Opinion Mark Blicavs

[El Dubya]

i.e. zero ruck contests. With Simpson and HMac both in the side, HMac plays predominantly forward leaving no room for Walker. Blicavs plays other positions.

Yeah and I believe the positions Blicavs are playing at the moment aren't all that valuable. Eventually Bundy, Motlop and Caddy will all be back in the side and Blicavs really won't be necessary.
Blicavs has a lot of upside, and he'll be very well served by a stint in the VFL to really learn how to read the play.

 

[catempire]

Yeah and I believe the positions Blicavs are playing at the moment aren't all that valuable. Eventually Bundy, Motlop and Caddy will all be back in the side and Blicavs really won't be necessary.
Blicavs has a lot of upside, and he'll be very well served by a stint in the VFL to really learn how to read the play.

Let's have that discussion when they're back then. Right now his competition is the likes of Schroder, Stringer, Jansen and Lang.

 

[El Dubya]

Let's have that discussion when they're back then. Right now his competition is the likes of Schroder, Stringer, Jansen and Lang.

Well when both rucks are fit, hopefully this week, it's a conversation we can start to have. I don't think Walker is a liability up forward, so why not bring on the extra young midfielder now? Jansen wouldn't be too far away from getting a game, or Thurlow could stay in after Mackie comes back.
Don't get me wrong, I like Blicavs a lot, but he just isn't there yet, and I am seriously eating my words because pre season I wanted Blicavs backed in for every game.

 

[catempire]

Well when both rucks are fit, hopefully this week, it's a conversation we can start to have. I don't think Walker is a liability up forward, so why not bring on the extra young midfielder now? Jansen wouldn't be too far away from getting a game, or Thurlow could stay in after Mackie comes back.
Don't get me wrong, I like Blicavs a lot, but he just isn't there yet, and I am seriously eating my words because pre season I wanted Blicavs backed in for every game.

I don't think Walker is a liability up forward either. But with HMac there, there is no room for him.

In a nutshell, as soon as they can, they will return to the structure that won them the first five games. That includes two rucks and Blicavs or a midfielder in his place. Fortunately for Blicavs, none of the VFL midfielders have been banging the door down.

 

[El Dubya]

Fair enough. I think Walker could fit alongside McIntosh and Tomahawk the same way Brown did in the first three rounds, but I get your point that there isn't anyone really forcing Blicavs out right now.

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[Turbocat]

I don't think Walker is a liability up forward either. But with HMac there, there is no room for him.

In a nutshell, as soon as they can, they will return to the structure that won them the first five games. That includes two rucks and Blicavs or a midfielder in his place. Fortunately for Blicavs, none of the VFL midfielders have been banging the door down.

The question we will have to consider is ; what's a better setup, 2 pure rucks and him , 2 pure ruck and a close to ready mid mid; 2 pure rucks and developing mid ; 1 pure ruck , him and another player.

 

[Cyclone Larry]

He's been selected as a wingman over a ruckman this season, only pitch hitting in the rucks and not doing much when there.
We all know how good of an endurance runner he is but I think his a bit slow out of the blocks with pace.
Maybe give McCarthy or even Thurlow a crack on the wing.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I don't think Walker is a liability up forward either. But with HMac there, there is no room for him.

In a nutshell, as soon as they can, they will return to the structure that won them the first five games. That includes two rucks and Blicavs or a midfielder in his place. Fortunately for Blicavs, none of the VFL midfielders have been banging the door down.

And we saw with Thurlow what happens when a bloke is promoted after only moderate 2nds form, especially playing against a decent team; he struggles, to put it politely.

 

[bulletproof]

The reality is we need to get our list healthy again then I think there is a very real discussion about the role Blicavs plays. I think it is unfortunate we have to play him at the moment because he would benefit from a stint in the seconds but he still playing a role for the side and at the moment we need him.

We are missing 8 players from our senior squad (Motlop, Christensen, Kersten, Smedts, Mackie, Caddy, Simpson, Mcarthy) or more if you count the long term ones (Vardy, Cowan and Menzel). We are down to the bare bones, when you consider five or six of those in the seconds are a long way from being ready.

Blicavs is someone they can rely on to do a very specific job to hopefully grind out a win this week. Reassesses it after the bye when hopefully we are a bit healthier.

 

[Partridge]

agree with those above, his role is 2nd ruck. needed him yesterday and he did well for an inexperienced no. 2.
but for me, that is the only time he should be in the side.

Problem is, he's not that inexperienced anymore.

He's played 28 games now, which is more than Smedts, Murdoch, Vardy, Menzel, Horlin-Smith, Simpson, Stringer, Brown, Walker, Sheringham, Burbury, Thurlow, Schroder, McCarthy and (obviously) Kersten. He's actually one of the more experienced younger guys already.

 

[vealesy]

Would love to see footage of all the mistakes he makes that has earnt him the whipping boy role on this board.

I watch all of our games replays at least twice and i still dont see more than 1 a game.

And i certainly see a similar amount made by most others in the side.

 

[Partridge]

Needs to develop into some role that he can grow in.

Right now, he seems to be insurance only. I think he is being stifled to develop in whatever role the club wants him to be in as he is being mr fix it in the ruck and playing at CHF as well in some cases.

He hasn't played CHF this year. He drifted forward to take two marks against Collingwood, but hasn't played as a key forward this year. Prior to the Port game he'd played on the wing pretty much 100% of the time he was out there.

 

[Partridge]

The question we will have to consider is ; what's a better setup, 2 pure rucks and him , 2 pure ruck and a close to ready mid mid; 2 pure rucks and developing mid ; 1 pure ruck , him and another player.

Easy one - two pure rucks (Simpson and McIntosh) and a close to ready midfielder. We'll get infinitely better hitouts and effect on clearances, and a midfielder will win more of the ball.

 

[Partridge]

Would love to see footage of all the mistakes he makes that has earnt him the whipping boy role on this board.

I watch all of our games replays at least twice and i still dont see more than 1 a game.

And i certainly see a similar amount made by most others in the side.

But how do you see the mistakes? I thought you only watched running patterns. You've explicitly said not to watch the ball.

 

[vealesy]

Which is why his stats were low.

Which also gave him a great outside perspective on how the game flows and where the space is.


Which is what you need a runner to learn.

I can see him becoming the anti-reiwoldt down back when he is ready to learn off Taylor. Not ready for that yet though.

 

[vealesy]

But how do you see the mistakes? I thought you only watched running patterns. You've explicitly said not to watch the ball.

Dont have peripheral vision?

Its possible to switch between both.

I focus on running patterns when at the ground.

TV only really focuses on the ball so i leave that for replays normally.

 

[Cyclone Larry]

Would love to see footage of all the mistakes he makes that has earnt him the whipping boy role on this board.

I watch all of our games replays at least twice and i still dont see more than 1 a game.

And i certainly see a similar amount made by most others in the side.

The whipping boy resides in the thread "Will Mitch Brown Make it?"

 

[Partridge]

The whipping boy resides in the thread "Will Mitch Brown Make it?"

Exactly. And Brown - rather unfairly - gets judged on football skills and output.

 

[vealesy]

Exactly. And Brown - rather unfairly - gets judged on football skills and output.

Not really.

Just his effeminate body/nature.

He is soft.

Plus imo he is finished for us now. Nothing more than a rotational fill in and then seeya later softie.

 

[Partridge]

Good to see the comments don't question the players' character and just focus on the football isn't it?

 

[dazbroncos]

Don't really see Gunston shedding tacklers and doing a bunch of bullocking work. Gets really nice service from the Hawks mids on the leads and takes strong marks. Is less effective when its bombed on his head. I see Mitch the same way. Granted, a bit more hardness from Mitch would be good to see too.

Go Catters

shells landing in 5, 4, 3, 2…

 

[Partridge]

Don't really see Gunston shedding tacklers and doing a bunch of bullocking work. Gets really nice service from the Hawks mids on the leads and takes strong marks. Is less effective when its bombed on his head. I see Mitch the same way. Granted, a bit more hardness from Mitch would be good to see too.

Go Catters

shells landing in 5, 4, 3, 2…

To be fair, Blicavs wasn't shedding tacklers either on the weekend. On the contrary he get caught holding the ball twice. And he has laid 1 tackle in 2 full games.

 

[vealesy]

Good to see the comments don't question the players' character and just focus on the football isn't it?

Focused on the gym output and body conditioning, not his character whatsoever.

 

[vealesy]

To be fair, Blicavs wasn't shedding tacklers either on the weekend. On the contrary he get caught holding the ball twice. And he has laid 1 tackle in 2 full games.

GHS got caught twice too, but it probably didnt make the stat sheet because the umpy didnt pay it.

Should we drop him too?

 

[Partridge]

GHS got caught twice too, but it probably didnt make the stat sheet because the umpy didnt pay it.

Should we drop him too?

Horlin-Smith is actually able to be criticised, unlike Blicavs. He's also had to earn his spot, unlike Blicavs.