Jason Blake - Survivor and Handyman By Andrew de Hoedt Exclusive to Saints Footy Sometimes you just need someone to hold the ladder while you lop those over hanging branches in your garden, or check the mail and keep an eye on your house when you are away. Unfashionable tasks but necessary. That is the way Jason Blake played his 218 games and was the player that Watson, Blight, Thomas, Lyon and Watters called on when needed. He delivered in spades. At 189cm he was not tall enough to be a key forward, key defender and definitely not a ruckman. He didn’t have the speed to be an elite midfielder or the evasive skills to be a goal-sneaking forward but he definitely had some talent and determination, and part of Jason Blake’s early career was spent trying to work out where he would fit into the team. Jason Blake was an Under 18 All-Australian, played for Beaumaris and Prahran Under 18’s. Drafted at Pick 24 in the 1999 AFL Draft, he made an impressive debut as a forward in Round 9, 2000 against the Western Bulldogs and in a losing team, Blake had 16 possessions (10 contested) and kicked the 1st of only 37 goals in his career. The 2001 season was a bit tougher for him, being in and out of the team and in Round 10 vs Melbourne he had a Supercoach nightmare with zero possessions and 1 clanger. He was dropped but came back and was serviceable in the last 5 games. Blake had chronic groin issues in 2002 and played only 5 games. He started 2003 in the seniors, was dropped, but subsequently played the last 8 games of the season. Under the coaching of Grant Thomas who was starting to use a mobile shorter ruckman, more out of necessity in the beginning, Blake became a jack of all trades. Sometimes he was a tagger, or in the ruck, floating forward or back when he was needed to cover a gap. He played well above his height and weight. Jason Blake started 2004 well, as a member of the Wizard Cup Premiership team, until Round 3 when he copped a sickening knee in the back from then Richmond ruckman, Greg Stafford. I’m sure many Saints fans would have to count to ten very slowly at the mention of this incident. Jason sustained damaged vertebrae. He returned in Round 9 and played the rest of the season, including the agonising loss to Port Adelaide in the 2004 Preliminary Final. By 2005, he started having quad issues, so his list of injuries was mounting, and surely the work rate and the impact of playing against opponents that were either quicker or much bigger, was taking its toll. However, he played 15 games including 6 straight wins, as well as the stirring Qualifying Final win in Adelaide, and yet another Preliminary Final loss to another eventual premier – Sydney. 2006 and 2007 saw the transition from the Grant Thomas brand of tough but attacking football to the relentless discipline, almost military style of Ross Lyon. In a way this probably lengthened Jason Blake’s career because no-one was better at following the coach’s instructions and carrying it through. He played 16 games in 2006 and all 22 games in 2007. If he was given a role, he did it, regardless of the opposition, and sometimes only to achieve at best, a break even result. He was a survivor. By 2008, Jason Blake was going to be part of Ross Lyon’s troops who were building to something big. St Kilda once again won the pre-season premiership and the stage was set. St Kilda had 5 wins and 7 losses after Round 12 and the nay-sayers were circling. St Kilda then won 8 of the next 10 games including a massive 100 point plus win over Essendon that saw St Kilda slip into the Top 4 on percentage in the last round. In Round 16 vs Hawthorn the Saints were in a tough battle with Top 4 team Hawthorn and were struggling. Blake was swung into the ruck and then as many players do today, he swept forward. In an outstanding display, he was clearly best on the ground, if not the Top 3. 23 possessions (11 contested), 11 hit-outs and 3 goals with 86% disposal effectiveness. No Brownlow votes! In the 1st Semi Final, Blake starred with 27 possessions, 11 hit-outs and 8 marks but there are no Brownlow votes in Finals. St Kilda went on to lose their 3rd Preliminary Final, again to an eventual premier in Hawthorn. 2009 and 2010 were Jason Blake’s best seasons so it was no coincidence that these were the two of the best seasons for the St Kilda Football Club. He played all 25 games in 2009 and all 26 games in 2010. He averaged 17.84 possessions, 7.56 marks in 2009, and 16 possessions and 6.76 marks in 2010. We all know the results and like a lot of Saints fans, the scars are still deep. Interestingly, Blake had 21 possessions (15 kicks) in the QF vs Collingwood, 17 possessions (9 kicks) in the PF vs Western Bulldogs but only 10 possessions (0 kicks) in the GF against Geelong. In 2011 Blake succumbed to injury and was out of the side for some weeks with quad and groin issues. He came back in Round 20 with yet another game worthy of Brownlow votes, ironically against Fremantle with 27 possessions (10 contested), 10 marks and 13 one percenters. In the 7 games he played from Round 9, including the last 5, St Kilda won 5 and played in the 2011 Finals hosting Sydney. We all know about the loss, the questionable forced retirements and then the sudden exit of the coach. Under Scott Watters, St Kilda showed glimpses of good form early in 2012 and Blake reached his 200 game milestone in Round 1. He was soon out of the side with a knee injury. However, he bounced back in Round 9 with a magnificent 31 possession game against the eventual premiers, Sydney. Surely that Brownlow vote would come. By Brownlow night, everyone knew that Jason Blake had now created a new record for playing the most games without a Brownlow vote. The St Kilda table was in silence again, and they remained in silenc because there were no votes for that Sydney game. There was one more chance for him. In Jason Blake’s 210th game, he had 21 possessions (12 contested), 28 hit-outs and 8 tackles against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium....then the words, “2 votes – St Kilda – J.Blake!” The irony was that he was playing on our current young ruckman Tom Hickey in that game. Jason Blake has risen above all the negativity, has conquered all the obstacles and passed all the tests. Any young player, who has doubts about their ability but has been drafted by St Kilda, should be mentored by Jason Blake. I’m sure that like all St Kilda players, there is far more to Jason Blake than the one we see on the field. Let’s hope he is retained by the club in some sort of role. If it’s anything like his playing career, he will succeed at any job he takes on. Andrew Keech, who was the Club Doorman at the dressing rooms from 1995 to 2008, the Head Doorman from 2008 to 2012, and basically St Kilda’s security guard at matches and training, has graciously contributed to this series of articles on all of our retirees. I think I can end this piece with his words. “Jason Blake would be one of the nicest players I have been involved with at the club. He is always smiling and he just has a crack for the club and the supporters. To see him play 200 games for the Saints, he will not only be remembered as one of the club greats but he will be remembered as a player that put his heart and soul on the line for the Red, White and Black. There’s a saying in football – Everyone loves Lenny......well it should also say ‘Everyone loves Blakey.’” Sources: AFL Tables, AFL Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Andrew Keech, Saints Footy, St Kilda Football Club
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 00:41:33 +0000
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