NATHAN Jones is confident he will overcome an injury-interrupted pre-season to play in Melbourne's round one clash against Port Adelaide after returning to the field for the Casey Demons in the VFL on Saturday.

Jones has battled hamstring problems this pre-season but the Melbourne co-captain and teammates Jack Viney (ankle) and Jake Melksham (hamstring) played their first pre-season games against Brisbane's NEAFL team at Casey Fields in the curtain-raiser to Melbourne's JLT Community Series game against the Lions.

The Demons co-captain told reporters he had got through the game unscathed and was confident of being ready for the season opener against the Power.

"We've probably been pretty conservative in my prep, which is fair enough too. Obviously I hurt [my hamstring] just before Christmas and re-did it in a similar spot and had to take some more time," Jones said.

"I couldn't feel better really. Obviously (I was) blowing some cobwebs out because of the preparation in terms of playing match simulation-type stuff, I've missed a bit of that, but I'm pretty confident that my body will be able to hold up.

"I had a pretty similar preparation last pre-season. I was pretty injured all the way up until round one and ended up playing for most of the year, so I'll back that in again."

STRONGEST MIDFIELDS Every club's engine room ranked

Saturday's curtain-raiser did not end as well for Demons ruckman Braydon Preuss, who came from the ground in the third quarter with a groin injury that is likely to delay his start to the home and away season.

Jones confirmed Preuss had injured his groin, but the extent of the ruckman's injury won't be known until he has scans.

"I asked the question when I came to the bench at one point and he had ice on his adductor, so we'll wait and see what the diagnosis is after today," Jones said.