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Top draft selections start life at Windy Hill
<DIV>Essendon's top two selections from the 2009 AFL National Draft - Jake Melksham (pick No.10) and Jake Carlisle (Pick No.24) - have begun their induction program at Windy Hill and Bomber.tv was there to greet them. The two 18-year-old Jakes were introduced to the players and staff, attended a morning training session, sat in on a staff meeting and had a media briefing as part of their first day at the club.</DIV>
Essendon's top two selections from the 2009 AFL National Draft - Jake Melksham (pick No.10) and Jake Carlisle (Pick No.24) - have begun their induction program at Windy Hill and Bomber.tv was there to greet them.
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The two 18-year-old Jakes were introduced to the players and staff, attended a morning training session, sat in on a staff meeting and had a media briefing as part of their first day at the club.
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Bomber.tv asked the Calder Cannons premiership team-mates to rate each others strengths and Melksham said Carlisle is a player that will benefit from being in an AFL system.
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""He (Carlisle) has big hands and takes a good mark, good leap and nice reach about him. He is a really good pack mark and is a nice kick for his size. I think he has a lot to his game and room for improvement as well,"" Melksham said.
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""He has only been at the Cannons for probably 12 months so this year was his break through year and he really shone.""
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The respect is mutual with 197cm Carlisle saying Melksham was able to dominate in the midfield on the big stage.
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""He (Melksham) had a best on ground performance in the (TAC Cup) grand final. He is pretty quick, he's got the speed and agility and all the attributes of a young footballer,""Â Carlisle said.
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""He has a good head on his shoulders, leads from the front and he is a good bloke to have around the club.""
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To see exclusive behind-the-scenes action from the 2009 National Draft including the first interview with Melksham click here.
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Melksham says he has his eye on an early senior debut but Carlisle - who has played cricket on Windy Hill - wants to start training before setting any goals.
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""It still hasn't really sunk in that I have been drafted by an AFL club, by Essendon but I am pretty stoked to be here, I can't complain,"" Carlisle said.
Essendon Football Club has officially launched its 2010 membership campaign – THIS IS ESSENDON – at a function at Windy Hill. The launch included the first official screening of an emotive video that identifies with everything it means to follow Essendon.