The 18-year-old's remarkable start to the season for Sydney, which included an eye-catching four-goal showing against GWS and the round-three nomination, has railroaded the conversation around the league's young guns.

So much so that even the exploits of Melbourne great hope Jesse Hogan have been comparatively camouflaged.

If there was any fear on Hogan going into the season it was that the Demons might have battled to "keep a lid" on the hype he generated should he have begun his career in the impressive fashion he has since done.

Instead, Melbourne supporters were forced to jump on talk-back lines this week to argue Hogan's case – contending that his influence on the Demons in the first three rounds has been just as significant as Heeney's at the Swans.

Although he is yet to win a Rising Star nomination, Hogan has emerged as a key factor in the Demons' encouraging start and why they look more potent forward of centre than they did last season.

The 20-year-old leads the league in contested marks, albeit only three rounds in, on his way to defying concerns he might not be strong enough yet to match it

with more seasoned key def-

enders, or give the Demons another viable target to fit between

Chris Dawes and Jack Watts.

As well as booting two goals in each of the first three matches, Hogan ranks second at Melbourne for scoreboard impact and score involvements. As an aside, Heeney does likewise in those two categories for Sydney.

That he arrived at the club as a 17-year-old access selection, and then sat out 2014 as well because of a stress-related back injury means Hogan is not a normal third-game player, and his captain Nathan Jones says it shows.

"I'm not surprised at all. Ever since he came to the club he has shown a maturity beyond his years," the skipper said.

"Obviously the contested marking is a special skill of his."

The test from here will be how long Hogan can maintain his high level.

As a base, his willingness to launch at the ball and compete generally is something coach Paul Roos hopes he can provide every week, although Jones pointed out that anything extra would become harder, not easier, from now on.

Jones said he expected opposition clubs to pay more attention to Hogan as the season went on, but backed the 195 centimetre, 101

kilogram big man to handle it.

This week's task could potentially come in the form of Richmond star Alex Rance, and a big-time performance on the Friday night stage will certainly put his name next to Heeney's.

Another key talking point for the Anzac Day eve match at the MCG will be whether Roos opts to use midfielder Bernie Vince in another shutdown role, following the success of his job on Adelaide star Patrick Dangerfield last week.

Should Vince be sent to one of Richmond's midfield fleet, such as captain Trent Cotchin or Dustin Martin, Jones said he hoped Vince would bring the same intensity, which he said was sparked by Vince's output in the previous week's loss to GWS.

"He probably showed a side to his game that not necessarily everyone had seen but I'm more than confident that he will either do a job or get back to winning the ball," Jones said of his close friend Vince.

"That will be a new benchmark for him in terms of the aggression and intensity that he plays with."

In another news for the Demons, the club confirmed key defender Sam Frost will be sidelined for longer than first expected with his toe injury.  He could be out for six weeks and up to eight.