Player Watch #8: Jake Lever – Signed until 2028

Remove this Banner Ad

Mar 31, 2010
3,056
2,706
Hobart
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Middlesbrough FC
Just had a read through this thread. Pretty funny.

First it was Radelaide fans saying 'Oh m8, thanks for the fair deal.' Which would seem to indicate we paid too much.

Then it was Radelaide fans saying he's not really that good and had 'only given one consistent season' and 'didn't really help us at all this year' and 'won't really be missed at all.' All the while still saying he's worth 2 first round picks. Some pretty awesome SALogic in there.

Then it's us watching a pretty impressive highlights package.

I tend to think that while I don't think that particular position really needed fixing in our side, he'll still improve us HEAPS. With a fit side, we will have two excellent kicks off half back, one of the best small defenders (if not the best) in the comp, one of the fastest players in the comp, Oscar (who came along in leaps and bounds last year but still worries me) and either Frost (also extremely pacy and good in the air)/Salem/Jones/Lewis etc being that spare that runs through there.

That is a pretty handy defence. Tom can also go back if need be so there is depth as well. Joel Smith should be back at some point too for further depth.

Coupled with a pretty decent midfield, we shouldn't be lacking for forward 50 entries next year. It's just about what we do with it when we get there. That and having a ruckman for when Gawn goes down..
 
Apr 12, 2014
30,348
52,266
AFL Club
Melbourne
Just had a read through this thread. Pretty funny.

First it was Radelaide fans saying 'Oh m8, thanks for the fair deal.' Which would seem to indicate we paid too much.

Then it was Radelaide fans saying he's not really that good and had 'only given one consistent season' and 'didn't really help us at all this year' and 'won't really be missed at all.' All the while still saying he's worth 2 first round picks. Some pretty awesome SALogic in there.

Then it's us watching a pretty impressive highlights package.

I tend to think that while I don't think that particular position really needed fixing in our side, he'll still improve us HEAPS. With a fit side, we will have two excellent kicks off half back, one of the best small defenders (if not the best) in the comp, one of the fastest players in the comp, Oscar (who came along in leaps and bounds last year but still worries me) and either Frost (also extremely pacy and good in the air)/Salem/Jones/Lewis etc being that spare that runs through there.

That is a pretty handy defence. Tom can also go back if need be so there is depth as well. Joel Smith should be back at some point too for further depth.

Coupled with a pretty decent midfield, we shouldn't be lacking for forward 50 entries next year. It's just about what we do with it when we get there. That and having a ruckman for when Gawn goes down..

Agree with this whole post and I am also optimistic about our backline, Frost isn’t good in the air though.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-16/afl-great-brown-slams-soft-demons-recruit-lever

AFL COMMENTATOR Jonathan Brown has blasted high-profile Melbourne recruit Jake Lever, saying he looks soft.

The Demons are under fire from all directions after an appalling 67-point loss to Hawthorn in the wet on Sunday at the MCG.

It revived all the questions about whether Melbourne is good enough as it aims for its first finals appearance since 2006.

Lever is still fitting into Melbourne's defence after his move from Adelaide and Brown, the former Brisbane captain, is unimpressed.

"At the moment, he has a soft look about him," Brown said on Fox Footy.

"I know he's not a soft player, we've seen that at Adelaide.

"He's clearly bereft of confidence ... where his place is in defence. He looks confused."

Melbourne great Garry Lyon and former Demons coach Paul Roos also weighed in, saying next Tuesday's Anzac Day Eve match against reigning premier Richmond is critical.

"I wouldn't be selling my stock, but we want to see a response," Lyon said.

"(Hawthorn) are exactly what Melbourne weren't - organised, structured behind, the footy, disciplined.

"That's what Melbourne should aspire to be."

Several critics are noting Melbourne's inability to stop the opposition once they go on a scoring run.

After the Demons led by 21 points in the first term, they could only manage one goal for the rest of the game.

Their defence leaked like a sieve in the Melbourne wet and the Hawks' scoring run became a deluge.

"The alarming pattern for Melbourne is the ease with which other teams can score (against them) in bunches," Roos said.

"At the moment, it's structural ... you look at the defence and if you're Richmond, I guarantee you what they're saying - 'boys, launch it in'.

"It's not like you need anything 'lace-out' going into the forward line at the moment."

Brown was also critical of Jordan Lewis, saying the Hawks and Demons veteran would be on notice.

But Brown added the four-time Hawthorn premiership player's lofty reputation meant he deserved a game against the Tigers.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Topkent

Confirmed ITK Drafting King
Aug 29, 2010
61,054
84,968
Canada
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Winnipeg Jets
Suppose some of those kicks are a failure of us not having targets down the line in the wet

But the coaching staff really need to decide what to do with him. It's clear sides have targeted him and won't let him play as the loose so we need to re invent him or else drop him.
 

markm106

Brownlow Medallist
Mar 29, 2006
10,790
10,381
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
There’s no way Lever is getting dropped. He has had a massive amount of bad press this week and I’m really hopping for a strong response. I’d also like the coaching group to assess the defensive structure. They are pushing up for to high. Also it seemed to me that we have 3 players coming off their man quiet often meaning players are spoiling themselves and also leaving opponents to get easy ground balls.
 
One of the more worrying things is that with Lever in there this year, Hibbo looks a shadow of himself from last year.
Nev too. And Hunt was dropped.
Not blaming him for the lot of it but his presence in there must be a factor in some way.
Hibbo was as good as any last year and he is nowhere near that right now.
 

saj_21

Cancelled
Melbourne Board Tipping Champion
Aug 30, 2007
9,004
6,155
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Warney's IPL team!
I will agree his form has been poor and after investing a lot in him it’s disappointing to see his start of the year. But name me one athlete that at some stage hasn’t hit a form slump. He will come good.
 
I will agree his form has been poor and after investing a lot in him it’s disappointing to see his start of the year. But name me one athlete that at some stage hasn’t hit a form slump. He will come good.
Yep. He's not just highly rated as a defender. Dude is a gun player. If his current role doesn't work out he has the skills to star somewhere else.
 

Fork n Hell

Premiership Player
Mar 7, 2018
3,153
2,972
AFL Club
Melbourne
One of the more worrying things is that with Lever in there this year, Hibbo looks a shadow of himself from last year.
Nev too. And Hunt was dropped.
Not blaming him for the lot of it but his presence in there must be a factor in some way.
Hibbo was as good as any last year and he is nowhere near that right now.
might have something to do with having Wagner, Lewis and Vince down there as well. too many blokes getting in each others way and expecting someone else to do the job for them. need to go back to even numbers and see who can actually defend 1 on 1.
 

Fork n Hell

Premiership Player
Mar 7, 2018
3,153
2,972
AFL Club
Melbourne
Oscar, frost, lever, wagner, jetta, hibberd, lewis, vince. is it really necessary to push the wings back and have 8 defenders? especially when half of them are as slow as treacle and do nothing anyway.
 
After one of the many Hawks goals down the Punt Road end, I watched our defensive 6 gather for a chat. I was clear that Lever was the one doing all the talking and directing. He's already a key leader of our defensive group.

He won't be dropped.

But geez, that sponsorship curse.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back