KEY defensive cog Jake Lever is available for selection for the first time since Round 3 with the Melbourne leader making a key stride in his ankle rehabilitation.

The club has circled the weekend’s VFL clash with Southport  for the damaging intercept machine to ease his way back into the cut and thrust of competitive football.

Lever’s looming return will provide an important boost for Melbourne’s back six, which has played without key personnel on numerous occasions in 2025.

“Jake's had a really positive training block,” AFL High Performance Manager Selwyn Griffith said.

“He's integrated back into full training and will return on some modified minutes through the VFL this weekend.

“It's been a power of work from Jake over the last couple of weeks and he's in a really good spot.”

Lever joins veteran forward Jake Melksham with the available designation, with Melksham raring to go after missing the weekend’s match-up with Hawthorn.

“Jake just had a bit of general soreness coming out of our Perth travel,” Griffith said.

“He trained really strongly over the weekend and was back in full training today, and will train fully at the end of the week to be available.”

Both Harrison Petty and first-year forward Ricky Mentha are listed as tests, needing to tick the final boxes in their returns from concussion.

“Harrison Petty has continued to progress through the concussion protocol,” Griffith said.

“He integrated back into training today. He'll have to tick off the last part of the concussion protocol at the end of this week and then hopefully will be available for selection after our main training session.”

Midfield hard-nut Jack Viney is at least a week further adrift in his own concussion return.

“Unfortunately Jack presented with those delayed concussion symptoms following training last week,” Griffith said.

“He won't be available for this week's game, with the plan for him to hopefully continue to progress through those protocols and be available for the following week.”

Taj Woewodin (ankle) and Jack Billings (calf) missed VFL action on the weekend with their respective ailments.

“Taj just had some ankle soreness during our main training session and he had some issues with that in the previous week,” Griffith said.

“We took the opportunity to take a conservative approach. He trained yesterday and will look to train fully this week to be available.

“Jack Billings had a low-grade soleus strain.

“He had a really positive training session on the weekend. He got back into full training today and so we expect that he'll train fully at the end of this week to be available.”