Player Watch Father-Son Pick #25 (2019) - Jackson Mead

[PeacefulWarrior]

I thought his Fremantle game was good, I don't think the turnover count reflects his game there. He didn't have a good finals series, he was unable to absorb the increased pressure and reverted to dump kicks/kicks to space and very rushed disposals leading to turnovers.

Genuine footballers without elite athletic traits are so hard to gauge. I've seen plenty of debate about Karl Amon, Willem Drew, Sam Gray, Will Snelling and Dylan Williams and I think Mead fits in with this group.

The Good
Groundball skills
Tidy Basic Disposal (Hit up kicks, quick hands on the inside)
Defensively sound (As a Half-Forward)
Good Intensity
Good Balance (Two-sided disposal helps/Keeps his feet)

Improving
Taking ground before disposing of the ball
Basic play-making (Draw and give, Give and go etc.)

Limiting abilities
Does not challenge teams/create space using his disposal (Most effective disposals are quick handballs/short kicks to players leading towards him)
Loves a dump kick/kick to space if he can't work out an immediate option

Going forward in his current rolling-up half-forward role I think he needs to develop his ability to absorb pressure and put his teammates into better spots. This means, at times, waiting longer to dispose of the ball to find the best option/let teammates get into open space and opening up his vision beyond the first option or dump kick 50m down the line. This is a pretty common development for players up to 100 games, I don't think it's beyond him.

If he improves this ability in addition to everything else he brings to the table I think he'll keep fighting for a spot in the 22 going forward, if not I think he's one good drafted player away from being out of the midfield rotation completely and Staring down the barrel of the dreaded small forward role.

Lacks creativity
Vanilla
Doesn’t take the game on

Is just safe, boring and vanilla

He’s no better than 100 other fringe midfielders out there

 

[rogerjames]

Plus he has no pace and isn’t a great tackler..

He’s an sanfler

Yeh, I'm starting to think that too. Just doesn't have a feature of his game that hurts the opposition but has plenty that hurts his team. Disappointing. Needs a breakout year in 2025.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

He's a solid burrowing mid but useless at half forward where he seems to get plonked too often.

 

[rogerjames]

I thought his Fremantle game was good, I don't think the turnover count reflects his game there. He didn't have a good finals series, he was unable to absorb the increased pressure and reverted to dump kicks/kicks to space and very rushed disposals leading to turnovers.

Genuine footballers without elite athletic traits are so hard to gauge. I've seen plenty of debate about Karl Amon, Willem Drew, Sam Gray, Will Snelling and Dylan Williams and I think Mead fits in with this group.

The Good
Groundball skills
Tidy Basic Disposal (Hit up kicks, quick hands on the inside)
Defensively sound (As a Half-Forward)
Good Intensity
Good Balance (Two-sided disposal helps/Keeps his feet)

Improving
Taking ground before disposing of the ball
Basic play-making (Draw and give, Give and go etc.)

Limiting abilities
Does not challenge teams/create space using his disposal (Most effective disposals are quick handballs/short kicks to players leading towards him)
Loves a dump kick/kick to space if he can't work out an immediate option

Going forward in his current rolling-up half-forward role I think he needs to develop his ability to absorb pressure and put his teammates into better spots. This means, at times, waiting longer to dispose of the ball to find the best option/let teammates get into open space and opening up his vision beyond the first option or dump kick 50m down the line. This is a pretty common development for players up to 100 games, I don't think it's beyond him.

If he improves this ability in addition to everything else he brings to the table I think he'll keep fighting for a spot in the 22 going forward, if not I think he's one good drafted player away from being out of the midfield rotation completely and Staring down the barrel of the dreaded small forward role.

But he can't play the small foward role. Just doesn't have the necessary attributes to succeed in that role. Could he play a tagging role?

 

[strath39]

Lacks creativity
Vanilla
Doesn’t take the game on

Is just safe, boring and vanilla

He’s no better than 100 other fringe midfielders out there

Further on this he lacks the foot speed to create space. Good Clean Handball but no offensive kicking . If he was more big bodied I think he would have a long career but Realisticaly plays 12-15 games and finishes up at the end of the year.

 

[TazD]

He's a solid burrowing mid but useless at half forward where he seems to get plonked too often.

Also know as Boak Disease

 

[klem22]

Meade definitely has shown a bit this year.
His biggest problem is the need to show continued improvement to become a real contributor in his own right.
Failure to do so should see him desisted.