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Premiership Norm Smith Medalist Christian Petracca has nominated the Gold Coast as his club of choice to be traded to.

Melbourne have held talks with Clayton Oliver and they’ve laid out where he fits in under Steve King’s vision and been frank about expectations. Oliver is still under contract for five years, but the door is open if he wants to explore his options elsewhere.

It’s Pink Lady night at Princes Park — a vibey Friday evening setting for a high-stakes clash between second-placed Melbourne and eleventh-placed Essendon. The wind-sheltered IKON Park, a favourite ground of the Demon players, promises flair, fire and a touch of pink. Melbourne has never lost a home-and-away game here, though the ghosts of two straight-sets finals exits in 2023 still linger. 

The premiership defender has shown signs of wear and tear due to age, and his 2025 season was inconsistent, ending poorly with a suspension and a noticeable decline in performance. The Demons are eager to integrate younger players onto their list and have indicated that they may not be able to guarantee him senior games next season, in what would be the final year of his contract.

The young key tall failed to make progress during the season, with a decline in his goal kicking output. His secondary role as a backup ruckman, which may have hindered his ability to further develop his game, and he was also impacted by the team's poor forward connection. It will be interesting to observe his performance under a new coaching regime.

Salem proved to be a valuable contributor as a reliable and solid one-on-one medium-sized defender in what was undoubtedly his most impressive season since the premiership year. He remains a highly capable rebounding option for the Demons as he approaches his 200th game at the club.

Following an injury-interrupted start to the season, McVee struggled to maintain the standard he established in 2025 as he pursued an expanded role within the team structure. He remained a firm fan favourite and the club had hoped to negotiate a new contract with the former rookie selection from Western Australia, whose partner, Lily Johnson, plays for Melbourne's AFLW side. Those hopes were dashed when he expressed his desire to return to his home state and play for Fremantle. Like all players who have worn the red and blue and are leaving this year, we wish him well in the future.

The superstar Demon midfielder made a successful return to the fold after his devastating injury last year and the subsequent fallout from the treatment he received, during which time he sought to depart the club. Petracca's professionalism and strong play, both in the midfield and up forward, were outstanding and resulted in him being runner-up in the club's best and fairest count. However, early this week, the club's new CEO, Paul Guerra, confirmed that the under-contract Petracca has again requested a trade, adding that he would only be allowed to leave for a “quality offer that turns our head". No doubt some Demon heads are already spinning.

The former first-round draft selection experienced an average second season, marked by participation in several VFL games, as well as three matches in which he was subbed out. He is nevertheless, a highly regarded talent capable of playing on the wing or behind the ball, with additional aspirations of developing into a centre square midfielder over time.

The Demon stalwart surpassed the number of his father's appearances for the club towards the end of the season. As he approaches his thirties, his pace is inevitably slowing, and he is likely to explore alternative opportunities beyond the team's midfield.

The Demon premiership defender who has the reputation the master of intercept possessions as well as great leadership qualities managed only eight senior games this season as he battled injury and form, prompting speculation that he might be enticed to look elsewhere.

“Disco” took his time (four seasons) but the mid-season draftee has been a shining light of Melbourne's campaign, improving to become a versatile option at either end of the ground. He has great marking skills which allows him to play as a marking target up forward or an intercepting defender down back. 

The skipper delivered another outstanding season, leading the team from the front, participating in every game, and earning club champion honours, while also securing an equal record eighth All-Australian blazer as a ruckman.  Max Gawn is arguably the greatest exponent of ruck skills in the history of the game; an exceptional leader who has guided the club to a premiership, through the challenging times that followed, and now into the next phase of its storied history.

It was a frustrating season for the former number 13 draft selection, who failed to build momentum in his second campaign; Tholstrup played only nine games, having been omitted twice and substituted out three times. However, he demonstrated promising signs in the midfield at Casey towards the end of the season, and big things are anticipated from him in the coming years.

Clayton Oliver, a four-time best and fairest winner at the club, has navigated a challenging period over the past two years, marked by injuries and personal issues, but has demonstrated promising signs suggesting a return to his optimal form in 2025. He is presently contracted to the club for an additional five years, with a substantial annual salary of approximately $1.7 million in the final seasons of his agreement. All at Melbourne are eagerly anticipating his resurgence to his previous peak performance levels.

Langdon showcased his versatility when he was asked to leave his customary wing position at times to undertake midfield and tagging roles. A consistent performer at the Demons, he’s contracted for three more years.

Jake Bowey experienced a breakout season as Melbourne's primary ball handler operating off half back. As a skilled distributor of the football, he deserved the recognition he received for his invaluable contribution to the team cause.

Melksham has shown great resilience since his ACL injury in late 2023 and ended the season with a career-high goals tally of 33 goals including an impressive purple patch in mid year. He was rewarded with a new contract for 2026.

The tall, powerful early first-round draft pick from 2024, Langford had a remarkable debut season in both the midfield and playing up forward in patches. He finished fourth in the Rising Star Award. The youngster is viewed as a long-term, blue-chip midfielder with an exceptional future.

Melbourne made a strategic move prior to last year’s draft to get a second top 10 pick and ended up securing the classy ball handler capable of playing off half-back, on a wing, and potentially in the midfield. Lindsay’s silky smooth form in his debut season justified the recruiting team’s rationale in forfeiting a major part of their 2025 draft hand to acquire him. It was a big win for the club.

Jefferson was uncapped in his first two seasons at Melbourne but finally made his AFL debut in the opening round of the season and scored a goal with his first kick. However, it was not all smooth sailing for young tall forward who gravitated during the year between the senior team and Casey where he mixed a couple a couple of promising five goal bags with some quieter days.

The medium-sized defender has good athleticism and showed good improvement during the season without fully cementing his place in the senior team.

The dashing premiership defender continued to adapt to the occasional role as a midfielder where he enjoyed some success with his strong running and long kicking.

The veteran Demon might be slowing down a little, but his wealth of experience frequently proved invaluable, and he became the cornerstone of the team's defensive unit, particularly during the latter half of the season. Ultimately, he played more games as a key defender than Steven May and Jake Lever, the players for whom he was initially the backup. Consequently, McDonald was rewarded with a one-year contract extension.

Adams persevered over three seasons with the Casey Demons, achieving notable progress as a key defender at VFL level this year to earn a senior debut late in the season. Although he didn’t set the world on fire, he put in a commendable performance against star Bulldog key forwards, which bodes well for his future prospects.