Christian Salem the man behind Demons’ hub haircuts
Living in interstate hubs has changed a lot of things for AFL players, with Christian Salem picking up a new job cutting teammates’ hair. But there’s one risk he won’t break.
Melbourne
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He’s the Demon Barber of Hub Life.
Melbourne defender Christian Salem is cutting his way through the game’s new normal one head at a time.
It happened almost by accident, but Salem now finds himself as Melbourne’s resident barber, tasked with the do of Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw to name but two.
There’s little experience, he admits, but confidence counts for plenty.
“It actually started on last year’s pre-season camp, because a couple of boys needed a cut,” Salem explained.
“And I had clippers with me, and I said, ‘Let me give you one’. I told them I knew how to do it, but I’d never cut anyone’s hair in my life. Not even my own. But it actually came out all right.
“Then on most interstate trips, I was cutting Clarry’s (Oliver) hair and a few other boys. The cuts aren’t too great, but that’s what they ask for, so can’t really complain.
“It’s something to do, so it’s kept me busy. I’ve done a couple of boys up here, and some staff as well. At least that’s keeping me somewhat busy.”
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He’s quite pleased with the job he’s done on one of the guys who runs water, “sort of like an undercut”, but others like Brayshaw and Oliver “ask for some pretty outrageous things”.
“I wouldn’t get that haircut, but I’m just listening to what they want me to do,” he laughed.
“I just sort of go with the flow, The trick is you’ve just got to pretend you know what you’re doing. Look confident and you’ll be sweet – that’s my way to get around it.”
Location is also key.
“Originally, they want to come to my room, but I go to their room so I don’t have to clean up,” Salem admitted.
“There’s a few boys that pop in, but I try to keep it under wraps in case I stuff it up.”
With the league announcing this week that players will remain interstate for the remainder of the season, Salem said had been inundated with requests, although there is one head he will likely steer clear of just in case.
“(Coach Simon Goodwin) did ask for one,” Salem said.
“He said, ‘We’re locked here for a while, and if it grows out, I’ll need a cut’. But I couldn’t mess that up, could I? It’s just a straight shave of the head.
“(But if I stuffed it), that’s bad. He’s not one to wear hats, either, so it’d be on show.”
He doesn’t charge for his services, but says he might have to think about it — he more enjoys having something to keep him busy in the Manly hub.
Salem’s bleached number is the work of Sakkarin Onnom from True Barber in Elwood, the man behind the hair of Richmond superstar Dustin Martin and the lairy look of Tiger Mabior Chol, along with many other AFL players.
“He convinced me to put a bit of blonde in my hair over iso,” Salem said.
“I did message him the other day saying he might need to come up (to maintain it). I’m not too fussed with my hair – it just grows quick, so I’ll just let it grow out and see what happens.”
There’s been a strong focus on family in the Harbour City over recent weeks, with Nathan Jones, Jake Melksham, Neville Jetta and Tom McDonald all bringing their kids along for the ride.
Skipper Jack Viney’s daughter Mila was just nine days old when hub life began, with his wife Charlotte getting plenty of support from the Demons’ “mum club”.
“It’s pretty good fun, we’ve been mucking around with the kids, there’s ping pong, Nascar, even just kicking the ball around,” Salem said.
“It’s great to have them around and everyone’s like a big tight-knit family.
“(Mila) is so small. I don’t even want to hold her, to be honest, I’m a bit scared. It’s good having her up here. Jack’s loving it and really getting used to the sleeping patterns, I think.”
Salem is preparing to pack up his clippers for Queensland in coming days, with the Demons to head to the Gold Coast following Sunday’s clash with Hawthorn, having turned their fortunes with a rousing win over Gold Coast last week.
“We’ve been working pretty hard on our game,” the bayside product said.
“Things probably hadn’t worked the way we wanted at the start of the year, and for us it’s just making those adjustments and hopefully getting on a roll.
“We perform best on the road, and have to make the most of the opportunity we’ve got.”
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WHY PETRACCA IS FINALLY LIVING UP TO HYPE
Routine has provided a one-way ticket to reward for Melbourne star Christian Petracca, who has enjoyed the most fruitful start to a season in his five-year career.
The 24-year-old has credited consistency off the field for allowing his football to flourish, with the numbers proving exactly what he has been feeling.
Petracca kicked a late clutch goal to seal the Demons’ 17-point win over Gold Coast last weekend and said his ability to find what works for him during the week is paying dividends on game days.
“I think it’s my most consistent patch of form – not necessarily my best form,” he said on Tuesday.
“I feel like I’ve created really good habits from Monday to Friday, and built a really good routine.
“I feel like once you do that, the confidence in yourself just starts increasing and that’s what I feel like I’m doing.”
Champion Data statistics show that Petracca – who has played 90 games – is thriving in the competition’s most interrupted season.
Being sidelined during football’s shutdown period has not stopped the attacking beast, who has recorded career-high statistics for disposals, contested possessions, clearances and pressure points.
“I feel like my consistency over a five or six-week period is better than what it’s been for my career,” he said, having averaged 23.6 touches per game this year.
As AFL players prepare for the next fixture stretch which could see games condensed and played off four-day breaks in an effort to play more games and minimise the time on the road, Petracca backed the preparation overseen by fitness boss Darren Burgess to equip the Demons for whatever comes their way.
“Even before we came back and during that iso period when we had six or seven weeks off, we would train a fair bit and train back to back days,” he said.
“We would train Monday, Tuesday and then probably a Thursday or Friday.
“We’re ready for that challenge, and that pre-season was one of the hardest preseasons I’ve done, so physically, I know I’m prepared and I know my teammates are prepared.
“We’ve just got to control what we can control, we’ve got really good depth in our team, so when guys have to sit out to be managed, there’ll be another guy there.”
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Originally published as Christian Salem the man behind Demons’ hub haircuts