Analysis The Temple of Acres

[theprospect]

Those clutch goals at the start of the last quarter

 

[Plugger35]

Those clutch goals at the start of the last quarter

He really did swing the game, along with Sinclair and Gresham

 

[Present Not Past]

I remember reading a post on Bigfooty after the 2013 draft where the poster believed that Acres would end up being the best player for St Kilda from that draft year. Once again, thank you Hawthorn.

 

[TheJackal]

Those clutch goals at the start of the last quarter

#gamechanger

 

[Ads734]

Than

I remember reading a post on Bigfooty after the 2013 draft where the poster believed that Acres would end up being the best player for St Kilda from that draft year. Once again, thank you Hawthorn.

k you freo more like..

 

[bird_man]

Hope he gets named in the bench again, seems to be working for him.

 

[saintersown]

Everything aside, the game was on the line, our forwards missed the kicks that they shouda converted. He stood up and converted the two goals that ultimately lead us to secure a huge wine.

Ladies n Gentlemen one a a time

 

[Brains Trust66]

Don't know who was playing on him first five minutes of the last quarter, don't know if the Giants knew either, but whoever it was he got away right in front of goals and kicked straight. For some reason I was full of confidence that he would kick straight. I think it turned the game , made us think we can win this game and put doubts in the Giants minds . For as good as the Giants seem , most of their players are still young and they can lose the plot like anyone else can. I thought Acres played a really good game which should give him confidence like he had at the end of last year .


Sent via HAL

 

[gringo2011]

Been taking lessons from this bloke

I reckon he gone up a notch Acres, perhaps it's time to tack electric on to the eel.

He's un-tackleable.

 

[gringo2011]

No coincidence that he was played out of position in the first half and played more mid in second.
Just as the call last week for Billings to be played in his rightful position and used to suit his strengths the same needs to happen to Blake.
I don't think Acres will ever fully fix his kicking errors but it's only hurting his development by the coach not trusting him enough to play him in the mid rotations.
I firmly believe Blake will develop into exactly the player that Josh Kennedy is for Sydney. And if that happens we will all be doing cartwheels.

I reckon he's got kennedy but much more X factor. His ability to slither out of traffic and cut on strange angles makes him a unique prospect. I have always been a fan and talked him up as our most likely to win a Brownlow of the kids, I said he'd be our best player in 3 years and I reckon he's on track.

His kicking is so over played. Jack Steven kicks like a drunk donkey but you would rather have him than not.

 

[PaddysurDaddy]

his kicking is better than average because he kicks long to one on ones

 

[Glen Buterol]

his kicking is better than average because he kicks long to one on ones

Must be a direction. The knock was poor disposal, this year he's disposing at 82% & as you said he's kicking long.

 

[Glen Buterol]

http://m.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-06/lennys-never-give-up-attitude-working-for-acres

NEVER give up.

That's the attitude of St Kilda midfielder Blake Acres, and it's a lesson he learned early in his career from former Saints champion midfielder Lenny Hayes.

The Saints 2013 first-round draft pick (No.19 overall) is still developing his craft, but some commentators have likened the 21-year-old's game style and physique to that of his former teammate Hayes.

Hayes retired at the end of 2014, at the end of Acres' first year at St Kilda.

The young midfielder said comparisons between himself and Hayes, while humbling, were a little farfetched.

"Lenny is a great man and he was a star," Acres told AFL.com.au.

"I don't think I'm anywhere near his level. I'm humbled to be compared with him but I'm nowhere near him.

"He taught me a lot in my first year. I suppose I just try to play my own way but if people think it looks a bit like Lenny then that's their opinion."

Interestingly, Hayes was in the Giants' coach's box, watching Acres on Friday night at Etihad Stadium.

The Saints midfielder was brilliant in the final term, sparking a St Kilda revival with a 10-possession, two-goal quarter.

After a slow first half, Acres finished the game with 23 disposals, eight marks, three clearances and four inside 50s, and was among the Saints' best in the 23-point win.

Full match coverage and stats

In the 12 months Acres spent with Hayes, he said the most important thing the 297-gamer taught him was to never give up.

"He had that never give up attitude and I've got a big part of that in my game," Acres said.

"When it comes to the fourth quarter I feel like I'm at my best and able to run over the ground a bit better. I look at Lenny, and he never ever gave up so I try to be like that."

Improvements in his fitness has also been a key factor in Acres' ability to have a big impact late in games.

"Come late in games when some other guys might be tired, I look to use my running a bit more. Sometimes it opens up for me, sometimes it might not but I've just got to keep working through that."

 

[Diehard Saint]

I reckon he's got kennedy but much more X factor. His ability to slither out of traffic and cut on strange angles makes him a unique prospect. I have always been a fan and talked him up as our most likely to win a Brownlow of the kids, I said he'd be our best player in 3 years and I reckon he's on track.

His kicking is so over played. Jack Steven kicks like a drunk donkey but you would rather have him than not.

Absolutely. This.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Sooooo
Who is updating that original acres vid each week with more blacres goodness
Vid should be getting longer each week

 

[CursingFijian]

Loving Acres contribution to the team at the moment.

In the last quarter, the Giants kick a couple of early points. On the kick out after the Devon Smith point, Montagna kicks over Blakes head to Koby on the 50. Koby turns quickly and as he does Billings and Acres are just running past him. Koby kicks long to Minchington who does very well to contest the mark, bring it to ground and wins a free kick for in the back. As he is getting back to his feet the first two campaigners to run past him are Billings and Acres. Acres then must do a loop into the attacking 50 to receive the pass for his first shot at goal. But he must of run 130 metres at pace to get there, I reckon.


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[Anythings_sipposible]

The thing I really like about Blake is his ability to stand uo when the game is on the line. Dont know the stats, but I reckon you'd find that over his career Blake probably gets about 70-80% of his disposals in the 1st anf 4th quarter. He is a game changer, and his frame and the penetration in his kicking will mean he will always be a threat forward of the center. I think his supposed poor disposal is somewhat overstated. Except for maybe Sinclair, there is no one Id rather have delievering the ball into our forward 50 as he more often than not seems to find that extra yard or two with his kicks that change his delivery from expected, and thus easy to defend, to dangerous. He did this a couple of times against Brisbane last year to Roo, where the kick just went that little bit further than you thought it would and really put the defender out of position. He shanks one every now and then, but its because he is always tryimg to do something dangerous with his disposal. This will be ironed out of his game eith experience and soon I think he will turn those shanks in to something highly productive.
The thing I dont like about Blake is that he consistently goes missing in the middle parts of the game. If he fixes this, and I think he will very very soon, then he becomes elite, simple as that. You can see what he does in a 5-10 minute burst, if he did this over a full game he'd be our best midfielder. If he could do it over a season, he'd be one of the best midfielders in the comp

 

[St Pauls]

Watched the replay and noticed that just before Acres second goal, he rushes to pressure the kicker on the forward flank, bumping him as he kicks.

He kick is intercepted by Steven and Acres motors into space in the 50 and gets the uncontested mark.

Illustrates his improvement as a player. Showing his defensive side and using his running power.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Thread title should be changed to 'The Temple of Acres'

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Thread title should be changed to 'The Temple of Acres'

Stuff being a temple

The Monastery of Monsterism

 

[Glen Buterol]

Thread title should be changed to 'The Temple of Acres'

This - or at least change the thread title to something more positive

 

[Anythings_sipposible]

The Acre-Wat

 

[CursingFijian]

Thread title should be changed to 'The Temple of Acres'

To opposition supporters that would read 'The Temple of Doom'.


EDIT
I think most of us are just petrified that he will be dropped back to the magoos as soon as the match committee can find some two bit excuse. This is also compounded by the fact that he does go missing at times, and he is prone to a clanger or two. I am keen to illustrate the things he is doing well at the moment in the hope that he avoids the scapegoat tag. He's just too important to our next tilt.

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[Sir Skid]

Thread title should be changed to 'The Temple of Acres'

Done!

 

[Moorabbin Ghost]

It's probably been pretty obvious the last 2 years of my love for Blake but I just want to highlight how hard the kid works.
There was a knock on his kicking/decision making (unfairly imo) from some at the club early in season which meant he found himself in the VFL.
Instead of sooking up the kid did even more extra work (was already doing a lot) on his kicking during the week and since he has come back into the senior team I think it's very clear for everyone to see how much it's improved.
He mightn't have too much between the ears but credit where credit is due, Blake is working as hard as anybody on his game and I think we are starting to get a taste of what he will be for us in the near future.
He's a 30 disposal a game player and one that can influence games with his size and seemingly able to find space where there is none. He needs more time but 192cm/94kg mids who do what Blake does are VERY rare.