Love the guy, one of my all time fav demons and just all-round footy blokes in the league. Such a star, always so good when he plays I feel better whenever he's in the team wish he could play every game!

Let's hope he keeps going for another year or two, would be a gift if he did.

He's like a fine wine. gets better with age.

i thought the acl injury would end his career (thankfully not). not a bit of it. He returned to kick 4 goals and take mark of the year.

One of the best recruits the club has ever brought to the club

congrats on 250 games. I hope you make it to 300.

51 minutes ago, BDA said:

He's like a fine wine. gets better with age.

i thought the acl injury would end his career (thankfully not). not a bit of it. He returned to kick 4 goals and take mark of the year.

One of the best recruits the club has ever brought to the club

congrats on 250 games. I hope you make it to 300.

I recall from last game vision of Milky and Checkers imparting their wisdom ( and it would be considerable) upon Roo.

Their value is not just as players but as playing mentors. Milky is one of the clueyist players going around ( taking away nothing from Brodie ).

Always feel better when # 18 takes the field.

Congratulations Jake 👏

Jake Melksham has that indefatigable resilience, I think he is driven by one of the greatest motives a player can have, the desire to share his experiences with his kids and team mates. As he mentioned in one of his interviews, he loves to have the ball in hand when it really matters as he is so resolute, we are indeed lucky to have Milkshake at our mighty club.

On 30/05/2025 at 14:38, Chook said:

I would be very content with Melksham being our next senior coach. In about 5-7 years after doing his apprenticeship (either here or elsewhere) when Goody Kingy moves on as all coaches inevitably have to at some point.

Big call but there you go.

On 31/05/2025 at 13:08, binman said:

Demonstrating how he keeps reinventing himself?

He kicked four though.

Incredibly fit and strong.

What was S. May thinking but I won't go there.

I will say it's great to see such hunger and drive in a guy his age compared to many five years younger.

In fact he's playing like a 30 year old.

That's his best game since the Swans one when he was injured and when he kicked the sealer v the lions at the G.

Picked Easter Sunday to ressurect his career and arose to great heights with that mark.

Also showed his athletic prowess again by taking one low to the ground and his snap around his body.

Will be very excited to watch he and Fritta score four a piece.

Similar players, except Jake is much stronger.

Fritts protects the drop zone by perfect timing with his lean into his opponent and Jake just uses sheer muscle to hold them at bay.

Both excellent set shots as well as from the boundaries.

Sincerely hope he stays on in some coaching format addressing our accuracy issues and increasing players passion for the game which has seemingly given him the fountain of youth.

Essendon’s record losing streak of 17 was equalled last week and will be extended to 18 today. Our Melk wears #18

It’s meant to be.

Edit: just noticed…

😳

There it is again!

Edited 23 hours ago23 hr by Ghostwriter

Great player, better bloke! Go Milkshakeman!

Wish we could have got him a medal with the Dees but can't wait to see him play, one of the best forwards in the comp no doubt and a pleasure to have on our side!

21 hours ago, In Harmes Way said:

Loved @Temporarily Hopeful Demon 's memory lane summary - job very well done mate.

Special re-mention for the 2018 semi final goal vs hawks - I also went nuts with my boy when he kicked that.

But oddly, my favourite Melk memory was just a kick he made at marvel vs Saints off the half back line in about 2020-21ish. He kicked a 55m low, hard dart through the guts, completely sliced open the saints through traffic to an open player ahead of the centre square who then went on and goaled. It was such a venomous, accurate kick - low and hard. I watched it over and over. Was a ripper, much like Harmes' kick to Fritta in the 21 granny. Just visionary and beautifully executed.

Agree those low 50m darts are such a great feature of his game. Didn't notice so many last week, but I'm sure he'll bring them out when the time is right. Those sort of passes along with his strengths 'one-out' make him perfectly suited to King's game plan. He has such a great attacking mindset as a forward, with the skill and footy nouse to pull it off. I actually think this is party why he got more of a go in the team post 2023, under Goodwin, when we started to reshape the way we play into something more attacking - Jake was the perfect guy to lead it forward of centre.

Really think his prime years was around that 2018 season. That AFLX performances and winning the comp were actually something of a turning point for the team, that gave us some much needed confidence that we could succeed and Jake was huge in that comp and the grand final. Incidentally, that AFLX was also when Bailey Fritsch made his debut for the club, so it's fitting that he comes back for Jakes 250th. Having them working in tandem along with Latrelle, JVR, Mihocek and Chandler gives us some great firepower and presents as a really dangerous forward line.

Loved his 2018 finals series. Both his ability to kick goals and drive the ball deep into our forward line in that series, the Hawthorn game in particular were awesome. While they may only count for 6 points in the regular season, kicking those outside 50m goals still seems to have more inspirational value and game impact than from inside the arc. I think there is great value in having players that can reliably nail them, as it must put defenders in two minds - do I cover my opponent and the forward space inside 50 or do I need to push back and cover the goal square and the risk they get caught in no-man's land or drop off their forward enough to make them a much easier target to hit-up is huge.

Edited 20 hours ago20 hr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

On ya, Snake! A bloody well deserved milestone and absolutely befitting of this legend!

Here’s hoping his affinity for the Dees surpasses that of the Bummers, given his kids would be eligible under the current rules at both clubs 🤫

I think one of my all-time favourite Dees memories of him was when he nailed that drop punt against the Hawks to put the nail in their coffin in the 2018 semi.

All the best "Melchy"

Three all time favourite Melksham moments.

1. 2018 games against Eagles against all odds. Melksham goes berserk in the last quarter and takes us into our first final in 12 years.

2. 2018 final against Hawthorn when the Hawks were coming hard in the last quarter and a left foot monster from outside 50 pretty much puts the game beyond doubt. He then proceeds to give James Scilily a good old fashioned spray.

3. 2023 clutch goal against Brisbane. Enough said.

Go well 🐍

There are only two Essendon players running out today who played with Melky. Maybe Merrett and Langford could chair him off?

Any late changes?

Will Fritts and Jake both play forward simultaneously?

That will be fun to watch

42 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

2023 clutch goal against Brisbane. Enough said.

I think this one, because it seemed the lions had it in the bag but it was such a strong mark and pressure kick.

It's exactly what we saw last week, Jake's is one of the strongest players pound for pound.

Similar in some ways to Fritts not in strength but skill. . But where Bayley leans into a player with perfect timing, to mark, Jake just rag dolls them out the way.

MFC so lucky to have this player with the playing team for so long, encouraging and mentoring

In my mind he chose MFC for his family first, and then us and Goody next.

Stay well mate.

12 hours ago, Dee Vinci said:

Incredibly fit and strong.

What was S. May thinking but I won't go there.

I will say it's great to see such hunger and drive in a guy his age compared to many five years younger.

In fact he's playing like a 30 year old.

That's his best game since the Swans one when he was injured and when he kicked the sealer v the lions at the G.

Picked Easter Sunday to ressurect his career and arose to great heights with that mark.

Also showed his athletic prowess again by taking one low to the ground and his snap around his body.

Will be very excited to watch he and Fritta score four a piece.

Similar players, except Jake is much stronger.

Fritts protects the drop zone by perfect timing with his lean into his opponent and Jake just uses sheer muscle to hold them at bay.

Both excellent set shots as well as from the boundaries.

Sincerely hope he stays on in some coaching format addressing our accuracy issues and increasing players passion for the game which has seemingly given him the fountain of youth.

Totally agree with your comment about keeping him at the club after he retires.

1 hour ago, Demonstone said:

There are only two Essendon players running out today who played with Melky. Maybe Merrett and Langford could chair him off?

I'd have very great pleasure personally if Langford and Langford chaired him off!

Edited 17 hours ago17 hr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

1 hour ago, Dingo said:

Totally agree with your comment about keeping him at the club after he retires.

Heaps to get but let's hope he's got a freakish two more years in him. Unlikely but remember that other old Essendon player in Fletcher.

Played till his seniors card.

Into the 4th quarter v Essendon. Melksham has one possession to his name.

1 hour ago, H_T said:

Into the 4th quarter v Essendon. Melksham has one possession to his name.

Congrats Melk and feel for you, that it was probably the worst game of your career.

Anyway a great bloke and hopefully a few more winning games with the Dees.

Thumbs down Essendon for not joining the guard of honour. He only played over 100 games for you lot.

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by layzie