Melbourne
Co-captains: Elise O’Dea and Shelley Scott
Coach: Mick Stinear
Squad: Madeline Brancatisano, Harriet Cordner, Tegan Cunningham, Meg Downie, Chantel Emonson (rookie), Madison Gay, Madeleine Guerin, Ashleigh Guest, Tyla Hanks, Shelley Heath, Jordann Hickey, Kate Hore, Bianca Jakobsson, Ainslie Kemp, Sarah Lampard, Lily Mithen, Aliesha Newman, Elise O’Dea, Brooke Patterson, Karen Paxman, Lauren Pearce, Catherine Phillips, Talia Radan, Shelley Scott, Casey Sherriff, Shae Sloane (rookie), Katherine Smith, Claudia Whitfort, Ashleigh Woodland, Eden Zanker
Key player: Karen Paxman
The veteran half-back/midfielder has been one of Melbourne’s standouts in the first couple of seasons, and she will need to stand up in the absence of Mel Hickey and Daisy Pearce.
How they went last year: Third (4-3)
For the second year running it was a case of so close yet so far for the Demons, who look brilliant at times but rued a costly loss to Collingwood in Alice Springs before narrowly going down to the Western Bulldogs in what was effectively a preliminary final in the last round of the season.
Prediction: Fourth in conference
Melbourne’s depth will be tested this season with inaugural skipper Pearce missing the campaign because of pregnancy, and Hickey defecting to Geelong. There are still plenty of quality players on the list but this looms as a tough conference.