He made his debut in 1983 with Essendon, however it was during the 1984 VFL season in which he established himself as the league's leading full forward kicking 63 goals in 13 games. Essendon's leading ruckman at the time was Simon Madden, which allowed Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy the luxury of playing the accurate kicking "Fish" up forward. His effectiveness in the position was due to his athleticism and ability to win one-on-one marking contests, using his superior height and mobility. At the time, Salmon was the VFL's equal tallest player alongside 's Justin Madden (Simon Madden's younger brother), and one of only a handful of VFL players who stood over 200 cm (6'7") tall.