Player Watch #3 Christian Salem

[Jamurp]

He’ll always have that goal after the siren to beat Essendon, that was nice.

I like Salem, but his jog after being paid the 50 penalty yesterday was uninspiring, really reflects our side as a whole.

 

[saj_21]

To his defence the siren from his point of view could have easily sounded at any moment and he would of looked really stupid if that had of happened. You could see he looked back to bench to get an indication on time left

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

He should have just taken the shot on goal. He’s a glorious kick and if it had fallen short we’d have had more time to rebound.

 

[Topkent]

It's a real slight on the skills of the modern footballer that I bet he hasn't trained so therefore never considered a torp

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

He should have just taken the shot on goal. He’s a glorious kick and if it had fallen short we’d have had more time to rebound.

I'm not so sure he's as good a kick as everyone makes out to me. All you see him do nowadays is chip it 15 or 20 metres. Reckon Thomlinson is a far better kick than Salem is.

Reputation doesn't meet reality.

 

[Topkent]

I'm not so sure he's as good a kick as everyone makes out to me. All you see him do nowadays is chip it 15 or 20 metres. Reckon Thomlinson is a far better kick than Salem is.

Reputation doesn't meet reality.

Agreed, Salem has become Jetta lite. Doesn't take on dangerous kicks or change the angles enough. Almost as if he wants to protect his kicking efficiency. Also doesn't ever get them in dangerous spots.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Agreed, Salem has become Jetta lite. Doesn't take on dangerous kicks or change the angles enough. Almost as if he wants to protect his kicking efficiency. Also doesn't ever get them in dangerous spots.

Agree, he's a ******* pussy by foot honestly, no balls about any of his decision making whatsoever. Anyone would think he's a Matthew Suckling the way some people carry on about his kicking.

 

[00Stinger]

It's a real slight on the skills of the modern footballer that I bet he hasn't trained so therefore never considered a torp

could you imagine the melts if he went the torp and it skewed off his boot straight into the hands of a Geelong player?

 

[Topkent]

could you imagine the melts if he went the torp and it skewed off his boot straight into the hands of a Geelong player?

He's entitled to check his options look for the pass and then take his 30 seconds. If he did it properly like that I'd have no issue with him stuffing it.

 

[ABray10]

Salem is what he is, had a decent year last year in a rubbish team, was pretty good against Carlton and then played a nightmare against Cats.

He isn't in our top 5 players but I don't hold that against him, the problem with having to play 22 each week is they can't all be top 5 players.

 

[stEdy]

In the last few minutes we had an outnumber on a highball and Salem jumped up and punched it over the boundary.

Rivers clearly went up to him after and told him he had to mark that. And he was right, we need our defenders, especially with a few minutes left in a tight game, to back themselves.

Was really interesting. You can see how clammed up and defensive our players get. Nobody wants to stick their necks out and try and win it. Except the young blokes who have probably come straight from a winning system in under 18s. Wonder how long until Rivers is Melbourne'd?

Same thing happened when Viney and Oliver(?) were handballing it around inside forward 50 in the 3rd quarter, nobody wanted to take the shot, it absolutely kills ya. As a supporter, all I ever want is for them to go down all guns blazing. Everyone can respect that.

EDIT: Watched back and it was with 6 minutes left. Salem got two hands to it and punched it over

 

[Topkent]

In the last few minutes we had an outnumber on a highball and Salem jumped up and punched it over the boundary.

Rivers clearly went up to him after and told him he had to mark that. And he was right, we need our defenders, especially with a few minutes left in a tight game, to back themselves.

Was really interesting. You can see how clammed up and defensive our players get. Nobody wants to stick their necks out and try and win it. Except the young blokes who have probably come straight from a winning system in under 18s. Wonder how long until Rivers is Melbourne'd?

Same thing happened when Viney and Oliver(?) were handballing it around inside forward 50 in the 3rd quarter, nobody wanted to take the shot, it absolutely kills ya. As a supporter, all I ever want is for them to go down all guns blazing. Everyone can respect that.

Could not agree more, Levers our only defender who attacks by defending. Jetta used to.
May ATM is a spoiling machine but then the rest don't add anything.

The midfield don't wanna take responsibility for hitting a target or missing one by lowering their eyes and really only Petracca and then Brayshaw on the weekend took the responsibility of a shot.

 

[stEdy]

Harmes is one who loves a goal and will never be afraid to take the shot. Same with him trying to take the game on. He wasn't overly effective on the weekend but I really liked him in the guts and his effort to try and break tackles and release with the hands and create an overlap. Instead of hot-potatoeing the thing around.

 

[saj_21]

Could not agree more, Levers our only defender who attacks by defending. Jetta used to.
May ATM is a spoiling machine but then the rest don't add anything.

The midfield don't wanna take responsibility for hitting a target or missing one by lowering their eyes and really only Petracca and then Brayshaw on the weekend took the responsibility of a shot.

It took us 10 years to find a defender who can spoil properly, pitty intercept marking has only be in vogue for the last 5 years.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I'm not so sure he's as good a kick as everyone makes out to me. All you see him do nowadays is chip it 15 or 20 metres. Reckon Thomlinson is a far better kick than Salem is.

Reputation doesn't meet reality.

He's an overrated field kick based on the options he picks etc and doesn't do enough damage but his technique is pretty good when it comes to goalkicking. Not many straighter kicks on our list. Tomlinson more damaging by foot in general play, sure, but that's mostly to do with how flat footed Salem is.

 

[CTHORANGE]

Agree, he's a ******* pussy by foot honestly, no balls about any of his decision making whatsoever. Anyone would think he's a Matthew Suckling the way some people carry on about his kicking.

Surely has the ability to be a good long field kick though, needs a coach to back him and give him a licence to take it on and when fails, no matter how often, still get a pat on the back for it

 

[Dory_77]

Surely has the ability to be a good long field kick though, needs a coach to back him and give him a licence to take it on and when fails, no matter how often, still get a pat on the back for it

Something tells me Goody would be happy to take it as a 'learning' if he scrubs a few. Probably needs more encouragement to take it on though.

 

[CTHORANGE]

Something tells me Goody would be happy to take it as a 'learning' if he scrubs a few. Probably needs more encouragement to take it on though.

Could be, and if he is already getting told to take on the kicks but won't do so, then he ought to be dropped, it's not the result that matters at he moment, it's about him consistently going for it. we need him to be damaging on the counter otherwise he has little value at half back

 

[dee_mac]

100th game this week. Been largely underwhelming for mine given his talent and skill set. Acknowledge he has had some health issues along the way.

Onwards and upwards Salo! Do something!

 

[Jordie_tackles]

100th game this week. Been largely underwhelming for mine given his talent and skill set. Acknowledge he has had some health issues along the way.

Onwards and upwards Salo! Do something!

If Rivers comes in maybe he can be a better version of Langdon, has some pace, can run and kick well could Use his weapon forward of centre, just penciled down back which i think was from closer to when he was drafted the hawks were that slow, thoughtful good ball movement team.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Don't get the criticism of Salem.

He's a bloody good player and competitor.

Sure we might 'want' him to be a game breaker - but we have enough of those and he's going to be a rock-solid 200 gamer for us with skill and toughness.

 

[Tulip]

Don't get the criticism of Salem.

He's a bloody good player and competitor.

Sure we might 'want' him to be a game breaker - but we have enough of those and he's going to be a rock-solid 200 gamer for us with skill and toughness.

I think people expect better than rock-solid given his talent.

Personally think his next 100 will go some way to showing that promise.

 

[Dancing Potato]

I think people expect better than rock-solid given his talent.

Personally think his next 100 will go some way to showing that promise.

This is pretty much it. He's currently perfectly decent.

But we've seen glimpses early last year of just how consistently good he has the potential to be.

 

[Topkent]

Don't get the criticism of Salem.

He's a bloody good player and competitor.

Sure we might 'want' him to be a game breaker - but we have enough of those and he's going to be a rock-solid 200 gamer for us with skill and toughness.

There's no such thing as enough of them, that's why we don't win premierships.
Solid isn't good enough at all. Vanders is solid, Salem should be better than that.

 

[billyboutsis]

Some of the comments are truly bewildering. The kid is a gun and i dont want the ball in anyone elses hands whens its coming out of our backline.

Topkent, fair to presume you lived close to a glue making factory during your formative years?