There could be a significant amount of tension on the field come Saturday night with several Demons playing for their careers according to the Herald Sun.

Melbourne’s dismal season will come to a close when the final siren sounds at Etihad Stadium against North with coach Paul Roos set to wield the axe on the club’s list.

The paper’s Jay Clark says Sam Blease (pick 17), Luke Tapscott (18) and James Strauss (19) are all out-of-contract and face uncertain futures.

“Melbourne will continue its clean-out of top draft picks at season’s end with another three players taken in the top-20 in the club’s firing line,” Clark wrote referring to the trio.

The three players have only managed five senior games between them this season despite being highly rated draft choices.

Many expect defender James Frawley to leave the club and explore Free Agency meaning the club will have lost a total of eight players chosen in the top-20 of the 2006-10 national drafts. Frawley is being wooed by a clubs including Geelong, Gold Coast and Hawthorn.

On Tuesday the club re-signed Dean Terlich, Rohan Bail and Aidan Riley.

Melbourne has applied to the AFL Commission for another priority pick, possibly giving it selections No. 2, 3 (priority) and 4 (Frawley compensation) in November.

“The Herald Sun understands Tapscott and Blease (23 years old) and Strauss (24) will all attempt to reignite their careers elsewhere next season if they are unable to secure new deals at AAMI Park,” Clark added.

Melbourne coach Paul Roos has continually said he will make hard decisions on players who cannot help the club move forward.

“There’s clearly some who might not be able to get over what’s happened here in the past,” Roos said.

“You’ve got to go back to the mindset and we’re waiting to get beaten. Of course if you’re waiting to get beaten, generally what happens is that you get beaten.”

The Roos have played the Dees once already in 2014. That game was back in Round 14 at the MCG and North won by 41 points. Another win at Etihad this weekend will make it 13 straight.