"Blakey's had a fantastic year," Geelong coach Mark Thompson said. "We gave him a lot of opportunities early because Brad [Ottens] wasn't playing, and he's stepped up so much."

It's all a far cry from grand final week last year, when Blake was devastated. He wore his devastation in public, too, having to endure the final training session with the team after it had become known he would not be playing.

Dutifully, he attended the grand final, and his joy for his teammates was genuine. Wrap-around sunglasses helped to hide his personal feelings, which must have been bittersweet at best.

"At the time, it's hard for anyone to cope with, that's the truth," Geelong football general manager Neil Balme said. "He was forced to deal with it pre-grand final and on grand final day and he did a fantastic job of it, I thought. Everyone's advice to him was that he couldn't let his teammates down, he needed to support them, and get over his own personal disappointment. He did that terrifically."

Blake's response this year has been marked.

"He's probably our most improved player," Balme said. "He's quietly worked at his game. He's stronger, he runs further and faster. He gets involved in the game more - classic big-man development, really."

St Kilda, for their part, are happy to have gained the No.1 ruckman the club needed.

As well as his undoubted class, King has regained a measure of durability at Moorabbin. He has played 19 games this year, missing only three, and ranks 10th in the competition for hit-outs (Blake is fourth and Ottens, in 14 games, seventh).

"From that point of view, and his general leadership around the club, he's been very handy," St Kilda football general manager Matthew Drain said.

Though King had a long association with Geelong, including four years as captain, he had fitted in "very quickly" at St Kilda, Drain said.

"I think that happens at most clubs where players [coming in] have been in leadership roles. Football clubs are football clubs, they're full of blokes who know how to operate in those environments."

Geelong last year made the transition from perennial contenders to champion team. King was part of that process but Drain said there was no emphasis on any insights he might have gleaned from the transformation.

Most of the emphasis at St Kilda was "about how we're going to play", Drain said.

"I reckon what footy clubs have done is try to compare themselves to others and 'follow the leader', so to speak," he elaborated. "I think what's refreshing with St Kilda is we're really trying to develop what's best for St Kilda."

Nonetheless, King is one player you do not have to convince that such a transition is possible. Indeed, you can hold his experience up to others as proof that it is. >GEELONG v ST KILDA

Venue:

Head-to-head: Geelong 121, St Kilda 79, drawn 0.

Finals record: Geelong - played 92, won 37, lost 54, drawn 1.

St Kilda - played 41, won 16, lost 25, drawn 0.

Last time: Geelong 21.10 (136) beat St Kilda 13.16 (94), round four, 2008, Telstra Dome.

Betting: TAB Sportsbet: Geelong $1.14, St Kilda $5.25.

Danger men: The twin peak forwards in Justin Koschitzke and Nick Riewoldt kicked six between them last time and stretched Geelong's defence. Stephen Milne can ignite the Saints with five minutes of brilliance. Brendon Goddard and Jason Gram need to be watched as their rebounding kicking penetration has added some bite to Saints midfield. Nick Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes are dangerous because of their creative disposal.

Key match-ups: Geelong forward line: SJohnson v BGoddard (SFisher last time), CMooney v JBlake (MHudghton last time), BOttens vs MHudghton, TLonergan v SFisher, PChapman v JGwilt/SGilbert. Midfield: GAblett v SBirss, CLing v LHayes/NDal Santo (JCorey takes the other), JSelwood v LMontagna, JBartel vs JGram (try to hurt Bartel up forward). Defence: MScarlett v JKoschitzke, JHunt v SMilne, AMackie v NRiewoldt (Harley takes next weakest forward to release him to help other defenders).

Wildcards: Mark Blake gets his chance to show everyone that he is Geelong's No.1 ruckman, going up against the man who played in his position last grand final day in Steven King. Paul Chapman and Max Rooke are both great competitors and could put out any of St Kilda's momentum with their approach to the contest. ¡ First Qualifying Final MCG, today, 2.40pm.