Jesse Hogan kicks three goals in Melbourne’s intra-club match

THE form of power forward Jesse Hogan and recruit Jeff Garlett were among the positives to emerge from Melbourne’s intra-club practice match.

Melbourne intra-club match at Casey Fields.Jessie Hogan marks & goals Picture:Wayne Ludbey

THE form of power forward Jesse Hogan, mature recruit Jeff Garlett and second-year teenager Christian Salem were the key positives to emerge from Melbourne’s intra-club practice match at Casey Fields on Thursday afternoon.

Capitalising on an open forward line, Hogan booted the opening goal of the match — after a neat pass from Garlett — and finished with three.

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Demons assistant coach Jade Rawlings said it was an impressive hit-out from Hogan, a high 2014 draft pick who did not play last season due to a back injury.

“There’s a lot of talk about him — he’s the most asked about player at our footy club — but he’s a natural competitor and we’re happy with his progress so far,’’ Rawlings said.

“We have high hopes that he’s going to be a very good player for us over a long period of time, but he’s not going to be our saviour.”

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The Demons setup with Hogan and the resting ruckman playing deep, while Chris Dawes pushed further up field from centre-half-forward. Garlett was a handy crumber getting to the fall of the ball and snapping three of his four goals in opportunistic fashion.

Salem was the pick of the younger players, looked poised and using the ball superbly whether through the midfield or when switched to half back.

“His defence was good as well as his offence,’’ Rawlings said. “There’s a bit of optimism there that he could be a nice player for us down (back).”

Draftee Billy Stretch was impressive and Jimmy Toumpas showed encouraging glimpses. Angus Brayshaw, who had been ill during the week, struggled a little with the intensity, notably when he and hard nut Jack Viney went shoulder-to-shoulder for a loose ball and the draftee came off clutching his jaw.

Coach Paul Roos, overseeing the shortened match (three periods) from a balcony on the wing, had clearly instructed the Demons to play on and move the ball quickly and they frequently did so.

“We’ve trained all three facets of our game quite heavily over summer, but no doubt last year we were quite stifled in our movement and we’re just looking at ways to be more effective in our ball use,’’ Rawlings said, “And it seemed to come out in the way we played today.’’

Nathan Jones, Viney and Dom Tyson won plenty of the footy while Lynden Dunn and Tom McDonald were their usual reliable selves in defence.

Of the other recruits former Giant Sam Frost was a handy contributor and looks capable of contributing at both ends.

Heritier Lumumba started in the centre square, had stints where he looked to be negating Tyson and was used off half back. He did some useful things without having a huge impact.

Rawlings said the coaching had spoken about possibly rotating Lumumba through the centre square this season.

“He’s trained in the midfield the whole summer and done a lot of work at stoppages, both inside and also on the wing,’’ he said.

“He gives us another option. We’ve been a bit thin for midfielders in the past, but he’s quite confident of playing in the middle.’’

Players who were missing included Jeremy Howe (hamstring) and Bernie Vince (shoulder), who are unlikely to appear until the season proper, while Jay Kennedy-Harris and Neville Jetta were in Perth for the AFL’s Indigenous camp.

Jack Watts and Jack Fitzpatrick were among those who ran boundary sprints in a rehab group but Rawlings said, “If the game had’ve been played Monday they would have played. They’re on really finely tuned programs, very minor setbacks in injuries they’ve had in the last two weeks so nothing too particular and both of those players will play in the NAB.”

He said Watts had “a small injury”.

“He’s fine, he’s done most of the training, he’s a monitored player who did a three-week block and was rested for a week, so he’s ready to play. Whether it’s Fremantle or Bulldogs we’re not sure.’’

Originally published as Jesse Hogan kicks three goals in Melbourne’s intra-club match