MELBOURNE defender Chris Johnson has been delisted by the Demons at his request after contract negotiations fell down between the player's management and the club.
The 22-year-old is expected to join Carlton via the pre-season draft.
Johnson arrived at Melbourne as a father/son pick from East Fremantle in 2003 and played 31 games for the club.
Exciting small forward Austin Wonaeamirri has been elevated to the club's senior playing list after a successful debut season which saw him earn a nomination for the AFL Rising Star award
Meanwhile, Collingwood have delisted 18-year-old Toby Thoolen.
Thoolen, who was selected from the Bendigo Pioneers with the 47th overall pick in the 2007 draft, joins Sam Iles, Chris Egan and Brodie Holland as the Magpies' delisted players in 2008.
Sharrod Wellingham and Brent Macaffer will be elevated to the senior list.
Hawthorn has released Hugh Sandilands, Alex Grima and Matt Suckling from it's rookie list while Cameron Stokes will be retained as a nominated rookie which allows the small forward to be eligible for senior selection next season.
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MELBOURNE utility Brad Green has signed a new three-year deal which will see him remain at the club until at least the end of the 2011 season.
Green, who had been linked with Collingwood and Sydney during trade week, said he wanted to take the time to ensure he was making the right decision for his future.
"This was a really important decision for me, and I wanted to take the time to make sure I was making the right choice for my future," he said.
"I am now relieved I have made this decision to stay and look forward to being a Demon for life."
The 27-year-old, who has played 186 games for the Demons since making his debut in 2000, finished third in this year's best-and-fairest count.
Melboune football operations manager Chris Connolly said the club is ‘really happy’ that Green has re-committed to the club and that his leadership we will vital as the Demons attempt to rebuild
"We are really happy that we were able to come to terms with Brad on his new three-year deal," he said.
"It did take us longer than expected, but we respect the fact that this was a big decision for Brad, and we are pleased that he will now become a 10-year player for this team, and most likely a one-club man.
"Not only has Brad been a sensational player for the Demons, but his leadership around the club will be vitally important as we develop and nurture our young group of players."
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MELBOURNE midfielder Cameron Bruce has capped off a consistent season by winning his first best-and-fairest award.
Bruce won his first Keith 'Bluey' Truscott trophy on Thursday night with 75 votes.
Brock McLean (60) clinched the Sid Anderson Memorial Trophy as runner-up,with Brad Green (57), Matthew Warnock (47) and veteran midfielder James McDonald (46) rounding out the top five.
Bruce, who was the only Demon to play all 22 games in 2008, averaged a team-high 24 possessions.
In other awards, Cale Morton won the Harold Ball Memorial Trophy for best first year player.
Green won the leadership award, Adem Yze took out the Troy Broadbridge Memorial Trophy for being the highest vote getter in the Sandringham Best and Fairest while Warnoick won the coach's award.
Meanwhile, former chairman Joe Blair and long-time volunteer Dudley Phillips joined former players Barry Bourke, Greg Healy, Todd Viney and Sean Wight as this year's inductees into the club's hall of fame.
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MELBOURNE has begun overhauling its playing list by delisting youngsters Isaac Weetra and Jace Bode.
Weetra, who was a fourth round selection in the 2006 National Draft from Port Adelaide in the SANFL, made his AFL debut against Hawthorn in round one this year and played his last game for the club the following week against the Western Bulldogs.
Meanwhile, Bode played nine matches including five this year after being elevated to the senior list from the rookie list at the end of the 2007 season.
The Demons now have six places to fill following the retirements of David Neitz and Ben Holland and the delisting of veteran pair Jeff White and Adem Yze.
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MELBOURNE veteran Ben Holland has announced his retirement from AFL football.
Holland, who played 125 games for Richmond before moving to the Demons at the end of the 2003 season, will line up against the Tigers at the MCG on Sunday for what will be his 191st and final appearance at AFL level.
The 30-year-old said he had enjoyed his time at both clubs.
"I have given everything I have got to the team every time I competed," Holland said.
"I love playing football, I love being involved in football, and I love the team camaraderie."
"After Sunday's game, I will look forward to the next chapter of my life."
Holland was drafted by Fitzroy with pick 19 in the 1994 national draft before being traded to the Tigers at the end of the 1995 season where he made his AFL debut in 1997.
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MELBOURNE will not make a trade with West Coast for midfielder Daniel Kerr according to coach Dean Bailey.
Kerr is understood to be up for grabs at the end of the season but any club that hopes to secure his services will have to give up a lot with the Eagles expected to demand two top-10 selections in this year's draft.
Bailey said the the club won't be giving up any of its picks in exchange for the 2006 premiershp star.
"He's a very good player Daniel Kerr. Maybe someone might be prepared to trade out a first-round pick," Bailey said.
"We'll keep our picks, we won't be trading. We want to keep our first pick and as of today there's also 17 and 19. We'll be really keen to keep our picks."
Bailey also said he was focused on building a side from the ground up.
"We have a young list now and this year it's important that we draft well," he said.
"Every year you should draft well. You can't pick and choose drafts and you have to ensure you put all of the work into it so you can produce and develop players."
"We've got a young list now, we'll have a young list again next year."
"How we coach and how we develop them is super important."
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MELBOURNE veterans Jeff White and Adem Yze will play their final games for the club when the Demons face Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
Yze will play his 271st AFL match for Melbourne to sit third on the club's all-time games record list – one fewer than Robbie Flower (272) and behind former skipper David Neitz (306).
White will move into seventh spot on Melbourne's games record list this weekend with 236 matches, overtaking Brett Lovett (235).
Both players will nominate for the draft, although Yze has acknowledged he had 'probably only half a percent' chance of finding a new home.
White said he felt that he still has something to offer at AFL level.
"From a personal point of view I still feel I've got some time left," he said.
"I'm not hanging my hat on getting a spot on an AFL club next year but I'll definitely put my hand up to say my mind feels good, my body feels good, I want to continue playing."
If not picked up, White and Yze will both continue playing in the VFL or in another lower-grade competition.
Yze will be remembered come as the man who nearly played the most consecutive matches ever, falling 18 short of equalling Jim Stynes' record of 244.
However, he did say the record became a distraction the closer he came to breaking it.
"Whether it was media or other people questioning your attack on the footy or whether you're putting your body on the line for a record – that actually didn't sit well with me," Yze said.
"So I had a meeting with Neale [Daniher] last year … and said: 'I don't want to play', to end that speculation. From there, it felt like a release and I could just enjoy my footy."
Both players played an integral role in helping the club reach six finalls series in nine years.
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CAMERON Schwab has replaced Paul McNamee as Melbourne's new chief executive.
He returns to the position he left after four years in 2001 to take up the CEO role at Fremantle.
Melbourne president Jim Stynes said Schwab was the right man to help lead the club into an exciting new era.
"To have someone of Cameron's calibre lead this Club into the future is very exciting. It is well known that Cameron and the Demons go a long way back."
"All of the new Board has been impressed with his football knowledge, his management credentials and his drive. With Cameron as the CEO we are convinced that Melbourne can become the club that all Demons crave. We have some unfinished business to do," Stynes said.
Schwab started his career in administration with Melbourne as an 18-year-old before becoming the youngest ever AFL chief executive when he went to Richmond at just 24.
He then returned to Melbourne in 1994 and then took over as CEO in 1997.
Schwab said he believed he could help the Demons become a force again.
"The Melbourne Football Club has been a considerable part of my own personal heritage. It's where I started my working life 25 years ago. I would like to think that I can play a role in securing the future of the Club," he said.
"Jim and his board have brought hope to Melbourne and it is now my job to help build a team who can match that hope with expectation and performance."
He begins his three-year contract in early October
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MELBOURNE veterans Adem Yze and Jeff White remain in danger of being delisted despite being recalled for Saturday's clash against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.
Yze has been out of the side since round 11 while White returns after passing a fitness test on his knee.
Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said the inclusion of Yze and White showed the club was focused on winning games of football.
"We've held a policy for the whole year, if your form is good enough it doesn't matter how old you are or who you are playing for, you'll get a chance to play," he said.
"We've got Adem Yze and Jeff White back playing and to be fair to Adam, his form in the last two or three weeks at Sandringham has been good and he's been unlucky not to have played more games.
"Although we've got a lot of our young blokes playing, form is really important. You can't afford to play anyone who's out of form, it doesn't matter how old they are or what you are trying to do, because it reflects in the game and hurts the other 21 players."
But Bailey refused to elaborate on what the future held for the pair.
"We've taken the policy that we'll talk with, we'll sit down and Jeff and Adam will let the world know next week in regards to where they want to go and what their future is. So we'll leave it to those players to announce those sort of things," he said
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MELBOURNE youngster Cale Morton has been rewarded for his consistent season with the round 20 NAB Rising Star nomination.
Morton was Melbourne's best in their win over West Coast at the MCG last Saturday with 30 possessions, 17 marks and one goal.
The 18-year-old, who made his debut in round one has averaged 18 disposals per game in his 17 appearances.
Morton was Melbourne's first selection and fourth overall in the 2007 national draft and joins teammates Austin Wonaeamirri and Colin Garland in line for the sought-after honour.
Melbourne coach Dean Bailey said Morton's has shown what he is capable of from the beginning of the season.
"Cale has been consistently good for us all year. He is a very hard worker and continues to develop all aspects of his game," he said.
Morton represented Western Australia in the 2007 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships and won the Larke Medal for best player.in the championships.
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