Jason Gram's game

[SainterK]

Blake has cemented his spot, no chance he'll be out surely?

He is a great backup ruckman, but do people forget his game on Waite earlier this year....still a handy backman.

Love the Blake

Ben v Stanley

Ben V Stanley ...so one of our future rucks stocks misses out over a guy who is surely in his final season?

Righto....

Blake's been awesome AGAIN but he isnt the future - if all 27-28 fit unless we face a monster fwd.......Blake goes for me..it has to be about the future surely..

You're dismissing Blake as a defender though?

He has only filled the ruck, because he does whatever he has to do.

I don't actually see where I said Ben misses, just that Stanley will be (IMO) competing for the same spot as Ben.

Saad has come in and played very well as an additional forward in Stanleys absence, sure it's a small for a tall, but personally I'm not sure we are craving the additional height up there at the moment.

[Teflon]

Blake has cemented his spot, no chance he'll be out surely?

He is a great backup ruckman, but do people forget his game on Waite earlier this year....still a handy backman.

Love the Blake

Ben v Stanley

Ben V Stanley ...so one of our future rucks stocks misses out over a guy who is surely in his final season?

Righto....

Blake's been awesome AGAIN but he isnt the future - if all 27-28 fit unless we face a monster fwd.......Blake goes for me..it has to be about the future surely..

You're dismissing Blake as a defender though?

He has only filled the ruck, because he does whatever he has to do.

I don't actually see where I said Ben misses, just that Stanley will be (IMO) competing for the same spot as Ben.

Saad has come in and played very well as an additional forward in Stanleys absence, sure it's a small for a tall, but personally I'm not sure we are craving the additional height up there at the moment.

Watters has already demonstrated he likes 3 talls up fwd till change was forced upon him by injury
Milera plays fwd also and IMO has been overtaken up fwd by Saad for now. Stanley offers both speed and height and ruck versatility. He will come back in.
As will McEvoy.

No one dismissed Blake for anything - as I said its horses for courses...with;

Gilbert, Fisher, Simpkin, Clarke, Gram, Goddard, Geary, Gwilt all vying for spots down back UNLESS we have a gorilla fwd ..........Blake's position is questionable for sure.

[plugger66]

At least Grammy seems to be off the hook now. As silly as it does sound if certain players come back and there are no injuries to our backs then it will be out of Gwilt, Simpkin and Blake to be dropped. One has to go IMO. Which one, who knows. lets look at the form in a couple of weeks.

[gringo]

I say we get a dodgy surgeon to graft Gwilt's torso on to Raph's hip, thus making a super player with four arm, sturdy legs good kicking and decision making. Call him Graph and all's good.

[dragit]

He is a great backup ruckman, but do people forget his game on Waite earlier this year....still a handy backman.

Love the Blake

Ben v Stanley

Love of Blake aside, Waite has not played since that match, so was clearly injured in that match…

If fit, both Ben & Stanley have to play for mine… Personally I don't think we can't afford to keep playing 30+ year olds at the expense of Stanley, Simpkin, Saad, Milera, Newnes. Fast tracking these guys is probably more important than winning every week, plus they are all showing plenty at the top level to keep getting games.

Obviously we can't have all of the young guys in at the same time. While Blake has been superb, the progression of Simpkin (who has more than held his own) is more important at this stage… Blake definitely stays for now, but with 2 ruckmen and our best defender coming back, unfortunately someone will have to miss out and I doubt it will be the younger guys at this stage in our development.

We're going pretty well, but we are re-building & young guys can't learn the game properly at VFL level.

[saintsRrising]

Ben is a number 1 ruck.

Stanley is a key forward, who can play No 2 ruck.

Blake is a "third" tall defender that is Mr Utility that can back up in many positions but is master of none. His offensive side is on the poor side, as are his footskills which are just ok (watch the opposition...they allow him to peel off as they want us to give him the ball rather than say BJ or Sam).

Blake is not really competing with either of them. He is filling in while they are out.

I love his endeavour and workrate, but a team full of Blakes will not enable us to get to the next level.

He may stay in our best 22 due to our lack of a FB , and due to his versatlity, but I cannot see him holding out either Stanley or Ben who are now both important to our structure.

It is Blake vs Gwilt and Simpkin in 2012.
Gwilt still lacks form. Simpkin lacks experience.

[SainterK]

Blake's position is questionable for sure.

In your opinion.

[BigMart]

Blake is an automatic IMO

[Teflon]

Blake's position is questionable for sure.

In your opinion.

No, not all I borrowd your opinion and am using it for this thread....

WTF ofcourse its my opinion???

[dcstkfc]

On current form Kosi could be one to make way

[SainterK]

Blake's position is questionable for sure.

In your opinion.

No, not all I borrowd your opinion and am using it for this thread....

WTF ofcourse its my opinion???

Well you said for sure.

[Teflon]

[quote="SainterK"]

That's caus 'I' in my opinion am sure...

[bigcarl]

Blake is an automatic IMO

Agree. Holds the defence together, makes an impact in the ruck and even kicks goals up forward. He's been our most valuable player this season IMO.

We've seen how the defence holds up while he's rucking (Buddy, Riewoldt) and it hasn't always been pretty.

[bigcarl]

On current form Kosi could be one to make way

That's the elephant in the room.