'Not as seamless' - Mat Sadler on Jamie Jellis' recent Walsall omission

And Sadler has conceded that he is still trying to find a way to help Jellis rediscover his groove.

'It's not been as seamless as last season'

"Hopefully everyone knows what I think of JJ. He is an unbelievable person, love him to bits," Sadler said. 

"It's not been as seamless as last season. I think that's fair to say, so we're just trying to get everyone in the right place to then have the performances that we know Jamie is capable of.

"I think he will be the first to say we haven't got there yet, but that change is only a matter of an inch away, or a moment away.

"Then all of a sudden it's lift-off and we've got an outstanding player back on our hands. I'm fully expecting that to happen at some point."

A combination of injury, illness and issues off the pitch have reduced Jellis to just 19 league appearances this term. 

Jellis avoided a lengthy ban for breaching FA betting rules when he was handed a five-month suspended ban following a hearing in September. 

The 25-year-old had also been nursing an abdominal issue which has kept him out for two separate spells. 

He arrived from non-league Tamworth for an undisclosed fee in January 2024, but a hamstring injury limited him to just two substitute appearances in League Two in 2023-24. 

However, Jellis enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last term - scoring seven goals and setting up two more in 55 appearances in all competitions. 

Jellis has not found the net since scoring in a 2-0 win at Morecambe in February 2025 and has registered two assists in 27 matches this season in total.