On Friday night, Lance Franklin went down with a hamstring injury at a crucial moment in the game, leaving the Swans searching for a spearhead inside 50.
Sam Reid has shown across his career his ability to be the man for the Swans at times, but it was 18-year-old Nick Blakey who got the job done.
He took three big contested marks and kicked two goals in the final term, taking over the game in Franklin’s absence.
David King is confident Blakey will end up being the best player to come out of what was an incredibly strong 2018 draft class.
“There was a couple of moments Nick Blakey gave in that last quarter … how good was he,” King told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“Maybe Sam Reid isn’t the talking point. Maybe it’s how quick can this guy come on. He’s got a senior frame. He’s a strong body.
“I know he looks a little bit flimsy, but he’s wiry, he’s like his old man (John Blakey), he’s got every bit of 200 games stamped on him.
“He’s an elite runner and he’s been getting ready for AFL football for five or six years. He knew this was coming.
“I think he’s the next story now. He won’t win the Rising Star. I think he’ll be the best player of this draft.
“In five years' time we’ll say it was a really good draft, but I think the way he plays, he’ll always be able to kick goals whereas midfielders, sometimes their possessions aren’t worth as much.”
Kane Cornes was equally impressed with Blakey’s performance.
“How many first year players can stand at the top of the goal square and take a genuine contested mark? There’s none that can do what he did,” he said.
“It was a pretty significant moment in the game too, Hawthorn were coming and you think who’s going to stand up, is it going to be Reid, nope it was this young kid.
“He’s every bit going to be as good as anyone who was taken in this draft.”
It's unclear how bad Franklin's hamstring injury is, with the superstar stuck on 299 games.
