Clint Bartram: Kicking still lets him down at times but played the defensive back pocket role well. Enjoyed his best year since his debut season.
Matthew Bate: Didn’t have a great season at senior level. Went back to Casey and became a valuable contributor. Will need to improve next year.
Daniel Bell: Didn’t play at senior level and has been delisted after eight season at the club. Played as a tagger for Casey in the VFL with some success.
Jamie Bennell: Played most games and his pace was his greatest asset. Was tried at both ends and proved versatile. Kicking for goal let him down occasionally when up forward.
Sam Blease: Spent much of the year recovering from the leg he broke last year. Came back to play at VFL level mid-way through the year and hit form. Was very close to senior selection by the end of the season.
Cameron Bruce: Played as a tagger up forward and held his own against mid-sized forwards. Was consistent all season and will again poll highly in the club best and fairest. Stood up as a leader in James McDonald’s absence and is a leading candidate to be captain in 2011.
Kyle Cheney: Played very well across half-back for Casey but struggled to force his way into the senior side, only playing two games for the year. Hard bodied and uses the ball well but a lack of pace hurts him.
Aaron Davey: Another starring year across half-back. Missed only a handful of games and once again proved himself to be a genuine leader of the team. Still occasionally struggles with a heavy tag.
Lynden Dunn: Enjoyed a career-best season in 2010. Played mainly as a defensive forward, pinch-hitting in the ruck and showed his worth as a excellent set-shot for goal. Definitely part of Melbourne’s plans for the future.
Jack Fitzpatrick: Didn’t really come close to playing at senior level but impressed many in the VFL, getting the better of Josh Fraser and Sam Jacobs along the way. Spent time up forward and is a project player.
James Frawley: Had a career-best season as Melbourne’s No. 1 defender. Has a fair claim to be the most improved player in the AFL. Took some big scalps along the way, such as Barry Hall, Jonathan Brown and Jack Riewoldt.
Colin Garland: Super return after missing most of 2009 with a foot injury. Can play on the big forwards but shows versatility in being able to take on smalls as well. He and Frawley look set to hold down the key defensive posts for the long-term future.
Max Gawn: Missed the first half of the season as his knee recovered from a reconstruction. Had a couple of games at Casey before his knee flared up and he was placed in cotton wool.
Brad Green: Played his best season so far. Led the club's goalkicking as a wingman going forward and is likely to play as a permanent forward down the track to support Liam Jurrah and Jack Watts.
Jack Grimes: A fine start to the year but a round-14 hamstring injury suffered against St Kilda cruelled his campaign. Came back late in the year with Casey but was eventually rested for the season. A role in the midfield and the leadership group looms for 2011.
Jordan Gysberts: Burst on to the scene, earning a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in his second match. Didn’t play after injuring his back in his third game. Showed that he knows how to find space and with a solid season on the weights, he will play more football next season.
Rhys Healey*: In his second year on the rookie list he played as a tagger for Casey. Spent some time in Casey’s reserves and has a battle ahead of him to retain his spot.
Danny Hughes*: Finally made his senior debut after four years in the system. Showed promise as a mid-sized forward in two senior games. Was pushed back down the order when Watts and Jurrah returned to the senior team.
Mark Jamar: Performed brilliantly well as the No. 1 ruckman, sparking talk he may be an All-Australian selection this year. Found plenty of the ball around the ground and showed an incredible work ethic.
Neville Jetta: Struggled for a spot in the team as one of many small forwards on Melbourne’s list. Decision-making let him down at times, although he was excellent in the one-point win against Port Adelaide in Darwin.
Paul Johnson: Was overtaken by Jamar as the No. 1 ruckman and only played eight games for the season. Has been in and out of the team and with others often preferred as a second ruckman, his position is on the line.
Nathan Jones: Improved in a new role as a tagger. His hardness at the ball and discipline stood out. He played within his abilities and tagged some quality players out of games. An important part of the Demons’ midfield.
Liam Jurrah: Missed the first half of the season with a shoulder injury. Took a couple of weeks to turn it on but had a real impact on several games with his goal scoring and defensive pressure. His confidence grew as the weeks wore on.
Joel Macdonald: Took a little while to get used to the new structures after coming from the Lions. Showed composure and hardness in the backline and was a solid contributor for much of the season.
Addam Maric: Another player down the bottom of the pecking order of small forwards. His only game was the big win over the Sydney Swans in round 17 when he was solid without starring. Is contracted for 2011.
Stefan Martin: Hampered by a hip complaint for much of the second half of the season, but struggled to impress when he was fit. Needs a permanent position on which to focus. Must improve in 2011 to prolong his AFL career.
James McDonald: A likely leader of Melbourne’s best and fairest before he injured his hamstring against Carlton in round 11. Missed the next seven weeks before returning. The skipper was a reluctant retiree and his leadership will be missed. Led the team in average tackles.
Jordie McKenzie: Was promoted off the rookie list and made an impact right from round one. Consolidated himself in the senior side. Ranked fifth overall in the AFL for tackles per game and looks set to be the direct replacement for McDonald.
Tom McNamara: Didn’t play at senior level for Melbourne but improved as a tall defender with Casey for most of the season. Is only 20 years old and could get another year to prove his worth.
John Meesen*: Once again couldn’t crack it for a senior game and finished off the year with foot surgery. Unlikely to keep his spot next year.
Brad Miller: Was Casey’s most important player towards the end of the season. Only played six games, the highlight coming when he kicked five goals against Port Adelaide mid-year. Has already been delisted.
Brent Moloney: Had a brilliant season as a tough in and under midfielder. Combined well with Jamar at the clearances. Injury interrupted the latter part of his season but he proved himself one of his side’s most valuable players.
Cale Morton: Missed the first eight rounds with knee injury. Had a few tagging jobs and was tried in a few different roles, but failed to star in any of them. Still needs more size and must improve his ability to hit targets by foot.
Michael Newton*: Played a couple of early games as a forward and a couple at the end of the year as a second ruckman, but spent the majority of the season with Casey. Has been in the system for six years and is yet to make a real impact.
Ricky Petterd: Had a sensational start to the season, the highlight being his 17-touch, four-goal effort against Collingwood in round two before a shoulder injury in round six ended his season. Will be a welcome return in 2011.
Jared Rivers: Had a reasonably good run. Played better with the more games he got under his belt. Very valuable as a third tall defender and works well with Frawley and Garland up back.
Tom Scully: Lived up to the hype that comes with being a No. 1 draft pick. Slotted straight in to senior footy and showed plenty of run and effort. Will go close to winning the NAB AFL Rising Star.
Jake Spencer*: Played two games for the year. Showed a bit as a ruckman and is a project player for down the track. A chance to be elevated from the rookie list.
James Strauss: Played the first two games of the year and wasn’t sighted afterwards. Was given the kick-in duties and showed he had a bit to learn. Went back to Casey before hurting his shoulder. Has a lot of competition for spots across half-back.
Colin Sylvia: Played his 100th game in probably the best season of his career. Led the team in inside 50 averages and showed he is a game breaker. One of Melbourne’s most valuable players when he’s firing.
Luke Tapscott: Had a hip operation before playing a handful of late-season games with Casey. Showed some form and if he can keep his body intact, he will be pushing for a senior spot in round one next year.
Jack Trengove: Did everything expected of him as a No.2 draft pick. Was probably shaded by Scully but definitely did his bit and earned his spot. Will be a valuable part of the Melbourne midfield for years to come.
Matthew Warnock: Carried the Melbourne defence for a couple of years and has slipped back in the order now. Was out of the side in the two months as the team hit form. Still has plenty to offer as a key defender on the gorilla forwards.
Jack Watts: Had an interrupted pre-season but worked his way into the senior team. Showed signs of class but may need to bulk up a bit more. Didn’t star at any stage but there was plenty of promise.
Austin Wonaeamirri: Shook off an injury-ridden couple of years to show glimpses of what he is capable of. There is competition for his spot but at his best he can have a big impact on a game. Played the last six games to show that he is part of the future.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
