Toast Mark Blicavs - 250 games

[winty]

I can still remember watching him play in his first game at VFL level when he first got to the club in 2012, and thought he was a mile off being an AFL footballer - boy, was I wrong. His willingness to learn and improve over the journey has been an absolute credit to him, and I'm sure he's made many of us eat our words at one time or another. Can anyone remember the thread about Blitz started by a Hawks supporter in Bay 13 in the lead-up to his senior debut? That was one massive self-own for the clown who started that thread, but I digress.

Has become an absolute weapon for us. From starting out as a ruckman at the start of the 2013 season, then turning into a resolute key position defender, then onballer, wingman, tagger - he's pretty much played in every position and role for us at one time or another. Hell, the guy was so good they introduced a rule to curb his influence going 3rd man up in ruck contests in 2017 - so the bloke just morphed into a key defender and won our B&F the following season.

Congrats on a marvelous career thus far Blitz, you absolute cheat code of a footballer!

 

[Catsnlakers]

The most versatile player in the league for a decade now, multiple B&F, All Australian and a Premiership player! Sneaky all time great Geelong player. Congratulations Blitz!

 

[winty]

Blitz's career averages make for interesting reading:

14.82 possessions
3.94 marks
9.29 hit outs
4.13 tackles
1.49 rebound 50s
1.69 inside 50s
2.21 clearances
7.17 contested possessions
8.03 uncontested possessions
0.72 contested marks
4.10 one percenters

Would love to know how many players average 15 possessions, 9 hit outs, 4 tackles, 7 contested possessions, 1.5 rebound 50s, 1.7 inside 50s and 4 one percenters a game. Some players might match some of those numbers, but I doubt many, if any, would match them all.

 

[cats_09]

I'm sure most of us know his achievements on the footy field:

• Premiership player, 2022
• All Australian, 2022
• 2 x Carji medalists, 2015 & 2018

He then picked up 1 vote in the Norm Smith voting on Grand Final day

But one thing that I'm not sure many realise is that in 2022, Blicavs also finished top 10 in the AFLCA votes. With 679 players taking to the field during 2022, it's a great achievement to receive that level of acknowledgment from the coaches for the season he had




For an apparent "failed Olympian", he's had a bloody fantastic career to date, and it's far from over

 

[jim boy]

Congrats to the third best Sunbury Lions junior player currently on our list (and arguably fourth best overall), bloody marvellous.

 

[PzBlinky]

One-of-a-kind player and like a few of our other oldies, simply irreplaceable.

Has come a long way from those elite running patterns in his early years.

 

[dazbroncos]

Wow blitz 250…

There are several Cat B Rookie success stories but this has to be top3 all time… maybe the best argument has its place here to.

Congrats to the Olympic trial runner who picked up the pill and had a rule change in the game due to his over influence.

Amazing work and he’s added feeding hats to his list of achievements as there are plenty on here that have dined on the stuff his success has made them eat.

Go Catters

 

[Catsace]

From a project player to an absolutely vital part of Geelong's team. No surprise last season after he got injured Geelong won just one of our last six games. An integral part of the side, and his flexibility and power gives Geelong so many more options when he's fit and firing. Such dedication to go from someone who hadn't picked up a footy for half his life into a dual B & F champion, and to achieve 250 games is a credit to him, and to Geelong's recruiters who saw the potential, and have seen it flourish.

 

[catempire]

If this milestone doesn’t blow your mind I don’t know what would.

It makes no logical sense that this could happen in professional sport.

It’s like a carpenter becoming a cardiologist then saving dozens of lives and winning multiple accolades.

Bravo Blitzy.

 

[Generalissimo]

It’s like a carpenter becoming a cardiologist then saving dozens of lives and winning multiple accolades.

Hasn't happened since about 30 AD.

 

[Lana]

Went from "elite running patterns" to elite running patterns

 

[bulletproof]

If Joel Corey

Joel Corey

Age

42

Ht

191cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.4

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

11.0

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.1

5star

CL

3.9

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.4

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.6

4star

was undoubtedly Bomber T’s favourite player, then I am certain Blicavs is Scott’s.

The man who makes the trains run on time.

 

[iameviljez]

Hasn't happened since about 30 AD.

Gargh! You nailed* the hard part (thinking of the joke), then screwed up the easy bit (getting the year right).



*Easter reference.

 

[iameviljez]

I remember going along to his second game of AFL, against Norf, when our rucks were injured (no surprise), the cupboard was bare, so he got shoved into the AFL limelight and looked like a fun experiment, if completely lost. In particular, I remember him trying to throw about five equally hilarious fakes in a row to step through an opponent (no dice).

Then I went to a home game against Gold Coast a couple of years later where he played a major role in helping us squeak over the line, and that was the first time I realised that the guy had become a genuinely good AFL footballer.

I know it's a bit "if my Aunty had balls", but I wonder, if he'd been in the AFL system all along, whether he might have become a very, very good centre-half forward instead.

 

[juzcat]

Love how he has gone from a 2 grab fumbler to a dead set clunker and a deadly left foot weapon

Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk

 

[supahoops]

Loved this guy since watching him from day one. Am I alone in thinking he could one day replace Hawk at FF and play until he’s 40 given his all round skill set and athletic attributes?

 

[Jemaine]

Congrats to the third best Sunbury Lions junior player currently on our list (and arguably fourth best overall), bloody marvellous.

Who are you counting as the other? Ego and Kel were both Rupo boys.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I remember going along to his second game of AFL, against Norf, when our rucks were injured (no surprise), the cupboard was bare, so he got shoved into the AFL limelight and looked like a fun experiment, if completely lost. In particular, I remember him trying to throw about five equally hilarious fakes in a row to step through an opponent (no dice).

Then I went to a home game against Gold Coast a couple of years later where he played a major role in helping us squeak over the line, and that was the first time I realised that the guy had become a genuinely good AFL footballer.

I know it's a bit "if my Aunty had balls", but I wonder, if he'd been in the AFL system all along, whether he might have become a very, very good centre-half forward instead.

If he was in an AFL system all through the developing years he arguably loses his biggest weapon. His steeplechasing endurance base

 

[catswhiskers]

First saw Blitz when I snuck into the Moorabool St side of the old Skilled Stadium in early 2012? , when I was down for a holiday and keen to watch the Cats train.

Before I was unceromoniously kicked out, I saw 40 odd players doing a mix of drills on the StMarys side of the ground.

Right in front of me on his own I saw one player and a staffer. The staffer was throwing the ball in from the boundary and the tall, thin blonde young player was being asked to tap the ball to the ground with right hand and then on the next throw in, with the left hand.

That was where Blitz was footy wise when he was picked up [EDIT as a Cat B rookie]

Checking his stats tested the brain cells (there is so much there).

Looks like he played VFL all 2012 and learnt fast, from 2013 he has played 20 or more games per season (except last year [19]).

 

[sexyhunk]

probably the best and most consistent utility player the last 5 years

 

[jim boy]

Who are you counting as the other? Ego and Kel were both Rupo boys.

David Johnson

 

[cats_09]

 

[thejester]

Forget Blitz, how's the Mitch Brown/GHS combo

 

[darrenmorgan]

the big milestones keep coming. this one guy that has got the absolute best out of himself. I didn't think he'd become as good as he did. great career and lots more to come.

 

[D BRIDGE]

What a player this has turned out to be.

An absolute Wells special.