Jason Blake - what will happen

[skeptic]

gotta remember blake can play anywhere.
foward back ruch wing
i dont see him being dropped
becuase when somethign goes wrong
max or king get injured or the foward line isnt working
he is used
keep trudging blakey

Don't agree with that at all.

IMO what has led to Blake's marked improvement is that he has settled into a position down back and is able to use his natural attributes to his advantage e.g. jumping high, endurance with the running forwards, and he has a bit more support around him which helps with his decision making.

He is a backman that can pinch in the ruck against the opposition's secondary ruckman. RL has him playing within his limitations.

What was really frustrating was that while he used to play the role of a utility, he simply wasn't good enough at a number of the roles he played such as:
- Playing against the primary ruck. He had the occassional super game like against Hawthorn last year and Sandlilands down in Tassie a few seasons back. However, most of the time he lost the hitouts and wasn't as effective round the ground.
- Defensive midfielder. Was vastly overrated in this role. Again claimed a few big scalps such as Goodes each year but generally wasn't a super effective stopper and didn't generally hurt the opposition the other way.
- Was never a particularly effective forward

Lyon plays to his strengths. Blake is a super backman

[saintsRrising]

gotta remember blake can play anywhere.
foward back ruch wing
i dont see him being dropped
becuase when somethign goes wrong
max or king get injured or the foward line isnt working
he is used
keep trudging blakey

Don't agree with that at all.

IMO what has led to Blake's marked improvement is that he has settled into a position down back and is able to use his natural attributes to his advantage e.g. jumping high, endurance with the running forwards, and he has a bit more support around him which helps with his decision making.

He is a backman that can pinch in the ruck against the opposition's secondary ruckman. RL has him playing within his limitations.

What was really frustrating was that while he used to play the role of a utility, he simply wasn't good enough at a number of the roles he played such as:
- Playing against the primary ruck. He had the occassional super game like against Hawthorn last year and Sandlilands down in Tassie a few seasons back. However, most of the time he lost the hitouts and wasn't as effective round the ground.
- Defensive midfielder. Was vastly overrated in this role. Again claimed a few big scalps such as Goodes each year but generally wasn't a super effective stopper and didn't generally hurt the opposition the other way.
- Was never a particularly effective forward

Lyon plays to his strengths. Blake is a super backman

Ditto,,,



Lyon is finding the best niche for all....

[perfectionist]

How many games has he played

142

[joffaboy]

Very good thread.

I have always admired Blake for his courage endurance and raw committment to his teammates.

All teams have and need a Jason Blake type player. Not skillful but has gotten everthing out of himself.

Watson-Blight-Thomas-Lyon. Four coaches who have coached the seniors in the 10 years JB has been on the list and not one has seen fit to delist him. That in itself tells you something of his worth to the club.

As for improved skills. I dont believe they have improved much at all. The fact that the pressure in defences is so vastly improved this year enables a player to have that little extra time when in possession. Almost all of our players seem to have improved their skills and I put it down to the intensity and pressure of the zone defence up the field.

JB is a great clubman and should always been seen as such. Just like Frankie Peckett.

[Saints43]

His skill level improvement is helped by a couple of factors IMO.

Most of his kicks are transfer-of-play types which are far less pressured than the midfield bustle he worked in 2005-2007

and

he generally hasn't just run 40 x 100 with his legs turning to water when kicking it now.

I think some people just didn't appreciate how physically difficult it was to play the role he was asked to previously.

[joffaboy]

His skill level improvement is helped by a couple of factors IMO.

Most of his kicks are transfer-of-play types which are far less pressured than the midfield bustle he worked in 2005-2007

and

he generally hasn't just run 40 x 100 with his legs turning to water when kicking it now.

I think some people just didn't appreciate how physically difficult it was to play the role he was asked to previously.

Yup spot on. Has a very big engine and has been used that way for season after season. Not working as hard in the backline so his skills are better due to less fatigue - and coupled with the fact that the pressure from up the field has improved greatly.

[borderbarry]

Jason is the same size as Raph, shorter than Dempster, Max, & Matt. Although Sam G is the only defender with a real height advantage. Yet he and Matt are the only ones considered for CHB. (Max is a FB. He will take Dawson's place. Dawson will go back to the VFL when the others are fit. He looked painfully slow at times last week.

[saintsRrising]

Jason is the same size as Raph,.

No he is taller than Raph who is 188cm

While stats site show Blake as 189...he is actually 191cm.

So he is the same height as Max, Dempster and Sam

Gilbert is taller at 194cm..and Zac is 195cm.

So he is fine for KP.

[EX VIC]

Jason Blake is a very important part of this team just goes about his business whatever position he plays

[clarky449]

gotta remember blake can play anywhere.
foward back ruch wing
i dont see him being dropped
becuase when somethign goes wrong
max or king get injured or the foward line isnt working
he is used
keep trudging blakey

Don't agree with that at all.

IMO what has led to Blake's marked improvement is that he has settled into a position down back and is able to use his natural attributes to his advantage e.g. jumping high, endurance with the running forwards, and he has a bit more support around him which helps with his decision making.

He is a backman that can pinch in the ruck against the opposition's secondary ruckman. RL has him playing within his limitations.

What was really frustrating was that while he used to play the role of a utility, he simply wasn't good enough at a number of the roles he played such as:
- Playing against the primary ruck. He had the occassional super game like against Hawthorn last year and Sandlilands down in Tassie a few seasons back. However, most of the time he lost the hitouts and wasn't as effective round the ground.
- Defensive midfielder. Was vastly overrated in this role. Again claimed a few big scalps such as Goodes each year but generally wasn't a super effective stopper and didn't generally hurt the opposition the other way.
- Was never a particularly effective forward

Lyon plays to his strengths. Blake is a super backman

Yep gotta agree, think he has settled well and now he has found he's feet and is truly reliable

[ace]

Max is the guy to play on fast leading forwards.

Max has the closing speed to get into position to punch or crash into the back of an opponent acceptably (eyes on the ball) in the contest.
This spoils the opponent's attempt to mark and brings both the ball and the opponent to ground.

However Max is fragile.
When he breaks down he does damage to the whole team by reducing the available interchange rotations.
And he has a bad habit of breaking down early in a game.
Xavier Clarke is fragile too.
Lyon may well have been keeping Xavier out of the team for this very reason.
At the moment both are out because of injury.

Max needs many games in the magoos to prove he wont break down again.

[Winmar7Fan]

I'm going to be a party pooper here and say I haven't been that Impressed with him this year. I've always been critical of him in the past with his Robotic unco clumsiness then I must take my hat off to him last year his attitude and effort was brilliant and I ate my words.

But even though he's still giving everything he just looks to me like he's not fitting in as well as the others with the structure and seems a bit lost.

[hAyES]

He has been pretty good so far apart from decision making and giving away silly free kicks. Still goes to ground way too often (Motlop's only goal was because Blake fell over for absolutely no reason at all) and is good insurance in case a ruckmen goes down but if Goose is in top form then I don't think Blake should keep his spot.

[stinger]

I think he has become a most reliable defender so far this season. A far cry from a few years ago, when some people wanted him gone to the likes of Gwilt, Jones, & McQuaterpounder. He has matured, become more confident in his strengths and understands his limitations. The Lyon, has somehow been able to get this from the other three I have mentioned above, as well as a couple of others whom only needed to believe.

My concern is when we get back Dempster, Clarke and maybe,couldbe,maynotbe Max, where do we utilise him. I think he would be a perminate pine specialist, pinch hitter.

Our backs have become a solid six and we have now some real depth to draw from.

blake is in our best 22 no matter who else is availsble......

[stinger]

Jason is the same size as Raph, shorter than Dempster, Max, & Matt. Although Sam G is the only defender with a real height advantage. Yet he and Matt are the only ones considered for CHB. (Max is a FB. He will take Dawson's place. Dawson will go back to the VFL when the others are fit. He looked painfully slow at times last week.

actually blake is the same height as dempster.....191 cm......that was acknowledged a few years ago........by the blake himself....the stats sheets never caught up.....same for goddard......agree with your gist though...except dawson would be one of the quickest if not the quickest player on our list over 100 metres......doesn't make him quick of the mark though.......

[Loyal]

has taken some good marks

[stinger]

My concern is when we get back Dempster, Clarke and maybe,couldbe,maynotbe Max, where do we utilise him. I think he would be a perminate pine specialist, pinch hitter.

I don't think Dempster, Clarke or Max are any threat to Blake's position in our side. He's locked in at CHB and will only lose that job if Maguire makes it all the way back to his top form. When Max returns it will be at the expense of Dawson. While Zac hasn't done anything wrong, he's no Max Hudghton. Dempster and Clarke are not key defenders, so they won't be taking Blake's spot either. Blake at CHB frees Fisher to play a more attacking role running off half back. He's also a handy insurance policy in case a ruckman goes down, as we saw the other week with King.

someone who knows what they are talking about.....

[Loyal]

is there room for Blake, Max, Goose, King, Gardiner, Kosi and Roo?

the big seven
many teams going around that would love seven (7) quality talls?

[rexy]

is there room for Blake, Max, Goose, King, Gardiner, Kosi and Roo?

the big seven
many teams going around that would love seven (7) quality talls?

Maybe your right? Im not sure either way. With a couple of our flankers/mids already being quite tall (Gilbert, Fisher and Goddard) I worry about going into games to tall and not having enough runners at the end of the game. At the same time the running ability of Roo and Blake is very good so perhaps it is not an issue.

If you added Max Goose and King to last weeks side and dropped Dawson Gwilt and Eddy (just as an example) It would make us notably taller.

Would it also make us notably slower and less agile?, and which is more important?

[Loyal]

dunno. if you have tough, hard-bodied mids and can outkick and outmark perhaps you dont need to outrun.

[rexy]

dunno. if you have tough, hard-bodied mids and can outkick and outmark perhaps you dont need to outrun.

could be right, suppose opposition is another factor.

[Loyal]

dunno. if you have tough, hard-bodied mids and can outkick and outmark perhaps you dont need to outrun.

could be right, suppose opposition is another factor.

when sam mitchell stands in front of roo for the toss what do you reckon is going thru his inflated head?
i reckon mitchell is thinking:-
"s***, how am i going to beat this (~^7?"

[plugger66]

is there room for Blake, Max, Goose, King, Gardiner, Kosi and Roo?

the big seven
many teams going around that would love seven (7) quality talls?

Maybe your right? Im not sure either way. With a couple of our flankers/mids already being quite tall (Gilbert, Fisher and Goddard) I worry about going into games to tall and not having enough runners at the end of the game. At the same time the running ability of Roo and Blake is very good so perhaps it is not an issue.

If you added Max Goose and King to last weeks side and dropped Dawson Gwilt and Eddy (just as an example) It would make us notably taller.

Would it also make us notably slower and less agile?, and which is more important?

Stick to your guns. There is no way all those talls can play in the same side. Mids set up the wins these days just look at the last 4 gf's.

[Legendary]

If I'm not mistaken, Blake hasn't missed a game since Lyon became coach?

[The OtherThommo]

You are persacilly correct, Leg. And, for the doubters, I suggest you take a gander at the twisting smother off Shaun Higgins' boot when Blakey got stepped last week - absolutely freakin' brilliant, it was.

Who beat last year's premiers 6 weeks out when he went on the ball late last year - 3 in a quarter out of the middle while rucking. Come on, give credit where credit is due.

He'll play on Cloke on Monday night and crush him. Respect a man with 150+ with few errors and a great attitude (he used to tag Camporeeeeeale, remember? and thrash him).

Gotta love the Blake.