Player Watch #3: Christian Salem

[Deelighted]

His kicking is excellent and he is generally a calming influence in the back 6, but he lacks other outstanding attributes IMO. Not quick, not great overhead, decent defensively but not outstanding.

Still think he should be tried on the wing rather than (insert inside mid) but it just isn't happening for whatever reason. Feel like his ball use could be more valuable further up the field. Lockhart and Rivers both seem capable of playing a similar role in defense if we were to try it.

Solid & consistent player at the moment, but we need him to go go up a level or two.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

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.

Vanders isn't going to be a 200 gamer though.

Salem is and has been better than that.

 

[Topkent]

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?

My favourite part of Bigfooty is when some w***er crawls out of the woodwork to post about me because I probably disagreed with a post for theirs 3 years ago and they've got nothing else going on in their 'life'

 

[Meds]

He's started the season pretty well I reckon.

Kicks, handballs, marks and metres gained all higher than his career averages and rated elite against players of the same position. Pressure acts, intercept possessions, score involvements, inside 50s and effective disposals all rated elite as well.

We've all been saying it for years, but if he can keep up those kinds of numbers he can be a real weapon for us this year.

 

[Dancing Potato]

He's started the season pretty well I reckon.

Kicks, handballs, marks and metres gained all higher than his career averages and rated elite against players of the same position. Pressure acts, intercept possessions, score involvements, inside 50s and effective disposals all rated elite as well.

We've all been saying it for years, but if he can keep up those kinds of numbers he can be a real weapon for us this year.

Had decent games in rounds 1 and 3 but his round 2 game was the real highlight. He was popping up all over the ground.

Consistency at the level of 20+ possessions per game is key for him I think. Looks like he's set for a very solid year though.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Had decent games in rounds 1 and 3 but his round 2 game was the real highlight. He was popping up all over the ground.

Consistency at the level of 20+ possessions per game is key for him I think. Looks like he's set for a very solid year though.

Needs to kick goals and get in and around the F50 more. He played on Kelly and he kicked 2 goals. Salem needs to start bobbing up in the goals column.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

He's an out and out gun, has been for a while in my books.

I know we all want him to get more of the ball or be more damaging, but he's a tough, clean and skilled player - who knows who to defend.

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

Career best form through 5 rounds? Super reliable by foot but defending just as well, mopping up across half back.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Having a weirdly good year. A lot of mistakes in the second half yesterday though. The most single footed player I’ve ever seen

 

[stEdy]

On the same amount of coach's votes as Trac for the year.

Flying under the radar on this board. Really mopping up attacks incredibly well when we get the footy locked in our forward half.

 

[djpaulydemon]

The one really bad shank was because everyone ran away from him instead of leading to him. Jones needed to come up at him, it was maddening. You could see him just waiting there until he had to chuck it on his wrong foot.

He is so solid, love how he plays.

 

[Topkent]

The one really bad shank was because everyone ran away from him instead of leading to him. Jones needed to come up at him, it was maddening. You could see him just waiting there until he had to chuck it on his wrong foot.

He is so solid, love how he plays.

He kicked it on his left lol it was just a horrible option by him. You don't try poke a pass off one foot.

 

[djpaulydemon]

He kicked it on his left lol it was just a horrible option by him. You don't try poke a pass off one foot.

It was a s**t kick in the end but could of been avoided if the half forwards led to him. They kept breaking to the forward 50 for an overhead kick running forward, but Hawks were set up to easily cut it off. From behind the goals it was pretty clear.

 

[Simon_Says]

i love him but never looks quick.
Aside from 1 errant kick v Hawks he most usually uses it well. Like really well

 

[Topkent]

Seems physically stronger than he ever has.

 

[The Dr]

He’s becoming the player I always hoped and thought he’d become. Actually impacting games from start to finish.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Marns]

Club just announced that he's re-signed until the end of 2026

 

[LeverPuller]

Huge

 

[Canary]

The thing I like about Salem is that he has that under the radar quality that lots of successful teams have. Yes, you need out and out stars, but equally important are the reliable, consistently high quality role players who do the job every week. That's what's so encouraging about Salo this year.

 

[stEdy]

Salem is a much better player than Billings, who we would have picked if we kept pick-2 in the "Josh Kelly" trade with GWS for Tyson+Salem.

He's rock solid defensively, cool as a cucumber and is a beautiful user of the footy. Starting to break lines a bit more this year and take more aggresive options.

Isn't afraid of burying someone with a tackle too.

 

[Topkent]

Salem is a much better player than Billings, who we would have picked if we kept pick-2 in the "Josh Kelly" trade with GWS for Tyson+Salem.

He's rock solid defensively, cool as a cucumber and is a beautiful user of the footy. Starting to break lines a bit more this year and take more aggresive options.

Isn't afraid of burying someone with a tackle too.

Not sure id say much better, Billings in our current side forward of centre in say Jones role would look bloody good.

 

[stEdy]

Billings is a soft, but handy enough player.

He would look good at HF in our current side given how we're going (and that we often have JJ, Sparrow or Jones floating around there), but he's a frustrating player. Rarely takes control of a game, doesn't lay big tackle numbers for a half forward, has only averaged more than a goal a game for a year once in his career and for someone who is a neat kick, often sprays set shots.

I'm not a fan of his at all, really. Considering he was picked in between Kelly and the Bont, he's a disappointing player.

 

[Topkent]

Billings is a soft, but handy enough player.

He would look good at HF in our current side given how we're going (and that we often have JJ, Sparrow or Jones floating around there), but he's a frustrating player. Rarely takes control of a game, doesn't lay big tackle numbers for a half forward, has only averaged more than a goal a game for a year once in his career and for someone who is a neat kick, often sprays set shots.

I'm not a fan of his at all, really. Considering he was picked in between Kelly and the Bont, he's a disappointing player.

Not at all wrong, but let's not pretend Salem's a multiple AA. Has been pretty meh for alot of his career

 

[Grimesy87]

Hmmmm didn't old grimesy say last week that this was about to be announced

Must just have been lightning striking in the same spot by coincidence though I guess

 

[stEdy]

My point isn't that Salem is multiple AA worthy, just that he's a consistent, solid player who has steadily built on his game to the point where he's sitting equal with Trac in the coach's votes this year.

I love him because often our team is wildly inconsistent, where his performances have slowly trended upwards and he rarely puts in a stinker. He's often compared to Josh Kelly because of the trade we did with GWS (and Tyson), whereas if he was compared with Billings, who we would have taken, i'd take Salem every day of the week and twice on Sundays.