Jason Blake's spot in the side

[dcstkfc]

Unless it is in defence, it doesn't exist. Proved over 7 average years that he is not a ruckman or forward.

In my opinion he is fighting with Baker/Blake/Raph and Dempster for two spots.

[mad saint guy]

I view him as the full time CHB. Only played elsewhere tonight because of our shortage of ruck/forward options and Geelong's lack of key forwards.

[dcstkfc]

I view him as the full time CHB. Only played elsewhere tonight because of our shortage of ruck/forward options and Geelong's lack of key forwards.

Wasn't Gilbert bloody supposed to play forward though!

[Sainternist]

Yeah, 100% agree. He's a defender. Pure and simple. Shouldn't be played anywhere else.

He's been a good contributor for the club over the past 10 years, but Jeez Louise, that was a costly error that he made in the dying seconds of the game

[mad saint guy]

I view him as the full time CHB. Only played elsewhere tonight because of our shortage of ruck/forward options and Geelong's lack of key forwards.

Wasn't Gilbert bloody supposed to play forward though!

I never bought the whole Gilbert forward idea but bloody hell it couldn't have hurt tonight. Absolutely baffling selection and coaching for this game.

[bigcarl]

I view him as the full time CHB. Only played elsewhere tonight because of our shortage of ruck/forward options and Geelong's lack of key forwards.

Wasn't Gilbert bloody supposed to play forward though!

Yeah, what happened to that plan?

[saint66au]

Had a great NAB Cup IMO plying the role hes made his own over the last 3-4 years

Inexplicably thrown fwd tonight and looked like a fish out of water

Was different to his burst agasint Hawthorn in 08 where his 3rd quarter goals set up the win for us. That time he was a ruckman with a licence to drift forward.

Smacked of desperation I'm afraid. we recruit Gamble, make huge noises about Gilbert going forward, yet send Blakey down there

[dcstkfc]

Yeah, 100% agree. He's a defender. Pure and simple. Shouldn't be played anywhere else.

He's been a good contributor for the club over the past 10 years, but Jeez Louise, that was a costly error that he made in the dying seconds of the game

I'm not even talking about the error. My point is that if Fisher, Gilbert, Gwilt, Dempster, Raph and Zac are all playing in defence, and are all deemed to be ahead of him (not necessarily the case) there shouldn't be a spot for Blake.

[matrix]

chb or hbf

[Con Gorozidis]

Unless it is in defence, it doesn't exist. Proved over 7 average years that he is not a ruckman or forward.

In my opinion he is fighting with Baker/Blake/Raph and Dempster for two spots.

hes one of our better players. peake dempster and mcqualter are more comedians than footy players

[saintkid]

Unless it is in defence, it doesn't exist. Proved over 7 average years that he is not a ruckman or forward.

In my opinion he is fighting with Baker/Blake/Raph and Dempster for two spots.

hes one of our better players. peake dempster and mcqualter are more comedians than footy players

Gram isn't far behind those duds either now.

[InkerSaint]

Gram isn't far behind those duds either now.

Sorry, can't pay that. Last night was arguably Gram's best game since '09.

Dempster wasn't bad I thought, but McQualter and Peake keep costing us at critical times.

It should have been Cripps or Ali, sub Dempster off and give one of them a quarter of football, and if Gilbert can't play up forward then put Stanley or Archer in.

Last night reminded me of last year's games straight after we lost Riewoldt - we looked clueless.

[Wrote for Luck]

Thought Gram was very ordinary to begin with but got going.
Thought Peake did something for us when he came on. Reckon he'll play next week.

[ando051]

Peake had 11 possession in the last quarter with an effectiveness of 55%. Not good enough for someone playing one quarter.

I thought Gram was ok, he would still be in my 22, before Mini, Peake and going on last nights and pre season form of Yappa.

Joe Blake is a backman, but last night he played as a 2nd ruckman resting in the forward line. That will not happen again when we get Gardy and Kosi back, so don't hang the bloke out to dry for one bad game doing a job he is not used to.

[degruch]

Joe Blake is a backman, but last night he played as a 2nd ruckman resting in the forward line. That will not happen again when we get Gardy and Kosi back, so don't hang the bloke out to dry for one bad game doing a job he is not used to.

Archer may be playing that role next week...although, Blake may be a good option against Vickery.

[ralphsmith]

Blakes lowlights

[Moccha]

Seems like he had Gamble free at half forward but geez you can't solely blame him for the loss. The fact that the Saints only 6 goals was the reason. That was a shocking game of footy to watch

[tweedaletomanning]

I am a big critic of Blake's, but he is important to the side. The problem is he is sometimes so clumsy, and slow thinking. Probably the "homer simpson" of the side.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Had a great NAB Cup IMO plying the role hes made his own over the last 3-4 years

Inexplicably thrown fwd tonight and looked like a fish out of water

Was different to his burst agasint Hawthorn in 08 where his 3rd quarter goals set up the win for us. That time he was a ruckman with a licence to drift forward.

Smacked of desperation I'm afraid. we recruit Gamble, make huge noises about Gilbert going forward, yet send Blakey down there

dunno maybe Ross wanted to have Gilbos run out of defence given Mooney was very much under done ...

[Longwayfromhome]

Blake would be among the first six picked each week.
Made one almighty mistake last night. Not the first player to do so or the last.
Lighten up people.

[Bernard Shakey]

Keeps making top 10 B&F, keeps doing his job, will keep getting games.

[groupie1]

Yeah, 100% agree. He's a defender. Pure and simple. Shouldn't be played anywhere else.

He's been a good contributor for the club over the past 10 years, but Jeez Louise, that was a costly error that he made in the dying seconds of the game

I'm not even talking about the error. My point is that if Fisher, Gilbert, Gwilt, Dempster, Raph and Zac are all playing in defence, and are all deemed to be ahead of him (not necessarily the case) there shouldn't be a spot for Blake.

Oh f*** sake I've been saying this for years and get shot down every f****** time i say it. The backline is too full of bigs... someone has to go... no room for Dawson and Blake... with Gwilt coming on, can't fit Blake... Gwilt, Fisher, Gilbert, Dawson is plenty of key defense, so get rid of the worst kick....

Nobody listened.
Although, with the sub rule Blake may actually become useful again.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

I view him as the full time CHB. Only played elsewhere tonight because of our shortage of ruck/forward options and Geelong's lack of key forwards.

Wasn't Gilbert bloody supposed to play forward though!

Yeah, what happened to that plan?

It lasted one week of the NAB Cup. Ross tends to give changes about a minute and if they don't work immediately, he pulls the pin.
Maybe he thinks Rome was built in a day?

[To the top]

Gilbert is not a forward.

Forwards get blocked out of a contest as we saw with Riewoldt v. Geelong and as Koschitzke is ample evidence of week in and week out (and why Gamble is too small for the 3rd forward role where the performances of Lynch and now Cahill are of interest. We need another 191/192cm player down there not a 184cm bit player because we at least want the ball on the ground for our crumbers - and where Milne is not a crumber because he wants to play as a target forward - hand in the air saying "kick it to me" - which he is not and will not be).

Gilbert does not have the body to challenge the block and put the ball into a contest.

And you do not want to waste a 194cm player as a "forward defender" because he can chase and tackle.

He is better suited to defence where he can take his defensive marks drifting accross in front of the block, as he does.

And he can run and create with the ball from defence - and that makes the block harder to put on a forward where you are always looking for the one on one contest and winning 50% of them.

Which brings me to Blake.

Blake is a player who, unlike Gilbert, the opposition want the ball in his hands.

The ball in Blake's hands becomes static because he does not run, create and deliver.

Blake takes a number of marks but this is because he is allowed to be the "spare" behind the play by other sides, knowing he is not going to hurt you with attack.

He is also not a stong defensive player - either on the ground, pressuring a leading player or overhead.

He fills a space.

Fisher (191cm) and Dawson (195cm) are suited to CHB and full back respectively because of their attributes - and both can launch counter attacks.

Then Gilbert, Clarke and Gwilt who can also launch attacking plays.

That leaves one spot in our back 6 - and I would have Smith there in place of Baker because much of what is said about Blake applies equally to Baker.

Smith ran with Ackermanis so he has the discipline and the endurance to take a defensive role against appropriate opposition players.

And he has some "toe" so the inventive small forwards should not trouble him unduly.

The coaches can educate him to the denying space requirements.

[Dr Spaceman]

At some stage some of our loyal servants will need to be replaced. Blake and Baker are two who come to mind.

This will cause great heartache for many supporters if they are faced with a Max like situation where they may miss out on a premiership. I  am myself one of those fans who hates the thought of decade long players looking on as Roo raises the cup. But better that happens than no one gets to win one.

I'm not saying it's Blake, and I'm not saying it's Baker. I'm not saying it's this week and I'm not saying it's this year. But at some stage hard and unpopular decisions will need to be made if the team is going to reach its full potential!