Yes, he was excellent in 2021, and was deservedly All Australian that year. The overall strength of our defence allowed him to thrive in a role that suited him perfectly.

That was almost 4 years ago now, and he has barely played a decent game since.

Teams don't allow him to play off his man and take intercept marks anymore, and he is absolutely woeful in one v one contests. I don't see a single useful thing that he brings to the team, unless you value pointing and looking exasperated.

Goodwin's obsession with playing Lever has destabilised a defence that was functioning well, and has seen us dump our best performing defender.

Can Lever step up his game and become a meaningful contributor again? Doubtful. Will Goodwin man up and resolve the issue he has created? Highly unlikely.

Trade to Norf for a 2nd rounder, win win for both parties

He cannot be trusted anymore

In 2022 during the Final Series, he had a massive hissy fit

He has been mostly ordinary ever since…

I must have imagined him coming 3rd in our best and fairest in 2023 then.

9 minutes ago, poita said:

Yes, he was excellent in 2021, and was deservedly All Australian that year. The overall strength of our defence allowed him to thrive in a role that suited him perfectly.

That was almost 4 years ago now, and he has barely played a decent game since.

Teams don't allow him to play off his man and take intercept marks anymore, and he is absolutely woeful in one v one contests. I don't see a single useful thing that he brings to the team, unless you value pointing and looking exasperated.

Goodwin's obsession with playing Lever has destabilised a defence that was functioning well, and has seen us dump our best performing defender.

Can Lever step up his game and become a meaningful contributor again? Doubtful. Will Goodwin man up and resolve the issue he has created? Highly unlikely.

Hyperbole much? His 2023 was very good. If I remember correctly, he had 13 marks in a game vs Hawthorn.

30 minutes ago, poita said:

Yes, he was excellent in 2021, and was deservedly All Australian that year. The overall strength of our defence allowed him to thrive in a role that suited him perfectly.

That was almost 4 years ago now, and he has barely played a decent game since.

Teams don't allow him to play off his man and take intercept marks anymore, and he is absolutely woeful in one v one contests. I don't see a single useful thing that he brings to the team, unless you value pointing and looking exasperated.

Goodwin's obsession with playing Lever has destabilised a defence that was functioning well, and has seen us dump our best performing defender.

Can Lever step up his game and become a meaningful contributor again? Doubtful. Will Goodwin man up and resolve the issue he has created? Highly unlikely.

I personally disagree that he has barely played a decent game since 2021. He was third in our best and fairest in 2023 and he was actually having a pretty good season in 2024 until injuries started taking their toll.

But yes, he's definitely in poor form right now. I'd take Tmac over him in a heartbeat.

Cannot defend, is just as likely to spill a mark right in to the oppo’s hands as he is to mark it, fumbles, punches the ball in to more dangerous areas for the other team, isn’t a reliable kick, does not kill contests, and will go up and get in teammates way.

Other than that, he’s a ripper.

Jake Lever has been an excellent pick up for us and integral to our 2021 premiership and 2022/2023 making finals. However the game has changed significantly and away from his strengths. Unfortunately he struggles to actually play on a key tall and panics against all sizes when the ball comes in with any decent speed on it. I am conscious he has struggled to gain max form due to lack of continuity but that is another problem in itself.

He is a fantastic clubmen but pointing at where to be in a defensive structure and giving your all in the air only gets you so far. His extension to 2028 likely made sense when completed mid 2022 but will offer challenges moving forward.

his injury profile is a big concern. his ankles appear to be stuffed

I would rather see Tmac in there for Lever, back line looked much better with him there instead. Shame, we love Lever, but he just doesn't look like he used to right now.

I remember Tmac had the same issues after injury, spent a while looking ordinary and not up to it...then came back the next year and looked awesome again! Just might take some time.

5 minutes ago, Young Angus said:

I would rather see Tmac in there for Lever, back line looked much better with him there instead. Shame, we love Lever, but he just doesn't look like he used to right now.

I remember Tmac had the same issues after injury, spent a while looking ordinary and not up to it...then came back the next year and looked awesome again! Just might take some time.

that time would be better spent in Casey

9 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Hyperbole much? His 2023 was very good. If I remember correctly, he had 13 marks in a game vs Hawthorn.

@poita ? Hyperbole?

No, never.

people do get the level of the AFL and the difficulty coming back from injury yeah ? again and again supporters question players coming back from a long injury lay off expecting them to play at their peak.

Like Salem, struggles to return from injury.
Was in excellent form last year, prior to injury; struggled on return.

30 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

that time would be better spent in Casey

As I've said many times Goodwin's Trademark is rushing back his "pet" players from injury without having to find form at Casey.

It's worked a treat this year for Windsor, Jefferson, Tholstrup, Spargo & now Lever.

Lever cannot defend one on one and the whole competition knows you can’t let him sag off - keep him accountable for a man - then work through him - can’t defend - gives soft frees in contest because he can’t compete - if the ball hits the ground he’s awful and looks to have lost all pace.

I’d seriously drop to Casey to work on defensive craft as the comp won’t let him be a loose interception defender - and bring back TMac who can win a contest.

10 hours ago, poita said:

Yes, he was excellent in 2021, and was deservedly All Australian that year. The overall strength of our defence allowed him to thrive in a role that suited him perfectly.

That was almost 4 years ago now, and he has barely played a decent game since.

Teams don't allow him to play off his man and take intercept marks anymore, and he is absolutely woeful in one v one contests. I don't see a single useful thing that he brings to the team, unless you value pointing and looking exasperated.

Goodwin's obsession with playing Lever has destabilised a defence that was functioning well, and has seen us dump our best performing defender.

Can Lever step up his game and become a meaningful contributor again? Doubtful. Will Goodwin man up and resolve the issue he has created? Highly unlikely.

The coaches disagree; Lever has received 59 coaches votes between 2022-2025.

I wouldn't write Lever off yet though I think Turner is going past him (similarly good intercept mark but better one-on-one, better disposal, faster and more agile).

Turner is probably my favorite defender right now!

Turner and McVee our best defenders. I want to see Adam’s get some games. In form you’d be playing TMac ahead of Lever and May atm but is that the best longer term idea? Let’s face it yesterday just sucked. I’m not sure anything we did would have won us that one. I hate those games.

Nobody can write Lever off. He has been one of our best players. But he's been bought back too soon and we payed a price. His injuries are a concern.

2 hours ago, Bay Riffin said:

people do get the level of the AFL and the difficulty coming back from injury yeah ? again and again supporters question players coming back from a long injury lay off expecting them to play at their peak.

But they should regain their fitness and form as Casey, not in the senior team Spargo and Lever are the latest examples

IMO a very poor strategy

11 minutes ago, Previously known as LITD. said:

Nobody can write Lever off. He has been one of our best players. But he's been bought back too soon and we payed a price. His injuries are a concern.

Vide supra

Just now, monoccular said:

But they should regain their fitness and form as Casey, not in the senior team Spargo and Lever are the latest examples

IMO a very poor strategy

Vide supra

He played a half at Casey and had 17 disposals. Hard to find form in a comp where our last 2 matches have been against suburban hacks. The VFL comp needs serious attention.

Has there been one example of a Melbourne player that has come back from a long injury layoff and rushed straight back into the team being successful?

It's my view Lever has passed it but the footy dept is delusional if it keeps doing this.

34 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Has there been one example of a Melbourne player that has come back from a long injury layoff and rushed straight back into the team being successful?

It's my view Lever has passed it but the footy dept is delusional if it keeps doing this.

Melksham?

3 hours ago, speed demon said:

I wouldn't write Lever off yet though I think Turner is going past him (similarly good intercept mark but better one-on-one, better disposal, faster and more agile).

Good call. Lever isn't done yet. But Turner is fast becoming a first-picked defender.

Yes, it's tempting to throw him forward, but we've found one and we know his best position. Keep him there and try others forward.