New Zealand flanker Jed Melvin played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Head boy at Orewa College in Auckland, NZ, Melvin played with the East Coast Bays RFC Premier Side before being selected for the Blues A team. Melvin has played with North Harbour in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship (NPC) since 2022, alongside Free Jacks teammate Danyon Morgan-Puterangi.

On 29th May 2024, the New England Free Jacks announced that Melvin would be joining the club, along with a pair of US-eligible Welshmen Toby Fricker and Oscar Lennon, as MLR signing deadline (May 16th) reinforcements. Before Melvin’s joining was even announced, North Harbour had announced that he would return for their 2024 NPC season following the conclusion of the MLR season. He scored a hat trick for the Free Jacks in just his 3rd MLR game (2nd start), a 36-27 victory over the Utah Warriors. Melvin proved an excellent impact player for the Free Jacks, scoring 4 tries in 8 games (7 starts) for New England and completing almost 100 tackles while running for over 300m gained. The Free Jacks finished the regular season as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. He scored a try as the Free Jacks overcame Old Glory DC in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, and started their Eastern Conference Final clash with the Chicago Hounds. Melvin started the 2024 MLR Championship Game where he racked up 97m gained and 11 tackles as the Free Jacks successfully defended their title with a 11-20 victory over the Seattle Seawolves in San Diego, lifting the 2nd of back-to-back MLR shields. Melvin was named Man of the Match of the 2024 Championship game.

On October 22nd, 2024, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Jed Melvin for the 2025 MLR season, his first full season in in US.

achievements

• 2024 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
• Man of the Match: 2024 MLR Championship Game
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 16

NARDB Player #1280