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Freo's hot selection race

Melbourne coach's staff catch up with Fremantle boss Ross Lyon at Fremantle Oval. Pic: Nic Ellis

Competition for places in Fremantle's round-one team against Port Adelaide is so fierce even captain Matthew Pavlich feels uncomfortable, according to midfielder Michael Barlow.

The Dockers' 2015 campaign starts today with a NAB Chall- enge game against Melbourne at Fremantle Oval.

Coach Ross Lyon named a 29-man squad which must be trimmed to 26.

Connor Blakely is the only draftee in the squad but second-year player Brady Grey, who is yet to make his debut, is also a chance to play.

Regulars Nat Fyfe, Garrick Ibbotson, Zac Dawson, Aaron Sandilands, Danyle Pearce and Ryan Crowley weren't selected.

Barlow said all Dockers were on edge as they tried to prove they deserved selection.

"This time of year is as tense and as anxious as you'll get all season because we've had a really good summer and we've seen some real emergence from some younger players, as well as some players who have been around for a while that are really taking their game to another level," he said.

"From the top down, I know Matthew Pavlich talks about how he never feels comfortable with his spot in the side and he always wants to get better and improve.

"The guys who are second and third year in the competition want to stake their livelihood and make their mark as AFL footballers.

"We've got 30-35 players with the potential to represent us on Easter Sunday."

Blakely's selection came after an impressive 2014 and being drafted with pick 34.

An All-Australian at the under-18 national titles, the midfielder played 14 league games for Swan Districts and Barlow said he'd impressed everyone.

Melbourne have named six new faces - Heritier Lumumba, Jeff Garlett, Sam Frost, Ben Newton, Billy Stretch and Aaron vandenBerg.

Exciting key forward Jesse Hogan, who injured his back during last year's NAB Challenge and missed the entire 2014 home-and-away season, is another major inclusion for the Demons.

Newton's arrival from Port Adelaide brought little fanfare but Melbourne captain Nathan Jones said the former South Fremantle junior had already made a big impact.

"The wraps on him coming from there, he has really backed up that," Jones said.

"He's been really positive for our group. He's brought some of the standards that Port had and he's had a terrific pre-season.

"He's injury free, ticked off a lot of the sessions and showed some real signs in some of the match simulation stuff we've done at training."