Jack Watts

[rodent killer 0]

at first he was all at sea but he is going to get the pace of the game over the next few months and WILL be a bloody good player, he showed a bit in the second half

[Jaded No More 67,688]

He will keep making mistakes and that's fine.

When he gets the ball, he does things with it that most in the team can't.

He'll be filthy with himself about that missed goal and dropped mark, and that's good. He needs to learn and he needs to develop ASAP, and the more he plays, the quicker that will happen.

Same goes for Jurrah.

By the way, he played on Merrett for a bit, and that guy looks like he could eat Watts for breakfast. At least 15kgs between them!

[howlongtowait 0]

Happy with the way he is going. But now come he is so casual?

[Jaded No More 67,688]

Happy with the way he is going. But now come he is so casual?

That's his style. Reminds me of Garland in that sense. They both seem so calm.

But he is filthy with himself and gets angry when he makes a mistake, don't worry about that.

[Ryan Dee 140]

Happy with the way he is going. But now come he is so casual?

Do you mean, How come he is so COMPOSED? :D

[H_T 3,032]

Do you mean, How come he is so COMPOSED? :D

and well balanced.

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

Happy with the way he is going. But now come he is so casual?

James Hird??

[tez 6]

He will keep making mistakes and that's fine.

When he gets the ball, he does things with it that most in the team can't.

He'll be filthy with himself about that missed goal and dropped mark, and that's good. He needs to learn and he needs to develop ASAP, and the more he plays, the quicker that will happen.Same goes for Jurrah.

By the way, he played on Merrett for a bit, and that guy looks like he could eat Watts for breakfast. At least 15kgs between them!

This boy is just a boy and he will need 2 years minimum sadly his mistakes wont do his confidence any good right now he has had his taste lets put him in cotton wool and worry about the future, i feel plaing each week getting smashed both body wise and on theboard is not going to help him

as for LJ he has the right agility and awarnes to carry him through he will improve imensely each week yet feel he will be that more special in a year or 2

[Deano74 156]

Time for him to go back to Casey, We dont need to kill his any remaining confidence in his first year. Id rather see him collect 15 to 20 posies and kick a few at Casey than get killed at Melbourne and lets face it, he is.

Hes not Fit or strong enough yet, he needs time.

[FC Melbourne 108]

Loved the leadership shown by Miller after his snap in the last was miscued and went out on the full.

No chin up young fella, no keep backing yourself or that old 'keep working, it will come' chestnut.

Just a death stare to make a kid feeling a bit down on himself even worse from a man who if he had been thrown into a barrel of [censored] tonight would have been pulled out sucking his own thumb.

[drdrake 3,124]

Play him, keep playing him we have nothing else. Our midfield is rubbish our ball movement is crap, Robbo is done we need to keep playing him.

[Jaded No More 67,688]

This boy is just a boy and he will need 2 years minimum sadly his mistakes wont do his confidence any good right now

It could be argued that dropping him won't do his confidence any good.

He needs time in the seniors to get more of a feel for the speed of the game, the way the ball moves, etc...

What does he get by going back to Casey, when we know he can get 20 odd possessions on the wing at that level?

If he's sore, or tired, rest him.

Otherwise, he plays and he plays with the big boys. He is far too good for VFL, and there is no need to drop the kid for making mistakes in his third game (under the most unbelievable amount of pressure). Eventually, and I bet before the year is out (if he keeps playing), he will have one breakthrough moment, one game where he really stands up and he'll feel as though he belongs. We need to keep giving him the opportunity to have that game.

[Einstein 1]

If he's sore, or tired, rest him.

Otherwise, he plays and he plays with the big boys. He is far too good for VFL, and there is no need to drop the kid for making mistakes in his third game (under the most unbelievable amount of pressure).

Agree. If his body is taking a toll, give him a rest. Otherwise, let him play. He's a kid playing in a very ordinary team right now. He'll be better for it all in the long run.

[el_colorado 0]

Loved the leadership shown by Miller after his snap in the last was miscued and went out on the full.

No chin up young fella, no keep backing yourself or that old 'keep working, it will come' chestnut.

Just a death stare to make a kid feeling a bit down on himself even worse from a man who if he had been thrown into a barrel of [censored] tonight would have been pulled out sucking his own thumb.

I saw that too and was really disappointed with miller. Lift your own game miller before you start doing rubbish like that. I've always liked miller but the fact that he aint the most talented player means he has got to show better leadership than that to make up for it.

[tez 6]

It could be argued that dropping him won't do his confidence any good.

He needs time in the seniors to get more of a feel for the speed of the game, the way the ball moves, etc...

What does he get by going back to Casey, when we know he can get 20 odd possessions on the wing at that level?

If he's sore, or tired, rest him.

Otherwise, he plays and he plays with the big boys. He is far too good for VFL, and there is no need to drop the kid for making mistakes in his third game (under the most unbelievable amount of pressure). Eventually, and I bet before the year is out (if he keeps playing), he will have one breakthrough moment, one game where he really stands up and he'll feel as though he belongs. We need to keep giving him the opportunity to have that game.

Jaded lets agree to disagree but i will tell you this as i have seen all his games at casey bar 1 and trust me he did not and i mean did not dominate he just did enough, nor am i bagging this kid i feel he is the right choice for our club i think he is in the mould of brown, reiwoldts ect he has the x factor let him grow seeing him thrown around like a rag doll each time with his skinny body wont help him in future, one thing i know and that was playing at 15 against grown men hardned bodies win every time

[True Believer 1]

I saw that too and was really disappointed with miller. Lift your own game miller before you start doing rubbish like that. I've always liked miller but the fact that he aint the most talented player means he has got to show better leadership than that to make up for it.

back to Casey for a few weeks, then re slot in back in the team. The media pressure has been huge. Other debutants weren't treated like him. Kid needs a chance to gather himself

[e25 5]

Jaded lets agree to disagree but i will tell you this as i have seen all his games at casey bar 1 and trust me he did not and i mean did not dominate he just did enough, nor am i bagging this kid i feel he is the right choice for our club i think he is in the mould of brown, reiwoldts ect he has the x factor let him grow seeing him thrown around like a rag doll each time with his skinny body wont help him in future, one thing i know and that was playing at 15 against grown men hardned bodies win every time

But VFL players have hardened bodies too. All playing in the VFL does is get him used to playing against lesser players at a slower pace.

I think the kid has enough confidence and character to handle anything we throw at him in terms of playing AFL footy against Fletchers, Ruttens, Glasses, Scarletts etc.

He'd relish the chance to test himself against the best.

[Jaded No More 67,688]

But VFL players have hardened bodies too. All playing in the VFL does is get him used to playing against lesser players at a slower pace.

I rather him playing on a massive unit like Merrett, than on some fat dud like Cloke. Both are massive, but one is a good player and one is a hack.

It is a myth that playing in the VFL equals playing against smaller bodies. What playing at a lower level does, is give players more time to work on their skills at a slower pace, or gain some confidence by getting a few touches against lesser opponents.

Except we know Jack can play against lesser opponents, and we know his skills are up to it. So all we do by dropping him, is waste his precious energy and fitness playing against players who are not up to it, and won't test him out the way AFL will.

He showed enough with Casey, coming off no pre-season, and playing out of position, for us to know that what he really lacks is strength and experience.

So either we decide to sit him out for the rest of the year, locking him in a gym, feeding him KFC and letting him complete his schooling, or we play him for as long as his body will allow at a level where we want him to dominate for the next 10 years.

[Adam The God 29,392]

Do you mean, How come he is so COMPOSED? :D

The good players always seem to have time. That can make them seem more casual. It's composure and poise. Watching him get tackled a couple of times over the last few weeks, illustrates he hasn't quite got the pace of the game yet. But expect him to get better with each game.

[Adam The God 29,392]

...our ball movement is crap...

It's an interesting point this. As soon as the sting went out of the game (aka pressure), our disposal became slick and accurate. A number of times in the last ten minutes we strung 4 or 5, slick disposals together and raced it from one end of the ground to the other. So we can do it, it's just a matter of having the confidence to do it, when the pressure is on.

[45HG 1,539]

WHAT A MARK

[titan_uranus 24,628]

Nowhere near the top of the 'Major Worries' pile.

Made lots of mistakes, but who cares when the rest of the team was not much better.

Had opponents that were far stronger, more experienced, and better players than he is. Over time he'll bridge those gaps. Right now, it's just a matter of not playing him into the ground and/or destroying his confidence.

[The Jack of Grimes 0]

Time for him to go back to Casey, We dont need to kill his any remaining confidence in his first year. Id rather see him collect 15 to 20 posies and kick a few at Casey than get killed at Melbourne and lets face it, he is.

Hes not Fit or strong enough yet, he needs time.

Wrong. You would keep him in for this weekends game against West Coast. One of the three remaining games we could possibly win... Could give the kid more confidence. And then you send him back to Casey.

[Freak 100]

naitanui on watts

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

naitanui on watts

Bring it on!