Christian Salem - Elite or Good Ordinary

[Cranky Franky 1,593]

Christian has always been one of my favourites. Tough, creative & with a bit of dash & laser like disposal.

He should have been AA IN 2021. I thought he would be a regular AA & pick up a B&F.

Since 21 he's been ill, picked up injury & generally lost some form.

Not sure if he can be an elite player again.

[DistrACTION Jackson 6,905]

Has been injury prone since then, but there are many instances where players are injury prone for many years and then get their bodies right.

Think Shaun Burgoyne, everyone thought he was cooked and then he ended up playing 400 games 🤯.

Definitely not saying Salem will play 400, but I think we have to continue working with him to get his body cherry ripe. Important player when up and going.

[Canplay 575]

Trade bait

[adonski 9,477]

Elite when he can get a sustained run at it

Demonland has a tendency to hate players whose main traits are skills + class

[Mel Bourne 4,022]

1 minute ago, Canplay said:

Trade bait

Salo will be 29 next year. He’s not “trade bait”, because most clubs would be wary of his health issues. 

Regarding these issues, it’s baffling to me how many posters attribute his form to “injuries” and overlook his thyroid condition - something the poor guy has had to manage the hell out of to stay on the ground. 

Another reason he’s not “trade bait” is because he’s been a champion for our club and has worked harder than most on our list have ever had to. He may one day have to concede it’s all too difficult, but until then he deserves our respect and not be reduced to such insults. 

[whatwhat say what 20,413]

1 minute ago, adonski said:

Elite when he can get a sustained run at it

Demonland has a tendency to hate players whose main traits are skills + class

This

The biggest issue? Made of glass - his last ‘sustained run’ was in our premiership year

Correlation, causation, etc…

[binman 39,616]

12 minutes ago, Canplay said:

Trade bait

Fair dinkum, that's just plain silly.

Not that we would look to trade him.

But that salo would be some sort of sought after 'trade bait', implying we would could put him up for a trade and get some sort of windfall in return.

I mean, the first two posts in this thread both make good points.

Points other clubs thinking of chasing him would well and truly agree with.

As if another club would give up anything valuable, either a yrade or picks, for a player in the back half of his career with a history of a thyroid issue and various injuries.

What did we got for jordon, a young player, albeit probably not in salo's class, with no injury issues who has been able to slot into the best 22 of the team on top of the ladder?

[Cranky Franky 1,593]

14 minutes ago, Mel Bourne said:

 it’s baffling to me how many posters attribute his form to “injuries” and overlook his thyroid condition - something the poor guy has had to manage the hell out of to stay on the ground. 

Another reason he’s not “trade bait” is because he’s been a champion for our club and has worked harder than most on our list have ever had to. He may one day have to concede it’s all too difficult, but until then he deserves our respect and not be reduced to such insults. 

I actually clearly pointed out that illness (thyroid problems) have had an impact.

[whatwhat say what 20,413]

14 minutes ago, binman said:

What did we got for jordon, a young player, albeit probably not in salo's class, with no injury issues who has been able to slot into the best 22 of the team on top of the ladder?

Second round compo pick - about what he’s worth

Would be lucky to get a second rounder for Salem given his injuries and age

Worth far more to us than in a trade scenario

[Mel Bourne 4,022]

17 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

I actually clearly pointed out that illness (thyroid problems) have had an impact.

Sorry, it wasn’t clear but I was speaking in a more historical context. Previous posts on here over the past couple of years. 

[DistrACTION Jackson 6,905]

43 minutes ago, binman said:

Fair dinkum, that's just plain silly.

Not that we would look to trade him.

But that salo would be some sort of sought after 'trade bait', implying we would could put him up for a trade and get some sort of windfall in return.

I mean, the first two posts in this thread both make good points.

Points other clubs thinking of chasing him would well and truly agree with.

As if another club would give up anything valuable, either a yrade or picks, for a player in the back half of his career with a history of a thyroid issue and various injuries.

What did we got for jordon, a young player, albeit probably not in salo's class, with no injury issues who has been able to slot into the best 22 of the team on top of the ladder?

Demonland logic- said player is injury prone and we should trade them. But I expect a top 10 pick for them because no doubt other teams are stupid

[Redleg 38,598]

2 hours ago, adonski said:

 

Demonland has a tendency to hate players whose main traits are skills + class

Really?

 

Edited Sunday at 05:11 by Redleg

[layzie 30,415]

2 hours ago, adonski said:

Elite when he can get a sustained run at it

Demonland has a tendency to hate players whose main traits are skills + class

Ironic considering its what we need most.

[DeeSpencer 23,687]

Lost a yard of pace due to injuries and not sure he really suits the new game plan given his default method is to get the ball to safety and find marks off half back when we want to encourage run. 

Midfield experiment got abandoned quickly when we had backline injuries and then he did a hammy.

If Rivers goes on ball then Salem, Bowey, McVee even AMW are all a bit the same height wise and Howes doesn’t use his height so may as well be 185cm too

We could do with a genuine back pocket  with a bit of size and then have the half backs compete for 3 spots.

The salary cap relief could be worth considering if we get a good useable pick too. 

If you got pick 25 and drafted a replacement who ready to go in 2-3 years you could put Salo’s wage towards a tall or on baller.

[Demon Dynasty 16,368]

Christian Salem (Medium Defender  28yo  184cm)

Rnd 0 to Rnd 4 vs Rnd 10 to 15   +   H&A Season 2024 vs H&A Season 2021

Missed a few games here and there but the ratings / metrics below are all averaged for comparative purposes.  Have not included his Rnd 5 game against the Lions due to being subbed super early after only 7% game time.

#3  C Salem	Rnd 0  to 4	Rnd 10 to 15	% Change	2021	2024	% Change
Contested Poss	5.8	6.4	10.3	5.5	6.3	14.0
Uncontested Poss	13.4	17.0	26.9	17.5	15.5	-11.4
Effective Disposals*	13.8	18.8	36.2	19.4	16.5	-14.6
Disposal Effeciency %	75.7	80.1	4.3	76.3	79.1	2.8
Contested Marks*	0.0	0.4	-	0.1	0.2	42.1
Marks inside 50*	0.0	0.2	-	0.0	0.1	-
One Percenters*	1.0	0.8	-20.0	1.2	0.9	-26.2
Clearances*	1.6	1.6	0.0	1.0	1.6	70.6
Rebound 50s*	3.0	2.8	-6.7	5.6	3.0	-45.3
Inside 50s*	2.2	2.4	9.1	2.1	2.3	9.0
Tackles*	3.8	2.6	-31.6	2.2	3.2	48.3
Score Inv'ments*	3.8	3.8	0.0	3.8	3.9	2.6
Meters Gained	367.6	338.0	-8.1	409.7	361.3	-11.8
Turnovers*	3.2	4.2	31.3	4.6	3.9	-16.5
Intercepts*	2.6	4.2	61.5	5.9	3.6	-39.8
Tackles Inside 50*	0.0	0.2	-	0.1	0.1	6.6
Time On Ground %	79.6	79.4	-0.2	86.4	81.4	-5.0
Goals*	0.2	0.0	-100.0	0.1	0.1	0.0
Hit Outs to Adv*	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-
*DD's Player Rating	3.0	3.6	19.3	3.9	3.4	-13.2

Stats courtesy of footwire.com & wheeloratings.com

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,247]

I love Salo. He's been a very good player, and although taken at no 9 in the 2013 draft, if the top ten picks from that draft were redrafted today, he'd be top five. We split pick two that year - essentially giving up Josh Kelly to GWR (i.e. Greater Waste of Resources) and receiving Salo and Dom Tyson who delivered two top five finishes in the 'Bluey'. Most importantly, Salo is a Melbourne premiership player. At worst most would say we broke even on the 2013 deal. Ten years on, I'd say we won the deal pretty handsomely. Thanks Roosy.

So to answer your question @Cranky Franky, he's def better than the Jack Dyer good ordinary.

Edited Sunday at 07:01 by Queanbeyan Demon

[Swooper Northey 301]

Excellent player. Just hasn't had the continuity needed due to illness and injury. Hopefully he can can get a clear run in 2025. If so, he'll make an enormous difference.

[Chook 14,702]

Cooked by his thyroid stuff. Was elite before that.

[Demonstone 20,045]

48 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

He's been a very good player, and although taken at no 9 in the 2013 draft, if the top ten picks from that draft were redrafted today, he'd be top five.

I agree entirely with that assessment.

However, given the chance, would you have preferred to pick any of these players taken later in the draft?  All answers to be written of the back of a $100 note and sent to Captain Hindsight please.  

13.  P. Cripps

26.  Z. Merrett

37.  A. Pearce

43.  T. Barrass

44.  A. Aliir

56.  J. Sicily

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,247]

1 minute ago, Demonstone said:

I agree entirely with that assessment.

However, given the chance, would you have preferred to pick any of these players taken later in the draft?  All answers to be written of the back of a $100 note and sent to Captain Hindsight please.  

13.  P. Cripps

26.  Z. Merrett

37.  A. Pearce

43.  T. Barrass

44.  A. Aliir

56.  J. Sicily

Yeah - the clear miss is Cripps. Nine other clubs missed on him too. A senior recruiter from another club once told me that every other club would have taken Jack Watts at either one or two. The draft is part science, part Russian roulette. Sometime the barrel is loaded - sometimes it's not.

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,247]

5 hours ago, Cranky Franky said:

Christian has always been one of my favourites. Tough, creative & with a bit of dash & laser like disposal.

He should have been AA IN 2021. I thought he would be a regular AA & pick up a B&F.

Since 21 he's been ill, picked up injury & generally lost some form.

Not sure if he can be an elite player again.

This is a term I find bothersome @Cranky Franky. I think it arrived in the lexicon courtesy of that footy stats mob. It's pretty meaningless I think. For example, how does Callen Wilkie, who is probably ranked elite by footy central, make the AA side ahead of May last year? And how does the big sook Harris Andrews get a game in front of May? Since the retirement of Rance, May has been the outstanding backman in the game. He's stood the best, and beaten them, for the last six years.

Edited Sunday at 08:07 by Queanbeyan Demon
Typo

[WalkingCivilWar 35,102]

4 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

Sorry, it wasn’t clear but I was speaking in a more historical context. Previous posts on here over the past couple of years. 

I knew you weren’t replying in reference to the OP, and while I admire your diplomacy, this ridiculous post is what I believe prompted your (wonderful) reply. ⬇️ 

5 hours ago, Canplay said:

Trade bait

 

[WalkingCivilWar 35,102]

6 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

This is a term I find bothersome @Cranky Franky. I think it arrived in the lexicon courtesy of that footy stats mob. It's pretty meaningless I think. For example, how does Callen Wilkie, who is probably ranked elite by footy central, make the AA side ahead of May last year? And how does the big sook Harris Andrews get a game in front of May? Since the retirement of Rance, May has been the outstanding backman in the game. He's stood the best, and beaten them, for the last six years.

I also don’t like the way ‘elite’ is used in the footy-world. The worst case of misuse of it was when Matthew Richardson once described a player as having ‘elite hands’ 😑🤔😵‍💫

[Jaded No More 60,135]

His body isn’t built for AFL unfortunately 

His last full season was 2021 and we all know how critical he was to us winning the flag. 
 

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,247]

4 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I also don’t like the way ‘elite’ is used in the footy-world. The worst case of misuse of it was when Matthew Richardson once described a player as having ‘elite hands’ 😑🤔😵‍💫

The only one with elite hands is Richo himself @WalkingCivilWar. Hope he uses a shed load of moisturizer.