MELBOURNE forward Tim Smith is ready to return after missing the past two weeks with a calf injury.

Smith, who has had a luckless run with injury in his three seasons on the Demons’ list, hasn’t played since Round 15, but trained with the main group on Thursday morning.

“It was good to get back out there and get a full session under the belt and hopefully push myself for selection,” Smith told Melbourne Media.

The key forward looked at his best on Gosch’s Paddock and said he will be putting his hand up to play at either level this weekend.

“I’m definitely hoping to get out there and have a good game,” he said.

The 28-year-old hasn’t been able to get any continuity in his footy recently, but is feeling in a strong position to attack the last six weeks of the season.

“It’s been up and down, it’s always a bit of a battle, but I think I’m in good nick now and ready to go,” Smith said.

“It was probably the most intense (sessions) I’ve done, but definitely in rehab we were building up.”

In other injury news, Sam Weideman (calf), Marty Hore (collarbone) and Billy Stretch (foot) will all remain on the sidelines this weekend, but had light runs on the track as they continue to make progress with their recoveries.

Meanwhile Jake Melksham trained for the entirety of the session, getting involved in some midfield drills as he looks to get his knee back to full strength.

Melbourne will name its Round 18 squad at 6:20pm on Thursday night, as the Dees look to bounce back against West Coast this weekend.

The Demons will be pulling on their Indigenous Guernsey for a third time this season, as they take the field in Alice Springs on Sunday afternoon.