Player Watch #46 Jacob Blight- Delisted

[Meteoric Rise]

wonder if players can opt out of a trigger taking effect? they're only there to benefit the player really but imagine if he wanted to walk eoy but we forced him to hit his trigger.

I think it goes like this for a player in Blight's situation...

If we offer him a contract or he hits a trigger for a new contract it is the same as an offer by us. He is then able to be traded by Richmond.

He can circumvent that only by opting to not take up our offer and instead nominating for the Pre-Season Draft. In theory then he would not have control over which other club takes him. In practice he would already have an assurance from presumably the Eagles, who have pick 1 just about sewn up. What Blight wouldn't have is the option of just going to any club of his choosing as a free agent.

Would Eagles take him in the PSD against Richmond's wishes? I doubt it, there are obviously strong links between the list managers at both clubs. So unless we delist him, Blight will other be playing for Richmond or be traded to another club for the 2026 season.

 

[sportshow]

Young > Blight

Miller > Blight

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Young > Blight

Miller > Blight

I guess what the club has to figure out is whether Blight has a fair bit of potential upside still left, or whether his current weaknesses might be difficult to overcome.

He is in great shape, so physically, at 23 years 7 months, he is probably not likely to get a whole lot better. But disposal skills, contest work, decision making, game plan compliance, craft, after just about 13 months since he became an AFL listed player, there could be a lot of improvement left in those areas.

If you look at Sam Collins at the Suns, his career to the age Blight is at now is remarkably similar.

He was passed over in several drafts before being drafter at 21 by Fremantle, where he played 14 games mainly as a 22 and 23yo before being delisted. His statistics in those 14 games at Fremantle are in line with his overall statistics, so he certainly showed something. His player ratings were also in line with his very decent career player ratings.

Blight in his first 10 games has had roughly comparable statistics and ratings, about a level lower than Collins but playing in a bit more difficult circumstances than Collins was in his early games at Fremantle.

After being delisted by Fremantle, Collins returned to play with Werribee for a season before the Suns snapped him up. After playing 9 games in his first year there he has never looked back from age 26 onwards. He has won 2 x B&F's and in 2024 was named in the AA squad. But Fremantle thought they had better key defender options after the 2017 season. Like us now, they had a few decent looking options on their list: 33yo Johnson, Pearce, Cox, Logue, Hamling and 31yo Dawson. They obviously couldn't find any takers for a trade so just let Collins go. He has arguably had as good a career as any of those players, or if not only just behind 1-2 of them.

So there could be a lot to be told in the Jacob Blight AFL story yet.

 

[THE_GUN]

Blight for me is not the finished project and still has upside with continuity
I would keep him another year and is not the worst 5 players at the club

 

[wegetpumped]

Blight for me is not the finished project and still has upside with continuity
I would keep him another year and is not the worst 5 players at the club

It's up to him what he wants to do. personally i would go back home and play weekly rather than plod around a club where you play great or not doesn't matter.

 

[TheDyerLegacy]

Tom McCarthy

Straight swap lol seems fair both MSD picks

 

[Blinger]

Move him forward & have Lynch work with him over the rest of the season & into next season. It also gives the kids time to develop in the VFL & rotate through the seniors next season. If it doesn't work out at least we give Blight an opportunity to develop further & maybe gets us a good return, rather than delist & Weagles pick him up for free.

 

[wegetpumped]

Move him forward & have Lynch work with him over the rest of the season & into next season. It also gives the kids time to develop in the VFL & rotate through the seniors next season. If it doesn't work out at least we give Blight an opportunity to develop further & maybe gets us a good return, rather than delist & Weagles pick him up for free.

We're going to destroy any career he has left. Better for the guy to go home and restart with WC.

 

[banzai]

Blight for me is not the finished project and still has upside with continuity
I would keep him another year and is not the worst 5 players at the club

Hes been good but we have an overload of tall defenders. Vlas and Broad will still be best 23 next season.

Miller is now a lock and Young had taken the other spot.

Then there is Gray, Balta and Gibcus with no real spot as well as Trainer maybe a long term option to replace Vlas.

We also will no longer need any of the above to play forward as our young tall forwards will keep getting better. So its going to be interesting how it all plays out certainly for Balta and Gibcus next year.

 

[THE_GUN]

Hes been good but we have an overload of tall defenders. Vlas and Broad will still be best 23 next season.

Miller is now a lock and Young had taken the other spot.

Then there is Gray, Balta and Gibcus with no real spot as well as Trainer maybe a long term option to replace Vlas.

We also will no longer need any of the above to play forward as our young tall forwards will keep getting better. So its going to be interesting how it all plays out certainly for Balta and Gibcus next year.

Miller is a free agent and another year like 2025 or better he will be getting much bigger offers

Broad will finish end of next year 100%

Gray still unproven and could easily go either way , I like him alot but still a risk

Gibcus - Well what can we say ? Who is confident his injury issue's are finished

Trainor is looking good and hopefully is what we expect

Valstuin could be gone 1 year after broad for all we know

So in 2028 we might only have Trainor , Balta as 100% certainties

Nothing wrong with keeping blight for another year as the 43rd player on the list to see what happens with
Gray , Gibcus , Trainor , Miller

 

[banzai]

Miller is a free agent and another year like 2025 or better he will be getting much bigger offers

Broad will finish end of next year 100%

Gray still unproven and could easily go either way , I like him alot but still a risk

Gibcus - Well what can we say ? Who is confident his injury issue's are finished

Trainor is looking good and hopefully is what we expect

Valstuin could be gone 1 year after broad for all we know

So in 2028 we might only have Trainor , Balta as 100% certainties

Nothing wrong with keeping blight for another year as the 43rd player on the list to see what happens with
Gray , Gibcus , Trainor , Miller

But how does he get better without playing at AFL level? He cant get a game now with Balta, Gibcus and Gray all unavailable as well as Trainor not being played in defence. He might be 9th in line going into next year.

I like Blight but surely his talent will mean another club will offer him more money and a better chance of playing.

 

[THE_GUN]

But how does he get better without playing at AFL level? He cant get a game now with Balta, Gibcus and Gray all unavailable as well as Trainor not being played in defence. He might be 9th in line going into next year.

I like Blight but surely his talent will mean another club will offer him more money and a better chance of playing.

Thats upto the coaches

he could of and should of been playing instead of Kosi
Could have rested Vlastuin and Broad during the year also

Getting better as a team is not about having 43 champions but having role players and depth as well and he is the perfect depth player for another year.

Who know how much he improves with another 20 games

 

[sregit]

Thats upto the coaches

he could of and should of been playing instead of Kosi
Could have rested Vlastuin and Broad during the year also

Getting better as a team is not about having 43 champions but having role players and depth as well and he is the perfect depth player for another year.

Who know how much he improves with another 20 games

He's not getting a game as it will trigger a contract for next year and club is not sure they wish to retain him.

 

[UncleBob]

He's not getting a game as it will trigger a contract for next year and club is not sure they wish to retain him.

Could it be that he has already expressed a desire to return home next year?
Hence the reason why he's not getting a game

 

[Coach_Required]

He's not getting a game as it will trigger a contract for next year and club is not sure they wish to retain him.

Reckon its this, Yze was asked about him over the weekend and his reply wasnt confident in my eyes. He was asked if we pick Blight for 1 more game it will trigger a contract extension and Yze's answer was he didnt know that (LOL) but if he plays well enough and there is room he will get that extra game over the next month.

 

[captain cotch 9]

May as well try him on a wing. He won the time trial

 

[Bojangles17]

Really feel for the guy plenty good enough to play at afl , if I was him I’d pic and choose next stop , don’t go to WC , there’d be lots of interest in his services including lions

 

[crackertiger]

Wish him well for whatever happens and no doubt he will be on a AFL list next year. He is too good not be in the AFL system... Unfortunately he has landed at a club that suddenly has the biggest list key position defenders.

 

[richoplzbreed]

It's become an absolute farce his not getting picked for the seniors. Been BOG 2 weeks on the trot in the magoos. Was magnificent today all over the ground. Intercepting, spoiling, launching attacks, played well in the ruck. Juxtaposed with Sims who couldn't get a kick in a street fight atm. I'll bloody spew if WCE steal him for nothing. Bloody promote him and extend his contract. Has been 10 x the player Gray has and unlike Gray sn't always bloody injured. He won our time trial and by the looks of him would win any strength test too.

 

[Le RickyBobby]

It's become an absolute farce his not getting picked for the seniors. Been BOG 2 weeks on the trot in the magoos. Was magnificent today all over the ground. Intercepting, spoiling, launching attacks, played well in the ruck. Juxtaposed with Sims who couldn't get a kick in a street fight atm. I'll bloody spew if WCE steal him for nothing. Bloody promote him and extend his contract. Has been 10 x the player Gray has and unlike Gray sn't always bloody injured. He won our time trial and by the looks of him would win any strength test too.

So drop Sims and play him forward?

 

[richoplzbreed]

So drop Sims and play him forward?

Why not? Sims confidence would be non existent after a long lean stretch of easily half a dozen games where he's contributed virtually nil. Play him into form in the magoos where he should be able to dine out. Blight has been easily BOG 2 weeks on the trot as a KPFD and Utility/Ruck and deserves to be rewarded for effort.

 

[Danog]

WC, Dees or Norf need him more than us

 

[LTT]

WC, Dees or Norf need him more than us

Add Saints and Sydney to that list. Was very impressed with his effort in the VFL. He deserves a chance and someone will definitely take him next year, unfortunately.

 

[Le RickyBobby]

Why not? Sims confidence would be non existent after a long lean stretch of easily half a dozen games where he's contributed virtually nil. Play him into form in the magoos where he should be able to dine out. Blight has been easily BOG 2 weeks on the trot as a KPFD and Utility/Ruck and deserves to be rewarded for effort.

Just think it's odd that you want him to come in and play forward when he's best position is KPD. You said earlier he's far better than Gray. Gray is composed with ball in hand and probably has a bit more scope in his development compare to Blight.

He's trade bait, he's behind everyone in the pecking order.

 

[Tonythetiger]

Seems a bit shit if his form warrants selection but then we don't pick him because we don't want to recontract him. Each party entered into the contract though so I suppose tough t***ies.