Mark Bilcavs

[BrockBlitz]

I'll try and summaries what's been said already and add something.

Is he a gun mid ? no
Is he a gun ruck ? no
Is he a gun forward/def ? no

Can he play all 3 competently ? yes.

At this current point in time he is a perfect Mr. Fixit. If his current rate of improvement is continued for say another season ? he will be one of the better players in the comp. No question.

Personally I'd say he's one of the most valuable players in the comp right now due to his ability to play anywhere on the ground. Not only this, but his running capacity will smash anyone who have ever played an AFL game off the park. Recently, Mitch Duncan said that over 2kms, Blitz wins by 3/4 of a lap to Selwood. That's about 45+ seconds. During his time as a runner - he clocked a 8:18 for 3kms. The next best in the AFL is Kane Cornes at 9:12. Blitz is now 20kg heavier and still running sub 9 minute 3kms. What this guy brings to the table defensively is more important than what he brings offensively at the moment. If you have a ruckman who can spread from a stoppage better than any other midfielder and also happens to be 6'6 and close to 100kgs....well, you've just added an extra runner in your team. This makes the whole team faster and slicker. As he develops his football nous, his skills and becomes more confident with his new frame I seriously think the sky is the limit with this guy.

 

[ferrisb]

Can't wait to see this thread when blicavs resigns with Geelong.

Wait, will he RESIGN from Geelong or RE-SIGN with Geelong?

A little line makes a big difference, just ask the GC players

 

[TwentyNine]

He has basically said he will be at Geelong his whole career. Unless they turn tables on him I can't see him taking another offer.

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

Ruck rover as he is now. He is ranked 12th in the competition for total SC points this year and is playing a new role. He is 24 and has only been playing footy for three years. He is easily the best runner in the competition and is 198cm and takes a reasonable mark. He is also 7th in total tackles and 16th for hit outs in the AFL. His big weakness is his kicking which is below average by AFL standards but not awful.

So he's a ruck rover who averages 18pos and is a below average kick of the football?

The reason he has so many hit outs is because Geelong have no ruck and he's required to go 3rd man up. This barely halves the contest, Geelong are way down on clearances, and takes Blicavs out of the resulting contest

But he has a high SC score

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a good footballer, I just can't see a position for him and think it becomes a negative for a team like Geelong who are already playing a lot of talls and who are light on for genuine midfielders

 

[goodoldcats]

So he's a ruck rover who averages 18pos and is a below average kick of the football?

The reason he has so many hit outs is because Geelong have no ruck and he's required to go 3rd man up. This barely halves the contest, Geelong are way down on clearances, and takes Blicavs out of the resulting contest

But he has a high SC score

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a good footballer, I just can't see a position for him and think it becomes a negative for a team like Geelong who are already playing a lot of talls and who are light on for genuine midfielders

The only player in your team that averages more contested possessions a game this year is Priddis. Priddis and shuey are the only ones that average more clearances this year from west coast. Only Priddis and selwood get more tackles per game.

 

[Fat Tony!]

So he's a ruck rover who averages 18pos and is a below average kick of the football?

The reason he has so many hit outs is because Geelong have no ruck and he's required to go 3rd man up. This barely halves the contest, Geelong are way down on clearances, and takes Blicavs out of the resulting contest

But he has a high SC score

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a good footballer, I just can't see a position for him and think it becomes a negative for a team like Geelong who are already playing a lot of talls and who are light on for genuine midfielders

Nic Nat hasn't had more than 17 disposals in a game all season but has had a tremendous influence on the Eagles rise up the ladder. I would even say he has had more influence than Priddis, who has not had less than 25. It is not all about kicks and handballs.

Anyway, I said he could become a top 10 player in the AFL. He's not there yet but his improvement has been rapid and he is only in his third season.

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

Nic Nat hasn't had more than 17 disposals in a game all season but has had a tremendous influence on the Eagles rise up the ladder. I would even say he has had more influence than Priddis, who has not had less than 25. It is not all about kicks and handballs.

Anyway, I said he could become a top 10 player in the AFL. He's not there yet but his improvement has been rapid and he is only in his third season.

Naitanuis a ruckman, not a midfielder. At times Geelong are playing Stanley/Clarke and Blicavs in a ruck contest. Geelong are 17th on the ladder in terms of clearances. They were hammered by Melbourne in the clearances. Somethings clearly not working and I believe having 2, 200+cm players in and around the contest is contributing to that.

Did you see how well we went when we tried Cox/Lycett & Naitanui in the middle at the same time?

 

[goodoldcats]

Naitanuis a ruckman, not a midfielder. At times Geelong are playing Stanley/Clarke and Blicavs in a ruck contest. Geelong are 17th on the ladder in terms of clearances. They were hammered by Melbourne in the clearances. Somethings clearly not working and I believe having 2, 200+cm players in and around the contest is contributing to that.

Did you see how well we went when we tried Cox/Lycett & Naitanui in the middle at the same time?

The only player in your team that averages more contested possessions a game this year is Priddis. Priddis and shuey are the only ones that average more clearances this year from west coast. Only Priddis and selwood get more tackles per game.

 

[Sultan]

OP legitimately thinks his name is Bilcavs.

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

The only player in your team that averages more contested possessions a game this year is Priddis. Priddis and shuey are the only ones that average more clearances this year from west coast. Only Priddis and selwood get more tackles per game.

As I have read 3 times now

Priddis averages more clearances, contested pos and tackles per game than every player bar Fyfe. Does that make him the 2nd best player in the AFL?

Care to address any of my other posts?

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

The only player in your team that averages more contested possessions a game this year is Priddis. Priddis and shuey are the only ones that average more clearances this year from west coast. Only Priddis and selwood get more tackles per game.

You;re being very defensive.

I see it much the same as when we played Selwood, Priddis and Shuey/Masten in our midfield last year. All 3 were getting decent stats but it worked horribly as a midfield. They were all the same or very similar as players.

Your midfield is 17th in clearances. I see Blicavs as part of the problem. Not because he's a bad player but because he doesn't suit playing in the midfield. He's too tall. If he doesn't win the clearance or contested ball (much like Priddis and Selwood last year) he's a liability. As pointed out before, most of his pos are contested and his kicking his below average.

 

[dazbroncos]

You;re being very defensive.

I see it much the same as when we played Selwood, Priddis and Shuey/Masten in our midfield last year. All 3 were getting decent stats but it worked horribly as a midfield. They were all the same or very similar as players.

Your midfield is 17th in clearances. I see Blicavs as part of the problem. Not because he's a bad player but because he doesn't suit playing in the midfield. He's too tall. If he doesn't win the clearance or contested ball (much like Priddis and Selwood last year) he's a liability. As pointed out before, most of his pos are contested and his kicking his below average.

Pretty sure our clearance have been shit WELL before Blitz got into the middle.

And im certain that Wines and Pendles were glad to see the back of him in their games this year.

GO Catters

 

[TwentyNine]

People were saying the same thing about Tom Lonergan last off-season as well but he stayed with Geelong. Most players nowadays are pretty loyal, until they become free agents, then it depends on a range of different factors.

Lonergan was just about locked in to go the Dogs last year before McCartney was sacked. His big $ off went off the table when that happened.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

You;re being very defensive.

I see it much the same as when we played Selwood, Priddis and Shuey/Masten in our midfield last year. All 3 were getting decent stats but it worked horribly as a midfield. They were all the same or very similar as players.

Your midfield is 17th in clearances. I see Blicavs as part of the problem. Not because he's a bad player but because he doesn't suit playing in the midfield. He's too tall. If he doesn't win the clearance or contested ball (much like Priddis and Selwood last year) he's a liability. As pointed out before, most of his pos are contested and his kicking his below average.

This post to me just shows how little you know anything about Blicavs as a football player, all you are doing is making assumptions about his ability based om what stats you pluck off the Internet and his height, what you are saying is incredibly false. He has been a gun this year at times in the midfield, his contented ball work has been excellent, but even more impressive is his defensive ability to pressure and dispossess opponents, it is extremely rare that a player gets clear or runs away from him. Almost every time Blicavs is in a contest and a opponent has a better position, Blicavs will always find a way to get a hand in or apply pressure, even times that he completely tackles, and you think to yourself " how the heck did he manage to cause/create that?", he is a very strong defensive player at contests and clearances, he is the complete opposite to a liability if he doesn't win the ball.

 

[topdog69]

It's 5 year at $600 thousand a year buddy I made a mistake on your board with years and money .i went back to person who told that information in last few days it likely Bilcavs will stay with Cats .

The Western Bulldogs have withdrawn their to him they are go after a cheap Ruckman as freeagent instead.

 

[The 747]

Naitanuis a ruckman, not a midfielder. At times Geelong are playing Stanley/Clarke and Blicavs in a ruck contest. Geelong are 17th on the ladder in terms of clearances. They were hammered by Melbourne in the clearances. Somethings clearly not working and I believe having 2, 200+cm players in and around the contest is contributing to that.

Did you see how well we went when we tried Cox/Lycett & Naitanui in the middle at the same time?

Sure except neither Stanley or Clarke played against Melbourne so there weren't 2 200cm+ players around the contest. And Blicavs is not 200cm+. And Blicavs might be leading our clearances. Other than that, your post is spot on.