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King In, Blake out...Balme confirmed
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I also think it does really show how far this club has come this year prepared to make hard decisions which they have been doing all year.
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Bullshit. It's a panic move and nothing else. We've played into Port's hands with this move.
If it helps us win a flag the GFC could pick the Chaser boys for all I cared. Once we have a bit of hindsight under our belts, this move might be criticised, but from my viewpoint right now, I'd say that it's a positive move for the club and one people saw coming a mile away.
Wait for the Channel 10 cameras to zoom in on Blakey's tears when the it starts looking like the premiership is coming to Geelong. The poor bugger.
Brasil2007
Club Legend
I can't agree with you there Catman. Whatever they did on selection you could say we were playing into their hands.
At least we have a choice - Port had no choice around Wilson.
Cheshire Cat
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The right decision made in the end. King more experienced, bigger body
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Right decision? You can't say that right now.
More experienced? True, but a couple key moments stand out this year that question this belief.
1. The handball to Shane Crawford in the loss to Hawthorn it Round 4. He panicked and quickly disposed of the ball, straight to Crawford who hurt us with a vital goal.
2. Round 20, late second quarter. Him and Hamish McIntosh contest a ball deep in the Roos forward line. McIntosh, with forward spot goes up to mark, King, behind him, goes to mark the same ball, instead of going the percentage play, that of the spoil. McIntosh marks and goals after the siren.
For someone of his experience, you shouldn't make these basic errors.
Bigger body? True, but it's such a simplistic statement. Could someone please tell me when was the last time he used it effectively. I mean a fierce bump on an opponent, a marking contest, in a rucking duel etc. For a guy with a huge frame, he seems to avoid using his size in most situations and gets out-muscled so easily by opponents.
jim boy
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Tough decision but it is tough game. The right decision is the one to leave sentimentality out of it and choose the team that gives us our best chance of victory.
I'm gutted for Blake, but he is the next 8 years of ruck for Geelong and hopefully we can win one for him. Incidentally he is doubly unlucky if he becomes the only fit senior player who didn't get to play in Grand Final.
I'm gutted for Blake, but he is the next 8 years of ruck for Geelong and hopefully we can win one for him. Incidentally he is doubly unlucky if he becomes the only fit senior player who didn't get to play in Grand Final.
Brasil2007
Club Legend
Blake and King are as bad as each other. Blake is more deserving of a spot.
Brogan and Lade to smash King in the ruck and around the ground.
I'll be cheering for Port along with Blakey.
Sorry mate can't hear you. You sound like you're a long way away - 13 or 14 ladder spots I'd say. But I can tell you're desperate and in deep trouble.
How's this: next time we play you, we start with 16 players?
It's nice to have selection decisions. The only decision you've had to make all year is whether to try for a narrow loss or a huge loss.
Eeverytime King has played this year in the AFL he hasn't done that good a job; I am not sure why Thompson and others will think that will change going into a Grand Final. Changing a winning formula before a GF is stupid, and potentially upsets team balance.
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Call me a heartless bastard, but I don't feel THAT sorry for Blakey. He has had opportunity after opportunity to prove himself and has not met the standard lets be honest. I feel that he has been overrated by some on the board because of his cult status.
In a perfect world Nablett and Byrnes could be dropped too, unfortunately Nablett doesn't have someone waiting in the wings like Blake does, and Byrnes will probably get dropped anyway. I really think King is the safer option and I would have made the same decision.
In a perfect world Nablett and Byrnes could be dropped too, unfortunately Nablett doesn't have someone waiting in the wings like Blake does, and Byrnes will probably get dropped anyway. I really think King is the safer option and I would have made the same decision.
16 is to many, we'll still get smashed by 15 goals. I'm not kidding either.
Yes it's a good thing to have selection dilemmas. IMO King does not offer anything more than Blake and Blake has been in the side the whole year and deserves a spot more than King does... If King has a shocker and Geelong get done it will be interesting. The Geelong selection committee obviously know more than I do but IMO Blake should be in the team.
Cheshire Cat
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16 is to many, we'll still get smashed by 15 goals. I'm not kidding either.
Yes it's a good thing to have selection dilemmas. IMO King does not offer anything more than Blake and Blake has been in the side the whole year and deserves a spot more than King does... If King has a shocker and Geelong get done it will be interesting. The Geelong selection committee obviously know more than I do but IMO Blake should be in the team.
If we lose it will NOT because King was selected, I doubt we'd look back and think "if only Blake was there to lose ruck taps instead of King we wouldve won" This selection is largely irrelevant in the scale of things. But since Blake has been a passenger for too long, the axing was warranted
BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG MISTAKE King appears to have played good games in the VFL but just remember it was the VFL. GFC have made the BIGGEST mistake. Blake sorry mate I would have you there for that one day in September. If I am not already nervous now.
King appears to have played good games in the VFL but just remember it was the VFL. GFC have made the BIGGEST mistake. Blake sorry mate I would have you there for that one day in September. If I am not already nervous now.I agree that this decision wont have any affect on the result.
Blake has been there the whole season, King hasn't been. King doesn't offer anything more than Blake. I just think Blake deserves to play in the GF. It would have been a hard call to make so I'm sure they made the right call whether I agree with it or not.
Did anyone hear Leigh Mathews on SEN today talking to KB about our loss to Port in 2004? Said he wished he'd had Charmen in (was injured) to counter the big rucks of Port.....we got smashed in the ruck said Leigh...without saying so, I felt he was saying you guys need King in to handle those big bruisers, that it might just be too big a job for Blake.....good luck anyway, hope it really does all go well for you....I was at the 63 GF (just a kid)....As a famous Labor leader once said......ITS TIME!! 
Cheshire Cat
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BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG MISTAKE
Please don't exaggerate. Blake has done nothing for a long time, so how is not having him there at all going to really hurt us? Ottens will be rucking for most of the day anyway
Cheshire Cat
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- May 31, 2007
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Did anyone hear Leigh Mathews on SEN today talking to KB about our loss to Port in 2004? Said he wished he'd had Charmen in to counter the big rucks of Port.....we got smashed in the ruck said Leigh...without saying so, I felt he was saying you guys need King in to handle those big bruisers, that it might just be too big a job for Blake.....good luck anyway, hope it really does all go well for you....I was at the 63 GF (just a kid)....As a famous Labor leader once said......ITS TIME!!
Charman was injured anyway though wasn't he?
Lets all take a deep breath.
Ottens is our major ruckman. It will be on his performance that our game will mainly rest. Why?
He controls the centre bounces, he palms the ball and contributes to clearances.When out of the ruck , he then can offer a realistic option that can create miss matches on the forwardline.IMO this is critical.
What can King do? Well for mine he struggles to win meaningful taps in the centre of the ground but he is very good at denying the other ruckmen their chance to clear the ball. He can nullify.He can ensure it becomes a tight contested centre ball. This could be hand if we believe we are better at the tight ball. Around the ground he is a solid contributer , he can mark the ball well when in form and is a more than a handy kick for goal within the 50M. He is a big strong tough competitor who's only weakness is his lack of spring and the fragility of his body.When he is fit , he s better than a 2nd string ruckman.
Blake on the other hand is a leaping , get hands to the ball ruckman and when on he can contribute to more clearances than King in the middle. However on every other count Blake still has plenty to improve on. Around the ground he mainly gets the ball from a team mates streaming out of the half backline and once he has it , he then looks for a runner to give it to. Mark is not a forward option. As much as his scoring contribution earlier in the year was acclaimed , would anyone on this board serious want the ball in his hands 20M out from goal , for an after the siren kick for goal?
Mark has come a long way this year , he has played a significant part in us being here but that doesn't mean you pick him now if one believes there is a better option for this super important match. ITS ALL ABOUT THE TEAM ! Now there will be supreme disappointment but wouldn't Egan be disappointed. What about Varcoe or Prismall looking one or two of our mids , I'm sure they would think they could do the job. NathanA in way is lucky , he has no real legit replacement running around in the two's. TommyH is still raw, and the others have been given up as not being up to it.
Its a bit of shame its come out via his mum , it sort of makes him sound like a mummys boy. What he must realise is that not only has King paid his dues and is due this chance , he has earned it thru performance. Mark MUST improve his other skills or there will be more disappointment.The game is evolving and mobile , 200cm midfielders are what is expected. He must suck it up , it must harden him enough so he works harder , to ensure he never feels this disappointment again.
For us the GFC, its a tough choice.In the end those in charge will have their own destiny's painted by this choice. Their butts are on the line with their choice and they know it.
Ottens is our major ruckman. It will be on his performance that our game will mainly rest. Why?
He controls the centre bounces, he palms the ball and contributes to clearances.When out of the ruck , he then can offer a realistic option that can create miss matches on the forwardline.IMO this is critical.
What can King do? Well for mine he struggles to win meaningful taps in the centre of the ground but he is very good at denying the other ruckmen their chance to clear the ball. He can nullify.He can ensure it becomes a tight contested centre ball. This could be hand if we believe we are better at the tight ball. Around the ground he is a solid contributer , he can mark the ball well when in form and is a more than a handy kick for goal within the 50M. He is a big strong tough competitor who's only weakness is his lack of spring and the fragility of his body.When he is fit , he s better than a 2nd string ruckman.
Blake on the other hand is a leaping , get hands to the ball ruckman and when on he can contribute to more clearances than King in the middle. However on every other count Blake still has plenty to improve on. Around the ground he mainly gets the ball from a team mates streaming out of the half backline and once he has it , he then looks for a runner to give it to. Mark is not a forward option. As much as his scoring contribution earlier in the year was acclaimed , would anyone on this board serious want the ball in his hands 20M out from goal , for an after the siren kick for goal?
Mark has come a long way this year , he has played a significant part in us being here but that doesn't mean you pick him now if one believes there is a better option for this super important match. ITS ALL ABOUT THE TEAM ! Now there will be supreme disappointment but wouldn't Egan be disappointed. What about Varcoe or Prismall looking one or two of our mids , I'm sure they would think they could do the job. NathanA in way is lucky , he has no real legit replacement running around in the two's. TommyH is still raw, and the others have been given up as not being up to it.
Its a bit of shame its come out via his mum , it sort of makes him sound like a mummys boy. What he must realise is that not only has King paid his dues and is due this chance , he has earned it thru performance. Mark MUST improve his other skills or there will be more disappointment.The game is evolving and mobile , 200cm midfielders are what is expected. He must suck it up , it must harden him enough so he works harder , to ensure he never feels this disappointment again.
For us the GFC, its a tough choice.In the end those in charge will have their own destiny's painted by this choice. Their butts are on the line with their choice and they know it.
Now that I've had time to think this over and read most of your responses, here goes.
As much as it must hurt Blake, surely the team thing must be put first. If the powers that be decided that the best way to win a premiership is to put King into the ruck, then so be it. It will hurt Blake, and if I was Steven King, when I was called up to get my medal, I would stop presentations, ask for Mark Blake to come to the stage to accept it on my behalf. And he can keep it. The medal itself doesn't mean much, but to play in a winning team and photos etc would mean more. Surely Egan will be joining the celebrations, as should every player that has been part of the team over the year.
King should lift big time for this game to play for Blakey; as should all the team. I believe it is the right thing to do against big bodied opposition for the "greater good" and it's a decision that cannot be taken lightly (obviously).
The word has gotten out too early and I think the club responded appropriately with the confirmation. This has been the biggest story of the week. If it was another H&A game, nothing would be said. I know this is the grand final and shouldn't be treated the same way, but it should be by the selection committee as they are striving to win the game.
You could argue this is the same shite situation as the ballot. Either way, both suck.
Go cats.
As much as it must hurt Blake, surely the team thing must be put first. If the powers that be decided that the best way to win a premiership is to put King into the ruck, then so be it. It will hurt Blake, and if I was Steven King, when I was called up to get my medal, I would stop presentations, ask for Mark Blake to come to the stage to accept it on my behalf. And he can keep it. The medal itself doesn't mean much, but to play in a winning team and photos etc would mean more. Surely Egan will be joining the celebrations, as should every player that has been part of the team over the year.
King should lift big time for this game to play for Blakey; as should all the team. I believe it is the right thing to do against big bodied opposition for the "greater good" and it's a decision that cannot be taken lightly (obviously).
The word has gotten out too early and I think the club responded appropriately with the confirmation. This has been the biggest story of the week. If it was another H&A game, nothing would be said. I know this is the grand final and shouldn't be treated the same way, but it should be by the selection committee as they are striving to win the game.
You could argue this is the same shite situation as the ballot. Either way, both suck.
Go cats.
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