Search the Community

Melbourne's Christian Salem starred on Sunday for the Casey Scorpions against Frankston with a 34 possession performance which included a vital goal in the low scoring match. Casey Radio [FM 97.7] interviewed him on its Saturday morning programme and this was replayed before Sunday's game. These are my notes of the highlights - The first question was about how Salen started off at the Sandringham Dragons and his battle with injury soon after being drafted. It was a thyroid problem that started last year just before the draft and by the time it was properly diagnosed and treated he was 10 kilograms lighter. He was finding that he couldn't get through training so he took a blood test which uncovered the problem. At first he was restricted to walking and it was a frustrating time but now he's back to normal. Salem was asked about his Lebanese background. His father was born in Lebanon and his mother is also Lebanese but born here. He's very proud to be the fourth known Lebanese player in the AFL. He supported Essendon when Bachar Houli (also Lebanese) was playing for them and it's an honour representing his people. Asked about Paul Roos, Salem says he met him up at the Gold Coast at the draft and he was very approachable. The boys want to play for him and learn the game. Salem's father owns and runs two restaurants in Brighton - Rock Salt and North Point at the end of North Road. He worked there when he was younger but although that business is an option and he sometimes helps out from time to time, he's not sure what he wants to do in the future. When did Melbourne first speak to him? The spoke early in the year last year and then for about 20 to 30 minutes at Draft Camp. He loved being picked up in the National Draft and is happy at Melbourne. During the year a couple of recruiters from other clubs came down to have a chat at the family restaurant in Brighton. Asked if he would be ready to play against Gold Coast, he said he had not been named to play and that he was playing in the VFL against Frankston but he hoped the boys would get up in that game. Has he been given a time line for when he would be in the mix for AFL selection? "I think Roosy's good like that. He's more into not wanting to put pressure on the first year players. He's into introducing good habits in the VFL learning as much as you can and if the time comes, it doesn't matter how old you are, he'll put you in so its more about getting games into you." The feeling was great after Satuday's win, hearing the song being sung and in recovery the next day. He assured the panel that Roosy does know the words to the song. Asked about the transition from TAC Cup to playing more pro football, Salem said it was not too bad because with the AIS program they're pretty good at giving you a week to spend at a club. He spent it at Carlton last January and it was good in that it prepares you for what's to come. Once he got there he was comfortable - it was still hard but not too much of a step up. What are the things he is currently working on (noting that his kicking was one of his strengths) - "I still work on it. I'm working on playing forward, on my leading up and marking, repeat efforts and leading patterns." He was then asked to answer music questions in a 6 from 60 format: * Biggest influence on your career so far - family * Best teammate - Josh Kelly from the TAC Cup (now with GWS) Hardest opponent - Tom Bugg (also with GWS) "from when I was playing school footy" Most annoying team mate - not sure Best sporting memory - school football Hobbies away from football - relaxing with family, play station and watching soccer The interview finished with a question about what he was doing at the time (Saturday morning) at AAMI Park doing "motivation stuff". There's an article on the game on the Casey Scorpions website here and one from Paul Amy of Leader Newspapers - Misfiring Casey Scorpions do enough to bank two-goal win over equally wayward Frankston Dolphins Final Peter Jackson VFL Casey Scorpions 1.2.8 3.5.23 5.8.38 9.14.68 Frankston 2.7.194.10.34 5.14.44 6.18.54 Goals Casey Scorpions Best 3 Jamar 2 Morris Nicholson Salem Smith Frankston Alwan 2 Lourey Matheson Simpson Tynan Best Casey Scorpions Salem Panozza Strauss Clisby Petropoulos Smith Frankston Kitchin Cavarra Alwan Harper Potts Newman Final 2014 AFL Victoria Development League Casey Scorpions 3.0.18 8.1.49 9.2.56 13.10.88 Frankston 1.3.9 3.4.22 8.7.55 10.8.68 Goals Casey Scorpions Anderson King Wyatt 2 Gawley Jackson Murray Paredes Plummer Rosier Scott Frankston Irving 3 Fox 2 Greeley Hammond Helliwell Murnane Whitty Best Casey Scorpions Thwaites Drew Gawley Anderson Murray King Frankston Williams Irving Fox Greeley Foote Lees VFL player review: round three Statistics - Frankston v Casey Scorpions (Round 3) * Sam Blease 22 disposals 14 kicks 8 handballs 5 marks 3 tackles 88 Dream Team Points * Mitch Clisby 16 disposals 10 kicks 6 handballs 5 marks 3 tackles 67 Dream Team Points * Colin Garland 15 disposals 12 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 4 tackles 68 Dream Team Points * Max Gawn 10 disposals 6 kicks 4 handballs 6 marks 19 hit outs 60 Dream Team Points * James Harmes 31 disposals 15 kicks 16 handballs 6 marks 4 tackles 114 Dream Team Points * Jayden Hunt 8 disposals 6 kicks 2 handballs 3 marks 4 tackles 47 Dream Team Points * Mark Jamar 2 goals 10 disposals 7 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 2 tackles 40 hit outs 97 Dream Team Points * Daniel Nicholson 1goal 18 disposals 14 kicks 4 handballs 5 marks 3 tackles 84 Dream Team Points * Aidan Riley 25 disposals 7 kicks18 handballs 3 marks 10 tackles 106 Dream Team Points * Christian Salem 1 goal 2 behinds 32 disposals 23 kicks 9 handballs 7 marks 4 tackles 133 Dream Team Points * James Strauss 21 disposals 14 kicks 7 handballs 5 marks 3 tackles 83 Dream Team Points * Jimmy Toumpas 11 disposals 9 kicks 2 handballs 5 marks 46 Dream Team Points [injured in second quarter]