Delisted Jade Gresham

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25 touches, 5 clearances and arguably the game winner amongst his two goals.

Fair bounce back from last week’s down performance.
 
St Kilda has secured the signature of young gun Jade Gresham, with the emerging star recommitting to the club for a further four years.

The dynamic 21-year-old will remain in red, white and black until at least the end of 2023, demonstrating his faith in the direction of the club.

“I’m really looking forward to what we can achieve in the future,” Gresham said.

“Everyone at the Saints, including the fans, really embraced me as soon as I walked through the door, so it was an easy decision to recommit with the club.

“I love the direction we’re heading, and I'm rapt to be a part of it for the long term.”

After finishing fourth in the 2018 Trevor Barker Award, Gresham used the recent pre-season to build his tank and prove himself worthy of more midfield minutes in 2019.






His Round 2 performance against Essendon showcased his potential, with the Northern Knights product ending the night with 25 disposals, 12 contested possessions, five clearances, five inside 50s and two goals.

“Jade is a supremely talented player who is starting to really stamp himself on our team, and the competition more broadly, so it is exciting to have a player of his calibre commit to the club long term,” St Kilda List Manager James Gallagher said.

“Jade is a key part of a strong nucleus of young talent on our list, and his signature demonstrates great faith in what we are building at the club.”

Gresham joined the Saints with pick 18 in the 2015 National Draft and made his debut in Round 1 2016 against Port Adelaide.

He is set to play his 70th game in the red, white and black this Saturday night when the Saints take on the Eagles at Marvel Stadium.

RD 8 | Gresh on re-signing - saints.com.au https://www.saints.com.au/video/2019-05-09/rd-8-gresh-on-resigning
 

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The magnets were shifted in 2019 to great effect.
Jade Gresham was at the forefront of one of the biggest changes for the Saints, with the dynamic small forward thrust into the midfield.
After taking out St Kilda’s goalkicking award last season with 35 majors, the shift to the on-ball brigade sought to realise Gresham's damaging impact further up the field.

And the centre wasn’t unfamiliar territory for the No. 4, with his junior days spent as an in-and-under midfielder with a potency for goal.
TBA-Contender-Gresham-940x599.jpg

A return to his roots ultimately paid dividends, with Gresham enjoying his best season to date.
His superb 2019 campaign is likely to see him as one of the frontrunners for this year's Trevor Barker Award in just his fourth season of senior football.
Averaging 23 disposals, five clearances and eight ground-ball gets per game, the 22-year-old highlighted his importance to the club’s future on countless occasions.
Electric both inside and outside, Gresham’s ability to burst from the stoppages and generate opportunities sparked his side to life on many occasions, while his desperation at ground level, flair and creativity willed the red, white and black to victory several times.

Match-winning performances against Essendon (25 disposals, two goals), Hawthorn (26 disposals), Carlton (29 disposals, six inside-50s) and Melbourne (a career-high 32 disposals) reaffirmed his status as a cornerstone of St Kida’s future.
His stellar season was capped off by a four-year contract extension, with the Saints securing a positive outlook for years to come.
Gresham’s dynamism and cool head under pressure will have him as a hot favourite for the club’s most prestigious individual honour.
And by the numbers alone, the South Morang product's credibility as a potential club best-and-fairest is only enhanced.
Gresham featured strongly in St Kilda’s top-five for disposals (430), contested possessions (190), clearances (87), inside-50s (91) metres gained (7056) and goals (15), while charting well above for ground-ball gets (158).
His ascendancy in all facets established him as one of the red, white and black's most reliable contributors, with barely a blemish on his terrific season.
GRESH SPESH: No. 4 back to brilliant best
A fractured eye socket sustained against Adelaide in Round 20 unfortunately cut the young Saint’s year short, bringing an end to his 64-game consecutive streak.
But even with fewer matches played than favourites Rowan Marshall, Jack Billings and Jack Steele, Gresham is every chance to take out this season’s Trevor Barker Award.
 
Jade Gresham has recovered well from a fractured eye-socket and is gunning towards a solid campaign in the red, white and black.
The No. 4 was close to playing against Sydney in Round 23 but was kept on the sidelines as a precaution.
 
Jade Gresham
Career
Games: 81
Goals: 91
2019
Games: 19
Goals: 15

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Jade Gresham’s move to the midfield resulted in an immediate lift for the Saints’ on-ball brigade.
The No. 4 enjoyed a superb year through the centre, bringing his trademark dynamic plays and creativity to energise the Saints on multiple occasions.
Displaying both flair and grunt, Gresham’s balance between the two saw him lead the red, white and black for ground-ball gets, while also jagging 15 classy goals for the season.
He was the electricity that allowed his side to thrive, and when Gresham ignited the spark, the Saints were at their best.
BEST GAME:
Gresham had several standout games, but his incredible efforts against Melbourne in Round 19 (32 disposals, nine clearances, eight inside-50s) saw the Saints come away with the four points.
 
Jade Gresham has catapulted up to a top-five pick in Brad Johnson’s revised 2015 AFL draft rankings.

In Fox Footy’s series of adjusted draft listings, the AFL Hall of Famer placed Gresham at No. 4 – 14 picks in front of his original selection at the 2015 AFL National Draft.

Johnson labelled the livewire midfielder as “arguably the Saints’ best player”, highlighting his goal nous and composure that separates him from the rest of his draft class.

Gresham enjoyed a breakout season in 2019 following a shift to the Saints’ on-ball brigade, averaging 23 disposals and five clearances per game.

He also ranked second in the league for Champion Data rating points (434) for small-medium forwards.

The No. 4 finished sixth in this year's Trevor Barker Award, placing in the top-10 for the third consecutive year.

Gresham was originally recruited at pick No. 18 alongside recently delisted pair Brandon White (40) and Bailey Rice (49).

BRAD JOHNSON’S 2015 TOP 10

1. Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)
2. Daniel Rioli (Richmond)
3. Jacob Hopper (GWS)
4. Jade Gresham (St Kilda)
5. Josh Dunkley (Western Bulldogs)
6. Charlie Curnow (Carlton)
7. Tom Doedee (Adelaide)
8. Callum Mills (Sydney)
9. Wayne Milera (Adelaide)
10. Jacob Weitering (Carlton)
 
2020: Rd2 Vs the Bulldogs Stats.

Disposals: 25. (13K, 12HB)
Marks: 2
Tackles: 5
Clearances: 5
Metres Gained: 419.
Contested Possessions: 14
Uncontested Possessions: 12
Disposal Efficiency: 64%

HP's observations:
About as Solid a game as you'd want from him going through the middle. Didn't Star, but was workman like with his high possessions, even spread of kicks, handballs, tackles, Contested and Uncontested Possessions. Last year consistency was the issue, he was either quiet or the stand out most of the time. An injury in round one makes his form so far hard to judge, but he's started off the rebooted season perfectly in a new look midfield. Now we wait and see if he has the consistency that has eluded him in the past.

Highlight: That perfectly weighted long kick to Steele at the top of the square while on the run. Perfect delivery to a forward in a contest.
 
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