Melbourne preparing to lure another senior player during this year’s exchange period

AFTER landing Jake Lever last year, Melbourne will pursue a free agent in this year’s exchange period to help bolster its push for a drought-breaking premiership.

The Demons chased Adelaide forward Tom Lynch three years ago. Picture: AAP

MELBOURNE will pursue another senior player in this year’s exchange period to help bolster its push for a drought-breaking premiership.

The Demons landed Jake Lever from Adelaide in one of the biggest deals of last year’s trade period and have the capacity to reload for another star in October.

Superstar talls Tom Lynch (Gold Coast) and Jeremy McGovern (West Coast) and gun midfielders Andrew Gaff (West Coast) and Rory Sloane (Adelaide) headline this year’s bumper free agency pool.

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Former Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade said he believed Lynch was more likely to leave at season’s end.

“I think it will depend a lot on how his team is going (but) my gut feel is that he probably -with a heavy heart — would go,” Eade said.

Melbourne football manager Josh Mahoney said the Demons would be active in the exchange period for a second straight year.

“Our plan overall probably for three or four years ago when we were down the bottom of the ladder was to really hit the draft hard and get a lot of good draft picks in,” Mahoney said.

“Those guys have now come through and they are about 21 to 23.

“We went after Jake Lever last year, (from the) same age bracket and certainly we are in the market for another one come the end of this year.”

The Demons traded for Jake Lever last year. Picture: AAP

Asked if they would target a big fish, Mahoney said on Triple M: “You go out there with a rod and good bait and see what you land”.

Adelaide goalkicker Tom Lynch is also out of contract and generating interest from rivals after rebuffing Melbourne’s advances three years ago.

Melbourne already has an abundance of young midfield talent and could push for another versatile big man to support key forward Jesse Hogan or a vulnerable defence.

The Demons are desperate to break their 10-year finals drought but the defence, in particular, was exposed in a 67-point loss to Hawthorn on Sunday at the MCG.

McGovern has reportedly already attracted a mega million-dollar-a-year deal offer from one Victorian club, although the backman said he wants to stay in the west.

Melbourne could lean towards the free agency pool as it currently does not have a first-round draft pick to offer up for trade, after parting with two first-round selections for Lever at the end of last season.

Lever has struggled in his first four games at Melbourne, but Goodwin said it could take a couple of months for the intercepting defender to find his feet.

Goodwin said the back half was “really badly beaten” by the Hawks on Sunday, declaring it one of their worst losses during his tenure.

“We are continuing to work on our stuff behind the ball and it hasn’t been something we have been quite happy with for the whole year,” Goodwin said.

“It certainly doesn’t seem right at the moment. “

The Demons are also trying to re-sign free agent Tom McDonald who expected to return in two or three weeks from a toe problem.

Co-captain Jack Viney is also on the same time frame in his recovery from a foot injury.