Traded #17: Jake Melksham - Traded to Melbourne for pick 25

[eth-dog]

What is his contract status like?

End of next year

 

[hurlygurdy]

I think ppl are remembering his first years incorrectly also.. he was a 'whipping boy' on here from day 1.. and usually with good reason. Was a turnover merchant from day 1.. panics with the ball and finds new ways to stuff things up.

Came good during the second half of last year when the list fell to s**t around him but other than that 12 week period.. has been average to below average. One of the luckiest blokes to ever wear the EFC jumper for 100 games.

Put it this way, if Melksham had been recruited last year instead of when he was.. I doubt we would even remember his name.. he would be way way way way down the pecking order and nowhere near a call up to the Senior Team.

Personally I would trade him now while he still might have a little value left.. if we could package him and a 3 round pick for a decent 2nd round pick (early) then it is a no-brainer.

Watson, Goddard, Heppell, Stanton, Myers, Z Merrett, Zaka, Colyer and Hocking are all ahead of him for midfield spots. J Merrett, Gleeson, NOB,Fantasia and Ashby will be on his hammer next year, along with maybe Aylett, E Kav and Edwards. Quite simply, his senior opportunities are going to be very very limited.

Hard but fair...
Wont happen though, he is Hirdy's love child after all.
Funny thing is that i can still see Hird getting the best out of him even now.

 

[Runk]

It's a sorry old day if Hocking has gone past you.

 

[Doss]

It's a sorry old day if Hocking has gone past you.

There's never been a point in Melksham's career when he was better than Hocking, I wouldn't have thought.

Hocking is struggling right now but all up, he's been a very solid player for us.

 

[Runk]

There's never been a point in Melksham's career when he was better than Hocking, I wouldn't have thought.

Hocking is struggling right now but all up, he's been a very solid player for us.

I'm not going to deny Hocking is struggling or the fact that he's a solid player. The way I look at it is this: Who's in this team that going to help deliver a premiership? Hocking, Howlett and Melksham are not players that are going to do that. As a result my time for them is limited and my desire to see them move on grows poor game by poor game.

 

[eth-dog]

I'd argue that in his first couple of years he was solid and tracking steadily, put too much muscle on in a short period of time in 2012, then was solid for the first half of 2013 before being very good in the second half. This year has been terrible, however.

Will be a good tagger in the future however.

 

[Runk]

I'd argue that in his first couple of years he was solid and tracking steadily, put too much muscle on in a short period of time in 2012, then was solid for the first half of 2013 before being very good in the second half. This year has been terrible, however.

Will be a good tagger in the future however.

has to be. it's his ONLY option.

 

[eth-dog]

has to be. it's his ONLY option.

Whilst I somewhat disagree (didn't tag at all second half of last season when he was in career best form) he's been pretty good at it with relative inexperience. Kept Ward to 15 disposals last year (8 below his season average) and did a decent job on Griffen, even though Griff got 28 disposals, 16 were handballs. Was okay-ish against Johnson this year too.

 

[Doss]

Whilst I somewhat disagree (didn't tag at all second half of last season when he was in career best form) he's been pretty good at it with relative inexperience. Kept Ward to 15 disposals last year (8 below his season average) and did a decent job on Griffen, even though Griff got 28 disposals, 16 were handballs. Was okay-ish against Johnson this year too.

And Swan- although Swan was definitely not 100% fit.

 

[eth-dog]

And Swan- although Swan was definitely not 100% fit.

That's a good point as well.

Honestly, I could see him making it playing the Monfries role or as a midfield tagger. Maybe even as a HB.

 

[Coldacre]

There's never been a point in Melksham's career when he was better than Hocking, I wouldn't have thought.

Hocking is struggling right now but all up, he's been a very solid player for us.

I love them both deep down in my ball-sack.but the sheer fact that we're comparing our s**t players against each other, is exactly that.

it's Calthorpe vs Bradbury. actually it's a lot worse....

 

[RGJALLTHEWAY]

Would trade for a second round pick.

 

[Beerfish]

I'm not ready to give up.. but by the same token I wouldn't be crying into my cornflakes given what he's produced this year.

 

[Mr_McBoogerBalls]

Hocking is one of the better taggers in the comp? Bit surprised at some of the comments above tbh

 

[Whispering_Jack]

I'm not ready to give up.. but by the same token I wouldn't be crying into my cornflakes given what he's produced this year.

Exactly my thoughts.

 

[westking]

I'm not ready to give up.. but by the same token I wouldn't be crying into my cornflakes given what he's produced this year.

Exactly my thoughts.

Bomber Thompson talked throughout the year that some players are coping with the ASADA s**t better then others. With some its affected them quite alot. Melkshem already has a face that ppl generally take an instant dislike too so I suspect Jake has struggled mentally this year more then anything else. Im hpping with Hird back now, Jake can get back to where he was. Might not happen straight away but there is alot of upside in my opinion. I hope the club sticks with him and he by the club. Cotton wool is prob a good spot for him now but you never know.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

I like Jake and nothing would make me happier than to see him make it. I just feel like he has a long way to go to break into the best 21 again and with others starting to go ahead of him, he'd better hurry up!

 

[westking]

I like Jake and nothing would make me happier than to see him make it. I just feel like he has a long way to go to break into the best 21 again and with others starting to go ahead of him, he'd better hurry up!

I agree, he had better hurry up! But to trade him out (unless he requests it) I think is premature. I backed Jetta last year to break out this year so it shows how much i really know!!!!

plus he loves dominating Carlton so he is worth persisting purely on that!

 

[Blind Turn]

I reckon if they unleash him this week in a final he might just be burning inside to prove a point. He plays best when he is fired up a bit. He'd be very close to selection if I was a selector.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

I agree, he had better hurry up! But to trade him out (unless he requests it) I think is premature. I backed Jetta last year to break out this year so it shows how much i really know!!!!

plus he loves dominating Carlton so he is worth persisting purely on that!

I am not saying to trade him, I am just saying he might need to get his act together soon or he won't be playing for this club in a couple of years. That would make me sad.

 

[Andronicus]

Melkshem already has a face that ppl generally take an instant dislike too so I suspect Jake has struggled mentally this year more then anything else.

Huh?

 

[VelvetSledge]

Bomber Thompson talked throughout the year that some players are coping with the ASADA s**t better then others. With some its affected them quite alot. Melkshem already has a face that ppl generally take an instant dislike too so I suspect Jake has struggled mentally this year more then anything else. Im hpping with Hird back now, Jake can get back to where he was. Might not happen straight away but there is alot of upside in my opinion. I hope the club sticks with him and he by the club. Cotton wool is prob a good spot for him now but you never know.

 

[westking]

In my opinion I feel Jake can at times cop the wrong en of the stick based on his "posture" at times. Minor and pathetic point I know but combined with the pressure of this ASADA s**t, for a young man supposed to be exuding confidence, I sometimes wonder if its really the case. Not sure if Im getting my point across appropriately and if im not i apologise. We forget how young sometimes these kids really are.

 

[GandalfTheDon]

Yeh where are these negative views on Hocking coming from? :s

 

[Tiimmbo]

I would lock Jake in a room with endless tapes of Ryan Crowleys games over summer and try and get him to become a tagger in Crowleys mould. No-one likes him but he does a good job for Freo and to me Jake has some similar attributes.