Blicavs hints at role in stopping opposition midfield
GEELONG utility Mark Blicavs will play “on a body” but says he doesn’t have a specific tagging role to play against Sydney.
The All-Australian has put himself next to stars of the competition such as Christian Petracca, Ollie Wines and Jordan De Goey at times this year to quell the opposition and be in line to get the ball.
Having not played as a bona fide midfielder before this season, Blicavs likes to stand next to an opposition star so he can read where the ball is going and keep his bearings.
So while he could have an arm across Sydney guns such as Luke Parker, Callum Mills or Chad Warner in the grand final, he won’t be actively tagging them.
“They run pretty deep through the midfield so I think as a midfield group we will just go head-to-head with their midfield,” Blicavs said.
“I tend to play better when
I’m on a body but I don’t think it will be a specific matchup, it will be just getting a good body position and starting from there.”
Like Blicavs, Zach Tuohy has played across a number of positions this year to fill any gaps. The Irishman is likely to start on a wing and float back into defence, and said even if winger Max Holmes (hamstring) was not passed fit, his role would not be thrown around too much.
“I tend not to find out where I am playing until 10 minutes into the game, much less two days out,” Tuohy joked.
“It probably won’t change my role a whole lot (if Holmes is out), I have been moved around a fair bit this year and I am pretty vocal in saying I enjoy that.”
Tuohy’s brother and sister booked last-minute flights from Ireland and landed in Melbourne on Friday, hoping to see the veteran Cat become the second Irish player, after Tadhg Kennelly, to win a premiership.
“I’m really proud of the club that I play for that keeps giving me an opportunity to win it, and if it’s not to be it is not to be but this is why we play,” he said.