Nathan Jones stepped down from the co-captaincy he shared with Jack Viney in September and the Demons are yet to confirm their leadership structure - though ruckman Max Gawn has been tipped to be promoted to captain.

"It's something that we want to talk through with the playing group, obviously with the leadership of the club and come to a decision in the next few days," coach Simon Goodwin said after Saturday's pre-season win over Adelaide Crows.

The Demons are optimistic Gawn (knee) and defender Steven May (knee) will be ready for their game against Hawthorn on Friday March 6.

"Steve will be ready for the last (pre-season) game. So we're really hopeful of that," he said.

"We've probably got a few guys coming back around the same time with Max (Gawn), Angus Brayshaw, Bayley Fritsch.

"So competition for spots is high, which is a good position to be in."

Melbourne will play a scratch match against North Melbourne next week with Brayshaw (elbow) and Bayley Fritsch (knee infection) in line to play.

"We've got a trial next week against the Kangaroos, so Angus is pretty well locked in for that game and Max will be the week after," Goodwin said.

(Fritsch will) probably play next week - he just had a little bit of infection in his knee so he's been on the antibiotics."

Goodwin praised the efforts of first-round draftees Luke Jackson and Kysaiah Pickett and shrugged off any concerns over Jones, who booted three goals before limping off in the third term.

"He's fine - he's just got a corky in the shin, so more precautionary for Nathan," he said.

"We went in only with the 23 today, so we played pretty lean - we wanted to get good minutes into boys and they did a great job."

Australian Associated Press