Speaking at Toorak Park on Sunday at the Maddie's Shield cricket match, which raises funds for Maddie Riewoldt's Vision, Lewis identified Jackson and Pickett when asked to identify who at Melbourne had caught his eye so far in the pre-season.

"For me, I see them playing straight away," Lewis told The Age.

"And especially [with] Gawny, he may play round one, he may not, but Luke Jackson is probably the player who could pinch-hit in the ruck and looks lively up forward, and Kozzie Pickett's the same, so I think they've drafted really well."

The Demons' season begins away to West Coast on March 22, while Simon Goodwin's side take on Adelaide at Casey Fields in their Marsh pre-season series opener on Saturday.

Gawn is meanwhile among the frontrunners for the Melbourne captaincy after Nathan Jones stepped down from his role as co-captain at the end of last season. It remains to be seen whether Dees players vote for Gawn as standalone skipper, opt for him in tandem with incumbent co-captain Jack Viney, or choose a different composition.

In any case, Lewis said Gawn was ready to be captain if chosen.

"He's been in the leadership group for maybe four or five years now. He's certainly matured. He's become an A-grade player, which is half the battle," Lewis said.

"It's clearly voted by the players ... that'll I think be dealt with this week.

"Being a captain of a football club is great but it's not everything. What you need is you need a depth of leadership, so I think that's probably the most important thing rather than who's captain."

Lewis said the pre-season signs had been positive that Melbourne would be able to turn things around after their annus horribilis.

"It was a harsh and long lesson that they learnt last year," he said.

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"Certainly from what I've seen visually and how they've come back and their attitude is starkly different to the year before. You've got to get out on the park and play well and win games, and that'll be their next challenge, but from what I've seen so far there's improvement."

The 319-gamer meanwhile voiced his support for the charity, which aims to raise funds and help find treatments for bone marrow failure.

"It affects you more when you know Nick and Jack [Riewoldt]. I didn't know Maddie but I know those two boys and what they've put into this charity," Lewis said.

"I'm more than happy to be here and help out in any way I can. Clearly with my close friendship with Nick and Jack it means a lot."