Mark Blake (Australian rules footballer)
{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{other people|Mark Blake}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Mark Blake
| image = Mark Blake playing for Geelong.JPG
| alt =
| caption = Mark Blake
| fullname = Mark Blake
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|9|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = Geelong
| death_date =
| death_place =
|originalteam = South Barwon / Geelong U18
| position = Ruckman
| statsend = 2011
| years1 = 2005–2010
| club1 = {{AFL Gee}}
| games_goals1 = 99 (12)
| careerhighlights = *2009 AFL Premiership Player
- AFL McClelland Trophy (Geelong): 2007, 2008
- AFL NAB Cup (Geelong): 2006, 2009
}}
Mark Blake (born 9 September 1985) is a former Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A tap ruckman,{{cite news|last=Gullan |first=Scott |title=Rule change to the bench claims Geelong ruckman Mark Blake |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/rule-change-to-the-bench-claims-geelong-ruckman-mark-blake/story-e6frf9jf-1226019350715 |newspaper=Herald Sun |accessdate=23 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022170307/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/rule-change-to-the-bench-claims-geelong-ruckman-mark-blake/story-e6frf9jf-1226019350715 |archivedate=22 October 2012 |date=10 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news|title=Chris Scott gives Mark Blake OK to look at options |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/chris-scott-gives-mark-blake-ok-to-look-at-options/story-e6frf9io-1226089722319 |newspaper=Herald Sun |accessdate=23 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309174306/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/chris-scott-gives-mark-blake-ok-to-look-at-options/story-e6frf9io-1226089722319 |archivedate=9 March 2016 |date=7 July 2011 |url-status=dead }} {{convert|2.00|m|0}} tall and weighing {{convert|102|kg|0}}, Blake played 99 games for Geelong between 2005 and 2010, including the 2009 AFL Premiership.
Career
Blake was drafted in the 2003 AFL Draft under the father–son rule, his father being former Geelong ruckman Rod Blake. He debuted in 2005 in a losing game in front of a crowd of 28,165 at the SCG. Blake kicked his first two career goals against Richmond at Skilled Stadium in round 18, 2007.
After having little impact in the 2007 preliminary final against Collingwood, Blake was dropped on the eve of the 2007 AFL Grand Final for former Geelong captain and ruckman, Steven King.
2008 was a successful year for Blake, seeing him permanently become a part of Geelong's ruck duo along with Brad Ottens. Blake developed as a footballer substantially in 2008 and has improved his around the ground work.
2011 was a terrible year for Blake, getting no AFL appearances and was said to be trade bait. On 19 October 2011 Blake announced his retirement, effective immediately.
In 2012, Blake played with Mooroopna Football Club in the Goulburn Valley Football League and won the senior football Best & Fairest Award, the Morrison Medal.
Personal life
Blake attended high school at Belmont High in Geelong, and played grassroots football for South Barwon in the Geelong Football League.
Statistics
{{AFL player statistics legend/ruckman}}
{{AFL player statistics start/ruckman}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2004
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2005
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 7 || 11 || 18 || 6 || 1 || 27 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.3 || 3.7 || 6.0 || 2.0 || 0.3 || 9.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2006
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 8 || 0 || 0 || 12 || 45 || 57 || 16 || 9 || 97 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.5 || 5.6 || 7.1 || 2.0 || 1.1 || 12.1
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2007
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 22 || 2 || 6 || 62 || 147 || 209 || 65 || 26 || 379 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 2.8 || 6.7 || 9.5 || 3.0 || 1.2 || 17.2
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2008
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 25 || 6 || 6 || 77 || 179 || 256 || 87 || 22 || 525 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 3.1 || 7.2 || 10.2 || 3.5 || 0.9 || 21.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2009
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 21 || 3 || 2 || 47 || 149 || 196 || 46 || 25 || 482 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 2.2 || 7.1 || 9.3 || 2.2 || 1.2 || 23.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2010
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 20 || 1 || 2 || 43 || 156 || 199 || 45 || 13 || 379 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 2.2 || 7.8 || 10.0 || 2.3 || 0.7 || 19.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2011
|{{AFL Gee}}
| 24 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 99
! 12
! 16
! 248
! 687
! 935
! 265
! 96
! 1889
! 0.1
! 0.2
! 2.5
! 6.9
! 9.4
! 2.7
! 1.0
! 19.1
|}
Honours and achievements
| table style="margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 8px; float: right; border: 1px #000000 solid; border-radius: 8px; background: #FFFFFF; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt; text-align: center;" |
| style="background:#FFFFFF;"
| colspan=2; style="padding: 3px; margin-bottom: -3px; margin-top: 2px; font-family: Arial; background:#FFFFFF;"| Brownlow Medal votes |
| width=50%| Season
! width=50%| Votes |
|---|
| 2005
| 0 |
| 2006
| 0 |
| 2007
| 2 |
| 2008
| 0 |
| 2009
| 0 |
| 2010
| 0 |
| Total
| 2 |
Team
- AFL Premiership (Geelong): 2009
- AFL McClelland Trophy (Geelong): 2007, 2008
- AFL NAB Cup (Geelong): 2006, 2009
Individual
- 2003 - Vic Country representative honours at the AFL Under 18 Championships
- 2012 - Goulburn Valley Football League - Senior Football Best & Fairest Award: Morrison Medal
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Geelplayer|ref=14208}}
- {{AFL Tables|M/Mark_Blake}}
{{2009 Geelong premiership players}}
{{2003 AFL national draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, Mark}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from Geelong
Category:Geelong Football Club players
Category:Geelong Football Club premiership players
Category:Geelong Falcons players
Category:South Barwon Football Club players
Category:St Mary's Football Club (NTFL) players
Category:Aberfeldie Football Club players
Category:Mooroopna Football Club players