Jefferson was uncapped in his first two seasons at Melbourne but finally made his AFL debut in the opening round of the season and scored a goal with his first kick. However, it was not all smooth sailing for young tall forward who gravitated during the year between the senior team and Casey where he mixed a couple a couple of promising five goal bags with some quieter days.

Date of Birth: 8 March 2004

Height: 195cm

Games MFC 2025: 7

Career Total: 7

Goals MFC 2025: 4

Career Total: 4

Games CDFC 2025: 9

Goals CDFC 2025: 18

Matty Jefferson with a bit of luck could be a very good fwd for us, really needs to step up his strength and conditioning this preseason, he has to make 2026 his year if he wants to be an AFL player.

Hope I’m wrong but for mine he’s a poor man’s Sam Weideman

I would doubt he’ll be on an afl list in 2027

Get some bulk, strength, build a bigger tank, revise set shot routine, get some confidence that he is up to it and we will have a player! Poorly handled by Goodwin, played when no form, then ignored when he should have been selected! No wonder confidence was all over the place!

13 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

Hope I’m wrong but for mine he’s a poor man’s Sam Weideman

I would doubt he’ll be on an afl list in 2027

Indeed ... I hope you (and I) are wrong, but not looking great ATM.

Reckon he needs to spend a bit of time in the gym.

2 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

Hope I’m wrong but for mine he’s a poor man’s Sam Weideman

I would doubt he’ll be on an afl list in 2027

Sadly I think you are correct. Our future lies elsewhere.

Can only hope King can see something in him (maybe a defender) as he does not look up to it.

Not tough enough,needs to do a couple of years hard labour.

2 hours ago, DeeZone said:

Matty Jefferson with a bit of luck could be a very good fwd for us, really needs to step up his strength and conditioning this preseason, he has to make 2026 his year if he wants to be an AFL player.

I'm honestly not sure how much strength and conditioning he needs as opposed to mental strength.

I've been watching s fair bit of Logan Morris this year and lately Ty Gallop. Both very young key forwards. I'm not sure they do much of their work by out bodying others, but more just putting themselves in the right spot and having the confidence to go for it. Both also good kicks for goal that don't waste opportunities. I see alot of both of these in Jefferson.

The things that Morris and Gallop have that Jefferson and JvR have lacked reciently are an open forward line where the ball comes in consistently purposely and confidence. I'd imagine both these things feed into one another. Just the change of face and fresh start might be enough to get Jeffo a burst of confidence.

Going on a bit of a tanget here, but some of the later Goodwin and Chapman games, I thought we were actually starting to move the ball better into our forward 50. If King can take that to the next level and give everyone the confidence in doing it, guys like JvR, Jefferson, Melksham, Fritta, Chandler and Kossie are going to have a party every week. I can also see all those guys buying into a method of moving the ball in fast through half forward as well as being on the receiving end. I actually think that Melksham could be more of a weapon driving the ball deep inside 50 from half forward than being the player deep on the receiving end.

2025 was his year to show something and arguably he went backwards.

Not confident of a turn around

Is 2026 his last contract year? (Hope we don't get sucked in like we did with Weideman by a few decent games).

Doesn't have the competitiveness to make it as a key forward.

3 hours ago, picket fence said:

Get some bulk, strength, build a bigger tank, revise set shot routine, get some confidence that he is up to it and we will have a player! Poorly handled by Goodwin, played when no form, then ignored when he should have been selected! No wonder confidence was all over the place!

So basically just improve in every dept and he might come good !

Righty O

39 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I'm honestly not sure how much strength and conditioning he needs as opposed to mental strength.

I've been watching s fair bit of Logan Morris this year and lately Ty Gallop. Both very young key forwards. I'm not sure they do much of their work by out bodying others, but more just putting themselves in the right spot and having the confidence to go for it. Both also good kicks for goal that don't waste opportunities. I see alot of both of these in Jefferson.

The things that Morris and Gallop have that Jefferson and JvR have lacked reciently are an open forward line where the ball comes in consistently purposely and confidence. I'd imagine both these things feed into one another. Just the change of face and fresh start might be enough to get Jeffo a burst of confidence.

Going on a bit of a tanget here, but some of the later Goodwin and Chapman games, I thought we were actually starting to move the ball better into our forward 50. If King can take that to the next level and give everyone the confidence in doing it, guys like JvR, Jefferson, Melksham, Fritta, Chandler and Kossie are going to have a party every week. I can also see all those guys buying into a method of moving the ball in fast through half forward as well as being on the receiving end. I actually think that Melksham could be more of a weapon driving the ball deep inside 50 from half forward than being the player deep on the receiving end.

This - exactly this. He showed enough in Game 1 v GWS and looked good for 30 seconds in Game 2 before going off. When we move the ball well, he will look better because good luck outmarking him when he is leading and the go-go-gadget arms are out.

52 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I'm honestly not sure how much strength and conditioning he needs as opposed to mental strength.

I've been watching s fair bit of Logan Morris this year and lately Ty Gallop. Both very young key forwards. I'm not sure they do much of their work by out bodying others, but more just putting themselves in the right spot and having the confidence to go for it. Both also good kicks for goal that don't waste opportunities. I see alot of both of these in Jefferson.

The things that Morris and Gallop have that Jefferson and JvR have lacked reciently are an open forward line where the ball comes in consistently purposely and confidence. I'd imagine both these things feed into one another. Just the change of face and fresh start might be enough to get Jeffo a burst of confidence.

Going on a bit of a tanget here, but some of the later Goodwin and Chapman games, I thought we were actually starting to move the ball better into our forward 50. If King can take that to the next level and give everyone the confidence in doing it, guys like JvR, Jefferson, Melksham, Fritta, Chandler and Kossie are going to have a party every week. I can also see all those guys buying into a method of moving the ball in fast through half forward as well as being on the receiving end. I actually think that Melksham could be more of a weapon driving the ball deep inside 50 from half forward than being the player deep on the receiving end.

Milky should definitely play across the HFL. Just give him license to do whatever really, he has the smarts to play clever footy. Knows how to weight and direct kicks. If no one around I'm sure he can find the sticks 60 out 😉

Need to give forwards space but also get them knowing where to be in that space.

Thats the real challenge for Jeffo and Roo

Looks to be a natural forward with nice leading patterns. I'm curious to see how he goes in a team with quicker ball movement. Dropped marks and missed kicks I'm putting down as a confidence/nerves issue for a player adjusting to AFL level.

Entering year 4 so time is still on his side, needs to show more though.

I heard from a family member that Jeffo was happy with tthe change of coach.

28 minutes ago, Fritta and Turner said:

I heard from a family member that Jeffo was happy with tthe change of coach.

Interesting I heard the SAME info from a source!