5 seasons and now 90 games - time to draw a line through his name.
Unfortunately, with the ASADA crap as it is, and as it will probably be once it hits the courts, Essendon will be lucky to be able to trade anyone.
Not the first time he has played like that though, and he wasn't dropped then either.
He'll get dropped this week.They have no issue dropping Howlett, why is this guy always safe?
Not sure why everybody is getting their knickers in a knot.
No way any coach keeps a guy in the side off the back of that game. No way.
He got subbed off. Thompson saw his game.
He won't play this week.
I’ve always been a fan, but was pathetic yesterday. He needs a few weeks in the VFL
Prediction:
a) Gets dropped to the VFL.
B ) Realises that he's not a shoe in our best 22 anymore.
c) Racks up 34 possessions and kicks 4 goals against Coburg this weekend.
d) Returns for the Geelong game and gets 3 Brownlow votes.
e) Rinse and repeat annually.
the longer this thread goes on, the more people work themselves into a frenzy. Everyone feels the need to rehash whats already been said.
Why does the 'Sorry Saga' thread get special treatment in this way?!? No wonder it‘s so undisciplined.
Prediction:
a) Gets dropped to the VFL.
B ) Realises that he's not a shoe in our best 22 anymore.
c) Racks up 34 possessions and kicks 4 goals against Coburg this weekend.
d) Returns for the Geelong game and gets 3 touches
e) Rinse and repeat annually.
FIXED
Prediction:
a) Gets dropped to the VFL.
B ) Realises that he's not a shoe in our best 22 anymore.
c) Racks up 34 possessions and kicks 4 goals against Coburg this weekend.
d) Returns for the Geelong game and gets 3 Brownlow votes.
e) Rinse and repeat annually.
That's about right......question is why is this the way with so many of our players
Prediction:
a) Gets dropped to the VFL.
B ) Realises that he's not a shoe in our best 22 anymore.
c) Racks up 34 possessions and kicks 4 goals against Coburg this weekend.
d) Returns for the Geelong game and gets 3 Brownlow votes.
e) Rinse and repeat annually.
a) Hmmm we'll see
b] Hmmm we'll see
c) Hmmm we'll see
d) Returns for the Geelong game and gets 3 kicks, all of which go to Geelong players (he had 6 kicks that I recall were marked by Melbourne players yesterday; none to Essendon).
e) Agreed.
He just about always takes risks. I reckon last night he had 3 kicks early, all long into 50 which were actually the *right* kick to attempt (in terms of reading which side was going to he advantage side for the forward) but just missed each one by about a foot and they all ended up on Melbourne player's chests. Hit one of them and I reckon his confidence would've gotten up and he'd be away.The thing with Melksham is his kicks are _almost_ genius. The beautiful low pass to a guy who has his man beaten tends to get picked off by someone cutting across and just getting to it far more than from anyone else.
Once that happens a few times he loses confidence and then second guesses his options.
I actually wonder if he has poor peripheral vision or something as his passes tend to be beautifully weighted for the intended recipient, but he doesn't see the potential cut off.
Either that or his risk judgement is poor.
Needs a week down IMHO. I don't agree that he's done as a player or won't come on at all, he's just in a trough and needs to get things right. Can be very very good.
Jake did play much better footy in last year and deserved his spot as a result. I don't think Jake is an elite footballer, but definitely a great contributer and backup for our mids. I think playing with confidence he will also win the odd game for us.
To get him there, however, takes leaving him in the middle and accepting he is going to make some (and maybe many) clangers before his touch and then confidence returns to finally deliver what he did. He really did play well under Jimmy who I think really backed him to play him and not drop him while he developed - which would've been a huge confidence boost in itself.
Can't afford that, not after 80-odd games.
Can't afford to have any player needing to be in a certain position before they find form and carrying them.
Working off of the Geelong model, which is what we are doing, they had guys who were and could be genuine midfielders who didn't play solely or prodominately in the midfield, who could keep up a very high standard of game no matter were they played.
Melk isn't doing that. Whether we like it or not he is not going to be spending the majority of games in an inside mid role, so like it or not we can't afford to carry a player who's confidence relies on him being in a position he just isn't going to be in alot, or if he does get some time in that role, due to injury, needing multiple weeks to build up confidence.
He is a guy, rate him or not, that has been gifted alot of games over the last 3 years, on the premise that they thought he'd develop into a Joel Corey/Enright role, ala not play solely as a mid but still contribute in other areas, and step in when need be.
Bar a patch last year, he is so far away from developing into that player, it's just not funny anymore.
I rate him as a player, despite being very critical of him and the free ish ride he's gotten, but yesterday game was just soul crushing, to the point I don't see how he can develop into the player alot of us had hoped he would have.
Sammy Lonergan had a similar game against sydney in 2012 I think, where the coaches realised that despite his attack on the ball, his effort and the like, he was a player who when pressure was point on him, instead of absorbing it and rising to the challenge, it fried his decision making and skill level, after yesterday I felt the same about Melksham.
You just can't build a successful side around players who constantly pick the wrong option, esp when under pressure.
Jake did play much better footy in last year and deserved his spot as a result. I don't think Jake is an elite footballer, but definitely a great contributer and backup for our mids. I think playing with confidence he will also win the odd game for us.
To get him there, however, takes leaving him in the middle and accepting he is going to make some (and maybe many) clangers before his touch and then confidence returns to finally deliver what he did. He really did play well under Jimmy who I think really backed him to play him and not drop him while he developed - which would've been a huge confidence boost in itself.
Can't afford that, not after 80-odd games.
Agree.
He's exactly the type of player that we need to make a call on.
I dont know why but I get the impression that Jake might not be handling the saga as well as others - only a gut feel type of thing - but maybe he needs a bit of a run in the 2's to sort his form out and see if he can get back to where we need him.
Regardless we cant keep carrying players like him if they cannot produce.
I look at the Pies and Hawks kids and marvel at how quickly they all come on. I understand the quality around them is different but surely the extended time in seniors playing for us should conterbalance that somewhat?
At 80 odd games, Jake is very, very lucky.
Jake did play much better footy in last year and deserved his spot as a result. I don't think Jake is an elite footballer, but definitely a great contributer and backup for our mids. I think playing with confidence he will also win the odd game for us.
To get him there, however, takes leaving him in the middle and accepting he is going to make some (and maybe many) clangers before his touch and then confidence returns to finally deliver what he did. He really did play well under Jimmy who I think really backed him to play him and not drop him while he developed - which would've been a huge confidence boost in itself.
Can't afford that, not after 80-odd games.
Can't afford to have any player needing to be in a certain position before they find form and carrying them.
Working off of the Geelong model, which is what we are doing, they had guys who were and could be genuine midfielders who didn't play solely or prodominately in the midfield, who could keep up a very high standard of game no matter were they played.
Melk isn't doing that. Whether we like it or not he is not going to be spending the majority of games in an inside mid role, so like it or not we can't afford to carry a player who's confidence relies on him being in a position he just isn't going to be in alot, or if he does get some time in that role, due to injury, needing multiple weeks to build up confidence.
He is a guy, rate him or not, that has been gifted alot of games over the last 3 years, on the premise that they thought he'd develop into a Joel Corey/Enright role, ala not play solely as a mid but still contribute in other areas, and step in when need be.
Bar a patch last year, he is so far away from developing into that player, it's just not funny anymore.
I rate him as a player, despite being very critical of him and the free ish ride he's gotten, but yesterday game was just soul crushing, to the point I don't see how he can develop into the player alot of us had hoped he would have.
Sammy Lonergan had a similar game against sydney in 2012 I think, where the coaches realised that despite his attack on the ball, his effort and the like, he was a player who when pressure was point on him, instead of absorbing it and rising to the challenge, it fried his decision making and skill level, after yesterday I felt the same about Melksham.
You just can't build a successful side around players who constantly pick the wrong option, esp when under pressure.
The trouble was that most if not all of of Melk's six kicks that went DIRECTLY to unmarked Melbourne players were delivered under not real any pressure at all. That makes it worse: he was not under pressure in e the kick, and they were not challenged in taking the mark.
He’s missing his best mate Crammers.
He just about always takes risks. I reckon last night he had 3 kicks early, all long into 50 which were actually the *right* kick to attempt (in terms of reading which side was going to he advantage side for the forward) but just missed each one by about a foot and they all ended up on Melbourne player's chests. Hit one of them and I reckon his confidence would've gotten up and he'd be away.The thing with Melksham is his kicks are _almost_ genius. The beautiful low pass to a guy who has his man beaten tends to get picked off by someone cutting across and just getting to it far more than from anyone else.
Once that happens a few times he loses confidence and then second guesses his options.
I actually wonder if he has poor peripheral vision or something as his passes tend to be beautifully weighted for the intended recipient, but he doesn't see the potential cut off.
Either that or his risk judgement is poor.
Needs a week down IMHO. I don't agree that he's done as a player or won't come on at all, he's just in a trough and needs to get things right. Can be very very good.
Agree he needs a week in the 2s, but can still make it. Hopefully it's with us. Terrified he'll end up at Hawthorn and start delivering it lace out to their forwards all day.
He just about always takes risks. I reckon last night he had 3 kicks early, all long into 50 which were actually the *right* kick to attempt (in terms of reading which side was going to he advantage side for the forward) but just missed each one by about a foot and they all ended up on Melbourne player's chests. Hit one of them and I reckon his confidence would've gotten up and he'd be away.The thing with Melksham is his kicks are _almost_ genius. The beautiful low pass to a guy who has his man beaten tends to get picked off by someone cutting across and just getting to it far more than from anyone else.
Once that happens a few times he loses confidence and then second guesses his options.
I actually wonder if he has poor peripheral vision or something as his passes tend to be beautifully weighted for the intended recipient, but he doesn't see the potential cut off.
Either that or his risk judgement is poor.
Needs a week down IMHO. I don't agree that he's done as a player or won't come on at all, he's just in a trough and needs to get things right. Can be very very good.
Agree he needs a week in the 2s, but can still make it. Hopefully it's with us. Terrified he'll end up at Hawthorn and start delivering it lace out to their forwards all day.
Or even better still - he'll end up at Nt Melb and start delivering it lace ltd their forwards all day
I think Melksham needs an extended time in the VFL to work on his weaknesses. He needs repetition week after week at the VFL level. I would leave him in the VFL for the rest of the season. One or two weeks in the VFL won't cure his ills.
Ve always liked him, but he seems either just down on confidence or just way out of form.
It's in Jake's contract that he is not to be dropped. Unless we have someone bashing down the door to get a game in the seniors I think we stick with him.
Very disappointed at his inconsistency and skill errors. Never really looks confident enough out there.
How long did the thread full of myers bashing get?