Lange had planned to play with the Panthers in the Ballarat Football League last year after retiring from Port Melbourne.

He now wants to return to his hometown to play with Gippsland league club Sale without having pulled on a Melton South jumper.

The Panthers have refused one clearance application, while a second one by Lange is pending.

Melton South coach Heath Pitchard said as it stood Lange, who was still living in Melbourne, was contracted to the Panthers.

Lange was among a group of Port Melbourne players to make the move to Melton South for 2020, with him joining Ryan Pendlebury and Dylan Conway.

When the BFL cancelled its 2019 season owing COVID-19 restrictions, Lange made the call to return to Port Melbourne for a modified VFL season.

However, the VFL competition also failed to get off the ground.

Lange played in Port Melbourne's 2017 premiership side.

He had an outstanding 2019 season, finishing second in the club's best and fairest, fourth in the JJ Liston Trophy and earning a spot in the VFL team of the year.

Meanwhile, Melton South has signed former Footscray VFL player Shawn Wyatt from Bairnsdale in the Gippsland league.

Pritchard said Wyatt would add experience to the midfield and forward line.

In another boost for the Panthers, assistant coach Ryan Pendlebury is set to to begin the season at the top of his game.

Pendlebury has been voted Darwin Buffaloes' best and fairest in his first full season in the Northern Territory Football League.