Player Watch #22 Nick Blakey: The Lizard

[Kennedy Parker]

Nick Blakey
Nick Blakey

22

Nick Blakey

Age

26

Ht

196cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.4

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

8.1

2star

K

6.3

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

2.1

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

7.2

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.2

3star

is a prodigious talent with a laser-sharp left boot, an outstanding overhead ability and searing pace. The QBE Sydney Swans Academy product booted 21 goals in 19 games in a brilliant debut season en route to winning the club’s 2019 Rising Star award, and while he added a lively element to the forward line last year, he’s likely to play on a wing or in the midfield in 2020. Nick is the son of former Fitzroy and North Melbourne champion John Blakey, who’s had a variety of roles on the Swans’ coaching panel since 2006.

Nick Blakey

22

Nick Blakey

Age

26

Ht

196cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.4

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

8.1

2star

K

6.3

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

2.1

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

7.2

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.2

3star

DOB: 27 February 2000
DEBUT: 2019
DRAFT: #10, 2018 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: University Of NSW-Eastern Suburbs (NSW)

Nick Blakey | AFL

Follow Nick Blakey's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[The King!]

useless as a bull with **** live today

 

[strauchanie59]

Needs to be on a wing or in the forward line. Simply can't defend and doesn't want to defend.

 

[The King!]

agree midfield now it's obvious

defence is a liability

 

[The King!]

without the kick ins he would struggle to get a touch down back

 

[GreyGooseGuy88]

Has a real tendency to sulk when things don't his way like loopy kicks, hospital handballs. Snell would be more accountable as a pure backman. Their forward line is tall though the Saints, so that probably didn't allow him to be free too much.

 

[Punts]

Has a real tendency to sulk when things don't his way like loopy kicks, hospital handballs. Snell would be more accountable as a pure backman. Their forward line is tall though the Saints, so that probably didn't allow him to be free too much.

He doesn’t have the heart imo , weak a piss at times.

 

[The King!]

Has a real tendency to sulk when things don't his way like loopy kicks, hospital handballs. Snell would be more accountable as a pure backman. Their forward line is tall though the Saints, so that probably didn't allow him to be free too much.

but he was free heaps guarding grass he just doesn't know how to defend it seems or is mentally shot/lazy

his kicking is awful

 

[Nuggetz]

He was tantalising in the fwd stint v suns. 3 goals and dynamic. I'd love for him to be switched forward for parts of games or trial it.

Imo still plays too deep which doesn't suit his skillset. Prefer him running off halfback entering into our fwd 50. Maybe something to work on in the off season. He's a weapon that hasn't be used properly this season imo.

 

[hairy biker]

I find it interesting to compare the stats with the perception;





Now, seemingly like most on here, if you asked me was Blakey rebounding from the defensive 50 or gaining metres this year as much as previously I would have said no.

Yet the stats say something entirely different.

He's actually averaging significantly more metres gained this season than ever before and both his R50 & I50 figures are (admittedly marginally) also at all time highs, as are his score involvements, while his clangers are down.

Now possibly he's achieving these figures by kicking more and running less, but if the outcome is better (and some might argue it's not) does it matter? (Noticeably his bounces are down compared to the previous 2 seasons).

Certainly to the eye it seems he has been required to be more accountable defensively and his 1%s (3rd man spoils?) are well down compared to 2023/4).

Again if you asked me was Blakey contributing overall to the team as much as he has been in 2023/4 I'd have said no and the question could be asked has any statistical improvement been offset by him perhaps being found out defensively?

What I will say is perhaps his season hasn't been as disappointing as some might think.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I find it interesting to compare the stats with the perception;

View attachment 2369459

View attachment 2369460

Now, seemingly like most on here, if you asked me was Blakey rebounding from the defensive 50 or gaining metres this year as much as previously I would have said no.

Yet the stats say something entirely different.

He's actually averaging significantly more metres gained this season than ever before and both his R50 & I50 figures are (admittedly marginally) also at all time highs, as are his score involvements, while his clangers are down.

Now possibly he's achieving these figures by kicking more and running less, but if the outcome is better (and some might argue it's not) does it matter? (Noticeably his bounces are down compared to the previous 2 seasons).

Certainly to the eye it seems he has been required to be more accountable defensively and his 1%s (3rd man spoils?) are well down compared to 2023/4).

Again if you asked me was Blakey contributing overall to the team as much as he has been in 2023/4 I'd have said no and the question could be asked has any statistical improvement been offset by him perhaps being found out defensively?

What I will say is perhaps his season hasn't been as disappointing as some might think.

Very interesting HB. From limited observation I would say he has been a little more conservative in his attacking play and possibly biting off a bit more distance. Again on Sunday I twice saw him well out positioned defensively, once in a marking contest. On the other hand he made a couple of terrific 1% spoils.

 

[The King!]

Must be called Lizard because he likes laying around lazily

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

if the Liz was a nursery rhyme.

“……When he was good he was very very good but when he was bad he was horrid “

More random musings from the trivial mind of JHWF.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Must be called Lizard because he likes laying around lazily

I would rather he turn it over going with a attacking option from a 60m kick rather than those HB/corridor 20m turnovers.

His leg is a cannon you rarely saw Buddy trying those dinky field kicks

 

[The King!]

Will get 23 plus tonight and **** about kicking in and barely defending.

Time to play a good game and be a matchwinner

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Opposition coaches have figured him out.

Is NOT a quality defender & if he’s not able to run off half-back, there’s not a lot left.

Surely a positional change is being considered?

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Opposition coaches have figured him out.

Is NOT a quality defender & if he’s not able to run off half-back, there’s not a lot left.

Surely a positional change is being considered?

I had this thought that maybe its not Cox who is wanting Blakey to play deeper but its his opponent dragging him back. The commentators mentioned this last night. If this is the case, why does he keep following his opponent back? Surely he can do a handover with one of the back 3?

 

[Superstar swan]

Time to move him up the ground. We lose all advantages of his size and athleticism down back.

Move him up the ground and make the oppo find a matchup for him

 

[Superstar swan]

Imagine having a lightning quick 6”5 with a lethal foot to match up on at a cba .

He has been worked out and is wasted in defence now

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Id like to see the Lizard moved to CHF. I think he needs a refresh with a change of role. I think he will be a more complete forward second time around having spent the last few years as a defender.

 

[The King!]

if he gets the ball outside 50 it looks ****ing awesome , on the run he can kick a long goal, why do we let him get dragged to full back.

**** the kicking in off

 

[Nuggetz]

if he gets the ball outside 50 it looks ****ing awesome , on the run he can kick a long goal, why do we let him get dragged to full back.

**** the kicking in off

Should leave him across halfback with the freedom to drift fwd when required. If his opponent goes deep then someone else can take him. Atleast this way he can still help the defence with his speed & spoil but also help with our fwd 50 entries.

He's played far too deep this season. Imo cox has got it wrong with blakey but atleast he tried. Now we know.

 

[Mister B]

Trade him. Lazy front runner who spends way too much time on the ground after getting body contact.

 

[Jack2Jack]

Honestly don't know what the deal is, is he carrying something we don't know about or what's going on - from mid 21 to mid 24 he was so good. Been horrid since, and the good moments/games are very rare now. Been down on form for such a long time now, it's gone beyond a little blip or slump.

I mean you'd hope he'll bounce back at some point, but with the season dead what's the harm in looking at him as pseudo KF or in a different higher up the ground flank position?
Maybe we'll learn something for the future, even if it's just a secondary position lever we can pull on occasion. Seems like a missed opportunity to just spend this last 4 weeks using him the same way when he's just flat out in terrible form.

We aren't short on flankers who could fill in down in the backline while we experiment.

 

[Superstar swan]

Honestly don't know what the deal is, is he carrying something we don't know about or what's going on - from mid 21 to mid 24 he was so good. Been horrid since, and the good moments/games are very rare now. Been down on form for such a long time now, it's gone beyond a little blip or slump.

I mean you'd hope he'll bounce back at some point, but with the season dead what's the harm in looking at him as pseudo KF or in a different higher up the ground flank position?
Maybe we'll learn something for the future, even if it's just a secondary position lever we can pull on occasion. Seems like a missed opportunity to just spend this last 4 weeks using him the same way when he's just flat out in terrible form.

We aren't short on flankers who could fill in down in the backline while we experiment.

He needs a position change at this point , oppo know now to drag him back to the square at all costs. It just nullifies his strengths

 

[The King!]

The club fostered some of the laziness by always picking him even when he didn't deserve it, handing him extensions before he even played a game etc .