Melbourne spring selection heartbreak dropping rookie mainstay Bayley Fritsch

Melbourne has sprung a selection surprise ahead of their crunch preliminary final clash with the West Coast Eagles, axing first-year star Bayley Fristch. 

Fritsch has been dropped for defender Joel Smith who played just seven games for the Demons in 2018.

The Demons' thought process behind axing the 21-year-old speedster is thought to be due to the Eagles' potent forward line which features powerhouse forwards Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling as well as elite small forwards such as Liam Ryan and Mark LeCras.

Fristch has been a welcome addition to the Demons' lineup in 2018, playing 23 games so far and averaging 16.3 disposals per game.

The 21-year-old was drafted with the 31st overall pick in the 2017 National Draft and has also added 17 goals in a stunning debut season. 

Meanwhile, the West Coast Eagles have made just a single change from their qualifying final side, with Will Schofield replacing the injured Brad Sheppard.