Jade Gresham is an example of the list build that Essendon has constructed towards the end of Adrian Dodoro era: a top-up for a club that hasn't won a final since Adam was a boy. He has put in some flashy passages, as in round 1 when he almost led a comeback over the Hawks, and it is obvious that he still has the cream that a good team needs to put it over the top. Essendon is not a good team, however, and he is just the wrong sort of player for their stage of development. While he takes an oversized chunk of their salary cap, the Bombers keep wallowing in mediocrity.
Jade Gresham is an example of the list build that Essendon has constructed towards the end of Adrian Dodoro era: a top-up for a club that hasn't won a final since Adam was a boy. He has put in some flashy passages, as in round 1 when he almost led a comeback over the Hawks, and it is obvious that he still has the cream that a good team needs to put it over the top. Essendon is not a good team, however, and he is just the wrong sort of player for their stage of development. While he takes an oversized chunk of their salary cap, the Bombers keep wallowing in mediocrity.
Jade Gresham has still got most of his talents from a long career at St Kilda in his new club Essendon, and comes up against his old teammates today in what should be an even tussle. Like Devon Smith before him, the Bombers hierarchy could be accused of topping up a side that could probably use a bit more cooking before the list managers declare it to be ready, but he was relatively cheap and the Dons needed someone to replace Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti around goals. He will play his role without fuss, making him a low-end draft league starter at best.
Jade Gresham has quietly had his best statistical return in his seventh season at the top level, having missed much of the past two years with injury. He has transformed himself from a deep small forward into one of the countless forward/mids in the modern style, averaging 24 touches and a goal per outing with a personal best of three tackles as well. His heat map has moved towards the pivot and with it comes a much more reliable scoring floor, notwithstanding the very poor score he put up against Melbourne five games ago. Worthy of consideration for top six FWDs.
Jade Gresham is one of a number of Saints who underperformed last year as the club slumped from a finals campaign to being an also-ran. Like most smaller midfielders he can suffer from being stuck forward too often, and while he has obvious talents in the forward 50 his stats are usually boosted when he starts across the centreline. He has been named on a wing in round 1 this year in a midfield that needs much more support for Jack Steele, and perhaps Gresham is part of the key to that. Or maybe he'll disappoint fantasy owners once again.
Ripping yarn by Gresham
A conduit between the midfield and attack, Jade Gresham produced a career-best season, lifting numerous major statistical categories in his fourth campaign. The 2015 first round selection averaged career highs in disposals, marks and tackles and was rated 27th among the competition for goal assists. Continual progression is a necessity for Gresham's age cohort if the Saints are to improve on last season's lowly finish. An improving fantasy asset year on year with a terrific durability record of 81 from 88 since debut, he is a desirable forward option. Fantasy coaches will be rewarded with selection in middle rounds.
Jade Gresham is a prime example of the old adage that good goalkicking is good footy... and vice versa. At his best he can put up big bags of goals even when the Saints midfield is not dominating, but at times like this season his radar can be completely off for weeks at a time. After five goals in the first two rounds this season he has managed only six from his past seven, with a poor return on accuracy of 11.7 over nine games. Like many of his St Kilda teammates, bigger things were expected of him last year but he barely turned up, and 2019 isn't looking much better.
Jade Gresham will try to avoid the fate of teammate Jack Billings, who couldn't back up his breakout year with anything like his previous form. With Billings the problem was team need dragging him towards goals and away from the ball; Gresham hopefully shouldn't have that problem. The Saints regressed last season but Gresham came on in leaps and bounds, and if the team is going to fulfil its potential then they need him to become one of the major on-field leaders.
Gresham's late thriller
Everything looks to be in place for Jade Gresham, arguably St Kilda’s brightest prospect, to have a breakout year in 2019. The highlights of his season were back to back strong performances across rounds 18 and 19, where he amassed a total of 49 disposals, 4 goals and 205 fantasy points. He registered at least 24 touches in four of his last six. A junior football ball magnet, Gresham was moved into the midfield with increased regularity as 2018 played out, and the logical progression is for that trend to continue. The question is how high to reach for him in the draft. There will be a coach in every league who jumps on him in the early rounds and there’s every reason to believe that will be a wise decision.
Gresham's pot boils
Those who were expecting St Kilda to regress slightly as a club before 2017 began could be well pleased with their prediction, as Jade Gresham summed up why they thought that way. The youngster suffered second-year syndrome and flashed in and out of games too often for the team to win enough to seriously threaten the eight. His highlights included five bags of three or more goals, though he went goalless in another seven. Despite a vaunted move into midfield, 68% of Gresham's disposals came in the front half and his hurt factor around the forward 50 is going to limit his upside in the near future. Like Hayden Ballantyne, he may make the All-Australian side as a forward pocket one year without going past the fantasy baseline for forwards. He has one 20-disposal game in his his career, and his role suggests he's not going to make it there all that often. A flier pick.
