Player Watch Welcome James Blanck. Extends to 2026!

[Judd2Sewell]

Closing speed is huge and just manages to get a fist in to kill the ball no matter of the situation.

We now have our 2 pillar key defenders

Is it time to start a Sicily to Full Forward thread yet?

Mods, ban him

 

[VandoHawk]

I'm excited about what he can do with a full preseason and proper conditioning. His reading of the play and defensive craft is top notch.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Just one of those players who like Jai and Stratton just comes in and adjusts to level almost straight away. Crazy he can step in as a 2nd round msd pick

Well he knows the way we play and we know his strengths and weaknesses. Ready to go compared to others

 

[Hodgey 15]

Love this bloke.
You'd think he'd play 50 games already.

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[PenAndPaper]

Definitely doesn't make me shoot Blancks when I watch him play.

 

[MrPremiership]

He's retired Hartigan (if it was up to debate/trigger)

Has a good closing speed, and long limbs as he seems to get a spoil in each time.

Love it.

 

[Hodginator]

Someone should make a highlights video of him just from todays game.

 

[CHUBBSS]

His a gun, getting better game to game

 

[chopflop]

I can't believe north didn't take him before our pick. Or Carlton for that matter. He just looks up to the level.

Crazy to think our next finals side could feature

Blanck - msd
Newk - msd
Bramble - pssp
Reeves - pssp.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

I was very, very impressed with him, especially in the first quarter. Blanck has all the modern-day attributes to be a successful key defender. Keep up the good form, James. Certainly much better seeing him down there with Denver and Sis than seeing Hartigan and Frost, if I'm honest.

 

[rei154]

Really excited to watch him match up on King later this year- he seems to be the prototypical defender to run with someone like that.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Strikes me (admittedly from a very limited sample size) as the type of player who thrives on the high paced and competitive nature of senior football

Sometimes players come across that don't blow the VFL, SANFL, etc. apart; but take the step to AFL so naturally. Hopefully I'm right in saying that James is one of those players

On top of that, word from the club is that he is a stellar human being

I'm huge on this concept and people can be so dismissive of it.

Happens in all sports. Cricket a great example. Marcus Stoinis and Marnus Labashagne weren't necessarily ripping the door off the hinges at domestic level despite being promising cricketers.

If you are an overthinker as a personality type it can be more difficult playing second level sport. You over analyse your own performance often to your detriment. Plus the higher skill level at the next step lends itself to predicting general play.

Not saying Blanck is that type, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was.

Assessment is dead on. Players can dominate the VFL and look average at best in the AFL and can also look okay to good in the VFL but then just come into their own at senior level. Another example is Hardwick - he was fine at VFL level but wasn't a standout at Box Hill as others may have been but once he hit seniors he was like a duck to water and has never looked back.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

He's got mongrel and hates being beaten. Got to love that on top of his speed and size.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[chopflop]

MSD for the hawks be like

 

[Flukey!]

I am really impressed with his composure.
Appears to very cool and plays more like a veteran than a relative newcomer.

 

[Flukey!]

I can't believe north didn't take him before our pick. Or Carlton for that matter. He just looks up to the level.

Crazy to think our next finals side could feature

Blanck - msd
Newk - msd
Bramble - pssp
Reeves - pssp.

They said during the broadcast yesterday that we planned to take him at the National Draft last year but he forgot to nominate.

 

[The Chad and I]

We re stacked for defensive options.
Need to push a few into the mid and forward.
If we can get Jeka to become a intercepting KPD, then it makes sense to try Sicily/DGB up forward.

We have to get the most out of the collective, regardless of personal preferences.
Sicily will give a performance up forward, Jeka might in defence = 2/2.
The other way around it's only 1/2.
Decision is easy IMO.

 

[mustang]

I can't believe north didn't take him before our pick. Or Carlton for that matter. He just looks up to the level.

Crazy to think our next finals side could feature

Blanck - msd
Newk - msd
Bramble - pssp
Reeves - pssp.

Something I’m looking fwd seeing when Kingy lines up the 2 sides to see where they were drafted in building the list.

 

[KermitJagger]

MSD for the hawks be like

Handy having Box Hill as our aligned VFL squad. Probably the source of 50% of the most successful VFL exports.

 

[Mojo]

Did we strike gold again?!

He wasn't even our first pick in the MSD.

 

[HappyHawk_1]

They said during the broadcast yesterday that we planned to take him at the National Draft last year but he forgot to nominate.

Yeah so essentially he forgot to put in the paperwork which buggered everything up!!

Fortunately, noone picked up on how good he could be and in the end, we've got an absolute steal - could be our next FB for a decade!

 

[extractasam]

Assessment is dead on. Players can dominate the VFL and look average at best in the AFL and can also look okay to good in the VFL but then just come into their own at senior level. Another example is Hardwick - he was fine at VFL level but wasn't a standout at Box Hill as others may have been but once he hit seniors he was like a duck to water and has never looked back.

For players who read the game well like Blanck - AFL is far more predictable than VFL

 

[Linda CRS]

They said during the broadcast yesterday that we planned to take him at the National Draft last year but he forgot to nominate.

That’s not quite right, he didn’t nominate for the draft last year so he wasn’t eligible for pre season draft when we wanted to take him. On the same principle he had to get an exemption to go in MSD which was initially knocked back only for his manager to reapply and get it through. Thank God!

 

[Flukey!]

That’s not quite right, he didn’t nominate for the draft last year so he wasn’t eligible for pre season draft when we wanted to take him. On the same principle he had to get an exemption to go in MSD which was initially knocked back only for his manager to reapply and get it through. Thank God!

Yes.
He didn't nominate last year when he should have.
And yes, a special exemption this year so he could.