MELBOURNE is hopeful its forward Liam Jurrah will be right to play in the VFL with Casey next weekend.
 
Jurrah returned to the club this morning following a preliminary hearing in Alice Springs this week, where he was ordered to stand trial on September 3.
 
The case will go to the Alice Springs Supreme Court where Jurrah is expected to plead not guilty to three counts of aggravated assault and one count of causing serious harm.
 
Melbourne coach Mark Neeld said Jurrah seemed good and he was hopeful the 23-year-old would be able to resume playing next weekend.
 
"We just need Liam from a football point of view to come back the other way and show us commitment to his training program and start playing footy again," Neeld said.  
 
Neeld said the club would support Jurrah as he tries to continue a football career amid the off-field concerns.
 
However he would not speculate on any decisions in relation to whether or not Jurrah - who is out of contract at the end of the year - would remain on Melbourne's list in 2013.
 
"That's a decision for later on down the track," Neeld said. "We'll see how things pan out. I don't want to speculate. When we have something to say we'll let you know."
 
Another forward coming out of contract is Collingwood's Travis Cloke. It has been reported that Melbourne has made an offer to Cloke but Neeld refused to confirm that he was a player the club had identified as someone they were targeting.
 
"We haven't made that call," Neeld said.
 
"What we need to work out is that whoever is available, whether it be a restricted free agent or trade you have to work out, whether that is what your club needs at the time.

"It is not as simple as saying a particular player next to Mitch Clark looks great. You just need to work out everything that comes with that to see if it fits in but we will make that call later on."