If he loves his school side (which he does) he can still learn a lot from this. Things such as loyalty, leadership, teamwork etc etc. Why should his school football days be over? If he wants to play school footy, I say we should let him. He owes no more to MFC than to BGS at the moment, and dont bring up his pay check because again, he was drafted as a school kid in full knowledge of his intentions.

2 side notes...

1) Cale Morton had just finished his schooling and Jack Watts is underage and still has a year to go in his schooling, so I don't think this is a viable comparison.

2) He will still be playing for the "red and blue" because that is Brighton's colours.

my boss rang me today after spending the last two days at an AFL coaches conference at the G. speakers included many former players and current coaches. i told him about the Jack Watts debate on Demonland. one of the speakers was one of the Scott brothers from the Lions.( now assistant elsewhere) he said while the TAC comp obviously has its advantages, all kids are encouraged to play open , free flowing football. if for example a kid is recruited to the Swans . they want the kid there learning their brand of football asap. one would think a talented footballer could make the transition easily. thats funny because apparently 44 players from the MFC had a real hard time of it last year under Bailey, even allowing for loss of personel. why have the Pies taken over their VFL side. because Malthouse tells Gavin Brown im dropping this kid back to you this week and this is where youre going to play him.the seconds should have the same game plan as the firsts so the stepping up process is smoother.

the comparison between Morton and Watts is to do with their body type. there cant be that much age differance between them.

Spot on Nugget, BGS games will take preference over Casey although MFC games will take over BGS. Unfortunately for BGS i imagine that he wont be playing many games for them, my opinion is that he will be playing round 1 for the simple reason he's in our best 22. I went to school with a guy who was drafted at the end of year 11 and he was able to combine training with school pretty well, although he didnt put much work into his studies. Jack will most likely train with us in the main sessions although do his weights and running outside school hours. He will probably be only doing 4 subjects instead of 5 so that will help with his time management. Sam Blease is also doing yr 12 this year at Yarra Valley grammar i believe.

my boss rang me today after spending the last two days at an AFL coaches conference at the G. speakers included many former players and current coaches. i told him about the Jack Watts debate on Demonland. one of the speakers was one of the Scott brothers from the Lions.( now assistant elsewhere) he said while the TAC comp obviously has its advantages, all kids are encouraged to play open , free flowing football. if for example a kid is recruited to the Swans . they want the kid there learning their brand of football asap. one would think a talented footballer could make the transition easily. thats funny because apparently 44 players from the MFC had a real hard time of it last year under Bailey, even allowing for loss of personel. why have the Pies taken over their VFL side. because Malthouse tells Gavin Brown im dropping this kid back to you this week and this is where youre going to play him.the seconds should have the same game plan as the firsts so the stepping up process is smoother.

the comparison between Morton and Watts is to do with their body type. there cant be that much age differance between them.

spot on al's demons. it of course would be better if he was out of school and could play/train exactly like every other player but that isnt the reality.

the debate on this thread has been over how school will effect how many games watts will play this year, so the watts/morton is a bad comparison in this thread, however a good comparison if watts was out of school and it was just a matter of physiologial attributes.

the fact is, watts is at school, at a school which he loves, and is part of a football team there which he loves. i dont think anyone is sure how many games he will play for melbourne, but as i have been saying, it will be impossible for him to do all the training sessions etc etc.

and a year is a long time in football. as i have said, i doubt he will play casey over BGS but MFC will probably be his no. 1 priority.

In reply to Nugget Jones comments, Luke Ball had the choice and he chose school football as his preference over Saints for that year. I think all clubs would have known this was the case before the draft. He only ended up playing 3 or 4 matches because of his OP, against the big schools such as Caufield with Judd

I think Watts will do a combination of school games and MFC. Will be a good thing to ease him into AFL footy...

Which soft cork school are you associated with, kid ?

The only decent catholic school in the APS that doesn't accept people on the basis of who their father is. Funny that even Luke Ball said that his own school had major problems...

No issue for mine. He will play 5 games this year any more is a bonus.

Playing APS as a tough comp - what a joke!

What was the old saying we had?...... If you can't get a girl get a X______ Boy!!!

Many years of AGS competition has not changed my mind about school boys footy its as soft as it comes. He will develop in his own time and needs to be supported accordingly.

monsta...what makes you think any sort of school footy is so soft these days?

and don24, it is the same with ellis.

monsta...what makes you think any sort of school footy is so soft these days?

and don24, it is the same with ellis.

Just my humble opinion. Yes it has been over 10yrs since my last AGS game, but I really doubt the game has gotten any tougher since then (and it was soft then!). I would suspect the opporsite is more likely much like ever other aussie rules comp during this time.

The kid is 17yo. As part of his enrolment at BGS they have first rights to him as a footballer. I dont think BGS would stop him if he were to be selected for MFC to play. However it is realistic to think that he will be playing a mixture of BGS, Casey and possibly MFC football this year. The APS season is relatively short Watts will have ample opportunity to represent MFC at whatever level is deemed appropriate. He is not the first top pick recruit to be in this position and too many people are getting their knickers in a knot about very little.

The kid is 17yo. As part of his enrolment at BGS they have first rights to him as a footballer. I dont think BGS would stop him if he were to be selected for MFC to play. However it is realistic to think that he will be playing a mixture of BGS, Casey and possibly MFC football this year. The APS season is relatively short Watts will have ample opportunity to represent MFC at whatever level is deemed appropriate. He is not the first top pick recruit to be in this position and too many people are getting their knickers in a knot about very little.

I agree, storm in a tea cup

Spot on Nugget, BGS games will take preference over Casey although MFC games will take over BGS. Unfortunately for BGS i imagine that he wont be playing many games for them, my opinion is that he will be playing round 1 for the simple reason he's in our best 22. I went to school with a guy who was drafted at the end of year 11 and he was able to combine training with school pretty well, although he didnt put much work into his studies. Jack will most likely train with us in the main sessions although do his weights and running outside school hours. He will probably be only doing 4 subjects instead of 5 so that will help with his time management. Sam Blease is also doing yr 12 this year at Yarra Valley grammar i believe.

Yeah he's a Yarra boy.

Bunch of poofsticks

The only decent catholic school in the APS that doesn't accept people on the basis of who their father is. Funny that even Luke Ball said that his own school had major problems...

You're turning a tad green, boy.

Then again, inferiority complexes are the norm from the alsoran Catholic schools.

And name the school, champ.

You're turning a tad green, boy.

Then again, inferiority complexes are the norm from the alsoran Catholic schools.

And name the school, champ.

No, no jealousy seeing I was accepted into x. Seeing there are only two in the APS it shouldn't be that hard should it genius? Alsoran? An APS school? Lmfao

An APS school that doesn't accept people on the basis of who their father is? Lmfao

No, no jealousy seeing I was accepted into x. Seeing there are only two in the APS it shouldn't be that hard should it genius? Alsoran? An APS school? Lmfao

hannabal, he goes to st kevins.

"seeing there are two in the APS bla bla bla"

BLWNBA, most people don't know exactly what schools are in the APS because either they don't care or they are not interested. Don't just presume that people should know about all the schools in a certain association, it's hard for some of us to realise, but the APS represents a vast minority of schools in Victoria alone.

hannabal, he goes to st kevins.

"seeing there are two in the APS bla bla bla"

BLWNBA, most people don't know exactly what schools are in the APS because either they don't care or they are not interested. Don't just presume that people should know about all the schools in a certain association, it's hard for some of us to realise, but the APS represents a vast minority of schools in Victoria alone.

Nah mate, don't think that at all. I just assumed he was from Xavier from a previours comment he made

No, no jealousy seeing I was accepted into x. Seeing there are only two in the APS it shouldn't be that hard should it genius? Alsoran? An APS school? Lmfao

No, no there's only one Catholic school in the APS.

hannabal, he goes to st kevins.

"seeing there are two in the APS bla bla bla"

BLWNBA, most people don't know exactly what schools are in the APS because either they don't care or they are not interested. Don't just presume that people should know about all the schools in a certain association, it's hard for some of us to realise, but the APS represents a vast minority of schools in Victoria alone.

Or both.

Witnessing the slug fest going on in this thread about Schools is akin to a bunch of kids with down syndrome arguing who has the biggest penis.

No, no there's only one Catholic school in the APS.

So what you are saying is that one of St. Kevins or Xavier is now defunct; news to me.

Nah mate, don't think that at all. I just assumed he was from Xavier from a previours comment he made

oh k. fair enough. and it looks like oyu guessed right from the below post.

anyway, lets get back to jack watts

Or both.

Witnessing the slug fest going on in this thread about Schools is akin to a bunch of kids with down syndrome arguing who has the biggest penis.

I'm just hoping that they don't push him to be the messiah in his first couple of seasons, and that they let him develop as the kid should. He might be the next Wayne Carey (forgive the comparison) but putting him in to the big league against fully grown men is just asking for trouble. If we still had Neitza to protect him then we might be able to get away with it but to expect a kid to be a KPP is not only foolish but shortsighted. Let him go and develop as he needs, with a couple of games this year, and maybe a full season in 2010.

I'm just hoping that they don't push him to be the messiah in his first couple of seasons, and that they let him develop as the kid should. He might be the next Wayne Carey (forgive the comparison) but putting him in to the big league against fully grown men is just asking for trouble. If we still had Neitza to protect him then we might be able to get away with it but to expect a kid to be a KPP is not only foolish but shortsighted. Let him go and develop as he needs, with a couple of games this year, and maybe a full season in 2010.

Why not? Neitz handled himself well in his first season. Alot of 1st year players who have been picked high in the draft, have performed despite it being the "big league".

The earlier the footy club exposes Watts to it, the better.

The earlier the footy club exposes Watts to it, the better.

why?

why?

Because the quicker he settles in, the quicker he adapts to the pace and recognises what is required.