MELBOURNE father-son gun Taj Woewodin has been rewarded for his outstanding VFL form and will debut against St Kilda on Saturday night at Marvel Stadium.
The tenacious midfielder, the son of Brownlow medallist Shane Woewodin, was picked up by the Demons in the 2021 draft following their drought-breaking premiership.
Woewodin's selection in the senior side comes on the back of a 31-disposal, six-mark and three-goal display in Casey's big win on the weekend.
The 20-year-old was informed of the news on Wednesday in front of teammates and coaches, with Melbourne assistant coach Adem Yze delivering the news. Ironically, Yze played alongside Shane in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Woewodin has impressed the Demons' coaching staff on the training track and has built consistent form at the lower level in recent months, averaging 22 touches across nine matches so far this season.
He featured as part of Casey's VFL premiership in 2022, and the club hopes he will bring plenty of grit and versatility to the Demons' mix this weekend.
Melbourne is coming off two disappointing losses in a row - to Geelong and Greater Western Sydney - and all eyes will be on their forward line as they attempt to resurrect their goalkicking prowess.
Both the Demons and the Saints have their sights set on a top-four spot, with Melbourne currently in fourth spot ahead of the fifth-placed Saints by percentage only.
