ADEM Yze's streak of 226 consecutive senior games has ended, with Melbourne dropping him for tomorrow's game against Hawthorn at the MCG, leaving him 19 games short of Jim Stynes' all-time record.

Despite the Demons losing defender Clint Bartram to a knee injury at training yesterday, football manager Chris Fagan said Yze, who played for Sandringham in the VFL yesterday, was not in the mix to replace him.

Fagan said Bartram would miss tomorrow's game, but he was not sure of the extent of the damage. Bartram would be replaced by Simon Godfrey or Clint Bizzell.

Hawthorn has had no such worries, recalling Shane Crawford and Campbell Brown from suspension, as well as forward Ben Dixon to the Hawks team that lost to the Brisbane Lions in the opening round.

Yze has not missed a match since round seven, 1997, a run of 226 games, but he has struggled with his form over the pre-season, and turned in a lacklustre performance in the Saints' drubbing of his team in the season opener last week.

Melbourne legend and Brownlow medallist Stynes set the benchmark for consecutive games, having played 244 consecutive games in his 248-game career.

The Demons responded to Yze's form slump by playing him in their VFL affiliate Sandringham Zebras, for their season opener against Geelong in Sandringham yesterday.

Yze kicked two goals in the Zebras' 10-point win and was named among the best players. He played mostly in the centre, with stints on a half-forward flank.

Clearly disappointed that his 10-year run had come to an end, he refused to speak with The Sunday Age, saying: "No, mate. You're just going to bag me, anyway."

Sandringham coach Mark Williams was impressed with Yze's attitude and performance.

"His attitude was really good, he came here to play. That's what it's all about … He wasn't outstanding, but he worked really hard," Williams said.

"But he knows he has to work hard, that's why he's come back here — to work hard, to regain his form and to push for his spot back in the Melbourne side."

Stynes said he was a bit surprised by the decision, but said selection should be based on form, not personal records.

"I was pretty confident he would break the record this year, and I didn't think it would be his form that would be the thing that would stop him," he said.

"These streaks and breaking records, you know it's all great, but you've still got to be performing."

Stynes said Yze's achievement should not be underestimated. "I still think it needs to be acknowledged, the great achievement that he's managed to string this many games together," Stynes said.