Player Watch Jarryd Blair (Delisted 2018)

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DaVe86

DaVe86

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Oct 6, 2004
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Hi guys,

I'm looking for a genuine discussion here and not player bashing.

Whilst there are a lot of players at the moment copping a bit of flack (eg Seedsman, Oxley, Kennedy, Witts), one player who has really disappointed me over the past month has been Blair.

I've called for his head in the past, and when I do he comes out and plays a blinder. He was good in the first half of the year as well.

However, Bucks made a statement in the pre season that he wasn't going to have players on his forward line that offered nothing offensively.

Blairs disposals in the last 4 games have been 10, 8, 16 and 12. Admittingly he was sub for 2 of those games, but he played close to a full game last week following Clokes injury.

He has kicked 3 goals during this time, but his goal last week was a give me advantage in the goal square after the free kick to white.

My issue is that I don't see a lot of upside to Blair. His output and defensive pressure is always similar. He is a handy player, but I can't see him improving more.

Whereas guys like Seedsman are inconsistent, but the upside is huge if we can harness the talent. Whilst finals are a priority, I also think we need to keep finding out about the kennedys and seedsmans who have enormous upside still.

Unfortunately, Blair is not gifted with height or pace. He can't make it in the midfield for these reasons, and his tank is also average. Plus his kicking is just ok.

He is just a really natural footballer who has a red hot go. I think if we have Elliott and fasolo up and going then Blair is a nice compliment, but I think we have better on our list.

I think he makes a really good sub. His 8 possessions as a sub against the Hawks were really good. He kicked a goal and really had a big influence. But he does not have sustained influences over full games.

I think it's a battle between he and Kennedy at the moment for the guy who is sub 175cm as a small forward/mid. Kennedy has much better pace and also a better on baller. But lacks a tank. Kennedy had 15 disposals and should have kicked 2 goals.

Right now, Blair is the guy I would use if it was life or death. But I think the upside with Kennedy is higher so I would give him the chance.

One will probably have to maKe way for Adams if we want to play greenwood and Adams, so I would drop Blair.

What are people's thought? Am I been too harsh.

Don't get me wrong, I think he has a go and is a valuable player, we just need more and I don't think he is going to improve as he already makes the most of what he has been given
 
Your not too harsh.
This has been part of my argument for over two years and on top of that his defensive pressure acts often have little bearing on the contest as he is oft broken or players just get a releasing handball off. But meh.
 
Last edited:

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Does a lot of things coach's look for that we don't

Having said that he's been off the boil lately
 
DaVe86 said:
The fact bucks has made him sub twice over the last month is a big statement considering how important these games have been.

Typically, the sub is the first dropped after a bad loss, so I think he will be omitted this week if bucks is true to form.
Click to expand...

First of all Seedsman will definitely be the 'first' dropped, although Blair could quickly follow suit :p

Secondly, if he does remain in the side it's purely because Broomhead is injured and we have no one pushing to play in his spot.
 
I think over the next 18mths, with all the high end picks we have to come in the side, natural attrition will push him out. Good depth player.
 
A clear analysis of what Blair has to offer, and what he doesn't. He is a real natural footballer, good in close, and with evasive skills that are just short of AFL standard. They are VFL elite. His kicking has always been just a little below standard, with so many passes falling short of their targets. His set shots are not long, but usually accurate.
Kennedy is similar, but faster. The greatest shortcoming so far has been his goal kicking. He should be a better snap and a better set shot. These are both heavily confidence dependent, but if they don't improve soon, he will have to be discarded, perhaps to show us up at some other club.
I'm inclined to agree that we need to focus on Kennedy at this stage, as the one more likely to become the small player star we need.
Seedsman is becoming a huge frustration. He wasn't a high draft pick, so initial expectations were low. Since making the senior side, he has shown that he has great talent, but rarely makes thte most of his opportunities. He has missed a lot of crucial goals and passes now, and can't be given much more leeway for his defensive shortcomings.
 
Average footballer who has a red hot go is a pretty good description. It seems like he is well aware of that, and knows his place in the team depends on the red hot go, so it will likely be a constant presence as long as he gets picked. I wonder if the more salient point is youngsters such as Broomhead, Kennedy, De Goey, Goodyear etc. If our progression from 7-12 to pressing into the top 4 is to happen they really need to start demanding his spot
 
Not sold whether either of Blair or Kennedy will be best 22 in 2017.

Happy to carry them for a little and see what pans out, but I certainly hope at this stage we recruit, trade and/or draft accordingly so we don't need to rely on either apart from depth players.
 
Started the season well, but seems to have tapered off to his 2014esqe type performances. Low posessions, low scoreboard impact, but not even as good defensively. 1 tackle last week with almost a full game isn't good enough for someone playing a defensive forward role.
 
As others have said, still best 22 at present, but if we are to progress to next tier we need the young players to inprove to a point where he is not best 22 anymore.

If we get Treloar, then I think what will push Blair out is a mix of Swan/Pendlebury/de Goey/Broomhead/Crisp all spending more time rotating through the forward line.

So its not necessarily Blair vs Kennedy. It might be Blair vs a changed structure.

In 2016, if by some miracle everyone is fit, thr forward line might be:
Swan, Cloke, Rotating Mid
Elliott, Reid, White

Where that rotating mid is one of those I mentioned, changing over every 10 mins, and Swan going for an occasional run in the middle.
 
I like Blair just as a pure forward. Offers a bit when on but I can agree with you. In the coming years, will see him purely becoming just a depth player. I don't mind him playing the sub role. Right now, he is ahead of a few and still definitely best 22. I think Kenno overtakes him in the long run.
 

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His last month has been pretty poor from an offensive standpoint and is averaging 2 tackles a game across his last 3 efforts. The problem I see with him is, he doesn't really have one great attribute that keeps him ahead of others. Ultimately this will be his undoing.
 
Very limited player who tries his guts out, but ultimately the sooner he is replaced the better.

His tackles often get shrugged off, his footskills are average, doesn't get a lot of possession, lacks kicking penetration, his height is a liability on occassions ect ect

Does all the 1% stuff really well but as a senior player is not doing enough.
 
I think he is a player whose heart and endeavour make his achievements more on occasions than his talents would suggest. That means if the effort is not 100% that he is shown up, whether that is missed tackles, goal miss or knocked off the ball. A good solid citizen but keeping a place for one of the newer players.
 
Ben Ken and Blair will/should get replaced by Broomhead and Adams when they come back in IMO.
 
I was more critical of Blair last year, but to bring some balance to the discussion, isn't he still carrying an ankle injury after that Melb game?

Buckley loves him and has alluded to his forward pressure which we don't get through others, although Fasolo is starting to apply it, so he's probably in the team to bring that even though he's not playing a full game.

I agree in principal that guys like Seedsman have more upside but Buckley's comment about Seedsman still trying to work it out it he will make it has alarm bells ringing for me. I thought after Anzac Day he would be a lock, but whether it's dedication, confidence or attitude, something is stopping him.
 
Not sure exactly where he stands but right now I'd have him in front of Seed, Fasolo, Kennedy and Broomhead - not all like for likes I know but just in terms of standing within the playing group. I don't think he's ever let us supporters down which is something I'm mindful of. He has a red hot crack, and gives everything to the team. Needs to lay a few more tackles though; and kick it over 30m.
 
I prefer Blair in his old role as an in and under mid who drifts forward, for me his impact would be far greater than this role of a defensive forward, as a team we are being smashed around the contest in the middle of the ground and Blair would add that hardness and grunt so sorely lacking at the moment.
One more player winning or at least breaking even around the contest would go a long way to stopping our opposition from feasting on easy takeaways from the contest.
 
I like Blair and think he is harshly treated on here. That said, he's not performing as a senior member of the team should at the moment and should be considered to be dropped if there is someone at VFL level to come in to do the same role.

If it came down to Blair or Seedsman I would drop Seedsman every day of the week, has all the ability in the world but his decision making is atrocious.
 
He's amongst the deck chairs being shuffled at the bottom end of our best 22. His game is reliant on maximum effort.
 
Thanks guys. Good discussion so far.

He may survive this week, but I definitely think his spot is going to really be tested when Adams and Elliott return.

If we want to play both Adams and Greenwood, then guys like Swan and Pendlebury will have stints up forward.

With Elliott and fasolo already forward, along with a resting mid, Blairs spot is really going to be squeezed considering Buckley clearly has no confidence to play him in the midfield.
 
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