Re: If Mark Blake wants to leave....
i think these comments from many it would be a "slight on his personality" if he chose to leave the club - due to the hurt of being dropped for a grand final - is extremely harsh
how would you feel?
you played 20 of 22 senior games for the season - and for long periods of the season - you were absolutely championed about for your performance. i remember many of articles and talk back about how blake's performace in being a 2nd ruckman free'd up a lot of the pressure on ottens and made him be able to be moved forward and around the ground so much easier - and was a massive weapon in geelongs change in fortunes - especially early on whe that incredible momentum was just developing
early on - he was a massive part of the "ressurgence"
he also then plays the two lead in finals - having a poor match in the last one - and miss the Grand Final because because a guy who had played 5 senior games - takes your place because the only weakness you guys showed in the collingwood Prelim was that when ottens went off - collingwood dominated the ruck - it was a massive call by thompson - it would have hurt like hell - and been a massive kick in the guts to the "belief" he felt his coach had in him to perform in a big match.
to say it is a slight on him personally if he chose to leave is incredibly unfair. he missed out on a place in geelongs history when he missed that game - a club his father represented.
was it a slight on shane bond and derrick kicketts character that they left their clubs after similar things happened to them? i never thought so - it shows there passion and will to be part of the side was massive - and to be left out of such an occassion, sucked the life right out of them - really on the back of one poor performance in the game prior - that would hurt.
would it be a slight on brad ottens for leaving richmond when they were down? but after a couple of average years after he did leave - he showed a lot of character and strength to perfrom very well in a year in which meant a lot to geelongs history - and

's up to him
to choose to leave gave Brad and would also give mark blake a chance to prove a lot to himself and his former team - and after the year you guys have had (which was magnificient ) - how much you guys enjoyed it all - and enjoed that day - how he would have felt missing it after being such a great contributor for the entire part of it - EXCEPT that day - would shake the foundations of what you think of the club - and also what you thought the club thought of you.
i also thought that thompson made a poor decision to not mention and thank he and egan when they were presented with the cup on the field - the only flaw i could possibly bring to your club as to how great you guys handled winning the grand final - personally, the thought of geelong winning a grand final had always made me sick because of the way i always expected people to act - but geelong the club and geelong the city really surprised me with how well MOST of your supporters handled winning the cup - compared to the west coast eagles last year - you guys were all stars at BEING champions.
if he choose's to leave - i think your club would be very disappointed - not because he showed a slight of character for the decision - but because they know they will be losing a quality player and a quality person - whose love and passion for the geelong footy club was so large - it killed his spirit to not be able to "prove the critics wrong" for the poor game against collingwood.
don't bag this kids character for wanting to leave guys - thats just horrible considering the circumstance's
