Toast Mark Blicavs

[oozeboss]

not sure if anyone else was watching Gameday yesterday on 7.....

Yep - I saw it & loved it. I laughed when Jimmeh also pointed out that whenever Blitz lines up for a running session, all the guys who used to be front runners do their damndest to get into any group but his because he just blows them off the park.

Those incredible physical attributes, that enormous desire & capacity to learn, and the fact that there is no better nurturing group of senior players in the AFL have the Blitz lined up to become a massive star in our game. I love watching him go round, and seeing his improvement each and every game is just mindboggling!

I can imagine ruckmen about to face him just cr@pping themselves for the week leading up to our game, knowing that he's just going to tear their lungs clean out of their chests & still be going faster and further for longer than them.

(Hello Mummy!)

 

[supahoops]

This is what excites me the most.

He doesnt need to ruck. I was impressed more with his physical attributes than ruckwork.

He can run like no other big man. An absolutely unique weapon and is going to cause nightmares for opposition coaches.

Dont even need him as a ruck. Plonk him as a half forward and let him find space and just run and run and run.

Love the fact he will give us the option of going in with one ruck down the track, if he plays as a wing, on ball or even kp.

Timing is everything, and it seems the changing of the ruck and interchange rules couldn't have come at a better time for him.

Could be the quintessential utility player. Great story, with a few pages to turn yet..

 

[Aussiemac82]

Was interested to read in the Herald-Sun this morning that apparently Blicavs is miles ahead of another ruckman with a similar story at the same stage of their career.

That player? The late Jim Stynes.

Mark it down now. Blitz will be polling Brownlow votes consistently in the not to distant future.

When CS come to the club and along with Balmey discussed a 2015 team, where would they have pencilled in Blitz?

I was just watching some clips of Jim Stynes and Dean Cox, and I see no reason why Blitz won't be able to influence games like these champions.

The thing that stands out is his leadership qualities off the field. I have only ever heard about the professionalism in which he applies himself, to football and his studies. It is great to hear how much the players admire how he has held his own as well.

 

[Aussiemac82]

I think I read somewhere or heard him say he is now 98kg. If he can put on another 4kg over the next preseason he will be able to match it with the majority of rucks.

The Brisbane burger and Zac Smith are both in that similar mould, slightly taller but not as athletic. Tom Hickey is the same age.

He has a bit to go, but after 50 games he will compare well with the best of them.

Also ,He is the youngest ruck to play more than 1 game this year.

 

[Moggy]

I can imagine ruckmen about to face him just cr@pping themselves for the week leading up to our game, knowing that he's just going to tear their lungs clean out of their chests & still be going faster and further for longer than them.

Cr*pping themselves, waiting for the Blitzkrieg to hit them!

 

[Turbocat]

Big week for the Ballroom.

I hope he takes all the padding he needs cause the sausage eater will probably try to jump in to him big time.

But if he can keep his progress up , he will be doing well this week. Snydknee is a tough team

 

[David the Cat]

The trick will be to hurt Mumford on the rebound.....one quarter of chasing the Ballroom and Mumford may need a few sausages to keep going!

 

[proboy]

If blitz keeps his running powers going it wont take other teams long to tell a certain player other then the ruckman to follow him after the ball has been bounced. The problem is they wont be able to keep up to

 

[Moggy]

If blitz keeps his running powers going it wont take other teams long to tell a certain player other then the ruckman to follow him after the ball has been bounced. The problem is they wont be able to keep up to

then that will free up another one of our midfielders - with The ruck needing to manage them.
Anything that adds complexity to the opponents tactics is good for us. Bound to be moments when he slips through and in those moments hopefully he can punish them

 

[Turbocat]

The trick will be to hurt Mumford on the rebound.....one quarter of chasing the Ballroom and Mumford may need a few sausages to keep going!

Sort of like last week. We apparently had a plan to use Poodle. If he is free to be used and if we give him the ball , how good would it be if he can give the Mummy the twinkle toes treatment , and then score a couple of "sausages" for himself.

 

[jim boy]

Was listening to Derm and Tim watson this morning on SEN. At one point they talked about how you can spot some 12 year olds will make it as an AFL player, although there was no mention of Blicavs. I guess Guthrie senior had seen that it in Blicavs as a junior, hence why it shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

 

[catswhiskers]

Was listening to Derm and Tim watson this morning on SEN. At one point they talked about how you can spot some 12 year olds will make it as an AFL player, although there was no mention of Blicavs. I guess Guthrie senior had seen that it in Blicavs as a junior, hence why it shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

Those identified 12-14 y.o.'s usually enter a pretty solid preparation in representative squads (over 4-5 years). They are schooled about the fine points and prepared physically.

What is surprising and exciting about Blicavs is that he began his preparation late last year. He has so much upside from here, and as I said before he needs time in the twos to find out just what he can do.

Ball use is just one area to work on - he appears a fair kick now but thats all. In two years I would expect his disposal to be far better and hence it will improve the options he has each time he receives the ball or runs to an attacking position. Then there is overhead marking / ruckwork / and the big one - decision making.

Blicavs in 2015 should be an even more valuable member of the squad. Its pretty amazing methinks.

 

[Menzelevium]

The other boys are certainly getting more and more confident using him. He was the target a few times tonight. Took quite a nice grab too.

 

[Whopper32]

The other boys are certainly getting more and more confident using him. He was the target a few times tonight. Took quite a nice grab too.

...and pushed back deep forward and effected the contest for Harry's 2nd goal. Showed guts backing in and as he did all game bounced up and participated in the next contest. Has really good hands and vision. Exceeding all expectations so far (and they keep growing too)!

 

[THE CAT WRANGLER]

I've been pleasantly impressed with him so far he will only continue to develop

 

[And_ROOS]

So what happened to that thread on the Bay about Blicavs? Assuming it was taken down after his efforts against the Wasps on the weekend

 

[The Casey Cat]

Team mates must start trusting him more he bolts hard right down the middle of the ground generally in miles of space as no one can keep up but gets frequently ignored.

 

[cats_09]

Team mates must start trusting him more he bolts hard right down the middle of the ground generally in miles of space as no one can keep up but gets frequently ignored.

I noticed on Saturday night, (I think it was the 2nd qtr), but Mackie had the ball ball just behind the wing, and Blitz made a strong lead well in front of his opponent which was ignored, and another Geelong player made a lead along the boundary line which Mackie also ignored. In the end Mackie kicked it towards the 50, but to space in the middle of a few Tigers players - had to shake my head at that when he had better options.
Then go to the last qtr and they trusted Blitz enough to kick to him a couple of times in the defensive end of the ground in the same passage of play and he didn't let them down. So that made me wonder is it just some teammates who are 2nd guessing him a bit at the moment but others are sticking with the idea of "kick to the jumper, not just the player"?
He won't always take the mark, but one thing he has shown is that he will never give up and will continue to apply pressure if he doesn't have the ball in his hands. And when he does get the ball, he is averaging 9.2 disposals a game, at an ave of 8 effective disposals - sure he tends to handball more than he kicks, but even when he does kick the ball, more often than not it goes to the right place.

 

[Turbocat]

Team mates must start trusting him more he bolts hard right down the middle of the ground generally in miles of space as no one can keep up but gets frequently ignored.

You are not gifted trust..you earn it. Bit by bit , the must Ballroom will show his capabilities and once shown , and established and verified , he will be kicked to !!!

A good start is marks. My experience is that when a player takes marks , players on the field quickly feel confident to put the ball in his direction. Even better , take a few and kick some goals from setshots. Thats probably something he needs practice at. Vardy has shown what talent looks like in the twos. If Blitz does something similar when he resumes in the the 2's then the trust will start to build.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

So what happened to that thread on the Bay about Blicavs? Assuming it was taken down after his efforts against the Wasps on the weekend

We Geelong posters there push it up from time to time.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

I noticed on Saturday night, (I think it was the 2nd qtr), but Mackie had the ball ball just behind the wing, and Blitz made a strong lead well in front of his opponent which was ignored, and another Geelong player made a lead along the boundary line which Mackie also ignored. In the end Mackie kicked it towards the 50, but to space in the middle of a few Tigers players - had to shake my head at that when he had better options.
Then go to the last qtr and they trusted Blitz enough to kick to him a couple of times in the defensive end of the ground in the same passage of play and he didn't let them down. So that made me wonder is it just some teammates who are 2nd guessing him a bit at the moment but others are sticking with the idea of "kick to the jumper, not just the player"?
He won't always take the mark, but one thing he has shown is that he will never give up and will continue to apply pressure if he doesn't have the ball in his hands. And when he does get the ball, he is averaging 9.2 disposals a game, at an ave of 8 effective disposals - sure he tends to handball more than he kicks, but even when he does kick the ball, more often than not it goes to the right place.

That is exactly how I see him.

But he has burst on to the scene so quickly and expanded his own role so much, I think supporters and even fellow players are struggling to keep up with what the fella can do. He is a far better player than he was 6 games ago even. He has smarts, speed, size, endurance. A nice little project.

 

[dazbroncos]

I also noticed that when he kicked his first AFL goal the celebration weren't really that big.

Not expecting a Boris or Scarlo type reaction nor does it deserve that but I thought it might have been a bit bigger....

Go Catters

 

[meto]

One thing I've seen with Blitz, plenty of courage, he'll put himself in the hole and hold that ground...quite possibly he'll need to do that for us often tonight as they'll bomb it long to their marking talls.

I don't care if he doesn't take a mark all night, as long as he spoils their talls and takes that extra height advantage away from their forwards/rucks.
He has the weapons to do this, a huge spring and extra long arms at 198cm.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I also noticed that when he kicked his first AFL goal the celebration weren't really that big.

Not expecting a Boris or Scarlo type reaction nor does it deserve that but I thought it might have been a bit bigger....

Go Catters

It was a bit low-key, wasn't it? Might have been different if it had been a Mark Blake style set shot. But the dynamics within footy teams are funny with new players, it simply takes some players longer than others to become popular and/or respected within the group (and the group often has a completely different take to that of the fans and spectators, too). Not saying that's an issue here though, because I would have NFI.

 

[proboy]

Be nice to see him run the whole length of the ground and kick a sausage roll tonight.