Scans on Friday afternoon confirmed the devastating news the 24-year-old had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.It came following an innocuous towards the end of the three-hour session.He is likely to miss the entire 2021 season.
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Otherwise, the Demons are in fairly good health as the 2021 season approaches.Luke Jackson, Angus Brayshaw, Steven May, Clayton Oliver, Joel Smith, Aaron vandenBerg and Kysaiah Pickett all missed Friday’s match simulation, but they were involved early in the session.Defender Michael Hibberd, forward Harrison Petty and Jake Melksham were not on the track.SON OF THE ‘WIZ’ TURNS HEADS AT DEES TRAININGThe son of the ‘Wiz’ is turning heads at Melbourne.Kobe Farmer, the son of former club great Jeff Farmer, is impressing at the Demons as he attempts to win a prized list spot before the start of the season.With dad Jeff watching on keenly from the stands, Farmer Jr impressed at Casey Fields on Friday in the No. 48 jumper.He played deep forward in match simulation, where he kicked a goal and took a good contested mark.He appeared to roll his ankle late in the session but soon reappeared on the track.The 18-year-old forward, who missed out in last year’s draft, played for Peel Thunder in 2020 before COVID-19 interrupted the WAFL season.

He was invited by the Demons to join training this month in the hope of winning one of the two remaining vacancies on the rookie list.“As a list management team, we have been tracking Kobe’s progress for a number of years and we thought this would be a great opportunity to get a closer look at him,” Demons list boss Tim Lamb told the club website.“We are pleased Kobe accepted the offer to train with the team through the pre-season.”Should the Demons pick up the son of Jeff, he’ll be able to join the list through the pre-season supplemental period, which closes in early March.

HOW IS BROWN LOOKING?
BEN Brown has made a strong early impression at his new club.The former North Melbourne big man took part in the full session on Friday and provided a strong target up forward during match simulation.He took marks and kicked goals, while his customary long run up for goal has come with him from Arden St to the Demons.At one point he took a mark in the forward pocket and started his run up almost up on the wing.The kick was good though, and that’s all that matters.

TRAC SET FOR HUGE 2021
CHRISTIAN Petracca is set for a massive 2021.Last year was a breakout year for the midfield bull, who won the club best and fairest and his first All Australian jumper.He played every game, averaging 23.5 disposals per game and kicking 15 goals for the season.The early indications are he’s on track to repeat this season.The 25-year-old appeared a class above at times during Friday’s intra-club, floating between the midfield and forward line.At one stage he left the track to get his shoulder strapped before soon rejoining the session.
WATCH OUT FOR BAYLEY
TRACK watchers say Bayley Fritsch is enjoying a stellar pre-season, and it was hard to disagree judging by Friday’s intra-club.The 24-year-old was everywhere, but particularly up forward where the classy left footer did some real damage.He kicked three goals in the intra-club and injected plenty of life into the forward line.One of the Demons’ standouts this summer.

CAN LEAVER FIND HIS BEST FORM?
JAKE Lever knows he needs a big 2021 season, and it appears to have gotten off to a great start.The defender, who played every game last year but failed to finish in the top 10 of the best and fairest, was a standout during Friday’s session.He moved well and was very vocal from the backline.Tom McDonald was another to impress at Casey Fields.He played on a wing for the first half of the match simulation, and then became a floating third forward in the second half.Adam Tomlinson also appeared settled as a key defender for the new season.

THE TRADE THAT COULD SAVE DEMONS COACH

– Jay Clark
New Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown will attempt to quickly build chemistry with his new Demons’ teammates in match simulation sessions next month. In an early boost for coach Simon Goodwin, the former Kangaroos forward is back in full training and moving well on the back of a nightmare knee injury.
Brown, 28, was traded from North Melbourne against his wishes at the end of last year, but is set to fill a crucial void at Melbourne as the club’s new No. 1 forward target in 2021. The 200cm goalkicker is completing at least two full sessions a week and is on track to be part of the Demons’ pre-season, which is scheduled to kick-off late next month.

Melbourne is set to fly to Western Australia to take on Fremantle in the west in its first pre-season game but that game is under a cloud due to ongoing COVID-19 border restrictions. The Dees’ second pre-season game is slated to be against Brown’s former side, the Kangaroos, at Casey Fields on March 7, but that could also be rescheduled. It is a huge start to the year for coach Goodwin, who is under pressure to guide Melbourne back to finals after two years out of the eight.The club was well-placed to feature in September last year until disastrous late-season losses to Sydney and Fremantle cost the Demons off short lead-ins in Queensland. Melbourne gun midfielder Angus Brayshaw is still recovering from a foot problem and is in a race against time to be fully fit for the club’s season-opener against the Dockers on March 20 at the MCG. Veteran defender Michael Hibberd is also under a cloud with an aggravated ankle issue.
Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a Melbourne walkway near the MCG will be named after former AFL footballer and coach Neale Daniher who has spent the last seven years fighting motor neurone disease.
Melbourne is desperate to sharpen its ball use and improve its forward conversion next season after failing to capitalise on its midfield stocks over the past two years. But the acquisition of Brown could help fill a crucial missing link for the Demons and will help take some of the burden off young forwards Sam Weideman and Luke Jackson as well as livewire Kysaiah Pickett. At his best, Werribee VFL graduate Brown is considered one of the best key forwards in the game, booting 188 goals in three seasons in 2017-19.But a niggling knee injury took hold and restricted the focal point to eight goals from nine games before surgery last season. Brown, who was out of contract last year, expressed a desire to stay at Arden St, but in an aggressive move from the rebuilding Roos, was traded with pick 28 for picks 26 and 33 to Melbourne.

Melbourne is confident Brown will regain full fitness after a difficult year. The full-forward has altered his leg strengthening program to help avoid a repeat of last year’s issues.Swingman Tom McDonald has slimmed down in a bid to bolster his mobility and running power after another disappointing year saw Melbourne put him up for trade. McDonald has shone on the track in the past couple of weeks and could be used in a wing role, swapping forward with Luke Jackson. Melbourne was keen to bolster its marking power in the forward half and Goodwin looks set to start the season with Jackson, Sam Weideman and Brown as the three key targets.Bayley Fritsch, star best-and-fairest winner Christian Petracca, Charlie Spargo and superstar ruckman Max Gawn are also be dangerous close to goal. Adam Tomlinson will settle in a defensive role alongside speedster Jayden Hunt and slick back flanker Christian Salem. James Harmes could also return to a midfield spot after spending the bulk of 2020 down back.



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