Player Watch #22 Nick Blakey

[Kennedy Parker]

Nick Blakey
Nick Blakey

22

Nick Blakey

Age

24

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

24

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

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

He didn’t get a kick last year mate , he was 2nd year blues apparently.

Tracking Rohan style this year , not even getting a touch on the wing and how many goals he got?

13 possies last night, 1 less than Jmac. The difference was composure. Blakey was poor imo and JMac was critical to our win.

 

[Punts]

13 possies last night, 1 less than Jmac. The difference was composure. Blakey was poor imo and JMac was critical to our win.

Rohan like posies without hitting the scoreboard

Jamc kicked 2

How many goals had Blakey got for the year?

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Rohan like posies without hitting the scoreboard

Jamc kicked 2

How many goals had Blakey got for the year?

Grohan rarely got near double figures.

Blakey has tried too many hero kicks for goal. JMac well ahead in terms of composure.

 

[Punts]

Grohan rarely got near double figures.

Blakey has tried too many hero kicks for goal. JMac well ahead in terms of composure.

Will agree to disagree mate , that’s what it’s about.

You clearly rate and I don’t , not at all

I don’t think he will make the wraps he has got

 

[The Gong]

I watched Ollie Florent get bashed from pillar to post on this forum and now it's clicked and he's no longer the whipping boy. I'm glad our coaching staff have more patience. Blakey has undeniable talent and just needs to improve his decision making. I'm looking forward to seeing him click as well. I'm backing him in.

 

[Punts]

Needs to cut out the tough guy acts also

Look like a w***er last night

Also whinging to the ump

 

[BloodySwan]

Mitchell, Lloyd, Dawson, Warner all had to really prove themselves in reserves before Horse gave them a go in the senior squad. I never understand how Horse makes his selection calls. Blakey has all the talent, but could do with a few weeks in reserves

 

[Punts]

Mitchell, Lloyd, Dawson, Warner all had to really prove themselves in reserves before Horse gave them a go in the senior squad. I never understand how Horse makes his selection calls. Blakey has all the talent, but could do with a few weeks in reserves

of last name where he was picked in draft , tall and fast.

I totally agree he needs to a run in the 2s

 

[Millky95]

Hayward is more Rohan like than Blakey imo

Blakey needs to play the reserves until he gets his form back. And kicks set shots better

 

[BarneyBent]

I thought Blakey was really solid up to about 3QT. Faded pretty badly in the last, and his composure needs some work - he's clearly been given a license to create and take risks but he tends to bite off a little more than he can chew.

I certainly think he's currently a net benefit to the side, but whether that's enough to keep the likes of Stephens out? Not sure.

I'd be keen to see him drop back into defence. He's at his least confident when he's got more time to think (like that awful half-shot, half-pass that went OoTF, or his consistent set shot misses). He's been drifting back on occasion from the wing the last few weeks anyway and has been really solid in those moments, impacting contests and helping rebounds. Could be an excellent use of his pace, explosiveness, and split second instincts (which I maintain are very good), and will also get the ball in his hands more. He's also more than handy in a one-on-one contest against a variety of heights, which is more than Hewett can boast.

In turn I'd move Hewett either forward or mids. I don't think Hewett down back is working at all, he's being wasted but he showed early in his career he's a capable half-forward and there's a spot for him there while Heeney is out.

Alternatively, move Parker forward and Hewett into the mids. Either way, there's a still a spot for Rowbottom to come in for Heeney.

 

[Angry Red Bull]

Needs to cut out the tough guy acts also

Look like a w***er last night

Also whinging to the ump

And while he is at it please shave that moustache too. Pitiful.

 

[caesar88]

IMO we can't say how good our depth currently is and still say that Blakey deserves to stay in the 22.

That's just a complete oxymoron.

 

[lollol]

Thought he hurt us a bit last night. Shirked a contest in the middle that he should have committed too. Lack bit of composure and did some pretty selfish acts, when he had possession.

Not his best display. Leadership/Coaching department need to address it IMO.

Should be in the 2's for a while. Plenty of other lads, who would love/deserve a go.

 

[Punts]

Clarke almost offers more on a wing , Stephens should be

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I watched Ollie Florent get bashed from pillar to post on this forum and now it's clicked and he's no longer the whipping boy. I'm glad our coaching staff have more patience. Blakey has undeniable talent and just needs to improve his decision making. I'm looking forward to seeing him click as well. I'm backing him in.

This. The criticism of Florent was ridiculous and over the top, and shocker he’s found his niche and everyone loves him.

The experts are at it again. No doubt they’ll be rushing back when it clicks for Blakey. Obviously he’s not traveling too well but some of the comments have a little too much disdain for my liking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CheapCharlie]

No doubt, had Blakey kicked goals on the occasions he took on the opposition the last couple of weeks (might be 4 of them from memory) or similarly, had he found a Swans target instead of the opposition target multiple times, most of us would be screaming what a genius he is.
Could be wait for next week and see if it clicks for him

 

[hairy biker]

I posted this in the Essendon autopsy thread but perhaps better suited here;

Nothing better to do this Friday arvo so I figured I might as well enter the Blakey debate.

IMO he's certainly got the athletic abilities and football skills to prosper, but if anything his footy nous and composure seems to be getting worse.

I know there have been suggestions that we persevere with him as he'll come good, but in my view that is based more on hope rather than any demonstrated ability to overcome his perceived deficiencies.
There have been suggestions that we move him to HB, HF or the mids.
I struggle to see how placing him in those positions is going to overcome his issues (as I see them) of lack of footy nous and composure. And to be honest I'm not keen on upsetting the balance of the team to accommodate Blakey, when on current form he simply doesn't deserve it and he hasn't really demonstrated an ability to play those positions.
As far as I'm considered at present it's wing or nothing and given his current form for me it's the reserves.

We have close to a full list to choose from and I see little reason to retain Blakey in the firsts, when we have other options.

I think a spell in the reserves where he can work on his issues with less pressure and if you like mentally slow his game down would benefit Nick and hopefully he'll come back and contribute for many a year.

 

[McRobie]

Needs to find a new role, one that doesn’t enable him to completely swing momentum to the opposition.

 

[SwansProudly]

Interesting comment from Garry Lyon - Blakey needs to "find the easy ball" - he makes everything hard

 

[The Gong]

Interesting comment from Garry Lyon - Blakey needs to "find the easy ball" - he makes everything hard

That's a pretty good assessment. It's been said in this forum many times. Go back to basics, do them well and then the exciting moments will come. He tries to do too much with every possession.

 

[caesar88]

I watched Ollie Florent get bashed from pillar to post on this forum and now it's clicked and he's no longer the whipping boy. I'm glad our coaching staff have more patience. Blakey has undeniable talent and just needs to improve his decision making. I'm looking forward to seeing him click as well. I'm backing him in.

With all due respect I don't like the concept of a 'whipping boy' as it implies it's an intentional effort to deride certain players no matter what they do, as though any critical comment about them has no merit but is simply a product of some kind of irrational issue with a player.

I think Blakey is a talented player and a good footballer who is just not playing good football. I don't see why it has to be a bigger deal than that.

It doesn't mean he's a whipping boy. It doesn't mean I'm knocking his ability. It doesn't mean I'm writing his season off. It doesn't mean I'm sticking a fork in his career. It doesn't mean I'm taking a swipe at him as a person.

I learned this from my many occasions defending Florent to the hilt. At some point you have to put your position to the side, and see that if there are a plethora of people sharing the same view, though you might not agree with it, maybe there is merit to their criticism, and it's not just mindless dumping on a player just for the sake of having a whipping boy.

 

[The Gong]

With all due respect I don't like the concept of a 'whipping boy' as it implies it's an intentional effort to deride certain players no matter what they do, as though any critical comment about them has no merit but is simply a product of some kind of irrational issue with a player.

I think Blakey is a talented player and a good footballer who is just not playing good football. I don't see why it has to be a bigger deal than that.

It doesn't mean he's a whipping boy. It doesn't mean I'm knocking his ability. It doesn't mean I'm writing his season off. It doesn't mean I'm sticking a fork in his career. It doesn't mean I'm taking a swipe at him as a person.

I learned this from my many occasions defending Florent to the hilt. At some point you have to put your position to the side, and see that if there are a plethora of people sharing the same view, though you might not agree with it, maybe there is merit to their criticism, and it's not just mindless dumping on a player just for the sake of having a whipping boy.

You provide some actual analysis. I don't always agree with it but you present your reasoning and I'm good with that.

There's other posts to the effect of "He's s**t. Delist." with no thought about what it takes to develop a player. That annoys me.

 

[caesar88]

You provide some actual analysis. I don't always agree with it but you present your reasoning and I'm good with that.

There's other posts to the effect of "He's sh*t. Delist." with no thought about what it takes to develop a player. That annoys me.

No doubt there are some who are harsher than others, not to mention some who make nonsensical points. But I think the 'whipping boy' label doesn't do anyone any favours, because it ends up painting everyone who is critical of Blakey, even in a rational way, with the same brush.

But I do get your frustration. He is 20 years old and from the same draft as Rowbottom, McInerney, Wicks and McLean. The former is almost above reproach completely, and the latter three we've shown a willingness to be patient with. But Blakey is the first round pick and top 10 selection of the lot, so I think it speaks less to the idea of him being unreasonably hated and more to the unfair standards we hold first round selections to. Like he's not allowed to have the same struggles and stumbling blocks that others his age have. You can see it in the conversations around Stephens, Ling and Florent too, all the way back to Heeney.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

No-one has the hates for Blakey. Most are just concerned about his form. I think his effort is good but he has a "must do it off my own boot" attitude. His judgement and game sense are just 'skewiff' atm. A spell of 3 weeks in the 2s will help him.

 

[Kapers]

This. The criticism of Florent was ridiculous and over the top, and shocker he’s found his niche and everyone loves him.

The experts are at it again. No doubt they’ll be rushing back when it clicks for Blakey. Obviously he’s not traveling too well but some of the comments have a little too much disdain for my liking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For what it's worth, what helped Florent was a reset of the season and a new position. That's what I think Blakey needs, a bit of a reset.

IMO he'll be great, but just needs a bit more composure, and you don't practice composure in senior games, you practice in lower matches.