New Demon Jake Lever made a bold decision to delete Twitter off his phone after copping it all over the social media channel.
โIt got too much. Footy is so scrutinised now that if you stuff up one thing itโs all over Twitter (and) itโs all over a news article," Lever told the Herald Sun.
Lever's career in red and blue has started indifferently, struggling to mesh with the back six and impose his hallmark intercept marking game.
Meanwhile, the Dees are 2-3 and lagging in 14th position after many saw them as potential top four contenders.
And Lever has copped his share of the criticism from a mixture of ex-teamates, experts and fans, leaving the Demon questioning the dangers of social media.
โItโs about understanding that footballers are human,โ he said.
โYouโve seen guys like Tom Boyd โ similar situation to myself, where heโs come over on a high profile (deal) and in a move that wasnโt liked by his old club.
โWith his mental health problems it almost flows off that.
โI think players need to deal with it in a way where they almost get off it (social media). Just eliminate it โ it does more harm than good.โ
The 22-year old detailed how easy it was to read something on Twitter that could have a negative affect on himself, his family and the footy club.
โYouโve got a notification sitting there on Twitter and so you click on it,โ he said.
โIt might be a fan or it might be an article written about you and it just really drains you. Itโs not like you wake up every night thinking about it, itโs more you bring it into the club."
Despite the dramatised media attention Lever has received, the young Demon is enjoying being back in his hometown Melbourne.
โIโm super stoked to be here,โ he said.
โI think itโs really important for me to be around my family at the minute. Theyโre my biggest support but they also know when to tell me when Iโm not going so well as well.โ
The former Crow said there is no ill feelings between he and his ex-club, despite a rocky break up after he requested a trade in October 2017.
โLook, Iโve got heaps of close mates still there,โ he said.
โI watch with interest every week how my mates go and, yeah., at the time it was a touchy subject, but Iโve moved on and I hope the club has as well.โ
Melbourne play Essendon this Sunday at Etihad Stadium in a do or die game for both teams.
