Traded Blake Acres

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With two mid-sized centremen already selected, St Kilda went for another proven possession-hunter with a twist – West Perth youngster Blake Acres.​
Acres has struggled with shoulder injuries this season, but surgery in July has primed him for a full pre-season in his first year at St Kilda and Bains was ecstatic the agile utility drifted to pick 19.​
“Blake has played across half-back, wing and through the midfield for Western Australia. He is also a midfielder and I guess coming off the back of what we did in the trade period – addressing other needs including key defenders – we were able to get an overall balance if you like.”​
“We think he’s almost the prototype modern midfielder at 189cm with a big tank.”​
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Stoke to have Acres on board, probably more excited to have him than Billings to be honest. Here's hoping his injury misfortune (which led to him sliding) results in our good fortune and he becomes one of the best players from the draft.
I do love the Fyfe comparisons too, gets me a little, shall I say... moist.
 
Rahul said:
Re dropping out of high school:
Lindsay Fox was "asked to leave" school before starting VCE.

On Blacres, I think if he wasn't injured he would have been a top 15 pick for sure.
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He still donates a fortune to Melbourne High though
 
I understand he was injured and missed a lot of footy, Is there anything else as to why he may have slipped all the way to 19 though? Based on everyone's comments I think it was a good pick, and solid investment with 19, but to be honest compared to the other two I'm a little nervous about Acres. Obviously some clubs thought relatively little of him, at least as a top 15 pick.
 
Radius said:
I understand he was injured and missed a lot of footy, Is there anything else as to why he may have slipped all the way to 19 though? Based on everyone's comments I think it was a good pick, and solid investment with 19, but to be honest compared to the other two I'm a little nervous about Acres. Obviously some clubs thought relatively little of him, at least as a top 15 pick.
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It was a surprise he wasn't selected in the top 15. There wasn't interest in the top 10 however most draft watchers had him falling at the Swans, Cats or Dockers. You could see on the draft footage Trout and Bains basically called a time out given Blake was unexpectedly available. It really put a spanner in the works and caused us to re access and choose him with pick #19 given his high level of talent and availability.

There's nothing to be nervous about. Despite having an interrupted season he excelled at WA Colts level showing versatility and the ability to find the footy averaging 27 touches a game. He really dominated in many aspects of the game being a dominant midfielder as well as a threat going forward kicking goals. Not only is the footy nous there but also the athletic ability. He's a natural endurance beast. He's the full package and if you head over to the Collingwood board and read some of Knightmare's comments you'll understand. He rates Acres the best talent outside of Boyd in the draft and was hoping the Pies selected him with pick #10.
 
Emma Quayle had Blacres at #16 on her talent list and predicted he'd go at #20 to Gold Coast?

An article which might explain the hesitancy of some clubs.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-06/acres-a-draft-mystery

People were telling Blake Acres he had done enough. He wasn't so sure.

Acres had made WA's under-18 squad, which surprised him, and started the season with West Perth better than he hoped.

With two minutes to play in a game, Acres went for a tackle ... and his right shoulder dislocated.

"I had a few people saying I should call it a season. But I just thought I still had something to prove. I decided to wait for surgery."

Acres had about five weeks out ... and was then picked to play in WA's clash with Vic Country at the end of June.

(He was) pushed over the boundary line and into a cameraman three minutes into the game, which saw his shoulder again 'pop' out.

He played again five days later against SA, but by then, didn't feel like the player he wanted to be.

"I was scared it was going to come out again (and) it had a bit of a mental impact on me. Usually I like to get my own footy (but) I had to play a more outside role."

That was his last game of the season.

When he has spoken to clubs ... the conversation has always come back to the shoulder.

Acres understands why some see him as a bit of a mystery. "Some recruiters probably saw me for the first time playing against Vic Country or South Australia. They probably think that's all I am. I think I'm more than that."

When his TAFE studies were colliding with his footy training, Acres put the fitness course on hold to focus on his sport. He has worked all year at a family friend's car maintenance business.
 

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TheLastEmperor said:
I can't find the post but someone was questioning the validity about a post I dropped about Acres not completing high school. I found an article about Blake starting a Tafe course in fitness at the beginning of the year. Being 17 (at the start of the year) I assume he left school prior to completing year 12 however I'm not 100% sure but it does make sense. The article went on to say he put the Tafe course on hold to focus on footy and began work at a family friends car maintenance business and had more flexibility to focus on footy and being drafted. And in no way to I pass judgement on someone not finishing high school, if that is the case with Blake.
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I didn't even go to high school.;)
 
Squizzy1970 said:
Emma Quayle had Blacres at #16 on her talent list and predicted he'd go at #20 to Gold Coast?

An article which might explain the hesitancy of some clubs.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-06/acres-a-draft-mystery

...

"I was scared it was going to come out again (and) it had a bit of a mental impact on me. Usually I like to get my own footy (but) I had to play a more outside role."

When he has spoken to clubs ... the conversation has always come back to the shoulder.

When his TAFE studies were colliding with his footy training, Acres put the fitness course on hold to focus on his sport. He has worked all year at a family friend's car maintenance business.
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I suppose I can see why clubs would be anxious, if in interviews he gave the impression that the shoulder injuries would force a change in his play or become a niggling issue later down the track.

On the plus side all three of our draftees seem very driven and determined, given Billings' and Acres' determination to play through pain and Dunstan's leadership and appetite for the contest. You can't really teach that.
 
I received a +90% in VCE. I have a Bachelors, a graduate entry Masters, a post-graduate Masters, and am halfway through a PhD...

... And if that doesn't prove the complete pointlessness of measuring a person's quality by their academic performance, I don't know what does! :p
 
Persevering Saint said:
I received a +90% in VCE. I have a Bachelors, a graduate entry Masters, a post-graduate Masters, and am halfway through a PhD...

... And if that doesn't prove the complete pointlessness of measuring a person's quality by their academic performance, I don't know what does! :p
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Having been taught by several PhD recipients during my Master's, I can also vouch for the uselessness of many of them
 
Persevering Saint said:
I received a +90% in VCE. I have a Bachelors, a graduate entry Masters, a post-graduate Masters, and am halfway through a PhD...

... And if that doesn't prove the complete pointlessness of measuring a person's quality by their academic performance, I don't know what does! :p
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Really showing a lot of... :cool:

Perseverance.

 
Highlander35 said:
Really showing a lot of... :cool:

Perseverance.

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To paraphrase a fine book, by a guy called Thomas a Kempis:

I'd rather have perseverance than know how to define it.

Same goes for Blake Acres, and anybody else. :thumbsu: Here's hoping things like strength, loyalty, courage, skill, integrity DEFINE HIM. If that's the case, I don't give a stuff how cleverly or eloquently he can define them.

Thankfully, I get the impression those words - and many other fine words - DO define him. Which is why he's a great get.
 
Persevering Saint said:
I received a +90% in VCE. I have a Bachelors, a graduate entry Masters, a post-graduate Masters, and am halfway through a PhD...

... And if that doesn't prove the complete pointlessness of measuring a person's quality by their academic performance, I don't know what does! :p
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I didn't pass VCE, did a tafe course part time that I didn't like whilst working full time. 10 years later I went
back to school did a Bachelor of Business. with a distinction average, and then did Masters (MBA) all part time whilst working full time and I never used it, but loved the letters after my name
 
My name in writing is followed by B.A, M.Teach, my name verbally is usually followed by an insult or curse word
 

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Traded Blake Acres

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