Traded Blake Acres

[VDS66]

When you watch the clips you can't help notice Jason Holmes getting involved in a few plays. He gets a hand in and seems to be a natural at getting into position. He looks like he really could make it to me.

Was thinking that given his leap, just put Holmes in the goal square.

 

[joop]

Hope acres doesn't succumb to the 'go home' factor

 

[gringo2011]

i don't see the comparison tbh.

Acres is smoother than Ray. Certainly a better disposer & decision maker. I think he has more potential to become an elite midfielder than Ray. The way he moves through congestion is extraordinary (almost Pendlebury-like, as mentioned).

Ray is a better mark. probably more of a hard-edged scrapper too.

If Acres goes onto to play 180+ games for the Saints i'll be extremely happy.

I think he probably more Pendlebury like. Pendles came to my kids footy club last year and he's taller than you imagine. Ray lives around our area and he's not as big. The pace and skills are more like Pendlebury and on height he looks more like that size. My only concern is he might get quite solid as he's got a big frame and once he muscles up he might lose some pace. He's already about 2 cm taller than josh Kennedy from Sydney and he wouldn't want to grow too much more or he will end up that hard to utilise utility sized player. He looks quite young still and it will be interesting to see how he grows.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Hope acres doesn't succumb to the 'go home' factor

According to Summers, this is another key benefit of the community development stuff the Club is getting the new players to do. They want them to feel valued and appreciated within the Bayside community, so that they want to stay there. He reckoned it was working already.

 

[Rors]

I don't wanna get carried away by saying he moves like Pendles, but to me at this stage, he's very similar in height, build & movement as Joel Corey.... And I'd take that in a heartbeat

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Hope acres doesn't succumb to the 'go home' factor

At this very early stage he seems very happy & content in Melbourne. I had a chat with him at the Rooey's Recruits clinic on Tuesday & he's a very bright & engaging fella. As I posted in the Toast St Kilda thread, he was pumping up Billings & was wrapped with the way that Luke, Eli & Jack have gone thus far.

It will definitely help that he's been drafted when he has. Part of a new generation that all seem to be very close. Living with Luke Dunstan so they'll hopefully play a hell of a lot of foott together in RW&B

 

[Ian Dunross]

On the Ray comparison. Agree that he turns the ball over more than he should.

Has anyone noticed his new kicking technique this season. He's doing a lot more low, long skimming kicks and he looks bloody good at it. It's like that's his natural kicking style and he's been told not to do that previously, but now he's been given licence and it's all coming back to him.

When he tries to give the ball air or kick down the line it's pretty average, but when it's a low bullet 40m pass it's bloody excellent.

Anyone else noticed this?

 

[Sunshine Saint]

Noticed the same and was wondering if he had been doing it previously and I hadn't noticed, or memory loss had kicked in. Still shanks the long kicks, but the bullet passes have been very good.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Really liking Farrens season so far this year. Has been in great form.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Guys, don't underestimate the "star teammate" factor with someone like Ray.
I played alongside a very talented player (drafted by the Saints in 1994) and Steven James (post Richmond/Box Hill days) and was a little intimidated by how good they were. Often I would choose the wrong option and give it to one of them regardless. I was constantly second guessing myself.
I was a much better player when they weren't there.
Maybe Ray is playing better with added responsibility without Goddard, Dal et al

 

[sammm]

According to Summers, this is another key benefit of the community development stuff the Club is getting the new players to do. They want them to feel valued and appreciated within the Bayside community, so that they want to stay there. He reckoned it was working already.

Why do you think it was working already?

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk

 

[Persevering Saint]

Why do you think it was working already?

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk

Not so much me, Summers told me that the players' response was what had pleased him most from the whole promotion campaign just before the start of the season.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Guys, don't underestimate the "star teammate" factor with someone like Ray.
I played alongside a very talented player (drafted by the Saints in 1994) and Steven James (post Richmond/Box Hill days) and was a little intimidated by how good they were. Often I would choose the wrong option and give it to one of them regardless. I was constantly second guessing myself.
I was a much better player when they weren't there.
Maybe Ray is playing better with added responsibility without Goddard, Dal et al

Good point.
Farren was drafted at pick 4, so there would have been massive expectations on him in his Bulldogs years, which he obviously failed to live up to.
All of that, then coming to the Saints for the difference in 2 draft picks, may have given him a pretty big inferiority complex.
Hopefully he's come to terms with all that now, and is happy with his place in the world.
He's a pretty decent player by any account.

 

[Defacto]

Really liking Farrens season so far this year. Has been in great form.

he's so under rated. he is extremely brave for his size. how many time has he gone back with the flight of the ball for an intercept mark.

did it so much against the eagles in round 3 that darling got frustrated and decided to try and take him out

 

[Sir Skid]

how many time has he gone back with the flight of the ball for an intercept mark

Faz is one of the best marks for size in the comp for sure but his disposal is often at the other end of the spectrum.
Needs to be more consistent with his kicking and hit our jumpers for me to rate him.

 

[Sheeza69]

Faz is one of the best marks for size in the comp for sure but his disposal is often at the other end of the spectrum.
Needs to be more consistent with his kicking and hit our jumpers for me to rate him.

Not once ever seen Faz shirk the issue..Might not be the most polished player but you can never question his courage & effort..
Watters had nearly stamped his card at one point, he's in my best 18 for now..Plenty of resemblance to Faz is Acres, but is better in traffic & disposal by foot..

 

[Bull3tblitz]

If Acres has a big game this week I think we could see his debut in the next fortnight

 

[Persevering Saint]

If Acres has a big game this week I think we could see his debut in the next fortnight

Where? Who for? (not a having a go question, a genuine question)

 

[Hayes4PM]

Where? Who for? (not a having a go question, a genuine question)

Well he's played Dev Squad and for Sandy seniors last week so for the Saints I imagine. We're already seeing Templeton, Billings and Dunstan tonight, are we all getting a bit greedy with expectations on these young kids maybe

Or did we just pick 4 superstars..?

 

[Persevering Saint]

Well he's played Dev Squad and for Sandy seniors last week so for the Saints I imagine. We're already seeing Templeton, Billings and Dunstan tonight, are we all getting a bit greedy with expectations on these young kids maybe

Or did we just pick 4 superstars..?

Oh you!

I'd love to see him up forward, personally.

 

[Mowman]

Not once ever seen Faz shirk the issue..Might not be the most polished player but you can never question his courage & effort..
Watters had nearly stamped his card at one point, he's in my best 18 for now..Plenty of resemblance to Faz is Acres, but is better in traffic & disposal by foot..

Great post, taken some marks this year that have taken a lot courage and he hasn't blinked

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

i agree, since getting his contract last year he's been good.

 

[Sir Skid]

Not once ever seen Faz shirk the issue..Might not be the most polished player but you can never question his courage & effort..
Watters had nearly stamped his card at one point, he's in my best 18 for now..Plenty of resemblance to Faz is Acres, but is better in traffic & disposal by foot..

I never said he didn't have courage.
Only making the point that his disposal leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Sheeza69]

I never said he didn't have courage.
Only making the point that his disposal leaves a lot to be desired.

I wasn't responding to your specific comment SS.. Faz's form has been hot & cold over the last few years, but you could never question his courage.. His willingness to back into oncoming traffic & either create a contest or take a grab is a feature of his game..His weakness has been his foot skills, but this year I've noticed an improvement..

 

[aussierulesrules]

Interesting to note that in the write-up on everyone who played in the VFL on the weekend, Paul Hudson I think it was said that Blake is working on his disposal, so that was interesting. There were some varied reports last year on what his kicking was like with one at least talking about how he hardly missed a target all year, to others who thought it was nothing special at all, so if it is closer to the latter he may be more like say Farren Ray in that regard than some/all of us were hoping for.