I think they just put Simpson on the LTI list. So he won't be back soon. They're being very quiet about Macintosh and Vardy. It seems that Vardy needs to be managed carefully so even if he returns I don't think he'll play every week - especially at the start of the season. They relied too heavily on West last year - they won't want to do that again. So it's up to Macintosh - and there have been no stories about how great he's doing, which leads me to think he's not doing all that well. Chris Scott did say recently that he did not expect Macintosh and Vardy to play in Rd 1.
Mark Blicavs is now a SuperCoach RUCK/MIDFIELDER! at $115,900
- Thread starter Zim^zuM
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), but maybe rd 3-5 if I were to guess.
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Allows me to have him and Currie on the ruck bench and Rowe on the forward bench.
Given the shortage of forward rooks this is a bonus, and with a Ruck/Fwd premo like Ryder or Cox in the ruck line now that Burger is gone, this works out really well!
Not without JS risks but that's the same for all forward and ruck rookies this year.
Given the shortage of forward rooks this is a bonus, and with a Ruck/Fwd premo like Ryder or Cox in the ruck line now that Burger is gone, this works out really well!
Not without JS risks but that's the same for all forward and ruck rookies this year.
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It is going to be interesting to see how Blivacs goes.
Up until last year has not played AFL football for six years.
Not paying much attention to weekend score as not up against a big ruckman I believe.
Expect may play only moderate time in ruck given height of 198cm is good (several cm shorter than Kreuzer/NicNat) but big boys may muscle him out. Not sure what his leap is like to compensate.
Expect they will find a spot for him elsewhere - and potn could smash it if he skills can match his athleticism. I would play him on wing/HF if I was Geelong.
Superior as an athlete (fitness wise) to say a Pavlich (far far superior on medium distance and Pav is a superstar), skills will be defining factor and improvement of next year or two.
Look forward to watching him in the Hawks game.
Up until last year has not played AFL football for six years.
Not paying much attention to weekend score as not up against a big ruckman I believe.
Expect may play only moderate time in ruck given height of 198cm is good (several cm shorter than Kreuzer/NicNat) but big boys may muscle him out. Not sure what his leap is like to compensate.
Expect they will find a spot for him elsewhere - and potn could smash it if he skills can match his athleticism. I would play him on wing/HF if I was Geelong.
Superior as an athlete (fitness wise) to say a Pavlich (far far superior on medium distance and Pav is a superstar), skills will be defining factor and improvement of next year or two.
Look forward to watching him in the Hawks game.
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Jolly solid at 200cm and significantly heavier but wouldn't put him in that top category. I thought I read somewhere he had 17 hit outs, good results for Blicavs, although for two similar height players not sure thats a win. Where Blicavs is dangerous is his ability to run around and pick up disposals. He did this against a more mobile ruckman like Jolly which is where he is going to surprise other teams. Once rucks are back for Geelong, he will need to have proven himself in other parts of the grounds to have job security. I back him for this, not to win the ruck taps, in my opinion. If wrong, don't see him getting many games.
I had him in my mids so happy to see him at R3/4 now given change. See him as a risk worth taking.
I had him in my mids so happy to see him at R3/4 now given change. See him as a risk worth taking.
Boys,
My first post on this very informative site.
Blicavs is an ex-elite level London Australian Olympic hopeful who failed to run an Olympic A qualifier in the Steeplchase (mid distance event of about 3-5km where you hurdle at times) hence he focused his efforts on playing AFL.
At his height, the guy is an absolute running machine and perhaps the most naturally gifted endurance runner in the AFL.. perhaps of all time? For those who run, it would be someone abit below our Craig Mottram putting on a jersey and playing Aussie rules! Great to hear his development has been amazing. What he could do on the track would not doubt blow minds. Just wanted to give the bloke credit where it is due. Will be given a r4 spot on my team on that basis alone!
Cheers!
My first post on this very informative site.
Blicavs is an ex-elite level London Australian Olympic hopeful who failed to run an Olympic A qualifier in the Steeplchase (mid distance event of about 3-5km where you hurdle at times) hence he focused his efforts on playing AFL.
At his height, the guy is an absolute running machine and perhaps the most naturally gifted endurance runner in the AFL.. perhaps of all time? For those who run, it would be someone abit below our Craig Mottram putting on a jersey and playing Aussie rules! Great to hear his development has been amazing. What he could do on the track would not doubt blow minds. Just wanted to give the bloke credit where it is due. Will be given a r4 spot on my team on that basis alone!
Cheers!
Thanks mate.
Also check out this artcle from the Age 'Rules May Put Blicavs into Play
Amid the shortage of fit Geelong ruckman, Cats captain Joel Selwood admits one of the AFL's rule changes might play its part in helping former steeplechaser Mark Blicavs make his AFL debut.
Fate already seems on the side of Blicavs, who only committed himself to football last year when he failed to qualify for the London Olympics, given Hamish McIntosh, Trent West, Dawson Simpson and Nathan Vardy are all injured in the lead-up to the round one clash against Hawthorn.
But Selwood conceded the new rule, which prohibits ruckmen from making contact until the umpire has thrown the ball up, could work in Blicavs' favour for a call-up for Easter Monday. The 21-year-old lacks the physical build of many ruckmen, although he makes up for a lack of bulk in his leap and running power.
"Maybe. It has worked well for him," said Selwood, who also felt the rule could prompt clubs to look for more athletic big men.
"Being a skinnier guy with height who has an amazing running ability, it may be something for the future.
"That's why clubs want to know what it is going to be because there might be more Mark Blicavs out there that clubs are gong to go after."
Blicavs and fellow rookie Josh Walker carried the ruck for Geelong through the pre-season competition, due to injuries to McIntosh [knee], Simpson [back], Vardy [groin] and West [knee].
Of the more established big men, Selwood said only West was a chance to play the Hawks.
"West is going to be thereabouts but Hamish and Nathan, we're just going to take our time. We're not going to put a round on it, they'll just play when they're ready," Selwood said.
Simpson is on Geelong's long-term injury list, meaning the Cats can promote either Blicavs or Walker to the senior list when they settle on who will take on the Hawks. Selwood said Geelong had to be patient with Vardy given his history of hip problems, but was still confident he could be a long-term prospect.
"We have seen some brilliance from him already and we just hope we can get some more of that in the future," he said.
"I think it shouldn't be rushed. Nathan knows where he's at and he's grown up a lot since the [last hip] injury. We look forward to him being a 10-year player for Geelong, not just a five or six-year player."
Also check out this artcle from the Age 'Rules May Put Blicavs into Play
Amid the shortage of fit Geelong ruckman, Cats captain Joel Selwood admits one of the AFL's rule changes might play its part in helping former steeplechaser Mark Blicavs make his AFL debut.
Fate already seems on the side of Blicavs, who only committed himself to football last year when he failed to qualify for the London Olympics, given Hamish McIntosh, Trent West, Dawson Simpson and Nathan Vardy are all injured in the lead-up to the round one clash against Hawthorn.
But Selwood conceded the new rule, which prohibits ruckmen from making contact until the umpire has thrown the ball up, could work in Blicavs' favour for a call-up for Easter Monday. The 21-year-old lacks the physical build of many ruckmen, although he makes up for a lack of bulk in his leap and running power.
"Maybe. It has worked well for him," said Selwood, who also felt the rule could prompt clubs to look for more athletic big men.
"Being a skinnier guy with height who has an amazing running ability, it may be something for the future.
"That's why clubs want to know what it is going to be because there might be more Mark Blicavs out there that clubs are gong to go after."
Blicavs and fellow rookie Josh Walker carried the ruck for Geelong through the pre-season competition, due to injuries to McIntosh [knee], Simpson [back], Vardy [groin] and West [knee].
Of the more established big men, Selwood said only West was a chance to play the Hawks.
"West is going to be thereabouts but Hamish and Nathan, we're just going to take our time. We're not going to put a round on it, they'll just play when they're ready," Selwood said.
Simpson is on Geelong's long-term injury list, meaning the Cats can promote either Blicavs or Walker to the senior list when they settle on who will take on the Hawks. Selwood said Geelong had to be patient with Vardy given his history of hip problems, but was still confident he could be a long-term prospect.
"We have seen some brilliance from him already and we just hope we can get some more of that in the future," he said.
"I think it shouldn't be rushed. Nathan knows where he's at and he's grown up a lot since the [last hip] injury. We look forward to him being a 10-year player for Geelong, not just a five or six-year player."