Player Watch #23: Blake Thredgold - selected with R2(#26) in the ND - Welcome to North Melbourne, Blake

[William Caresser]

Ha ha ha, yes well you do have a point with his kicking, sometimes it's okay but on other occasions it can be bad, he needs to get better with that.

Guys like Comben need intensive, specialist kicking coaching all preseason long. You could add at least 10 other players on our list who have technical issues with their kicking which get exposed on match day. They can't reliably pinpoint 20-30-40 metre passes so then start kicking sideways and backwards which just gives the opposition time to set up and we end up defending repeat entries. Or they dump it long.

You'd hope the penny has dropped for the club and players involved. They should be doing what golfers and tennis players do; even the elite in those sports are constantly working to fix technical flaws through coaching from specialists, especially in the off season. We need to see improvement in this area.

 

[DuckYeah]

Guys like Comben need intensive, specialist kicking coaching all preseason long. You could add at least 10 other players on our list who have technical issues with their kicking which get exposed on match day. They can't reliably pinpoint 20-30-40 metre passes so then start kicking sideways and backwards which just gives the opposition time to set up and we end defending repeat entries. Or they dump it long.

You'd hope the penny has dropped for the club and players involved. They should be doing what golfers and tennis players do - even the very best fix technical flaws through coaching from properly qualified specialist, especially in the off season.

Nah, Comben is practically an All Aus defender according to some around here

 

[Roosurgence]

Not sure what it is, but Thredgold is the draftee that has me most excited.

It sounds like he has the ability to play on the talls and mediums.

Seems like a really solid citizen as well.

The kid looks like he reads the play really well which is the difference between a plodder at AFL level and being AFL standard.

It’s going to be a slow burn, but really looking forward to what Blake can bring when given his opportunity.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Not sure what it is, but Thredgold is the draftee that has me most excited.

It sounds like he has the ability to play on the talls and mediums.

Seems like a really solid citizen as well.

The kid looks like he reads the play really well which is the difference between a plodder at AFL level and being AFL standard.

It’s going to be a slow burn, but really looking forward to what Blake can bring when given his opportunity.

Anyone who can actually defend is a lock in this side.

 

[The Talent Scout]

Anyone who can actually defend is a lock in this side.

 

[King Hansen]

Not sold on em yet.

Thredgold looks good
Dawson: unsure
Whitlock: unsure
Comben: Dud
Logue: Dud
Pink: Dud

Did you this post for next year. You're welcome .

Next KPD we pick: looks good
Thredgold: unsure
Dawson: Dud
Whitlock: Dud
Comben: Dud
Logue: Dud
Pink: Dud

 

[DuckYeah]

Did you this post for next year. You're welcome .

Next KPD we pick: looks good
Thredgold: unsure
Dawson: Dud
Whitlock: Dud
Comben: Dud
Logue: Dud
Pink: Dud

Dawson and whitlock have a long way to go and need some time to show something. Maybe i’ll save that post for the 2027 bye round

 

[disco_cowboy]

Dawson and whitlock have a long way to go and need some time to show something. Maybe i’ll save that post for the 2027 bye round

i believe in dawson

 

[DuckYeah]

i believe in dawson

Im just worried he will cost too much when he has the ball. Im not concerned with his 1v1 stuff. Defenders do need to be able to half kick the footy and he full battles to make contact with the ball

 

[BrownPaperBag]

Im just worried he will cost too much when he has the ball. Im not concerned with his 1v1 stuff. Defenders do need to be able to half kick the footy and he full battles to make contact with the ball

Dunno I know he’s fluffed a lot of kicks but I have also seen some pretty good kicks

 

[DuckYeah]

Dunno I know he’s fluffed a lot of kicks but I have also seen some pretty good kicks

His kicking isn’t AFL standard for a backman. Its bad, Chom is a better kick of a footy and that campaigner is shit. Its a massive concern. Its that much a concern the cosches played him as a forward because developing a set shot is easier than developing a field kick

 

[King Corey]

Chom's bodywork is a bigger area for improvement than his kicking.

 

[DuckYeah]

Chom's bodywork is a bigger area for improvement than his kicking.

He’s an all round awful defender. Sub par

 

[chubbspeterson]

Not sure what it is, but Thredgold is the draftee that has me most excited.

It sounds like he has the ability to play on the talls and mediums.

Seems like a really solid citizen as well.

The kid looks like he reads the play really well which is the difference between a plodder at AFL level and being AFL standard.

It’s going to be a slow burn, but really looking forward to what Blake can bring when given his opportunity.

Same. He can play on smalls and talls. Had a good battle with 191cm Mitch Marsh in the SANFL U18 GF.
Since his first game for SA he was one player I was hoping we'd get, as you saw some special things.
Since then he's improved a lot. He's got some things to work on (like the other draftees around the mark like Louis Emmett, Sam Allen, Jack Dalton, Avery Thomas and Jevan Phillipou) for sure, but he's got the raw tools with his speed, athleticism (vertical/wingspan), marking and ability to lockdown and spoil. Seeing an interview with him pre-draft on youtube, you could tell his character.
I guess I'm also a little bit more confident that Blake was keen to play for us as well, so that adds to it.

 

[The Dingrel]

Not sold on em yet.

Thredgold looks good
Dawson: unsure
Whitlock: unsure
Comben: Dud
Logue: Dud
Pink: Dud

Plenty on the list coming out of contract in 26, would you keep any?

 

[The Talent Scout]

Plenty on the list coming out of contract in 26, would you keep any?

Uh oh!

 

[The Dingrel]

Uh oh!

baiting....I suspect we all know the answer !

 

[DuckYeah]

Plenty on the list coming out of contract in 26, would you keep any?

I dont think we have a lot of choice. Pink might be the only one out of that group. Unless there are FA’s then i’d get rid of the bottom 4 in my list (as the end of 2025)

 

[chubbspeterson]

I dont think we have a lot of choice. Pink might be the only one out of that group. Unless there are FA’s then i’d get rid of the bottom 4 in my list (as the end of 2025)

You can't have only three key defenders (Thredgold, Dawson, Pink) on the list and no depth to cover injuries.
That's some Rawling level of cutting deep in regards to key back spots.
They are not going to cut Matt Whitlock after his 2nd year or Will Dawson after his 3rd year.
They'd have those players on a much longer term development plan when they draft them.
Corr gone is the most likely change to the key backs end of 2026 and Blake effectively replaces him.
You could make a case for Logue if he doesn't perform, but I'd say worst case he's contracted VFL depth to end of 27'.

Comben is a good interceptor who is rated by other coaches highly like Kingsgley and it's very unlikely we get someone in who is better via trade/FA and any draftees will take time.
If he gets injured (knock on wood he stays healthy) again then maybe it's question as to whether you move on.
I would agree he's not the best 1v1 defender and his kicking needs work though.

I think we'd have other draft priorities like a key forward, rebounding half back and running power through middle.
But can't completely rule out drafting a medium or key defender with a late pick given a good one might be available, but I think it might be more a medium defender who can intercept and rebound if anything.

 

[DuckYeah]

You can't have only three key defenders (Thredgold, Dawson, Pink) on the list and no depth to cover injuries.
That's some Rawling level of cutting deep in regards to key back spots.
They are not going to cut Matt Whitlock after his 2nd year or Will Dawson after his 3rd year.
They'd have those players on a much longer term development plan when they draft them.
Corr gone is the most likely change to the key backs end of 2026 and Blake effectively replaces him.
You could make a case for Logue if he doesn't perform, but I'd say worst case he's contracted VFL depth to end of 27'.

Comben is a good interceptor who is rated by other coaches highly like Kingsgley and it's very unlikely we get someone in who is better via trade/FA and any draftees will take time.
If he gets injured (knock on wood he stays healthy) again then maybe it's question as to whether you move on.
I would agree he's not the best 1v1 defender and his kicking needs work though.

I think we'd have other draft priorities like a key forward, rebounding half back and running power through middle.
But can't completely rule out drafting a medium or key defender with a late pick given a good one might be available, but I think it might be more a medium defender who can intercept and rebound if anything.

I said we don’t have a lot of choice. Pink might be the only one to get the chop.

However, I would go hammer n tongs after FA and contracted kpd.. depending on what I could land would depend on how many I chop.

Of course Kingsley and other coaches love chom, Easy street to goal. Play straight through him.

The 3 kids are going nowhere. Not on my chop list

 

[chubbspeterson]

I said we don’t have a lot of choice. Pink might be the only one to get the chop.

However, I would go hammer n tongs after FA and contracted kpd.. depending on what I could land would depend on how many I chop.

Of course Kingsley and other coaches love chom, Easy street to goal. Play straight through him.

The 3 kids are going nowhere. Not on my chop list

Oh okay. Thought you meant you'd only keep Pink and cut the bottom four of your list (Whitlock, Comben, Logue, Pink) which would leave no depth.

 

[RooInNorthLondon]

The job of coaches is both to develop player skills and put in place the game structures to maximise what our guys do well and try to minimise the situations they face that exploit their weaknesses. We have enough defenders with one or more positive attributes to fashion something at least competitive in my opinion. Expecting every player to be a complete package is a mugs game.

 

[giantroo]

#23

 

[Kanga Glory]

#23

David Dench #23

 

[My Left Foote]

David Dench #23

Let’s hope he only matches his on field exploits.