Draft series: Geelong Falcons livewire Brett Blair flies on to AFL radar

GEELONG Falcons boss Mick Turner has described one of Brett Blair’s finals games as “the best forward line display I’ve seen”.

Geelong Falcon Brett Blair ahead of the AFL draft. Picture: Peter Ristevski

GEELONG Falcons boss Mick Turner describes it as the best half of footy he has seen.

It was the moment Brett Blair made himself known to AFL recruiters, teaming up with Charlie Curnow for an irresistible forward line double act that still gets talked about today.

When the Falcons played North Ballarat in this year’s qualifying final, Blair kicked five goals and Curnow four, with the bulk of their damage coming in a breathtaking first half packed with highlights.

Curnow’s talents had long been known, but for Blair, who had fought back from an injury-ravaged pre-season, it was something of a coming of age.

“He and Charlie probably put on the best forward line display I’ve seen, ever, in that first half,” Turner said.

“Not only did he mark and kick well, but he came up the ground and set up a couple of really good passes. It was unbelievable.”

Blair is cut from the same cloth as Jeremy Howe and Jamie Elliott. At 188cm, he is too short to be a key forward but he has a spectacular leap and strong hands above his head.

The knock had been his fitness but he delivered a powerful 13.4 beep test at the recent state combine.

“People have had a bit of doubt in my running ability and I felt I had to prove myself,” he said.

At Turner points out, recruiters want to see players playing well on the big stage, like TAC Cup finals and state carnivals. It’s the last thing they remember and, in a lineball call, could be all it takes to get the nod.

Geelong Falcon Brett Blair ahead of the AFL draft. Picture: Peter Ristevski

“He hasn’t played much footy because of his injuries, so he hasn’t been fully fit. He’s got a lot of development in him,” Turner said, suggesting Blair was worthy of a late draft selection.

“So if an AFL club wants that type of player, do you take him this year and work on him? Or do you take the risk that he will be a 19-year-old next year and someone might take him before you do?”

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It has been a long road back to full fitness for Blair.

In the second night of pre-season training he badly tore his quad in a heavy running session and was out of action until after Christmas.

But things got worse.

Having a casual kick-to-tick with good mate Will Sexton at McDonald Reserve in January, Blair felt an explosion in the same muscle and was out of action again, this time until Round 6.

“My body was back at 90 per cent where I could kick again, but it went again,” he said.

“My leg blew up. I had a massive lump straight away and it wasn’t right. I went down and saw our physiotherapist Justin Edwards again and he’s like, ‘yeah I think you’ve done a fair bit of damage again’.”

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He recovered to win the Falcons’ goal kicking with 34 goals in 13 matches, including a haul of six in his first match of the season against the Northern Knights in Round 6.

“It would mean the world (to get drafted),” he said.

“It’s been my dream to play AFL side day dot — everything I’ve wanted to do. It would mean everything to me.”

Geelong Falcon Brett Blair ahead of the AFL draft. Picture: Peter Ristevski

DOB: February 24, 1997

Height: 189cm

Weight: 77kg

Local club: South Barwon

Position: Medium-sized forward

Plays like: Jeremy Howe, Jamie Elliott

Draft range: Late draft, rookie

Games (2015): 13. Goals (2015): 34

Our Draft Dreamers series will run every day until the AFL draft on November 24. On Monday we profile Geelong VFL youngster Brenton Rees