Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has hailed Jake Melksham's grit and attitude after the "maligned" forward's match-winning display in the AFL win over Carlton.
Melksham kicked four goals, including one of his side's two in the final two minutes, as the Demons snatched a dramatic five-point victory on Saturday night.
It was 30-year-old's biggest tally in more than four years as he looks to re-establish his place in a side that is on the verge of locking in a top-four spot.
Melksham missed out on last year's premiership and was involved in an infamous restaurant fight with teammate Steven May during Melbourne's mid-season slump.
But he now looms as an X-factor in the Demons' bid for successive flags.
"He's obviously a bit of a maligned player but he's worked incredibly hard and in his last month of footy I think he's embodied a lot about our group," Goodwin said.
"He's come in and not only played a role for us, but he's played on some good players in the last month - Darcy Moore, Aliir Aliir, (Jacob) Weitering and then (Mitch) McGovern - and impacted the scoreboard.
"He's worked so hard to be part of this team and he's getting what he deserves in the game.
"There's him and Jayden Hunt as well that have had to fight and scrap their way into the team, and they're playing to win and they're playing their role incredibly well.
"I'm really proud of both those guys."
Melksham managed just one goal in three senior appearances during the first half of 2022.
He has been moved to full-forward in the absence of injured spearhead Tom McDonald over the last five rounds and has kicked goals in each of those games, taking his season tally to 10.
"He grew up through the middle part of his career executing that role incredibly well and it's something that we've drawn back on in the last six or seven weeks, and he's embraced it," Goodwin said.
Goodwin also heaped praise on Kysaisah Pickett, who kicked the match-winning goal against Carlton after Melksham had hauled the Dees back into the contest.
Pickett gathered the crumbs from a pack and snapped truly from the top of the goal square under pressure.
"His skill is unbelievable and at the right time he's bobbed up and kicked a goal for us," Goodwin said.
