AT THE start of this year, Connor Blakely relocated fromBunbury to Perth and brought with him a desire to do everything possibleto be drafted.
Blakely hasn't always been abig, bash-and-crash midfielder who barges through packs and wins theball. He used to be a flanker, playing half-back and half-forward, butcouldn't really find his niche.
He got it thisyear, and against senior company. Blakely played all season in the SwanDistricts' senior WAFL team, and averaged 18 disposals in 14 games.
Theexperience has been good for him. He's played against AFL-listedopponents and outclassed them, and when they have got the better of him,he's learned from it.
That much was clearduring the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships against players his own age,when Blakely was a standout. He averaged 21 disposals and sevenclearances a game and was named an All-Australian.
Withball winning at a premium in the AFL, Blakely's ability to generatepossessions out of clearances and get things going should appeal to anumber of clubs.
More than half of Blakely'sdisposals this year were won in contested situations, a tick for hispreparedness to put his head over the ball and get his hands dirty.
Blakelyis also one of the better big-bodied midfielders available, and at hissize (186cm, 81kg) is someone who can walk into a club and be expectedto have an early impact.
His endurance is goodand he runs all day, but the stoppages are where he has the biggestinfluence. He keeps his feet, thinks through situations with composureand then goes and does it again
Blakelydoesn't have the breakaway pace that other midfielders possess, and heruns a 3.19 second 20-metre sprint. His kicking is fine without being ahuge strength, but he gets around that by knowing where to go and whereto be to get the footy in his hands.
The18-year-old a similar frame, running gait and attributes as starFremantle midfielder David Mundy, a player who has shown the benefits ofbeing a tough and tall on-baller. Of course, Blakely isn't at his levelyet but he plays in a similar style.
Fitsin some clubs' plans as a first-round pick. Likely to sit somewhere inthe top 25 selections such has been his consistency and developmentduring the season.
Blakelyhas done all that's been asked of him in 2014, and is ready for thenext step. There are players who finish things and there are those whoenjoy starting them, the ones who like putting teammates in space with aquick handball, the ones who don't need the flair to be effective.Blakely is that type of prospect.
