"It's learning off some of the better players about how they go about playing through the midfield," Monfries said yesterday. "What I'm trying to do this year is step up into that midfield role and get out of half-forward, and by playing on some of the better guys there you just learn where they run and how they get ball.

Like a legion of younger Essendon players upon whom more responsibility will be thrust in 2008, Monfries is relishing a new coaching regime, and a markedly different pre-season to previous years.

Fremantle will make at least five changes to the line up that accounted for West Coast on Sunday for their round two NAB Cup clash against Adelaide this Sunday.

Chris Mayne will come into the side after sitting out of Fremantle’s 44 point win over the Eagles and is a strong chance to feature in the club’s rotating midfield. Sixteen players had roles in the centre for Fremantle at the weekend and it is something Mark will experiment with more over the pre-season to see which players will be able to offer solid contributions when moved to the midfield.

Western Bulldog Farren Ray is the latest injury casualty. In a big blow, the midfielder is set to miss the start of the home-and-away season.

Ray will miss four to six weeks after suffering a cracked fibula in the club's 11-point NAB Cup win against the Kangaroos on Friday night.

"[Lindsay] Gilbee, [Jarrod] Harbrow and [Farren] Ray won't play, and Ryan Griffen won't play either, because he's got some family involvement in Adelaide," Eade said on Tuesday.

"We'll probably be down to the bare numbers, to be honest. Hopefully Shaun Higgins will be right, Andrew McDougall we're hoping will come back, but he may not get up.

The 70-gamer, now in his sixth season at senior level, underwent surgery on Monday afternoon to have a pin inserted in his thumb.

Fisher is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

"We have four weeks, nearly five, before the first round, so he could miss three to four weeks of the season," Icke said. "… Putting the pin in should help the recovery but I think it would be safe to assume he will miss round one.

Having lost Josh Kennedy through the Judd trade and with a preference for Jarrad Waite to hold down centre half-back, the club had developed a hole at centre half-forward it was hoping Fisher could fill. "We have a few options for players we will look at," Icke said. "Richard Hadley is waiting to come back (from injury) and he could play that role. He has played similar roles for Brisbane and he is some chance to play this weekend."

Hasleby’s left knee buckled under pressure from Adam Selwood and Matt Spangher in the third quarter of Sunday’s 44-point victory, leaving Hasleby in agony.

“The left knee injury sustained in last night’s game against West Coast will now require a full knee reconstruction,” the club statement said.

“It looks like [an ACL injury], the doctors are pretty certain,” Roos said shortly after the match.

“I think it shows you how important Marty Mattner coming across the line was,” Roos said, after the former Crow looked poised in a similar role on Sunday.

Malceski underwent reconstructive surgery on his left knee in 2002. He returned to claim a regular place in the Swans line-up and then, last year, became one of their most effective players filling the void left by the injured Tadhg Kennelly with his explosive run and long-kicking from half-back and making the shortlist for All-Australian selection.

"Reaching out to our next generation players is all a part of our job and thinking "outside the square" to get the best result is crucial. A 208cm 17 year old is hard to come by but there's a lot of potential in Blake and we look forward to developing him to become an AFL ruckman," said Recruiting Manager, John Peake.

The other Scholarship holders are:
Josh Duncan - 16 year old from Pennant Hills
Kane Murphy - 15 year old from St Ignatius Riverview
Khan Haretuku from the 2007 program is now at St Kilda on our NSW Scholarship Rookie List

Harding has lost none of his pace, said Laidley, who is hopeful the 26-year-old can cement a spot in the back line.

"He has got good pace, he kicks the ball well, he should be able to run the lines and penetrate the game. (But) he has got a lot of things to learn," Laidley said.

McDonald shocked the Lions yesterday when he said his body, which has endured numerous operations over a horror five-year stretch, could not withstand another AFL season.

Promising ruckman Joel Tippett is set to make his debut in the NAB Cup against Essendon on Saturday night and would be a leading contender.

“We’ll wait and see whether Stenglein’s fit as well – he probably won’t play,” he said. “So it’s a great opportunity. Jamie McNamara, Matt Priddis, David Wirrpanda, Brent Staker, Will Schofield, Shannon Hurn – there’s a lot of different guys that we will potentially have a look at through there.”

In close to 100 matches for the club, Staker hasn’t laid claim to a permanent position, but Worsfold said his ability to pinch-hit for the side was very valuable.

``I'm looking to play a bit more this year and even if it was to go down back or up forward, I've just got to learn a whole lot of different positions now.''

``I love it across the half-back line, so I've worked a little bit on my game down there and hopefully (I'll) be able to blend in down there every now and then,'' Selwood said.

Schwarz will work closely with key forwards, such as Will Minson, and the resting ruckmen, recruit Scott Welsh, Brad Johnson, the promising Tom Williams, Cameron Wight and Robert Murphy.

"I can relate to 'Murph' more than most. He had a reco, he's been near the top of his club and fallen over with injury and he knows what it's like to get back," Schwarz said.

Although Brown will be ready by then, Bradshaw will still be at least a month away from playing and Clark might struggle for selection given Matthews's long-standing rule that players must have had competitive match practice before a senior call-up.

By then Henderson could have impressed enough to earn a spot, either in attack or across half back, making him just the second draftee in 10 years to play his first game in round 1 of his first season at the Lions.