Jamar to sit out NAB Cup clash

MELBOURNE ruckman Mark Jamar is set to miss the club's opening NAB Cup clash against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium on Saturday.

Jamar, who is favoured to grab Melbourne's No.1 ruck mantle after the departure of Jeff White, has been battling stress problems in his foot.

But the 25-year insisted he would still play a part in the Demons' pre-season campaign.

"In the second metatarsal in my foot, I had a stress reaction to the training load so far this pre-season," Jamar said.

"I was going well up until that and I hadn't missed a session, so I won't lose much fitness.

"I've been swimming over a kilometre every day and doing a 45-minute bike session three or four times a week.

"I can't wait to get back into things.

"I definitely won't play the first [NAB Cup] game, I wouldn't think.

"I'm back running, but I'm lucky because it's not a soft-tissue injury and it's something that once you know is right, you can ramp things up straight away.

"So I'm really looking forward to getting some more hard sessions in and when I'm right, I'm right to go.

"I don't want to rush back, because it's a big year and [I'm looking at the] big picture. When I'm ready, I'll push my body to the limit."