Changes vs Sydney (R6) - Salem to debut

[Gysberts2Bate]

Let's get Salem in already, he's not a skinny kid who can't run. He's ready baby. Give us something new to look at.

From Knightmare the mock draft dude:
Melbourne (Via GWS Activated Compensation) - Christian Salem (VIC – Mid/Fwd)
Height: 183cm, Weight: 82kg, DOB: 15/07/1995
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Style: Luke Hodge
Player comparison: Taylor Hunt (with better footskills)
Range: 6-12
Profile: Midfielder with a real physical presence and physical style of playing. I also really enjoy Salem’s tackling game, he just hunts the man and you can see he really enjoys it, and he does big damage every time he lays a tackle and it’s a real feature of his game. When it’s his turn to go he goes, whether it be a marking contest where he knows he will get crushed or going for the hard ball he will put his head over it and just go for it. He also does some really impressive work at times with some good blocking or bumps on or off the footy where required and just has that hard edge you love to see. He plays a good two way game running both ways and also stopping his direct opponent or playing a shutdown role as required. His footskills are above average and he hits his targets and can at times do damage, particularly when within range from goal. He’s also effective when he pushes forward and is a goalkicking midfielder. Also has above average pace, but regardless of this will run and carry the footy and cover ground with ball in hand when the opportunity is there showing relatively good pace also. He’s more outside than inside at this stage and the next step will be to develop that inside game.

Yeah Salem is an outside midfielder with a really strong defensive game, exactly what we need. It's what Watts, Strauss, Toumpas, Blease, etc lack. I know Knightmare says his pace is only 'above average' and that might be true in a sprint/20m test, but in actual on field running I'd say he's closer to 'blistering', really does leave his opponents in his wake (thought obviously that's only at U18 level). With the soft football we've been playing since 2006 it's hard not to get excited over a player that doesn't mind getting whacked to do what the team needs.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I would like to see us just hold fire on Salem for a little longer, We have hurt way too many kids by throwing them in early in the last few years, Id rather see him play 3-4 Brilliant games before getting a go

Agreed. Let him have that confidence behind him before he faces the pressure of AFL football. I wouldn't keep him waiting too long if he's playing well because it has to be hard watching Kelly, Dunstan, Sheed, Billings, JKH, etc play and you wouldn't want him to feel as though he's not being rewarded for good performances, but at the same time he shouldn't be picked reflexively after a loss as a stop gap measure.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

I would like to see us just hold fire on Salem for a little longer, We have hurt way too many kids by throwing them in early in the last few years, Id rather see him play 3-4 Brilliant games before getting a go

We've hurt kids by throwing them into the star spots on the team straight away. He's almost certainly better than 6 guys that played today or at least it's worth finding out. He can handle playing on a flank, he's not Jack Watts.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

JKH isn't developing shell shock playing HFF in his first year. Too much Melbourne induced fear going on.

 

[Topkent]

JKH isn't developing shell shock playing HFF in his first year. Too much Melbourne induced fear going on.

JKH hasnt exactly set the world on fire though he still very much doesnt look ready at this level

 

[Theseventhhamster]

JKH hasnt exactly set the world on fire though he still very much doesnt look ready at this level

But it isn't hurting him playing. He's in the team because he was fit at the right time and was the best option as a crumbing forward. Salem is now fit and is a better option than a bunch of spuds we have running around butchering it.

 

[Topkent]

But it isn't hurting him playing. He's in the team because he was fit at the right time and was the best option as a crumbing forward. Salem is now fit and is a better option than a bunch of spuds we have running around butchering it.

I dont necessarily disagree I just want to make sure he has the fundamentals right before he gets a game, Be more than just an exciting prospect

Jack Watts was never forced to do the fundamentals and he still hasnt learned 7 years later
Im not saying Salem is the same but he should be ticking EVERY box before he plays and not just because he is better than a spud

 

[Theseventhhamster]

I see what you are saying but I'd rather bring him in and teach him as he goes. Nathan Jones only played a handful of VFL games at the start of his career and he was fundamentally crap for a couple of years. Players can learn just fine in the big leagues too.

 

[Topkent]

I see what you are saying but I'd rather bring him in and teach him as he goes. Nathan Jones only played a handful of VFL games at the start of his career and he was fundamentally crap for a couple of years. Players can learn just fine in the big leagues too.

However Nathan Jones has proven to be a level above anything else we have drafted in the last decade almost, I guess we will see at the selection table this week what the coaches think

 

[schmuttt]

I agree with nickgrant69, I'd rather Salem have a few BOG games in a row, then throw him in.

 

[d33my]

In Garland, Jamar
Out one of Georgiou/Terlich/Jetta, Spencer

Provided Jamar played well at Casey I think it's time he gets a run. I actually don't mind Spence but we need to see if Russian can still hack it at AFL level.

 

[Captain Jack]

In: Garland, Jamar
Out: Terlich, Spencer

Feels s**t to be dropping Spencer, a bloke who tries his arse off weekly, when there are plenty of others who could go first... But he is just not very good.

 

[d33my]

Spencer reminds me of a Great Dane. Easy to love, enthusiastic, and doesn't realise he's completely ridiculous.

 

[GHardeman]

How come anyone we draft (ie Salem) has to be nursed for a million weeks, yet Port bring in Wingard straight off the mark and Wines has played every game since he got there and the Saints are playing Billings from close to day 1 and they are all stars? Not everyone is Jack Watts. Jay Viney is injury prone but he is ready for AFL. If Salem isn't why did we draft him? It could not be to play in a team that the current coach has handed over to someone else. Let's get him in there. The 19 year olds are carving up this competition in 2014, get some in!

 

[d33my]

How come anyone we draft (ie Salem) has to be nursed for a million weeks, yet Port bring in Wingard straight off the mark and Wines has played every game since he got there and the Saints are playing Billings from close to day 1 and they are all stars? Not everyone is Jack Watts. Jay Viney is injury prone but he is ready for AFL. If Salem isn't why did we draft him? It could not be to play in a team that the current coach has handed over to someone else. Let's get him in there. The 19 year olds are carving up this competition in 2014, get some in!

I understand the frustration but really, it's just sensible player/list management. We would have drafted him because we can see him being a 10 year player for the club, obviously.

 

[Benwah83]

If the coaching staff reckon Salem is ready for a run in the firsts, then bring him in.

 

[GHardeman]

I understand the frustration but really, it's just sensible player/list management. We would have drafted him because we can see him being a 10 year player for the club, obviously.

I get that and I appreciate the hose down, but no-one is a guaranteed player for Melbourne and no-one is aiming to be 10 year player unless we improve pretty quickly. Hogan is not going to stick around to lose and be made look bad, Frawley will pick up and go. The best list management at this point in time is to get the best players in and give the club a hopeful edge. Look at St Kilda. Everyone is ignoring Riewoldt and Montagna and looking at Dunstan and Billings and Curran (they have Fisher and Gilbert out and they beat Essendon, we can only hope to lose by 6 against them). List management is good, but list management for hope is important too.

 

[The Professor]

How come anyone we draft (ie Salem) has to be nursed for a million weeks, yet Port bring in Wingard straight off the mark and Wines has played every game since he got there and the Saints are playing Billings from close to day 1 and they are all stars? Not everyone is Jack Watts. Jay Viney is injury prone but he is ready for AFL. If Salem isn't why did we draft him? It could not be to play in a team that the current coach has handed over to someone else. Let's get him in there. The 19 year olds are carving up this competition in 2014, get some in!

difference is those boys all got nearly full preseason training under their belt. salem didnt really do one.wingard was eased in too. sub alot in his first year. billings played his first full game. wines is just a beast.

agree with if they are ready, they play. not quite sure salem's fitness base is there yet though.

we need to make sure when our kids play, they have every opportunity to succeed. ie fitness base, touch and confidence

 

[The Professor]

In: Garland, Jamar
Out: Terlich, Spencer

Feels s**t to be dropping Spencer, a bloke who tries his arse off weekly, when there are plenty of others who could go first... But he is just not very good.

agree with that. kent for watts too.

 

[GHardeman]

difference is those boys all got nearly full preseason training under their belt. salem didnt really do one.wingard was eased in too. sub alot in his first year. billings played his first full game. wines is just a beast.

agree with if they are ready, they play. not quite sure salem's fitness base is there yet though.

we need to make sure when our kids play, they have every opportunity to succeed. ie fitness base, touch and confidence

Agreed but I watched the Demon teams coached by Smith and Beckwith and Skilton and Ditterich and Denis Jones. I just want to see them win more often.

 

[RandB]

Spencer reminds me of a Great Dane. Easy to love, enthusiastic, and doesn't realise he's completely ridiculous.

Oh how I lol'd

 

[CM Sean]

Anyone else get the feeling Tyson may be rested this week? Or am I just looking too much into him being subbed off today? He has been a little flat the past couple of weeks.

 

[2 Dogs]

Salem is better off getting another 4-5 games under his belt at Casey than getting called up to the 1sts and playing as the sub which in all likelyhood is what would happen. JKH was fine as sub as he is an impact player. I'd like to see us go with someone like Blease as our sub for 4 weeks or so to give a true x-factor off the bench.

Out: Terlich, Evans, Spencer (stiff)
In: Clisby, Blease, Jamar

 

[Topkent]

One thing to add is that we aren't taking enough contested marks in the D50 , you set up rebounds from marks but Georgiou, terlich , Jetta and Grimes ( this season )aren't taking marks and are spoiling more often than not

We are really missing garland and frawleys marking down back and garland is our best at judging 3rd man in

We need him back ASAP he is a star

 

[Tulip]

Gee, Salem could play AFL now. But we're letting him get comfortable and acclimatize anonymously in the reserves, the treatment Toumpas wasn't lucky enough to reciev.