Blake McIlveen is a man of few words who morphs into a prototypical footballer when he crosses the white line on game day.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"He's says very little," said Bulldogs coach John Hickey. "If anything, he's a bit of a joker but not a big discusser of things, and not a big one for sitting around making plans - just, 'What are we doing, let's go do it.'"
"He's very calm, very considerate," Hickey added. "But the most important thing is that he becomes a bit of a warrior once he gets on the field. That's why we like him: he just switches and goes flat stick."
Since Hickey's appointment as coach this season, McIlveen has got the chance to go "flat stick" in the starting side, after being primarily used off the bench last year.
As he did in the loss to Werris Creek last round, he will start in the second-row when Gunnedah confront Narrabri at Collins Park on Sunday - looking to halt their run of consecutive losses at two.
The previous week, against Kootingal-Moonbi, he started at centre. Hickey said the 23-year-old's utility trait made him "very valuable to the team", but added: "We'll try and play him in the second-row. He adds a little bit of a dynamic edge to whatever he does.
"At the moment, that's where we want him. We'd like to make him a permanent feature there, but it also depends on who's available each week. Because of his versatility, we can shift him where he's needed."
READ ALSO:
A Bulldogs junior, McIlveen rejoined the club last season after commencing his senior football at Boggabri in the now-defunct second division. He played two seasons for the Roos. "It was the best footy I've played, I reckon."
At the Roos he teamed with his older brother, Heath, who sat out last season before debuting in 2019 against Werris Creek, playing in the Bulldogs' reserve-grade side. The front-rower signed with Central Newcastle in 2012 and played first grade for the club, then returned home to work in the mines.
"My brother moved back from Newcastle and he wanted to play footy with me and he said to me, 'We'll go to Boggy and see how we go.'"
McIlveen works as an operator at Boggabri Coal, and plays footy for "fun". "If we win, we win. If not, we have a beer - life goes on, you know what I mean?"
That's how he like to live his life: keep it cruisey. "There's no point worrying about anything."
Bulldogs supporters may start to get a bit worried if the side falls to Narrabri on Sunday. McIlveen - a first cousin of fellow Bulldogs first-graders Reece and Hayden Jaeger - admitted that there "was a lot to work on" with the side, adding: "But I think if we gel together, we should come good."
