Melksham was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with their first selection and tenth overall in the 2009 national draft . '' The Age '' journalist , Will Brodie , predicted he would debut and play in the midfield early in the season and he made his debut in the twenty point win against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round three . He played the next two matches before he was omitted for the round six match against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ; he returned the next week for the three point loss against at Etihad Stadium where he kicked his first AFL goal . He was rewarded with the round eight nomination in the AFL Rising Star after he recorded fourteen possessions , three clearances , three tackles and a goal in the twelve point win against at Etihad Stadium . He missed the round ten match against the after he sprained his ankle during the thirty-five point win against the week before , he returned the next week for the nine point loss against at the Sydney Cricket Ground . He played the next four out of five matches , missing the round fifteen match against due to being rested , before he was dropped for the round seventeen match against at Etihad Stadium . He played the next three weeks in the Victorian Football League ( VFL ) for Essendon 's affiliate team , the Bendigo Bombers , before returning to the senior side in round twenty for the ninety-eight point loss against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and he played the remainder of the year to finish with fourteen matches for the season . Despite being drafted as a midfielder , he played the majority of the season on the half-back flank and struggled for continuity as he played no more than four matches consecutively at a time
AFL Rising Star
2010 AFL Rising Star
Jake Melksham