THREE of Melbourne’s debutants this year – Aaron vandenBerg, Jesse Hogan and Angus Brayshaw – have been among the most exciting aspects of the club’s 2015.

Each have different backgrounds – and are at different ages and stages of their development – but their performances since playing their first AFL matches in round one have been excellent.

On Sunday, the trio again impressed.

vandenBerg was arguably Melbourne’s best with a career-best 29 disposals (including 13 contested possessions), 11 tackles and seven clearances. Hogan booted three goals, including the first of the match inside the opening minute, and clunked nine marks and had 21 touches. Brayshaw had 20 touches – a PB – plus seven tackles and four clearances.

It reinforced how important the trio looms in the club’s future, and how they are embracing and relishing the moment.

“It was good to get a little bit more midfield time and I was just trying to play my role for the team,” vandenBerg told Dee TV.

“I was trying to tackle … but I just play my role week in, week out and make sure I get a game.

“That’s all I’m trying to worry about at the moment.”

And while vandenBerg, Hogan and Brayshaw were pivotal, as coach Paul Roos rightly said, Melbourne’s win was due to an overall contribution from its 22 players.

That meant the skipper again led from the front, with Roos labeling Nathan Jones’ performance as “outstanding”, along with other established Demons such as Bernie Vince and Jeremy Howe, who were also mentioned by the coach.

Along with Melbourne’s emerging talent, its established players and other key regulars: Daniel Cross, Lynden Dunn, Colin Garland, Jeff Garlett and Heritier Lumumba and Tom McDonald, who have played every match this season, it was the ‘rest’ that made the impact needed for the win.

Jack Grimes, Jack Watts, Cam Pedersen, Jake Spencer, Jimmy Toumpas, Ben Newton, Matt Jones, Jack Fitzpatrick, Rohan Bail and Aidan Riley have all been out of the side at some point during the 2015 season, but they did what was required – and several did more – against the Dogs.

And it was critical in the win.

For example, Grimes played his best match for the year; Pedersen kicked another three goals to have six in two matches, while it could be argued that Spencer, Toumpas and Fitzpatrick played their best match for the club.

Roos was most impressed with Spencer and Fitzpatrick.

“He (Spencer) was really instrumental in the contest. I'd say it was clearly his best game for the club,” he said.

“[Fitzpatrick] has been playing a lot [down] back at Casey and doing really, really well.

“He responded exceptionally well and he had a terrific game.”

Roos said it was important for that group – and others who have experienced some tough times at the club – to respond from the belting, such as the one it did against Hawthorn the previous round.

“I thought it was super important," he said.

Given Melbourne had 10 of its listed players on the sidelines in round eight – the most for the season so far – it was another good indication of Melbourne’s depth.

And a good tick of the improvement shown by a wide and diverse range of players.

Not to mention the potential selection scenarios that could emerge.

It was a positive aspect from Melbourne’s win on the weekend. The challenge is to build on it and keep it going.