The Demons insist that James Sellar, one of only a handful of delisted players to be given a second chance at Thursday night's national draft, has not been brought in just to make up the numbers.
Recruiting manager Barry Prendergast has high hopes the versatile 196cm 22-year-old can settle into a role at Melbourne, something he was unable to achieve during his five seasons with the Crows.
"He's played tall back and he's played up forward obviously and he's also played in the ruck," said Prendergast of Sellar who, in the lead-up to the 2006 draft, was talked about as a potential No.1 pick.
"That will be something for the coaching staff to determine where they need his versatility and hopefully for James he can lock himself into an area of the ground and make that position his own."
"When you bring in a player who's been delisted after five years and you get him at pick 54 in the national draft then obviously there's an element that he's good depth for us."
"But we do see him playing AFL footy, that's why we've got him here."
"He was a very high draft pick at pick 14 in his (original) draft year, so he's not without the talent to play at the level."
Prendergast said former Adelaide coach Neil Craig, who joined Melbourne in late September as the club's director of sports performance, had a big say in the decision to use the last of the Demons' three picks, No.54, on Sellar.
"(Melbourne development manager) Todd Viney who had been at Adelaide as well also had key input into the decision and where James was at," said Prendergast.
"It's very much a list management decision about making sure we balance things out because we've had a really big rebuild with a lot of young players and that was our thinking."
Prendergast said the club was lucky to get its two other picks in the draft, Rory Taggert from North Ballarat at No.32 and Gippsland Power defender Josh Tynan at 52.
"Rory went under the radar a little bit and Josh was a guy we probably thought would not be there, but that story comes out every year," said Prendergast.
"Josh is a half-back flanker who played tall for Gippsland Power this year and at the national championships and we thought he was a very worthy pick at 52."
"We see Rory as a midfielder."
"He's a powerful kick, plays in all areas of the ground, really good mark, clean hands."
"He's that big-bodied contested-ball player that our game plan demands."