Melbourne will start 2023 without a trio of stars but full of purpose after a swift end to 2022

Despite missing three key players, the Demons will start the season full of “purpose” to return to the top of the AFL.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says his players have come back with a purpose. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Melbourne will begin a 2023 premiership campaign fuelled by “purpose” without Jack Viney, Bailey Fritsch and Christian Salem on Saturday after the trio were ruled out by coach Simon Goodwin.

All three were “close” to being ready for the season opener against the Western Bulldogs after battling injury issues, and Goodwin was quick to suggest at least two could be ready for round 2.

“Viney is close, he’s a big chance to play next week and Fritta (Fritsch) is very close as well, he could play next week as well,” Goodwin said on Wednesday.

“Those three guys just fell a bit short, but we feel like with another couple of weeks’ work into their bodies they are going to be right for the season, the whole season.”

Despite their absence, the Demons will throw a new look at the Bulldogs, with star recruits Brodie Grundy and Lachie Hunter set to play their first games.

Hunter, after crossing from the Bulldogs in the off-season, made no secret of his enthusiasm after a pre-season that has many pundits believing Melbourne is set to rediscover the form that carried it to the 2021 premiership.

A post-season message to come back with “purpose” after losing back-to-back finals last season has resonated with the players who have come back so driven Hunter declared his new team would be “pretty hard to stop” this year,

“It’s an unbelievable team with a lot of talent and some more talent added on top with Brodie as well this year,” Hunter told SEN.

“It’s pretty impressive to watch the way a lot of them go about it at training, and from our first two looks at opposition, it definitely feels like we’re going to be a pretty hard team to stop this year.”

Melbournes twin towers Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn will be a formidable double act this year. Picture: Michael Klein

The inclusion of two-time Collingwood best and fairest Grundy as a partner for captain Max Gawn has been another pre-season positive for Melbourne.

But Goodwin was keen not to heighten early expectations for a combination that will “evolve”.

“It’s going to be different from week to week, they are different ruckmen, they have a different skill set,” he said.

“It will evolve over time. I think what we need to be really careful of is to judge purely on scoreboard impact. They are going to have an impact in a whole range of different areas.

“We’re going to trial some things … so far we like what we see and they are building a great combination.”

Goodwin said change was necessary if the Demons wanted to reach the heights of their dominant 2021 season.

“The evidence suggest that at the end of last year we needed to find ways to get better,” Goodwin said.

“The message at the end of last year was to go away and enjoy yourself and come back ready to go with some purpose and we’ve got a really motivated group who want to have success.

“Our leaders have really led that … you can tell with the group the motivation and desire is really high.”