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Opinion Mark Blake

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geelong_crazy26 said:
why to our biggest threat stkilda ? we have made them a better side
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I reckon Gardiner and Kingy will be crying out to get away from Telstra Dome before too long. I think they play nine of their first eleven at home. I reckon the Saints season could go like this.

8-3 after 11.
13-9 after 22.
Injury depleted side loses first final.

Not wishing injuries on anyone (I'm still cheering Kingy on even though he is wearing that 5hit jumper) but Telstra Dome is a harsh mistress that takes a heavy toll on the legs.

Just for the record, the Ox has tipped St Kilda for the flag. It's over for them. ;)

regards,

REB
 
GFCBack2Backin08 said:
How about Dawson Simpson?

We probably drafted him for the reason that West is a bit too short for the no. 1 job in the future and even if Simpson is young, he still is ******* massive and I'm sure that with a bit of work he will be good, I'm also pretty certain his skills are better than Blake's
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yeah but we need a hardened player given where the list is at
 
Rik E Boy said:
I reckon Gardiner and Kingy will be crying out to get away from Telstra Dome before too long. I think they play nine of their first eleven at home. I reckon the Saints season could go like this.

8-3 after 11.
13-9 after 22.
Injury depleted side loses first final.

Not wishing injuries on anyone (I'm still cheering Kingy on even though he is wearing that 5hit jumper) but Telstra Dome is a harsh mistress that takes a heavy toll on the legs.

Just for the record, the Ox has tipped St Kilda for the flag. It's over for them. ;)

regards,

REB
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I reckon with the new hydroponic setup injuries will be down massively at the Telstra Dome.
 
BigBadCam said:
Some ruckmen burst on to the scene and dominate from a young age, and they are usually spent by their late 20s. This is the type of young ruckman I'd like to see come up at Geelong - somebody who is prepared to put their body on the line and make the most of what god has given them. I admired King because this is the type of ruckman that he was.

The thing with Blake is that I really do wonder why he is playing AFL football. I realise that if you are more than 2m tall, you can play on your own terms and your skills needn't be all that, but Blake's skills are rubbish. Surely there are enough tall young guys running around for us to find a young ruckmen with half decent skills. I wouldn't mind the softly, softly approach if I could see a light at the end of the tunnel... With Blake, it just seems like more of the same. It was funny and I cheered for him at the start of last year, but by the end of it, I was sick of his bullshit.

You'd think that being dropped for the grand final would make you keen to work as hard as possible and improve yourself no end. It seems like Blake has not done this. I know it is still too early to make a definite call, but whilst he was mandhandled in the ruck by Lade and Brogan, it was his around the ground stuff that really frustrated me. He seemed to be a weak chain in our gameplan - players even seemed to see that it was Blake who was calling for it and look the other way. We can't have that... Im worried that if Ottens goes down, we will be in a world of shit.
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Exactly, the simple hard fact is that he just doesn't have the ability to play the game at AFL level. I'm glad other people are starting to realise this now too.

Catman I understand that talls can often take more time to develop than smalls, but within 5 years of playing football at senior level you would hope to see at least some form of talent, ability and improvement, unfortunately I don't think it's ever going to come.
 

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The Ox is a f*k*n tool. always has been.
Ox isnt his nickname becuase he's big - its because of his intellect.
And although he had a shocker of a night when he really needed to perform to get one back on the ledger, Blake was very ordinary. I wouldnt write him off yet, but he needs to step up more than another gear in the next 4-6 weeks. He probably can, largely due to Ottens being back on deck, but the jury is now offcially out........dissapointing effort.
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

Given the position he plays, his age and the significant role he played in the vast majority of one of the most dominant seasons we have seen from a football team, yes.

That said, he's got a way to go.
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

BigBadCam said:
Do you think that Mark Blake would still be on our list if he wasn't father/son?
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Who exactly would have replaced him?
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

Yes, I think that's a fairly obvious answer. Everyone knows that ruckmen take time to develop, and we only have one established ruck in the team. King was injury prone and I think it was a given that he was going to be moved on or retired pretty soon. There always need to be a backup ruckman.
 

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Re: Mark Blake - A question:

Yes, we do need a backup ruckman, but in my honest opinion, there are plenty of better young talls out there than Blake. Do we give Blake a lot more leeway simply because he is the son of Rod?
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

BigBadCam said:
Yes, we do need a backup ruckman, but in my honest opinion, there are plenty of better young talls out there than Blake. Do we give Blake a lot more leeway simply because he is the son of Rod?
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Or on the flipside of that, do we give Blake such a hard time because he isn't as good as Rod?
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

BigBadCam said:
Yes, we do need a backup ruckman, but in my honest opinion, there are plenty of better young talls out there than Blake.
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Like who?
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

winty said:
Or on the flipside of that, do we give Blake such a hard time because he isn't as good as Rod?
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Touche

I honestly don't think he is that bad and has a fair bit of development still left in him.

I agree he isn't a top drawer ruckman but, as a back-up to Ottens, I think he is fine. Sure, everyone would love a guy like Dean Cox or a combination like Lade and Brogan but at the end of the day, and for the pick we used to secure him, I think Blake has more upside than not. Be interesting to see what other ruckmen were available at his pick in the draft (time for some research).

In a few years time he and West will be a good combo and D Simpson will also be developing in the background as well.

I have faith....or is that blind hope??
 

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Re: Mark Blake - A question:

The Pivotonian said:
Touche

I honestly don't think he is that bad and has a fair bit of development still left in him.

I agree he isn't a top drawer ruckman but, as a back-up to Ottens, I think he is fine. Sure, everyone would love a guy like Dean Cox or a combination like Lade and Brogan but at the end of the day, and for the pick we used to secure him, I think Blake has more upside than not. Be interesting to see what other ruckmen were available at his pick in the draft (time for some research).

In a few years time he and West will be a good combo and D Simpson will also be developing in the background as well.

I have faith....or is that blind hope??
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I think another thing going against Blake is most of our other F/S selections are very good players, and maybe we expect the same of Blake. I mean we have Gary Ablett and Matthew Scarlett, and Tom Hawkins has shown us glimpses of how good he's going to be in a few years, but Blake hasn't come on as much as we'd like.

I don't think he's that bad too, and he is generally a reliable back-up to Ottens in the ruck. Maybe we just expect too much of him.

As for other ruckmen who were available at his pick in the draft, Ricky Mott was pick 57, Ben Hudson pick 58 and Adrian Deluca pick 72. Hudson is probably about the same level as Blake, but the other two are long gone.
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

The Pivotonian said:
Touche

I honestly don't think he is that bad and has a fair bit of development still left in him.

I agree he isn't a top drawer ruckman but, as a back-up to Ottens, I think he is fine. Sure, everyone would love a guy like Dean Cox or a combination like Lade and Brogan but at the end of the day, and for the pick we used to secure him, I think Blake has more upside than not. Be interesting to see what other ruckmen were available at his pick in the draft (time for some research).

In a few years time he and West will be a good combo and D Simpson will also be developing in the background as well.

I have faith....or is that blind hope??
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I agree with you there, also with the next post. Our F/S selections have been fantastic for us, perhaps we are seeing the grass on the other side and 'expect' the same result.

For his position he is a good and serviceable backup, however I hope he doesn't just stop there. I can see a point that he can just be mediocre and a backup as long as Otto is around, (glass half empty approach). I really hope he has the right attitude to push himself always.
 
Re: Mark Blake - A question:

winty said:
I think another thing going against Blake is most of our other F/S selections are very good players, and maybe we expect the same of Blake. I mean we have Gary Ablett and Matthew Scarlett, and Tom Hawkins has shown us glimpses of how good he's going to be in a few years, but Blake hasn't come on as much as we'd like.

I don't think he's that bad too, and he is generally a reliable back-up to Ottens in the ruck. Maybe we just expect too much of him.

As for other ruckmen who were available at his pick in the draft, Ricky Mott was pick 57, Ben Hudson pick 58 and Adrian Deluca pick 72. Hudson is probably about the same level as Blake, but the other two are long gone.
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When he, his old man, his mummy, and his aunt behaved the way they did he brought pressure onto himself. he showed little respect for an ex captain, a AA, and a player who had rucked solo for a long time. If he had shut up then people like me would not be as harsh on him. He raised himself up there, and his performance is nowhere near where it needs to be.

The mids are in their prime right now, so if he develops in 5 yrs woohooo, need someone to go in hard. He lets you down around the ground, so if you lose out in the ruck he is useless. A number of games turned when he was in the ruck, as why should the mids work 3 times as hard. What you will find is that west needs a good year in the gym and will play the around the ground ruck with poise, gfc needs mummy to develop like cox, and the team will have greater presence. As a 2nd ruck west is a much better option as he is handy around the ground.

As for blake, let him play 100 games, as he might have 3m offspring.

tim callan was fas, and was never given a real chance but handled it really well.
 
Woof Dog said:
Mark Blake is on $850,000 over 3 years, so if anything, HE is a salary cap problem.
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Apparently that's what the Saints offered him during trade week. We matched it and the rest is history. I'd say that we're paying on potential and he has showed signs of making the grade. However it is his basic foortball skills that need massive improvement. Mind you, he wouldn't be a bundle of cofidence ATM either.
 
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