WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB – JAKE MELKSHAM

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Druggies will be laughing at us. I'm disappointed we are helping them discard the dirty 34. I'm full of doubt about this, I hope this cowboy Goodwin doesn't unravel all our hard work!

[Demonsterative 3,020]

Yeah I tend to agree. The consensus is that outside of the top 25, there really isn't much at all. Melksham isn't much of a player, it is a bad deal. It is a bad deal even before taking WADA repercussions into account. I highly doubt that trade gets confirmed early in trade week.

Our 2nd pick will be outside the top 25 with concessions for free agency. Therefore a good deal,

[Duh 109]

For some reason, one I have never been able to understand, ever since I first saw Melksham play in 2011, I have always and inexplicably rated him. There's just something about the little things he does that suggests there's a player in there. Long kick, good in the contest, good team player. Hopefully we can turn his career around

[Little Goffy 14,645]

If the 4-year deal is heavily weighted to match payments rather than base salary, it would be a good insurance covering time suspended, while also offering Melksham some career certainty.

As for trade value... I dislike giving up picks in that top 25 range for players who aren't likely to make a major difference. I've long believed that the most efficient draft approach is 'high-low'. Be involved in the hunt for top-end talent at one end, then shamelessly turnover experimental, speculative, mature-age and 'possible' players on short contracts at the other end. The middle of the draft is much less likely to get you a major player than the top end, while actually not being that much better than the bottom end better when it comes to accumulating role-players and stalwarts.

Also worth noting the 'future picks' option and the fact that with a lot of retirements coming through they'll likely be going deep in drafts this year and next.

But for us, we seem to do a lot of our list-filling with mature players, and after another likely major cull this year I think we'll be quieter for list turnover at the end of 2016.

Would anyone else rather trade two third-round picks than one second rounder? Call it pick 43 (2015) and 47 (2016) vs pick 25 this year?

[Thehardtackler 785]

Melksham has many of the attributes of a number of our better midfielders. He gets his head over the ball, he is very good at moving the ball forward out the middle, he tackles well and in addition to these skills he has a long left foot kick. I think somebody once said something about Roos really liking left footers.

[Dee1987 277]

Good goal sense to which helps

[Deecisive 1,709]

I hope that's not true, pick 40 in a really shallow draft doesn't make the fact we are giving up our second round pick for Melksham any better.

there is no certainty with the draft, we have certainly taken a lot of garbage players with early picks and a lot of team have had great success with late picks, it comes down to spotting possible talent then developing it. we hopefully have the recruiters to spot it and the coaches to now develop them.

[Gator 17,481]

Melksham has many of the attributes of a number of our better midfielders. He gets his head over the ball, he is very good at moving the ball forward out the middle, he tackles well and in addition to these skills he has a long left foot kick. I think somebody once said something about Roos really liking left footers.

Pity he's not a left-footer.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,984]

Pity he's not a left-footer.

He's left and right. Seriously.

[Gator 17,481]

He's left and right. Seriously.

So am I.

[daisycutter 29,745]

So am I.

we'r all serious here, this is demonland

[Ethan Tremblay 30,984]

we'r all serious here, this is demonland

I don't believe in jokes.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

So am I.

Always thought you were very right

[Ethan Tremblay 30,984]

Always thought you were very right

He's always right.

[daisycutter 29,745]

I don't believe in jokes.

seriously?

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

I don't believe in jokes.

But you believe in being one ....

[DubDee 26,129]

I'm over being angry at this coz I don't have the energy.

Welcome milkshake. May you prove goody a genius.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,984]

seriously?

I was joking with that one.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,984]

But you believe in being one ....

Meeeeeow!!

[hells bells 2,023]

Does Melksham become a tagger to free up Bernie as the skilled outside mid we've been looking for.

[Moneider96 1,045]

Does Melksham become a tagger to free up Bernie as the skilled outside mid we've been looking for.

Would prefer Bugg for that role.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Take with grain of salt, but for discussion purposes:

From BF:

"Confirmed: Essendon 3rd round selection with jake for the Demons second round selection. Will be done in the first hour of trade week."

i'd take it.

[Axis of Bob 11,855]

Melksham is a mixture of good and bad, but his good bits of play are the type that we really lack and are hard to get. He has good pace and excellent movement in contests, which allows him to break out of contests into space and move the ball quickly.

The best teams can break into space and that's where a lot of the scoring now comes from. Melksham can do some things that make you rip your hair out but he has a skill that we lack, in an age group that is important.

If he becomes the quality midfielder he was drafted to be then great, but if not he becomes a mature role player to bring a unique skill to our team.

[CBDees 3,167]

Aren't we doing a straight swap for Dawes (who reportedly is out the door)? Seems like he would be handy for them with Carlisle going! If we hadn't been so hasty to delist Fitzy, then he could have been added for steak knives.

[Wilson7 2,688]

Aren't we doing a straight swap for Dawes (who reportedly is out the door)? Seems like he would be handy for them with Carlisle going! If we hadn't been so hasty to delist Fitzy, then he could have been added for steak knives.

Read this type of thing every year, you are kidding yourself if you think it's a hasty decision. Fitz is not steak knives, he has zero value trade wise.

Edited October 4, 2015 by DavidNeitz9