Toast Welcome Blake "Sherrif" Acres

[Van_Dyke]

Looking forward to seeing what he can do next season, hope he proves some of us wrong and really makes an impact in 2020!

 

[BStaff17]

Is he the first Blake to play for freo?

Good to have a namesake at the club

 

[Bastyy]

Excited to see what he can do.

All must be going very quick for the young bloke, went from training at Saints yesterday morning to being a Docker now.

 

[Cayman Docker]

Good luck Blake, welcome!

 

[kingswood71]

Welcome Acres! I have a feeling he will be a big win for us

 

[_007_]

I hope he plays inside mid.

 

[TheMcManusNose]

TBH I wanted him over Apeness in 2013.

Don't think he's really come on to a huge extent and was probably at his best in 2016-2017. If he can improve on that he could be quite a good inside/outside option but will have to fight a few others off for the role. Which is good competition to have I think.

 

[Bastyy]

If Kobe Farmer comes good, won't be long til we have a Farmer and his Acres

 

[Fireballs]

Where were St Kilda playing him ? Midfield ?

 

[jerms]

Where were St Kilda playing him ? Midfield ?

Everywhere. 2nd ruck at times...

 

[Van_Dyke]

TBH I wanted him over Apeness in 2013.

Same, wanted him or Dardy

 

[Timmytime]

Quietly confident of what you can bring in the guts Acres. Welcome aboard!

 

[Tonga Bob]

Welcome Greeny! did a Google search of him and found this article from his draft year:

Versatility the key for WA mystery draft prospect Blake Acres

Injury leaves WA's Blake Acres in the dark about draft prospects

www.afl.com.au

 

[Joose]

Acres and Aish may be two huge bargains if they reach their true potential.

 

[saints man]

If acres becomes the player we think he can be, you have done well

 

[dont bowl there]

On board!

 

[MadDocker]

Decent mark, decent kick, takes the game on. I reckon he'll be a good addition to the team and will thrive under Fyfe, Mundy etc.

 

[23cmonShane!]

Welcome Blake

 

[theGav56]

Highlights always make me feel optimistic.

 

[DeanS]

Often finds him self in plenty of space with.........................hectares to work in.

 

[stax on the mull]

I'm thinking the last big bodied plus 190cm mid we got to return home from St Kilda after a bit of an underwhelming early career would have Matthew Carr - and he turned out to be, not a star, but a week by week, season after season reliable player - so hoping that's a good omen for Blake Acres.

 

[saintkildaman]

Blake has the potential to be an absolute star, disappointed with how much we’ve paid in this deal.

Plenty of Saints fans believed that he should’ve have been given more opportunities as a pure inside mid, for a big guy he’s extreme smooth moving, and can rack up the footy in bursts. He also played some solid footy off the wing, where I think he will play majority of his footy next year.

Acres has been a victim of his versatility, he has used as a 2nd ruck and up forward more recently with mixed results. Ball in hand his decision making can be suspect but he can break the lines and with confidence and stability I think you will see the best of him.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Who is our skills coach?
Can we teach him to kick over one preseason?

 

[Van_Dyke]

Acres of opportunity at Freo

New Fremantle signing Blake Acres is set to be unleashed into the open spaces of Optus Stadium

www.fremantlefc.com.au

New Fremantle signing Blake Acres is set to be unleashed into the open spaces of Optus Stadium, with the former Saint slated to take on an outside midfield role at his new club.
The 24-year-old joins Fremantle as a part of significant windfall in a trade with St Kilda for Bradley Hill on Wednesday.
In exchange for Hill and a future third round selection, Fremantle received the talented midfielder, picks 10, 58 and future second and fourth round selections.
Acres said he felt he had an inconsistent 2019 season, but a conversation with new Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir gave him confidence he could improve quickly at his new club.
“Longy’ was pretty keen on the wing role for me and I was pretty happy with that,” Acres said.
“I’m a player that moved around a bit at the Saints and had a variety of roles.
“The opportunity ‘Longy’s’ presented is more of a settled role and more just wing and maybe a little bit inside. I’m excited about that opportunity.
“(At St Kilda) I was changing my role each week but that was the role I had, to be that guy who could move around a bit.
“I probably played out of position a little bit but I was happy just to play that role and I would do the same thing again for Freo if that was needed.”
Acres averaged 20.3 disposals in 2017 and 21.5 disposals in 2018 with his average dropping to 16.2 from 19 games in 2019.
He said he would be targeting a career-best year in the wing role at Fremantle.
“If I can play in my position more often than not throughout the year, hopefully, I can improve on what I did last year and in my first six years,” Acres said.
“I feel I have a lot more to offer than I have so far and, hopefully, I can put that to work on the field next season.”
Acres is already familiar with a handful of Fremantle players from his WA-State playing days, including Jesse Hogan and Cam McCarthy.
He said he would look to commence pre-season training ahead of schedule so he can get to know Fremantle’s 1-4 year players, who commence training in early November.
“I’ll be heading back to Melbourne to pack all of my stuff up, then I’ll head back (to WA), I’ll try and get back with all the young boys when they’re back running or a week after that,” Acres said.
“I’ll try to get back a bit early so I can meet the boys and get to work.”
As a result of the Acres trade, Fremantle will take two top-10 picks into the 2019 NAB AFL National Draft, holding selections seven, 10, 22, 58, 79 and 83.
Fremantle also hold three second round selections, as well as their first round selection, for the 2020 draft.

 

[Righteo]

A touch concerning that Jlo already has him pegged as a winger when Saints fans seem to unanimously agree he's most suited for an inside role but I guess we've got to give him a chance. With Hill and Ed both leaving it was important to bring in another bloke in that 24-27yo sweet spot to mitigate the experience loss