MELBOURNE has named its 29-man squad for it’s first NAB Challenge match against Port Adelaide on Saturday with its two prime midfielders absent as expected.
Draftees Clayton Oliver and Josh Wagner have been named, alongside new recruits Tom Bugg and Ben Kennedy.
Captain Nathan Jones and 2015 Best and Fairest winner Bernie Vince will miss this week’s game due to niggling injuries, but are expected to play in later NAB Challenge rounds.
The squad will be trimmed to 26 players before Saturday’s match.
Port Adelaide has also named a 29-man squad, adding Boak, Broadbent, Ebert, Hartlett, Gray, Wines, Wingard, Lobbe, Impey, Schulz, Pittard, Hombsch and Westhoff to the lineup.
Kane Mitchell, Tom Clurey, Riley Bonner, Sam Colquhoun, Aidyn Johnson, Will Snelling and Came Hewett will not play this week.
Port Adelaide plays Melbourne at Elizabeth Oval at 1.35pm ACDT on Saturday 27 February.
Melbourne NAB Challenge squad of 29 v Port Adelaide
Saturday 27 February, Elizabeth Oval, 1.35pm ACDT
1. Jesse Hogan
3. Christian Salem
4. Jack Watts
7. Jack Viney
10. Angus Brayshaw
11. Max Gawn
12. Dom Tyson
13. Clayton Oliver
14. Lynden Dunn
15. Billy Stretch
16. Dean Kent
17. Sam Frost
20. Colin Garland
21. Cameron Pedersen
22. Viv Michie
25. Tom McDonald
28. Oscar McDonald
29. Jayden Hunt
30. Alex Neal-Bullen
31. Jack Grimes
32. Tomas Bugg
35. Ben Kennedy
36. Jeff Garlett
37. Aaron vandenBerg
39. Neville Jetta
42. Josh Wagner
43. James Harmes
45. Matt Jones
46. Dean Terlich
