MELBOURNE will be buoyed by the return of an experienced duo for its Easter Sunday clash with the Suns.
Jake Melksham and Daniel Turner have both been named to face the Gold Coast, with Melksham breaking through for his first AFL match of 2026 following an interrupted pre-season.
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The 34-year-old former Bomber is closing in on a major milestone, set to run out for the 249th time against the Suns.
Turner returns to the lineup after just one absence with a broken hand which he suffered against the Dockers in Round 2.
FULL TEAM LISTED BELOW
The injured pairing of Changkuoth Jiath (calf, 3-4 weeks) and Patrick Cross (thumb, 4-5 weeks) make way for the incoming duo.
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| Player | Injury | Estimated Return |
|---|---|---|
|
46. Lukas Cooke |
Face |
Available
“Lukas has progressed well through his rehab of that facial fracture,” Griffith said. “He’ll return to full training this week and will look to be available.” |
|
31. Bayley Fritsch |
Finger |
Test
“Bayley sustained a dislocated finger during Round 17 but was able to complete the game,” Griffith said. “He has since had the wound stitched, and as a result of that, will be restricted to non-sweating activity in the early stages of this week such as limited ball work. “We’ll reassess his availability following our main session later in the week.” |
|
3. Christian Salem |
Foot |
Test
“Jed and Christian have both progressed well through the end stage of their re-conditioning,” Griffith said. “They’ll integrate into full training this week and if all goes well, they will be available this weekend.” |
|
26. Jed Adams |
Knee |
Test
“Jed and Christian have both progressed well through the end stage of their re-conditioning,” Griffith said. “They’ll integrate into full training this week and if all goes well, they will be available this weekend.” |
|
27. Max Heath |
Shoulder |
Test
“Unfortunately, Max was unable to get up due to his ongoing shoulder soreness,” Griffith said. “He’ll integrate into this week’s main training and will once again need to prove his fitness to be available for this weekend’s game.” |
|
20. Xavier Lindsay |
Hip and groin |
3 - 4 weeks
“Xavier has had a good couple of weeks building his running volume and intensity,” Griffith said. “This week he’ll be completing our skill progressions with the plan to integrate him into training next week.” |
|
7. Jack Viney |
Achilles + Back |
TBC
“Jack has been working incredibly hard with our high performance and medical team to return from his Achilles surgery that he had earlier this year,” Griffith said. “Unfortunately, while working through his rehab from that surgery, Jack has also had a lower back concern, which is something that he’s managed over the last couple of seasons. “As a result of that lower back pain, he’s been progressing slower through his post-surgery rehab program. “Pleasingly, he has been able to progress from a strength and movement perspective through his lower back, which has now allowed him to continue through his Achilles rehab. “Jack has worked incredibly hard to get on top of both of these injuries and it’s really pleasing that he’s now starting to see some progression, with the hope to see more soon.” |
|
28. Brody Mihocek |
Neck |
Season
“You never want to see an incident in our game, like what we saw with Brody on Monday,” Richardson said. “Brody is in the very best of care and was able to undergo surgery last night, which, thankfully, went as planned. “Our primary focus right now is supporting Brody, his partner Polly and their family through his recovery, while ensuring his return to full health.” Read Article |
|
13. Jai Culley |
Knee |
Season
“Jai is recovering well from his knee reconstruction and is in the early phases of his program, which is predominately focused on getting his range of motion back and beginning strength work,” Griffith said. |
|
45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield |
Knee |
Season
“Andy went in for surgery today following his ACL injury,” Griffith said. “Once he recovers from that surgery, we’ll begin to progress him through the first stages of his knee rehab.” Read Article |
46. Lukas Cooke
“Lukas has progressed well through his rehab of that facial fracture,” Griffith said. “He’ll return to full training this week and will look to be available.”
31. Bayley Fritsch
“Bayley sustained a dislocated finger during Round 17 but was able to complete the game,” Griffith said. “He has since had the wound stitched, and as a result of that, will be restricted to non-sweating activity in the early stages of this week such as limited ball work. “We’ll reassess his availability following our main session later in the week.”
3. Christian Salem
“Jed and Christian have both progressed well through the end stage of their re-conditioning,” Griffith said. “They’ll integrate into full training this week and if all goes well, they will be available this weekend.”
26. Jed Adams
“Jed and Christian have both progressed well through the end stage of their re-conditioning,” Griffith said. “They’ll integrate into full training this week and if all goes well, they will be available this weekend.”
27. Max Heath
“Unfortunately, Max was unable to get up due to his ongoing shoulder soreness,” Griffith said. “He’ll integrate into this week’s main training and will once again need to prove his fitness to be available for this weekend’s game.”
20. Xavier Lindsay
“Xavier has had a good couple of weeks building his running volume and intensity,” Griffith said. “This week he’ll be completing our skill progressions with the plan to integrate him into training next week.”
7. Jack Viney
“Jack has been working incredibly hard with our high performance and medical team to return from his Achilles surgery that he had earlier this year,” Griffith said. “Unfortunately, while working through his rehab from that surgery, Jack has also had a lower back concern, which is something that he’s managed over the last couple of seasons. “As a result of that lower back pain, he’s been progressing slower through his post-surgery rehab program. “Pleasingly, he has been able to progress from a strength and movement perspective through his lower back, which has now allowed him to continue through his Achilles rehab. “Jack has worked incredibly hard to get on top of both of these injuries and it’s really pleasing that he’s now starting to see some progression, with the hope to see more soon.”
28. Brody Mihocek
“You never want to see an incident in our game, like what we saw with Brody on Monday,” Richardson said. “Brody is in the very best of care and was able to undergo surgery last night, which, thankfully, went as planned. “Our primary focus right now is supporting Brody, his partner Polly and their family through his recovery, while ensuring his return to full health.”
Read Article13. Jai Culley
“Jai is recovering well from his knee reconstruction and is in the early phases of his program, which is predominately focused on getting his range of motion back and beginning strength work,” Griffith said.
45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield
“Andy went in for surgery today following his ACL injury,” Griffith said. “Once he recovers from that surgery, we’ll begin to progress him through the first stages of his knee rehab.”
Read ArticleLast Updated:
The Gold Coast face injury concerns of their own with former Demon Christian Petracca absent with a hamstring injury, while rising young gun Bailey Humphries misses through suspension.
Reigning Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell has been included in the Suns’ squad.
Gates open from 2:00pm at the MCG, with the first siren scheduled for 3:15pm.
The LEGO® Kids Hub will be located between Gates 2 and 3 for all your Easter Sunday family fun, with a Yarra Park Easter Egg Hunt locked in for 12:45pm.