2017 Player Reviews: # 18 Jake Melksham

[Demonland 74,431]

COMEBACK SEASON

Jake Melksham was forced to sit out the whole of 2016 as one of 34 banned former and current Bombers as a result of Essendon's 2012 supplements program. He started off slowly and spent some time at Casey before settling down to have a great comeback season. His second half of the season saw some consistent football when moved from defence into the forward line where he could be relied upon for goals on a regular basis.

Date of Birth: 29 August, 1991

Height: 179cm

Weight: 84k

Games MFC 2017: 19

Career Total: 133

Goals MFC 2017: 21

Career Total: 178

CDFC Games 2017: 2

CDFC Goals 2017: 3

 

Season 2017 AFL Statistics

Kicks: 202

Handballs: 116

Disposals: 318

Marks: 84

Scores: 21 goals 6 behinds

Goal Assists: 8

Tackles: 48

Hitouts: 0

Clearances: 21

Clangers: 59

Inside 50s: 65

Rebound 50s: 25

Frees For: 13

Frees Against: 21

[spirit of norm smith 16,679]

Yes proved his talent and value. Finally played in a wing/half forward role (as he had at Essendon).  Not suited to the back pocket. 

I love his determination and long goals from 40-50 out. No backward steps. 21 goals was a good return.

Proved that he can be a 2 goal/game player in 2018 which will lift us. 

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 11,064]

Good first up season for the red and blue.  No out and out superstar, but solid, workman like and capable at the top level.  Exactly the type of player we can move foward with, having more of in the team, plays his role and gets on with the job.  Silenced some of the critics in the back half of the season.

Will be good to see what this bloke and Hibbard can do for us backing up next year, with the benifits of comming off a solid year of footy rather thana year in exile.

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

Have to say I absolutely trusted Goodwin's judgement on Melksham.

He got this right. Melksham, like Vince and Hibberd, has absolutely delivered for a second round draft pick.

He kicked some really important goals this year and played some very effective shut down roles.

A genuinely good Demon.

 

Edited September 26, 2017 by Ron Burgundy

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Not sure who does these 'write-ups' but Jake is taller than 179cm. He's around 185cm.

Thought his second half of the season was a step-up and he got back to some of the footy I knew he was capable of playing when we nabbed him.

Player's like Jake just need to continue to play at a consistently good level. If we have 5-6 of them next year, it'll go a long way to ensuring we play finals.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

Jake was a real surprise packet and is a bloody good kick.

[The Chazz 4,077]

11 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure who does these 'write-ups' but Jake is taller than 179cm. He's around 185cm.

Thought his second half of the season was a step-up and he got back to some of the footy I knew he was capable of playing when we nabbed him.

Player's like Jake just need to continue to play at a consistently good level. If we have 5-6 of them next year, it'll go a long way to ensuring we play finals.

I don't think many Essendon supporters would agree, and were only too happy with what they got for him.  I remember a comment I heard about his best years being those that were the final one of his current contract.

These same people were full of praise for Hibberd.

All that said, I was very happy with the 2nd half of the year from Jake.  The run in the 2s mid-season did him the world of good, as did giving him a specific role that he was capable of playing on a consistent basis.

[Demons11 7,148]

Great 2nd half of the season.  Looks like a great pick up. 

[beelzebub 23,392]

a most pleasant surprise

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,137]

I wish we could combine his effort with Jack Watts' skill set.

If the 179 cm height is correct, I suspect that makes him the shortest player to have nominated for a ruck contest in the centre circle all year. What was great about that (obviously due to a mix-up, none of our designated ruckmen were there) was that he took on the responsibility in a flash and did not shirk the contest. 

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,525]

Phenomenal second half of the year and won over a very, very sceptical fan base.

If he's within 60m of the goal - get the ball in his hands!

[Nasher 33,686]

Suddenly turned in to a gun half way through the season. Not sure if it was a change of role or just something clicked, but he really got going. He seems to be able to get boot to ball quicker than anyone else on our list other than maybe Mitch Hannan. Would love to see a stat called "number of goals kicked from stationary start inside 50"; I reckon Jake would have been up there.

Was a massive whipping boy at Essendon and looked like he might go that way here too. 

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

He became a totally different player when moved forward and was a massive upgrade on what Bugg had been offering previously.

[M_9 2,216]

I love this bloke. Given that the Dons took him with pick 10 (in 2009) I was confident that, if played in the right position, he could deliver.

Milkshake strikes me as a real competitor. I hate the Dons with a passion, but admire the competitiveness that their players deliver every week. You have to wonder if he is what he is because he came through their system and not ours.

He may butcher the ball occasionally, but by the same token can deliver beautifully on his non-preferred side (I think that's his left).

[whatwhat say what 23,855]

i had absolutely no faith in him coming in, and in the first half of the season i was ropeable that he was spudding it up for us behind the ball

the minute he was deployed as a defensive half-forward, i think in the gc17 game up in the alice, he was a revelation - not only was he brilliant stopping the rebound back flankers but he was a weapon anywhere inside 50

his second half of the year was exemplary and i think it's safe to say that he and hibberd have not just become automatic starting 18 players, which is all you can ask for a mature body brought in for a second round pick, but absolutely vital components of the side

here's hoping he continues on where he left off in the second half of the year throughout the rest of his career in red and blue

[Demon Disciple 12,536]

A shame that the season continue on when it did, he was getting better the further it went.

Should hit the ground running at the start of next year.

[Dr.D 1,771]

half of the buffoons on this site wanted him dropped because of his foot skills. He attacks the man and ball with ferocity and showed he has goal sense.  

[Demon Disciple 12,536]

10 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

A shame that the season couldn't continue, he was getting better the further it went.

Should hit the ground running at the start of next year.

 

[rpfc 29,028]

Played 6 pizz poor games and got dropped for three weeks.

Same as Jack Watts.

Fortunately for Melksham he started the season with that nonsense, and our memories only go back so far...

Really good last three months but only when Goodwin abandoned the reason for recruiting him - to play him on the HBF.

I'm happy for him but I am vexed.

[red&blue1982 255]

I think he proved to be one of our top forwards. Glad to have him in our list.

[poita 3,944]

His first two months were absymal, and he was rightfully (and belatedly) dropped. Whether his poor form was due to his year off, or being played out of position, thankfully he was able to turn things around from QB onwards and be a consistently solid player. The most impressive thing for me was his ability to kick goals from 50 off a couple of steps, whilst most of his teammates were stuffing around with handpasses and sideways kicks from the same position.

That said, I doubt that we gave up a second round pick for a HFF. The challenge for Jake now is to get super fit so that he can spend more time in the midfield next season. He has shown a good balance of attack & defense when given a run-with role, and his willingness to kick more than handball should be encouraged.

[Adzman 2,154]

I'm really happy for him. Once the whipping boy at Essendon, he has come here and made a name for himself without the nonsensical whipping he was getting at Essendon.

I dare say he has a few fans out there in red and blue which is great. Loved his 2017, I for one was very surprised by him.

 

[The Mighty Demons 856]

Hi all!

For those who don't know, I edit together Demon highlight compilations.

In this week's highlight reel, we're featuring Bomber turned Demon, Jake Melksham! A move to the forward line midway through the season proved to be beneficial for Melksham who kicked 21 goals in the last 12 games of the season!

Just for an additional plug, be sure to LIKE The Mighty Demons Facebook page for more Demon related videos!: https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyDemons/

Coming Next Week: Something very, very exciting! A highlight reel featuring one of Melbourne's most thrilling players.

Edited April 12, 2018 by The Mighty Demons

[jane02 3,795]

He certainly kicked some very nice goals. Thanks for that.

[jnrmac 20,375]

21 goals in the last 12 games including at least 1 every game.

Hasn't kicked a goal this year.

He is perplexing as his start last year was very slow - to be expected after a year out - but this year he hasn't hit form yet....

 

Thx for the video by the way.....!

Edited April 12, 2018 by jnrmac