I think a lot of us here were rightly frustrated with Blakey's progress or lack of it prior to his renaissance off half back. I doubt anyone had ever 'written him off'. RWO is primarily a wonderful place full of Swans discussion and debate.....rather than a place of false assertions attributed to others so one can say "told you so". Get on board and stop skiting BS.
In news that might please a select few especially, but should please everyone - Mongrel Punt has named Errol Gulden and Chad Warner as two of the best young guns in the competition!! I reckon another of our Rising Star nominees in Juzzy is stiff not to get a mention here, while I reckon if 'the Lizard' had been playing at half back all year, he would've also been in the conversation!
When you consider it doesn't take into account young Logan McDonald & Braeden Campbell who haven't played as much AFL level this season, and Tommy McCartin who is still just a baby as a KPD, it is quite a remarkable team we are putting together!
& I might also make note of Sam Wicks, who has created more goals from turnover than any player in the competition! Doesn't get the spotlight of those above, but he is just as important!
CHEER CHEER
From the comments here I gather no-one else was at the game yesterday?
I was - it was about 70-80% Swans. I think the conditions had a lot to do with the "wasted" final quarter. It was very hot in the sun so I wasn't surprised to see quite a lot of the game was played on the western side to get some shade from the grandstand. There's been a lot of disruption and some very solid effort over the past few weeks so I was impressed that they lifted to win at all - remember this is the young group that's meant to fall off at the end of the season.
It was also gusty and windy and that had a lot to do with the erratic goal kicking by both sides.
Incidentally, i watched a bit of the GSW Bombers game last night and noticed that the other part of the ground was open. We were all behind the southern goal - they were all in the stands in the middle of the ground. That gave us all the perfect view of Isaac's remarkable intercept hanger - it was gravity defying. We all gave him a huge ovation as he returned to the goal square.
Not sure why you thought no one else was at the game? I actually posted the following comment at quarter time
“Still trying to understand the seating arrangements everyone squashed up in one area behind one end of the field. Swans home game so they warm up at the opposite end away from every spectator! “
It was a little bit frustrating trying to see what was happening across the whole ground however you’re right we did have an armchair view of Isaac’s mark and goal
Agree that Gulden, Warner and JMac are all looking at great careers in football. But the package that Blakey brings to the game could be best of all. He has to learn how best to use his talent, and I don't see why he should be able to. I can't think of another player going around with his height, high marking ability, burst of speed, running power and kicking skill. There's so much talent for him to harness that it could take a few more years to get it all working right, but when it does, he will be unstoppable.
+1
Blakey does really excite in an amazing way …apart from the quality and incisiveness of his kicking … some of his evasiveness whether through speed , changes of direction and just finding a way through a gap…for a slightly built player he burst though first tackles with confidence and speed and little swerves
He also has courage in spades and that’s an understatement …to me he’s one of the better tacklers man ball and all
+1
Unsurprisingly I agree with everyone's thoughts on Blakey. He is a gun in the making!!
I think we agree the 2018 draft - or at least the top end of it - was chock full of super talent. At the end of the 2019 season, I remember Leigh Matthews being asked which of the players, having seen their first full season, he'd want in his side and without blinking, he said Blakey. And Leigh ain't a bad judge. Blakey's got a long way to go, but he does have something rare and unique to tap into.
(Personally, I'd take Ben King, but that's another story).
'Delicious' is a fun word to say
Stevo, I’m telling it how it was.
Some of the comments on Red and White were quite negative towards Blakey. I remember one poster saying that “Blakey should go back to the academy”.I think it’s important for posters to come forward and say I was wrong on Blakey instead of now switching and jumping on the bandwagon.
TheBloods has done this brilliantly. He’s the first to acknowledge that he was tough on Blakey early in the year and that Blakey has proved him wrong.
There needs to be more posters like TheBloods who can come forward and own their position and the changing of their position.
I personally think that Blakey off half back has been in All Australian form the last 4 weeks.
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