Is CJ the new Jason Blake???

[saintsRrising]

Is CJ the new Jason Blake???


No...I don't mean where he plays, but rather in a being a late bloomer who has flaws that need to be overcome but who comes good.

Blake has IMO really improved in many facets over the last two seasons in particular...and I used to bea harsh critic.

When Blake first emerged I was quitea fan. But then I became disillusioned by his h=failure to finish off well after doing all the hard yards, or his rabbit in the headlight momenets.

But throughout all he had a fantasistic work ethic (as does CJ0 who work hard at all facets of his game, and through gametime at last became confortbae and confident on the field to becomea very useful player.
Still no star, but yes with starlight moments, but the type of player that every coach likes to have in his team.


So will CJ work through his flaws????

[Cairnsman]

Is CJs only flaw his kicking?

If it is then he hasn't got a problem in the new handball version of AFL.

[saintsRrising]

Is CJs only flaw his kicking?

If it is then he hasn't got a problem in the new handball version of AFL.

The reason I have compared him to Blake is that I think that at times CJ rushes his disposal and gets rid of it poorly not so much due to disposal skills, but due to not thinking it throuh.

Once he plays more games I believe that Blake like through experience that he will improve in this regard.

[saint66au]

Yes he is...cos he wil be the first to get pilloried if he has less than 40 touches in a losing side..

...Just like Blakey used to

[the shadow]

I think CJ has a decent future. He's no star, but he is dedicated, superbly fit, quick and most importantly, improving. A lot like Blake (except perhaps for the leg speed). It's also worth remembering that he is still "young" in terms of his AFL career. If he's going to serve the typical RL apprenticeship he is still 1-2 years away from reaching his zenith.

I think some fans "sit off" CJ, just waiting for him to make a mistake in the belief that it confirms their opinions of him. This is known as "confirmation bias" in which we only see the things that are consistent with our existing opinions. I'd like to see what his actual disposal efficiency was last year. I think it might be surprisingly good. He also gets a lot of clever, if unorthodox little touches that go largely unnoticed. They show he has a good football brain. His kicking at times is a little suspect and lacks penetration, but I think this stems from a lack of confidence, which in turn affects decision making and execution. These aspects should improve as he gains more experience and receives developmental coaching.

I think the CJ, mature age recruit type of player will become more common in the future. Mature bodied and experienced at playing against men. They may offer clubs a more "instant return" than the traditional 18 year old draftees and are less speculative as they already have exposed form against experienced opposition. They are also further down the developmental track, so more accurate assessments can be made of their abilities. ATM there is a fixation with drafting kids out of the TAC and draft camps. There is fertile recruiting ground to be harvested from other sources.

We have seen the rookie draft used to reduce the risk of making recruiting errors, almost a "try before you buy system". I think the mature age recruits from the WAFL, SANFL, VFL and other suburban competitions may soon become more common. I know that with our improved recruiting department and its networks, we are well placed to be at the forefront in this area, instead of being the copycats years down the track. Dawson and Miles are two recent examples of potentially good players who have been overlooked or discarded prematurely. Here's hoping they become a couple of "Blakes". They'd be pretty good value if they did.

[SainterK]

Goodness, many players can make us cringe with their disposals at times?

If you are ever annoyed with Jones, just watch this again and I guarantee your frustration will melt away

[BigMart]

It just took a while for Jason to find a suitable spot to settle....I hope CJ turns out as good.....Blakey has played 100+ and has finished top 10 B&F......he has proven himself and has had a good career

[Richter]

Is CJ the new Jason Blake???

No. He'll be overtaken in the team this year by Ray, Armo, Eddy and X Clarke (returning from injury, as well as BJ moving in to the midfield.

Terrible disposal, poor timing, poor awareness of men around him.

I think CJ has a decent future.

Agreed. In the WAFL.

[Saint Bev]

Goodness, many players can make us cringe with their disposals at times?

If you are ever annoyed with Jones, just watch this again and I guarantee your frustration will melt away

Thanks for that, I just love that piece of play. Lets not forget that bone crunching mark either, is there a link to that?

I have always been a fan of Blakey and a fan of CJ too, just love his toughness, hes in everything.

[St DAC]

Terrible disposal, poor timing, poor awareness of men around him.

All true. And yet, his work ethic, and sheer enthusiasm is worth a great deal to the team. His defensive pressure is probably the best in the side; he chases and chases and harrasses the opposition until the ball clears the area.

I'm in two minds with him. His work without the footy is great; with the footy average at best. Another Jayson Danials perhaps?

He may be overtaken, but if so, it'll be by a player with as much effort, and better disposal.

[emmdee]

NDS with CJ s work ethic, when he doesn't have the ball...... yummmmy

[vacuous space]

Blake has IMO really improved in many facets over the last two seasons in particular...and I used to bea harsh critic.

Blake was rather unfairly maligned here for a long time. As a ruckman, which is what he was prior to 07, he was always better than most at finding the ball and using the ball. His rucking went from average to below average when they changed the rucking rules in 05. Most of the criticism of Blake stemmed from how he was was played rather than how he himself played. Blake did an excellent job of providing what our previous coach asked for from a ruckman.

I would argue that the only significant difference in Blake's game now is where he plays. He actually gets less of the ball than he did when he was a ruckman when you factor in TOG. He uses the ball a bit better, but again, it's easier for a back to find a target than someone in the middle of the ground. Either way, his 06 and 08 were better than his 07 when he was used mostly as a tagger. I don't see that he's improved noticably under Ross Lyon - he's just changed roles.

I like CJ, but he's much more of a battler than Blake ever was. He's a ball magnet, but he's not a ball winner, and he's not very good with the ball. He's excellent defensively, so he may have a role as a midfield tagger. If not, it's hard to see him as anything more than a place-holder until Armo, Geary or Steven is ready to take his place in the side.

[evertonfc]

The overwhelming love for unskilled triers on this site does my head in.

If we had Shannon Byrnes, half this forum would be on their knees trying to please him.

But Geelong fans don't rate him one iota. Because you need skilled players in today's game.

He's the back-ups of back-ups. In an era where turnovers often mean goals, his inability to use the footy correctly is very costly.

Also, I've noticed he does a lot of pointless sideways and 20m lollipops - these keep his disposal effectivness rating high, but often slows down our movement.

[Sobraz]

Blake was in the system straight out of junior footy wasnt he??!!...

I remember his first few games clearly, taking a few nice overhead marks in the backline, thinking he is quite a good prospect....

I wasnt the biggest fan of Blake (still shakey but has clearly earnt his spot inthe 22) but i feel he is, and always will be, a far better player than CJ...

CJ isnt as young as many seem to think... Sure his work ethic and desire are great, but that can only take one so far...

Id be very disappointed if a Steven, Armo or Connors dont come through and overtake him this year.... They should all have far greater upside....

[meher baba]

There's no comparison between Blake and Jones.

Blake can play reasonably as a second ruck and, as we have seen, highly effectively as a KPP.

CJ is an outside midfielder with a skill level in the bottom 10 per cent of the AFL for players of this type.

I still think his best longer-term pathway is to try to become a ball-winning, hard tackling in-and-under player a la Thommo or Scott West where his disposal by foot becomes less important.

Unless or until he manages to make this transformation, I agree 100% with evertonfc's comments above: he's a reserve's reserve.

[Spinner]

According to Saintsational they are all stars - except for the 6-7 that get delisted every year.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Is CJs only flaw his kicking?

If it is then he hasn't got a problem in the new handball version of AFL.

That's how I see Jones these days. If he's the benchmark player for kids to steal a spot from now, then we're in a better spot than many seem to think. He would have been borderlin bottom 6 in last years PF (Armo, Eddy, McQualter, Gwilt, Fiora below, then it's subjective), but he's far from the first under the pump to those guys.

He runs, tackles and handballs well. He kicks horribly, but remains useful. Forcing him out of the side would be an excellent result, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

He's neither as exciting as some would have you believe, nor is he as bad as some would have you believe. He'll be around as long as he's useful, and for the time being, he is.

[Bernard Shakey]

Is CJ the new Jason Blake???

In a word no!

You cannot question his endeavor, but, if we have the whole list available, he would struggle to make the top 30.

Blake is an adaptable player who can play most positions on the field and as a spare parts man, who gives his all, is loved by the coaching staff.

CJ is a one trick pony, who doesn't execute that trick all that well.

[saintsRrising]

Looks like CJ is the new Jason Blake...well after 7 games it is ceatainly looking that way.

[Unforgiven]

Also, I've noticed he does a lot of pointless sideways and 20m lollipops - these keep his disposal effectivness rating high, but often slows down our movement.

Very true in my opinion, no doubt has CJ improved, but he still has a fair way to go. I am a fan, and think he has a future in AFL. Whilst his disposal efficiency stat may have improved, its not like he is makin better decisions or anything like that.

[Armoooo]

He has improved a whole lot and still has some left in him IMO, already exceded my expectations and will continue to....

I hope he models himself on a Kane Cornes to see the type of player Lyon wants him to become, or even a Brett Kirk...

[saintsRrising]

, its not like he is makin better decisions or anything like that.

Well personally I reckon he is making alot better decisions.

His handballs are in the main a lot more damaging and normally find players in space....and his running to position is very good. He has also xhibited the knack of knowing eaxtly when to run off his opponent.

It is no accident that CJ often ends up near goals to create a goal assist, or to receive himself to kick a goal.

5 goals in 7 games this year.
6 in 20 last year.

[Unforgiven]

hmm Im just not too sure. I will have to watch some more of him. I think I was probably unfair to say he isn't making better decisions. His handballing is better, and your definitly right about his running into space, is superb.

His kicking is still the weaker part of the game, but has improved significantly, and hopefully continues to. Though there was an easy kick on the wing, where he choose to kick backwards, it went up like a rainbow and a collingwood player choped it off.

I know im being harsh, but the fact was it wasn't a terribly hard kick to execute, and he wasn't under much pressure.

I realise though Im being picky, and that everyone makes clangers, just this one stood out to me.

[S.A Saint]

Is CJ the new Jason Blake???


No...I don't mean where he plays, but rather in a being a late bloomer who has flaws that need to be overcome but who comes good.

Blake has IMO really improved in many facets over the last two seasons in particular...and I used to bea harsh critic.

When Blake first emerged I was quitea fan. But then I became disillusioned by his h=failure to finish off well after doing all the hard yards, or his rabbit in the headlight momenets.

But throughout all he had a fantasistic work ethic (as does CJ0 who work hard at all facets of his game, and through gametime at last became confortbae and confident on the field to becomea very useful player.
Still no star, but yes with starlight moments, but the type of player that every coach likes to have in his team.


So will CJ work through his flaws????

I agree with you there about Blake...he has improved out of sight...i have to admit i was not a massive fan of blake and had no idea why lyon kept on persisting with him...same could be said with cj really....but over the last few years both have taken massive steps blake last year and cj this that have made be look like a fool for writing them off....they have more than held their own in the team so far and actually look forward to seeing them develop even better....

[saintsRrising]

Yes I was wrong on Blake too...I thought he had plateaued as a depth player several years back..but he has improved to be a genuine first 22 player.

I always had faith in CJ though...even in his first year.