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Christian Salem - Elite or Good Ordinary

Cranky Franky
Cranky Franky
in Melbourne Demons

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Keeper for mine. Think we're better down back with a fit Salem. It's a bugger his thyroid and body have let him down at times. His first quarter in the 21 GF was sublime.

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    Used to think the former for years. Now I’m leaning towards the latter.

    That said, I think he was missed on Friday night, and as recently as the North game he took a couple of courageous marks and provided an important defensive one on one win at the punt road end.

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    Injury and illness have crueled his consistency over the last 2.5 seasons

    He was super fit and confident in our premiership year, seems to have lost a yard of pace since then.

    Let's not forget that since 2021 the game itself has stepped up a notch in terms of speed and demands on instant decision making

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    The sort of player we need to move on, if we can get something reasonable back whilst he still has currency. If we don’t move on it, and other similar players, we’ll hit a massive cliff. Hawthorn has done it perfectly and now are probably closer to a flag than us - who would have ever thought.

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    Very good player but not consistent enough to be considered elite.

    Can go missing at times.

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    3 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

    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. 
     

    I would rate him as A+ in 2021. In fact at Q time he would have been favorite for the Norm, and was a key to our Premiership 🏆
    Medical issues more than injury have reduced him to B+ to A

    2 hours ago, Roost it far said:

    Keeper for mine. Think we're better down back with a fit Salem. It's a bugger his thyroid and body have let him down at times. His first quarter in the 21 GF was sublime.

    His experience is so valuable with so many of our smaller defended being relatively inexperienced. 

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    Probably 'Elite' during the Dees 2021 Flag year, since then his thyroid illness and injuries have hampered him. Still a good player. Referring to him as 'trade bait' is nonsense. With a bit of luck he can have another few really good seasons in him.

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    The two years he has been fully injury free are 2018 and 2021. That should you an idea how good he is. 

    So unlucky with health problems and injuries. One of our most skilled and level headed players. And key to our culture, similar but not quite to the level of Gus. Hopefully has many years in him and I will be there for his 200th you can count on that

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    31 minutes ago, DubDee said:

    The two years he has been fully injury free are 2018 and 2021. That should you an idea how good he is. 

    So unlucky with health problems and injuries. One of our most skilled and level headed players. And key to our culture, similar but not quite to the level of Gus. Hopefully has many years in him and I will be there for his 200th you can count on that

    This is what the naysayers are forgetting. 2022 - knee injury and three months off the ground, then later that year his thyroid issues started to re-emerge (he’d had previous bouts in ‘13 & ‘16). 2023 was a compromised pre-season and another three months on the sidelines. This year his hamstring saw him miss five matches. He’s been seriously unlucky, but he’s a naturally gifted footballer and if he can get a decent preseason in next year he’ll be worth five times more than any trade will fetch.

    Him, Trac and Oliver are a particularly tight trio, and among other reasons, his presence would be a stabilising force at the club right now. I’m confident he’s got some good football ahead of him. 

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    8 hours 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.  :D

    13.  P. Cripps

    26.  Z. Merrett

    37.  A. Pearce

    43.  T. Barrass

    44.  A. Aliir

    56.  J. Sicily

    Christian is with Barrass as only two premiership players on that list. So it’s value for each team really. 

    It’s not to say as any of the listed would not be walk into our team now and Cripps and Pearce and Sicily will likely be contending for the next 3 years or so. 

    Could Christian go forward and be a goal sneak in his last 2/3 years to get the best and longest of his career out of him?

    A HF flanker or Forward Pocket? Small Cameo on the ball once a quarter?  

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    Salem had a sensational 2021. Otherwise he’s been good. Not very good and not elite. He is good.  His disposal is supposed to be elite. It’s often an up and under rainmaker. His disposal efficiently is 15 metres sideways. I like to see him kick drive the footy longer & lower.  

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    When the heat was on early in the 2021 Grand Final, Salem was the difference. If the game ended at quarter time he would've won the Norm Smith voting unanimously. 

    You don't just get rid of a player like Salem unless we were offered something silly like two first round picks. If we received anything less than that, the club would be taking a  further step away from a flag in the next few years.

     

    Edited by seventyfour

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    Salem is one of my favourites. Under rated for his toughness too

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    Salem when playing is very reliable. Never a big gap in his best and worst, bar returns from injury/illness. Cool, calm and experienced. His kicking can be safe but it mixes in well with our attacking half backs. 

    Will retire a demon imo. 

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    Without making any concessions of any condition he has, what he's put on the ground during his career has been good ordinary and his kicking is overrated.
    20m lollipops don't make your disposal elite. 

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    9 hours ago, 58er said:

    Christian is with Barrass as only two premiership players on that list. So it’s value for each team really. 

    It’s not to say as any of the listed would not be walk into our team now and Cripps and Pearce and Sicily will likely be contending for the next 3 years or so. 

    Could Christian go forward and be a goal sneak in his last 2/3 years to get the best and longest of his career out of him?

    A HF flanker or Forward Pocket? Small Cameo on the ball once a quarter?  

    He certainly would be very valuable as a smart, tough ball getter with excellent disposal and vision, but at the moment he is a required cool head guiding on field and mentoring the smaller defenders.   Once Bowey or McVee reach that mature defence leadership sage position, yes, why not, if Christian is still medically and physically up to it.

    Edited by monoccular

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    His best football is clearly very good, but we have barely seen it for three years.

    In some ways he has actually become a liability because his talent has demanded selection in a struggling team when he clearly hasn't been fit enough to contribute. 

    His safety first approach also doesn't help our efforts to move the ball quickly, although he may have helped us to retain possession in the fourth quarter on Friday. 

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    54 minutes ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

    Elite. 

    Has been dismissed as "good ordinary" and "overrated" from the very very start, mostly be Melbourne supporters. 

    Ridiculous comment. Most supporters I know rate him as an outstanding talent.

    The problem is his health and injuries have meant he has struggled in the last 3 seasons.

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    Salem is a good footballer, I don’t like the word, elite , what happened to, star. I would just like him to gain more metres going forward rather than sideways or slightly forward. I don’t know if stats back up my thoughts but that is how it looks to me. 

    Edited by 48 Year Now

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    23 hours ago, seventyfour said:

    When the heat was on early in the 2021 Grand Final, Salem was the difference. If the game ended at quarter time he would've won the Norm Smith voting unanimously. 

    You don't just get rid of a player like Salem unless we were offered something silly like two first round picks. If we received anything less than that, the club would be taking a  further step away from a flag in the next few years.

     

    yesterdays man in my view very good not great move on wont be part of the next premiership side

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    Heart and Soul, Gun, tough and important.

    Could play any line  

    “ Elite” ball user.

    Wont be traded.

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