Mark Blake overrated

[BigBadCam]

Gfc website lists him as 199cm. That is short for a ruckman. The only reason he is first choice atm is because both King and Ottens are injured. I think West deserves a game as well if Blake is supposedly a walk in.

 

[catempire]

Gfc website lists him as 199cm. That is short for a ruckman. The only reason he is first choice atm is because both King and Ottens are injured. I think West deserves a game as well if Blake is supposedly a walk in.

John Barnes was 196cm.

 

[Sammy D]

FFS give the kid a chance to develop. Ruckman need a lot more time than most. He has come a long way this season already, so it will be interesting enough to see him at the end of the season.

But as it stands right now King is horrible, Ottens is unreliable injury wise and Blake is the best we have.

 

[GeeCat]

Gfc website lists him as 199cm. That is short for a ruckman.

Well, given the average height for the 70 odd ruckmen in the competition is 199.8cm, any argument based on his 'height' is truly clutching at straws.

The only reason he is first choice atm is because both King and Ottens are injured.

Rubbish (well, unless you think along the lines of Bomber).

I think West deserves a game as well if Blake is supposedly a walk in.

But West is even shorter than Blakey...

 

[fuzz23]

Have you been watching any of the games?

If you'd said that last year on the available evidence, you'd be right, but what we've seen this year show you're wrong. Blake's problems clearly stem from a lack of confidence, and now he's getting some he's looking 200 times better. So he doesn't have the slickest disposal in the world - who in this team does? This year he's shown he's at least willing to try (which is more than can be said for some) - against the Hawks, the balls on the half-back line, Blake's surrounded by Hawks, see an opening and goes for a ****ing run, when the cynical part of me says half the midfielders in the side would have done a stupid handball to a player under pressure, resulting in an instant turnover. Blake's not going to be a new Dean Cox, but he's going to be serviceable.[/quotBlake and King should be rested for a while in the 2's, Ottens in the ruck and throw in West...nothing to loose plenty to gain.

 

[Rockford]

Gfc website lists him as 199cm. That is short for a ruckman. The only reason he is first choice atm is because both King and Ottens are injured. I think West deserves a game as well if Blake is supposedly a walk in.

BigBadCam = West's mum?

 

[fuzz23]

Have you been watching any of the games?

If you'd said that last year on the available evidence, you'd be right, but what we've seen this year show you're wrong. Blake's problems clearly stem from a lack of confidence, and now he's getting some he's looking 200 times better. So he doesn't have the slickest disposal in the world - who in this team does? This year he's shown he's at least willing to try (which is more than can be said for some) - against the Hawks, the balls on the half-back line, Blake's surrounded by Hawks, see an opening and goes for a ****ing run, when the cynical part of me says half the midfielders in the side would have done a stupid handball to a player under pressure, resulting in an instant turnover. Blake's not going to be a new Dean Cox, but he's going to be serviceable.[/quote Blake and King should be rested for a while in the 2's, Ottens in the ruck and throw in West...nothing to loose plenty to gain.

 

[fuzz23]

Have you been watching any of the games?

If you'd said that last year on the available evidence, you'd be right, but what we've seen this year show you're wrong. Blake's problems clearly stem from a lack of confidence, and now he's getting some he's looking 200 times better. So he doesn't have the slickest disposal in the world - who in this team does? This year he's shown he's at least willing to try (which is more than can be said for some) - against the Hawks, the balls on the half-back line, Blake's surrounded by Hawks, see an opening and goes for a ****ing run, when the cynical part of me says half the midfielders in the side would have done a stupid handball to a player under pressure, resulting in an instant turnover. Blake's not going to be a new Dean Cox, but he's going to be serviceable.[/quote Blake and King should be rested for a while in the 2's, Ottens in the ruck and throw in West...nothing to loose plenty to gain.

Let's face it, we haven't got the cattle...I'm telling you

 

[BigBadCam]

John Barnes was 196cm.

John Barnes would not be competitive today. Players are taller across the board. He was only just tall enough to be a ruckman back then, but there is no way a club would contemplate a 196cm ruckman. Barnes back then would be a tall KPP at best today... thats if he could get a game considering how much he smoked and drank.

 

[catempire]

John Barnes would not be competitive today. Players are taller across the board. He was only just tall enough to be a ruckman back then, but there is no way a club would contemplate a 196cm ruckman. Barnes back then would be a tall KPP at best today... thats if he could get a game considering how much he smoked and drank.

Can't agree.

Barnes battled the likes of Salmon and Justin Madden (both 206cm) and held his own easily.

It's not about height. That's the point. A 200cm ruckman is at no disadvantage because of his height. King was All-Australian and he was around 200cm. Blake's leap is much better than King's ever was.

It's just a strange reason to criticise him because:

1. Blake's not short
2. He doesn't "suffer" at all because of his height

 

[BigBadCam]

No matter what happens, IMO we need to draft the best and biggest available ruckman with our first pick in the next draft.

 

[fuzz23]

No matter what happens, IMO we need to draft the best and biggest available ruckman with our first pick in the next draft.[/quoteNo need to guy's...give West a crack with Otten's.....what have we to loose. We need to think ahead not present and past....

 

[catempire]

No matter what happens, IMO we need to draft the best and biggest available ruckman with our first pick in the next draft.

That's another story. That's because King is finished.

But I agree.

 

[fuzz23]

That's another story. That's because King is finished.

But I agree.

I told you all last year that King was finished....I keep harping on West. We have to try him, he's only 18/19, but you must try...you never know....we can't do any worse than King!!!

 

[catempire]

I told you all last year that King was finished....I keep harping on West. We have to try him, he's only 18/19, but you must try...you never know....we can't do any worse than King!!!

West will get his chance in good time. I think he's shown some good signs.

Ottens is still our number 1 ruckman.

 

[fuzz23]

West will get his chance in good time. I think he's shown some good signs.

Ottens is still our number 1 ruckman.

Absolutely correct, Otten's has "ALWAYS" been our No#1 Ruckman, West should be tried, rest Blake, alternate between the two....please...

 

[Cyclone Larry]

AHHH Blakey, I played junior footy and went to school with him, he was a terrible player but he was always going to play for geelong due to his old man ONLY. I have enjoyed nothing but to berrate him over the past 2 years. BUT this year you cannot argue (as much as i hate to say it) that he has improved a great deal this year in all aspects of his game and earned his spot. Sure it wasnt hard to improve on his efforts last year but anyone who has played footy knows that confidence is a big thing and Blakey's is growing by the game. His kicking can only improve if he backs using it in games, so im all for his increased use of his goofy feet. Ruckmen take a while to yeild dividends so lets be patient. He's been given a big task this year with Otto playing more in the forwardline and King being the new Kingsley.
Ask yourself this question, would you prefer to have stuck with Peter Street?

 

[thejester]

Blake and King should be rested for a while in the 2's, Ottens in the ruck and throw in West...nothing to loose plenty to gain.

Why should Blake be rested? He's been doing perfectly fine as is, him and Otto are a good combination. No point in throwing lambs to the slaughter ala Gamble last year.

 

[chapmanmagic35]

AHHH Blakey, I played junior footy and went to school with him, he was a terrible player but he was always going to play for geelong due to his old man ONLY. I have enjoyed nothing but to berrate him over the past 2 years. BUT this year you cannot argue (as much as i hate to say it) that he has improved a great deal this year in all aspects of his game and earned his spot. Sure it wasnt hard to improve on his efforts last year but anyone who has played footy knows that confidence is a big thing and Blakey's is growing by the game. His kicking can only improve if he backs using it in games, so im all for his increased use of his goofy feet. Ruckmen take a while to yeild dividends so lets be patient. He's been given a big task this year with Otto playing more in the forwardline and King being the new Kingsley.
Ask yourself this question, would you prefer to have stuck with Peter Street?

Bit harsh - wouldn't you be happy to see an old team-mate doing well?

 

[fuzz23]

Why should Blake be rested? He's been doing perfectly fine as is, him and Otto are a good combination. No point in throwing lambs to the slaughter ala Gamble last year.

Won't win many game's with Blake in the middle, not kicking long and running hard, and staying with the opposition ruck-man. West can run, can tap to a player, and about time the lambs get one back, better to be bitten than to be eaten!! Blake is average, not sensational. GFC, have relied on KING for the last 3-4 years, and because of that we haven't recriuted a top ruckman. So we have to settle for Blake, West and another big boy on the rookie list(not sure of his name)...

 

[thejester]

Won't win many game's with Blake in the middle, not kicking long and running hard, and staying with the opposition ruck-man. West can run, can tap to a player, and about time the lambs get one back, better to be bitten than to be eaten!! Blake is average, not sensational. GFC, have relied on KING for the last 3-4 years, and because of that we haven't recriuted a top ruckman. So we have to settle for Blake, West and another big boy on the rookie list(not sure of his name)...

Sorry, this is bollocks. You just keep repeating as a mantra that Blake is crap despite all the evidence to the contrary. Ok, Blake is no Dean Cox and never will be, and he's simply never going to be a great around the ground ruckman - but neither is Otto, who you think deserves to be in the side. Blake wasn't able to run with Cameron Cloke around the ground but he slaughtered him in the ruck, and frankly I'd say the situation was rather advantageous to us in the end - Cloke sat at half-back and tried to stem the bleeding, which in turn was a result of Blake getting it to our midfielders. He nearly doubled the number of clearances Cloke got. Meanwhile, he's continually showing massive signs of improvement in his generals skills. I dunno what you've been watching, but I've seen him kick it long, take a shot at goal, aggressively run himself out of trouble, all the while showing he is much better in the ruck. He's 5th in total hitouts for the comp, behind White, Lade, Sandilands and Jolly. Not a bad effort from a kid with only 16 games under his belt.

Having said all that, I'm not adverse to West getting a game if he offers us something more than rucking ability. But dropping Blake for him...why? There's absolutely no need, unless he's an OMGWTFPWNED ruckman who'll kick a couple a game.

 

[chapmanmagic35]

Why rest Blake? He is not a little 18 year old boy anymore.

West will get his chance eventually. He's younger than Blake, and will most likely follow the same pathway as he did to the side.

Ottens won't be around forever.

 

[omg_its_dennis]

Big Bad looks like your outvoted on this one....

Blake is doing a good job at the moment. He does get a few taps to advantage and taps to good spots but overall our midfielders just need to win more clearances its as simple as that.

 

[Copernicus]

Poor Blakey can improve as much as likes and there'll be those who wont give him any credit. He's come on in leaps and bounds since the start of the year and certainly has precedence in the lineup (for normally thinking folks) over King, who is simply past it unfortunately.

Yes, Ottens is the number 1 ruck, but he'd bloody well want to be!

 

[TheTimeCometh]

why is john barnes even mentioned - so, he was shorter but around the ground he is incomparable to blake. to say "barnes did it @196" is dumb-founding.

ftr - blake seems tall enough as long as the agility remains.