Blake. Why hes in our best 22

[CURLY]

Watched the replay of the Geelong game again and three individual efforts from Blake show why hes in our best 22.

A/ Stood his ground under a hospital pass from Geary on the wing with extreme preaure bearing down on him. He could easily of pulled out let the ball be punched out of play and waved his arms around Rocca or Richo style at the young kid but didnt.

B/ Backed back flat out into an oncoming Cameren Mooney and earned a free kick deep in ther forward line.

C/ Ran flat out at a oncoming player and made a inspirational smother.

If Blake played at Collingwood he would be claimed as inspirational and in the running for captain as hes every bit as good as Maxwell, yet many here bag him for his awkwardness and no nonsence approach. Coaches know that flags are won on the backs of Blakes character.

[saintsRrising]

Watched the replay of the Geelong game again and three individual efforts from Blake show why hes in our best 22.

.

What is your best 22 then?

Who have you left out?

Is Schnieder or Charlie in...or the young Geary?

Both King ad M Gardiner (though M gaidiner still needs to show better form..but I think he is forming large in RL's thoughts fora two ruck structure)?

Round 1 will have some space....but when BJ is ready to play and Baker avaialable.....finalisinga best 22 is atough call at present.

[saintsRrising]

Watched the replay of the Geelong game again and three individual efforts from Blake show why hes in our best 22.

A/ Stood his ground under a hospital pass from Geary on the wing with extreme preaure bearing down on him. He could easily of pulled out let the ball be punched out of play and waved his arms around Rocca or Richo style at the young kid but didn't.

B/ Backed back flat out into an oncoming Cameren Mooney and earned a free kick deep in ther forward line.

C/ Ran flat out at a oncoming player and made a inspirational smother.

.

Is interesting that all you points are on him winning the ball...and in this aspect I have always rated Blake highly.

The chinks in his game however come from his use of the ball which is not up to the same standard as other aspects of his game such as you have highlighted.

For example he ran forward beautifully against the Cats (another facet where he excels...as his timing of knowing when to run into space and present is one of the best at St Kilda) but then in kicking for goal from straight in front just hit the goal post. Unfortunately such an example is not a one off example.


For 2008...C Gardiner can be said to have similar chinks.....and with them both battling for positions 18-22 it may well be the player who irons out their chinks the best will get more games.

Fiora is another who beacme best 22 in 2007...but in 2008 is going to have to lift with his disposal in order to stay in.

Milney will be looking over his shoulder at Schneider and X man (who needs to improve his shots on goal to play as small forward or becomea full time mid)

L Fisher will have Geary snapping at his spot in the backline...and are also competing with Raph. There may be only room for one of them.

Good form from M Garidiner may see RL going for two ruckmen......meaning thata tall utility may bea luxury on the bench...with three mids being preferred...and in particular if Schneider, Milne and C gardiner all play forward.

Midfield is suddenlu looking crowded with we hope Ball to re-emerge.

Hayes, Dal, Harvey, Joey, Ball, X, Birss, Armo, Fiora now sees more mids than positions....

....and then there is Dempster....can he push in too???? Blake and Dempster may be competing for that very last spot in the team...or both may be squeezed out.



On present indications to make the best 22 in 2008 a higher level of form is going to be required than in 2007.

Players such as Blake , Fiora etc...as well as the new boys inC gardiner and Dempster are going to have play better than they did to hold on to a spot in the 22 and that is a very god think in terms of our finals chances.


And yes the young kids in Geary and Armo are going have to play well to to displace one of their older team mates.....though they may just have to be satisfied with a handful of games in 2008....




PS...Blake's two games in the NAB have been good and he is looking likea Round 1 selection and in particular as it is a Swans game.

I am not so sure about later in the year though.

[Persuader]

Always have to post in a thread about Jason Blake.
I'm a major fan and know I can still wear my old George Young number 27 jumper with pride.
Of course he's in our best 22.
And despite the poster on the weekend, his kicking for goal has improved out of sight....another demonstration of his ability to work hard and develop.
I totally agree with the Maxwell reference - well done for that and your post as a whole Curly.

[Beno88]

Interesting to note also that three players who's positions in the best 22 are threatened, Blake, Milne & Fiora, have played every game since Ross Lyon has been at St.Kilda, including all pre-season games. The only other player to have done that is Nick Dal Santo.

[Eastern]

Just a little side issue here !!

It is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC that these debates are hapening. Differing opinions on as many as 30 guys who could/should be in out best 22. It proves that our depth is getting a whole lot better. How good would it be if we could argue over the merits of 35 players on our list? !!

[bigcarl]

It proves that our depth is getting a whole lot better

i agree our depth is much better, but i would point out that you always appear to have depth when you are winning. when you are losing there are holes everywhere

[Mr X from the West]

Blakes problem was illustrated n the weekend when he got the ball in space on the wing. He started to run forward then realised he was being chased on would be run down so he stopped and looked for support. By the time support arrived he was only able to get off a half arsed handball which was partly smothered and put his supporting Saints player under enormous prssure. We had to go back about 50 metres to relieve the resulting presure.

Thus an attacking move was lost completely. Can't afford that stuff against good teams.

[CURLY]

Blakes problem was illustrated n the weekend when he got the ball in space on the wing. He started to run forward then realised he was being chased on would be run down so he stopped and looked for support. By the time support arrived he was only able to get off a half arsed handball which was partly smothered and put his supporting Saints player under enormous prssure. We had to go back about 50 metres to relieve the resulting presure.

Thus an attacking move was lost completely. Can't afford that stuff against good teams.

Just as much the fault of the players up the ground not moving for him as his own.

[bigcarl]

i've always thought blake a very good and underrated player for the simple reason that there are few guys as big as him that are as mobile and durable with such exceptional endurance.

might lack a little in finesse at times but makes up for it with his sheer workrate.

[Iceman234]

i've always thought blake a very good and underrated player for the simple reason that there are few guys as big as him that are as mobile and durable with such exceptional endurance.

might lack a little in finesse at times but makes up for it with his sheer workrate.

I'd love to hear from Blake about how frustrated (if at all) he was with being played so badly out of position. ie as a ruckman when he just isn't.

I love his workrate and his endurance, but I do cringe sometimes when he has the ball.

No denying his effort though.

I like the "Selleys" line he dropped the other week - the gap filler.

[saintsRrising]

Yes I think he has looked much better in the two NAB games playing roles that better suit him.

[Life Long Saint]

I like the "Selleys" line he dropped the other week - the gap filler.

Then, by definition, if we have our full list available with no gaps, Blake has no place in that team.

His endeavour and courage are there for all to see but his decision making when he has the ball lets him down.

[hAyES]

I'm not Blakes biggest fan, but I don't mind him in the side if he's not tagging one of the best midfielders in like comp like he did against Cousins last year, and got killed.

[Dan Warna]

blake > rix > jones.

[Otiman]

I'm not Blakes biggest fan, but I don't mind him in the side if he's not tagging one of the best midfielders in like comp like he did against Cousins last year, and got killed.

He did a great job on Cousins until Attard went down.

Did a number on Crawford on a few occasions too. Add Goodes to his list of scalps and there's 3 brownlow winners he's played on and beaten. I'm sure he would have beaten Woewodin too if he ever played on him

[Solar]

I'm not Blakes biggest fan, but I don't mind him in the side if he's not tagging one of the best midfielders in like comp like he did against Cousins last year, and got killed.

He did a great job on Cousins until Attard went down.

Did a number on Crawford on a few occasions too. Add Goodes to his list of scalps and there's 3 brownlow winners he's played on and beaten. I'm sure he would have beaten Woewodin too if he ever played on him

didn't he play on campo in his first season?

[ausfatcat]

It's a myth that he's beaten Goodes (plus the game when he wasn't absolutely thrashed by him was 4 years ago now) does someone anywhere still get a game due to one game played 4 years ago?. WTF does it matter that Attard went off when BLAKE was playing on cousins who in the second half teared him a new one.


Blake has heart and tries is arse off everytime he gets on the field, but he has brain freeze's and costs the saints goals by poor disposals and stupid decisions nearly every game he plays. he is worthy of a spot on our list, but will always be a fringe player nothing more.

[Dan Warna]

that criticism applies to a number of players on the list.

the reality is you have 7 million or so to spend, and with that you have a look at who your no.18 to 25 players are.

people tore shwarz a hole on the forum for getting thrashed by tarrant, the reality is schwarz was probably on $80k and tarrant on 400K

start comparing blake to no.s 18 to 25 on other lists and he compares quite well.

the fact he held cousins down for 1/2 a game is a remarkable testament, cousins is a million dollar player and blake on 1/8 of that. it would be a coaching error OR a lack of anyone better available that resulted in that continued match up.

as for cousins, I note that he has withdrawn from teh celebrity boxing bout when it was mentioned that he had to have a drug test prior....

perhaps the real mistake was NOT shooting blake up with drugs at half time...

[stinger]

as for cousins, I note that he has withdrawn from teh celebrity boxing bout when it was mentioned that he had to have a drug test prior....

perhaps the real mistake was NOT shooting blake up with drugs at half time...

....you can still make me smile dan old fella.....


benny wouldn't shoot up on drugs at half time would he????


...well according to some rather naive posters on here he wouldn't.....

[Unforgiven]

I reckon Blake is in the best 22. Has improved over the last year and a bit. Does the job he is given more times than not, and you'll know your gonna get 110% and someone who will put their head over the ball all of the time as well. Might not be the slickest kid down the crocodile mile, but he gets there.

[gosaints]

I reckon he is best 22 also. At the moment I like having him in the backline with the Goose out as he adds that bit of size that is missing.
His skills arent the greatest and yes at times things upstairs seem to be ticking over a bit slowly, but during games I find myself praising him more often than I do bagging him.

The blokes courage, will and discipline are second to none. I'd think Rossy Lyon would love him.

[SaintBot]

i've always thought blake a very good and underrated player for the simple reason that there are few guys as big as him that are as mobile and durable with such exceptional endurance.

might lack a little in finesse at times but makes up for it with his sheer workrate.

I'd love to hear from Blake about how frustrated (if at all) he was with being played so badly out of position. ie as a ruckman when he just isn't.

I love his workrate and his endurance, but I do cringe sometimes when he has the ball.

No denying his effort though.

I like the "Selleys" line he dropped the other week - the gap filler.

blake himself considered himself a ruckman - i remember a reporter asking him where he saw himself in the team now that we have michael rix (or cain ackland, whoever we had just drafted) and he was very quick to snap back i plan to continue being a ruckman, as though he had been offended


if hes the gap filler id like to know what the gaps are...i think every position on the ground can be better played by others than blakey

[Iceman234]

i've always thought blake a very good and underrated player for the simple reason that there are few guys as big as him that are as mobile and durable with such exceptional endurance.

might lack a little in finesse at times but makes up for it with his sheer workrate.

I'd love to hear from Blake about how frustrated (if at all) he was with being played so badly out of position. ie as a ruckman when he just isn't.

I love his workrate and his endurance, but I do cringe sometimes when he has the ball.

No denying his effort though.

I like the "Selleys" line he dropped the other week - the gap filler.

blake himself considered himself a ruckman - i remember a reporter asking him where he saw himself in the team now that we have michael rix (or cain ackland, whoever we had just drafted) and he was very quick to snap back i plan to continue being a ruckman, as though he had been offended


if hes the gap filler id like to know what the gaps are...i think every position on the ground can be better played by others than blakey

I hear ya Bot but when was the interview?

Was it when he was being pumped up as a ruckman under GT or was it last year when he started to be played in roles he should have had?

I'm not anti-GT but Blake was never a ruckman.

I'm also not a huge Blake fan - but I do think he gives his all.

The gap filler role is spot on - he fills the gaps when other's aren't available. I'm reserved on whether he's top 22 or not - it depends on who we are playing and who his role would be with.

He does seem to play run with roles very well when he's given a specific role.

[Dan Warna]

i think it was always hoped kosi would be the ruckman and the young lad from port would come on.

hackland, tried and failed.

knobel, tried and failed.

kosi injured.

crapuano, tried and failed.

blake rucked because there just wasn't anybody else.

as for time in the ruck, even lyon played him there with clarke in and out and when he was in, he was immobile, gardiner out with injury and kosi just gaining his feet.