well week in, week out, setting standards in the seconds [and] trying to knock the door down before they get a game."
A decision on whether or not Colin Garland returns will be dependent on his conditioning. Garland, who was runner-up in the club's best and fairest in 2013, has not played a senior game after an ankle operation in the pre-season.
He played in the VFL development team two weeks ago before playing for Casey Scorpions on Sunday.
Jimmy Toumpas was concussed in the VFL game and will be assessed.
