I am glad to see a nuanced response from posters on here toward this decision. It’s the kind of decision a good footy club makes.

There are many benefits to him staying as others have noted in a year that will be a rehab year.

He won’t take list spot with the long term injury replacement mechanism, he will be cheap, most of his salary would be covered by insurance - it’s a free hit and allows us the option to insert him into a 2025 forward line that might still need him (he’s a niche role player that don’t grow on trees). And he is an excellent leader to boot.

  On 02/10/2023 at 09:39, rpfc said:

I am glad to see a nuanced response from posters on here toward this decision. It’s the kind of decision a good footy club makes.

There are many benefits to him staying as others have noted in a year that will be a rehab year.

He won’t take list spot with the long term injury replacement mechanism, he will be cheap, most of his salary would be covered by insurance - it’s a free hit and allows us the option to insert him into a 2025 forward line that might still need him (he’s a niche role player that don’t grow on trees). And he is an excellent leader to boot.

The posters arnt relevant to the Clubs decision. 

Is that " nuanced " enough for you?

  On 02/10/2023 at 10:29, IRW said:

The posters arnt relevant to the Clubs decision. 

Is that " nuanced " enough for you?

Well, no… for two reasons; you misspelled ‘aren’t’ and you took from my post something that I didn’t imply.

Supporters opinions don’t matter. My opinion, and most certainly, your opinion doesn’t matter.

Someone good to have around the club and potentially very good to have around the forward line.

This has given me a nice dose of the warm and fuzzy.

  On 02/10/2023 at 10:34, rpfc said:

Well, no… for two reasons; you misspelled ‘aren’t’ and you took from my post something that I didn’t imply.

Supporters opinions don’t matter. My opinion, and most certainly, your opinion doesn’t matter.

Yeah fair call. 

I thought I had actually deleted it.

Cheers

Jake made a difference this season but keeping him on with a significant injury smells a bit of desperation and a shortage of options in the marketplace

We'll see how it goes. Glad he's playing on he deserves it but let's hope we improve the much needed areas in tje forward line.

It’s a good news story. The club is supporting Jake and we hope he can get back in late 2024.  I’m not sure about the long term injury replacement rules and list allocation.  Maybe he’ll be a part time coaching time role as well during his rehab time.  

Edited October 2, 20231 yr by spirit of norm smith
A

Makes no sense at all.

Given the demographic of the Woods premiership team, still a glimmer of opportunity out there for Jake to fulfill his AFL dream. Will be cheering him on.

  On 02/10/2023 at 07:11, The heart beats true said:

Anyone know if he’s doing the standard ACL route, and what his timeline looks like?

I presume you are talking about going O/S and doing the artificial repair (whose name escapes me) with the much shortened timeline?  You don’t hear very much about it anymore.

It bemuses me that we didn't have a contract in front of Melksham when he was fit and firing late in the season, but now that he has done his knee and is unavailable for most of next year, we decide he is a required player.

We saw how limited Tomlinson was in his first year back, even with most of a pre season behind him. Melksham won't have that luxury, so it is hard to see him contributing much. By all means keep him around the club, but it seems like a wasted list position to me.

Another huge blunder, could have picked him up in next years mid season draft if needed.

I guess not all list positions are created equal. I've got no doubt the benefit of having Jake around the place will be much better than not having him there. Could help with a transition into a coaching role.

I don't know how the list rules would work, whether he'd be a rookie spot or mature age supplemental dodad position but I do see the benefit and doing this before the trade period. 

  On 02/10/2023 at 20:09, kryton101 said:

I presume you are talking about going O/S and doing the artificial repair (whose name escapes me) with the much shortened timeline?  You don’t hear very much about it anymore.

I think I was just interested if anything had been reported except the confirmation of the ACL, and then what that means for a timeline. It was round 24, and someone more knowledgeable about these things might know, but isn’t the usual rehab almost 12 months exactly?

The general consensus is that footy is 90% between the ears; confidence, self-belief etc.

We have a very experienced and accomplished player at our Club and people are questioning the decision to keep him on. 🤷‍♀️ 

Despite being routinely maligned by fans of his own club, Jake is extremely well-respected and highly valued by his teammates and coaching staff. He is much-loved by the players, in particular the younger players who look up to and admire him. This will undoubtedly be an asset next season, even though he won’t be playing. Nobody at our Club would consider him a waste of a spot on our list. 

  On 02/10/2023 at 07:57, Garbo said:

I’d feel much better if we were doing something towards improving our list. At an absolute best this is status quo 

 

  On 02/10/2023 at 12:18, dl4e said:

Makes no sense at all.

What's the alternative? With Jordon, Hibberd and Dunstan already off the list and Grundy and perhaps Harmes looking to leave, the real question to ask is whether there will be a player in something like the 4th or 5th round of the draft who is worth pursuing. And that hasn't taken into consideration whether all of the remaining listed players are kept on.  

I think Jake was as surprised as all of us that he was given another contract last year.

He was considering what his next cycle of life was going to be like and then contract talks happened. My belief was that he was a great option to have at Casey given his ability to pass on skills without being overbearing. I underestimated him.

What he showed us as supporters was not only his tenacity to achieve and leadership skills but also his love for the Club.

He is a great asset to have around the Club and is as upbeat about playing in the 2024 finals.  

Did his knee in late August. 11 months of rehab takes us to late July.

Hmmm

  On 02/10/2023 at 22:58, The heart beats true said:

I think I was just interested if anything had been reported except the confirmation of the ACL, and then what that means for a timeline.

I remember seeing pics of Jake at various (men's) training sessions.  In one he has an elastic wrap around his knee (4th of September) and appears to be walking with no crutches, in another he was riding in a golf cart or was next to it with a bunch of small wounds each covered with tape around his knee - apparently repairs are done arthroscopically rather than cutting a ruddy great hole in people like my sister had done in the 80s or 90s.  Again no obvious crutches.  Dunno what this means for recovery, though it has to be an improvement over that 20cm sliced open leg and the no crutches is a vast improvement over eight or so weeks with them and a huge knee brace. 

Found this Massachusetts general hospital ACL rehab protocol online, gives an idea of the process.  They do use crutches and knee braces but for nowhere as long as what my sister suffered.  By nine months, the person should be ready to play sport again according to it.  And being an AFL footballer, he will be getting the best of the best wrt surgeons and rehab.

Tomlinson was younger but was out for about 12 months with his ACL rehab.

Cannot see Melksham playing AFL until September assuming we make it. Would have to play a while at Casey first.  There's a month ontop of rehab.

Funny ole game Football.  Could have been delisted last year.

He is as fit as they come, I'd venture the lowest skin folds at the club

won't play much next year but could do a Hawkins and keep on truckin

This is some positive news for the Melbourne Football Club.

I am very pleased to hear that Jake Melksham has been given another year at the Demons.

Fingers crossed he can still have that Premiership dream come true in 2024 at the MCG! 🤞

  On 03/10/2023 at 03:31, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

 

What's the alternative? With Jordon, Hibberd and Dunstan already off the list and Grundy and perhaps Harmes looking to leave, the real question to ask is whether there will be a player in something like the 4th or 5th round of the draft who is worth pursuing. And that hasn't taken into consideration whether all of the remaining listed players are kept on.  

Jake has earnt this on top of his feats in 2023. Who knows but our list is evolving and recruits and youngsters should provide enough excitement to join with the list staples champs and role players to mss add Le a serious assault on the 2024 flag.  

  On 03/10/2023 at 03:31, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

 

What's the alternative? With Jordon, Hibberd and Dunstan already off the list and Grundy and perhaps Harmes looking to leave, the real question to ask is whether there will be a player in something like the 4th or 5th round of the draft who is worth pursuing. And that hasn't taken into consideration whether all of the remaining listed players are kept on.  

It's not status quo if Angus Harry Jake and JVR are available for all Finals in 2024 as they were not in 2023. That's a 2 and 7 point margin breaker by about 4/5 goals IMO.