I now have myself attempting to evaluate exactly what type of player he is.

Yes you did ask the question but you wouldn't do so without concern.

Yes you did ask the question but you wouldn't do so without concern.

Mate re-read the op properly. That question was in the context of whether he was going to be Nick Riewoldt or James Hird. If you think likening a player to Hird is a sledge well i am going to have to agree to disagree. It was not out of concern rather out of interest and genuinely inviting other people's opinions.

I actually asked 3 questions in the OP.

Lotta love in this thread

Fair question however and one the FD will be most interested in in relation to this years drafting. Is he going to be a floating forward/wingman or will he be a KPF when he bulks up? I think he has the ability to be either we just won't know until he has some muscle. At the moment he is a talented little boy playing against full grown men. This time next year should give us a better idea.

Steady on mate what's the deal, are you one of those blokes who goes ape droppings on the Bundy? Sheez, relax.

You clearly haven't been watching him as he hasn't been playing as a KPP at all. Which may in part answer what was a serious question. Is he strategically being kept away from contests to avoid packs crashing into him and getting crunched by gorilla backmen?

Sorry mate, maybe i should've included a lot of those emoticons that I seem to be allergic to - <_<

Not an angry post, I'm just laughing at the stupidity of some of things you are saying.

I find it hard to believe you could honestly come to some of these conclusions. Its more like you are bored and trying to make mountains out of molehills so you have something to debate.

I don't get it, whatever you are on.

Sorry mate, maybe i should've included a lot of those emoticons that I seem to be allergic to - <_<

Not an angry post, I'm just laughing at the stupidity of some of things you are saying.

I find it hard to believe you could honestly come to some of these conclusions. Its more like you are bored and trying to make mountains out of molehills so you have something to debate.

I don't get it, whatever you are on.

Well Geelong is getting done. The cricket is ok... a little slow.

I just wanted to Discuss Jack Watts and what his and the club's mindset may be re his development. I made an observation which you disagree with, that Watts is not getting into contests. To me he clearly isn't, but apparently you see this differently and take it as an insult to our Messiah which was not the intention.

You've called me an idiot twice, stupid, and on drugs and haven't really offered anything else except that Watts has been playing as a KPP which I clearly disagree with and I would suggest the rest of the world are with me there.

Well Geelong is getting done. The cricket is ok... a little slow.

Tour de france is on soon watch that :D

Cadel

Well Geelong is getting done. The cricket is ok... a little slow.

I just wanted to Discuss Jack Watts and what his and the club's mindset may be re his development. I made an observation which you disagree with, that Watts is not getting into contests. To me he clearly isn't, but apparently you see this differently and take it as an insult to our Messiah which was not the intention.

You said he's avoiding contests to start with ...and then you said that was indisputable!

I don't know what makes you think he's avoiding contests and i think its a fairly strong accusation against a young player who is trying to get a feeling for the game at AFL level.

You've called me an idiot twice, stupid, and on drugs and haven't really offered anything else except that Watts has been playing as a KPP which I clearly disagree with and I would suggest the rest of the world are with me there.

The first instance of idiot was warranted.

The second time was in jest, the stupidity referred to what you were saying rather than you yourself (there is a distinct difference) and i never said you were on drugs, but it seems i managed to omit the final word from my last post, which would be 'about'.

Watts will be a strong marking Centre Half Forward, but will learn the trade as floating Forward Flank and Winger.

What he said.

You said he's avoiding contests to start with ...and then you said that was indisputable!

I don't know what makes you think he's avoiding contests and i think its a fairly strong accusation against a young player who is trying to get a feeling for the game at AFL level.

The first instance of idiot was warranted.

The second time was in jest, the stupidity referred to what you were saying rather than you yourself (there is a distinct difference) and i never said you were on drugs, but it seems i managed to omit the final word from my last post, which would be 'about'.

This is where you have it wrong. It's not an accusation. I can go and find the stats from his three games and while I think they will support what I am saying I don't think they are needed. He is not playing as a KPP and is not getting in situations where he can win a contest. That is not an accusation and to me it is a pretty clear fact. My question is, why?

Is the club protecting him from these situations or is he not putting himself there? I don't think Jack is scared. My own opinion is that the club is protecting him. But this is just my opinion. I don't claim to have any inside knowledge. BTW I am not making a judgement on this.

So I will ask you, do you think he is getting a contests? Surely you can't be still claiming that he is playing as a KPP.

If he isn't, what do you think the reason is?

Cheers

Edited July 11, 200915 yr by dandeeman

This is where you have it wrong. It's not an accusation. I can go and find the stats from his three games and while I think they will support what I am saying I don't think they are needed. He is not playing as a KPP and is not getting in situations where he can win a contest. That is not an accusation and to me it is a pretty clear fact. My question is, why?

Is the club protecting him from these situations or is he not putting himself there? I don't think Jack is scared. My own opinion is that the club is protecting him. But this is just my opinion. I don't claim to have any inside knowledge. BTW I am not making a judgement on this.

So I will ask you, do you think he is getting a contests? Surely you can't be still claiming that he is playing as a KPP.

If he isn't, what do you think the reason is?

Cheers

YOU ARE BOTH TALKING ABOUT SEPERATE THINGS.

Enforcer Thinks you are saying Watts himself is avoiding the contest not by way of coaching.

We drafted him for a KP.

He needs to play a KP eventually....simple.

Let him develope first.

Edited July 11, 200915 yr by Digga

I sense a bit of impatience in this thread.

Jack will be a CHF in the mould of Riewoldt. I do think he lacks a bit of desperation and mongrel at times, but I hope that comes as he grows through AFL footy both mentally and physically.

With the way Watts' every move is scrutinised and analysed he must at times feel like Truman Burbank.

Watts' played very well yesterday. I didn't expect him to get much of it. He played as a 197+cm wingman in slippery conditions and a howling gale; and ended up with 26 possessions plus a goal in less than 3 and half quarters. He's been recruited as a key position forward, but the club are protecting him while he develops into his body as well as giving him miles in his legs up on a wing because his training has been so restricted. With Miller and Newton as the focal points in attack and Watts playing on a wing it wasn't his role to fly for marks against his teammates.

Watts is a very smart footballer. Some players look for body contact all the time and others will avoid it if it's advantageous to do so. Watts will go if it's his turn and I've not seen him avoid one contest that he really had to endure, but I have seen him avoid contests that other players wouldn't have because it was the sensible option. Whether that has involved running around a player giving a shepherd or deliberately keeping his feet so as to not rule himself out of the next contest. He's not the type to knock blokes over just to make a statement - yet.

How many guys at his height have such agility, pace, and skills on either side of their body. Plus a real footy brain. He's something special is young Jack, but the nuffies on here have to be a little more patient while Truman develops into what is going to be an imposing physique.

Some of these threads will be fun to bump in a few years.

Edited July 11, 200915 yr by Hannabal

H, he's got those attributes you highlight in spade. I watched a littel bit of the coverage yesterday and Phil cleary (SHUTUP) reported a conversation he had with CC. Phil reported that CC reported taht Jack has grown about 3 cms since drafting and put on 7-8kg and that the club could not be happier.

For those not old enough to remember Royce Hart, he was a brilliant mobile CHF who could take contested marks, float across packs from nowhere, and turn on a sixpence. Also a great finisher. This is the type of player forsee when I watch Jack Watts.

Edited July 11, 200915 yr by btdemon

Watts: The great white fear.

Is he tough enough?

This will be the most argued point on demonland for the next 5 years.

At the moment he is looking like a poor mans Cale Morton

As distinct from a rich man's Cameron Bruce?

Actually Watts already looks as if there is some body development taking place ; the same certainly can't be said for Morton whose body shape looks to be regressing

Rumour (totally fabricated and unsubstantiated) that Ethiopian children are sending him food parcels!

For those not old enough to remember Royce Hart, he was a brilliant mobile CHF who could take contested marks, float across packs from nowhere, and turn on a sixpence. Also a great finisher. This is the type of player forsee when I watch Jack Watts.

What he said.

Not sure what you're expecting dandeeman.

Jack is an underdeveloped underdone 18 year old, not Jonathon Brown 2009 version. His tasks this year are to pick up the pace, find plenty of ball under pressure, do something positive with it under pressure, find space, keep his feet. To suggest he's not putting himself into pressure situations - or, even worse, deliberately avoiding putting himself into pressure situations (whether that's a club instruction or not) is ridiculous. Sorry, there's no other word for it.

If you bag him because he doesn't crash packs, take pack marks, play like an in-and-under mid, fly for speccies against teammates, then you deserve all the criticism you get. To do the first two, the minimum requirement would be a preseason or two and more muscle & bulk. He's not in any team to do the third, and it would always be wrong, stupid, selfish to do the fourth.

If you deliberately overstate your OP to make it controversial, you should expect to cop some carp for it. And your problem is that you've accused Jack of the worst thing that can be said about any footballer - that he avoids contests ("indisputably"). We don't mind Jack being criticised, but it's not unfair to expect it to be for something that approximates the truth (and can be backed up with more than the fact that you consider what you say to be Holy Writ), and is preferably constructive. You fail dismally on both counts.

Watts: The great white fear.

Is he tough enough?

This will be the most argued point on demonland for the next 5 years.

Actually, I think Cale will take more stick than Watts... But yes, it'll be the biggest topic for Watts at least.

It'll also depend on where he plays. If he doesn't play as tough as Johno Brown, there'll be a lot of chagrin.

What he said.

Not sure what you're expecting dandeeman.

Jack is an underdeveloped underdone 18 year old, not Jonathon Brown 2009 version. His tasks this year are to pick up the pace, find plenty of ball under pressure, do something positive with it under pressure, find space, keep his feet. To suggest he's not putting himself into pressure situations - or, even worse, deliberately avoiding putting himself into pressure situations (whether that's a club instruction or not) is ridiculous. Sorry, there's no other word for it.

If you bag him because he doesn't crash packs, take pack marks, play like an in-and-under mid, fly for speccies against teammates, then you deserve all the criticism you get. To do the first two, the minimum requirement would be a preseason or two and more muscle & bulk. He's not in any team to do the third, and it would always be wrong, stupid, selfish to do the fourth.

If you deliberately overstate your OP to make it controversial, you should expect to cop some carp for it. And your problem is that you've accused Jack of the worst thing that can be said about any footballer - that he avoids contests ("indisputably"). We don't mind Jack being criticised, but it's not unfair to expect it to be for something that approximates the truth (and can be backed up with more than the fact that you consider what you say to be Holy Writ), and is preferably constructive. You fail dismally on both counts.

I seriously have no idea what you are on about.

The OP asked a number of questions and at no stage have I bagged Jack Watts. I think he will be a champion player. I think you are reading things that aren't there. FWIW I agree with your second paragraph 100%. In which case you have kind of contradicted yourself in the third. On one hand you have stated that Watts doesn't take pack marks or play in and under. Yet you seem to take issue with me noting that he avoids such contests. Which is it?

My question in regard to this (and I still see it as a valid one) is.

Is the club avoiding playing Watts in a postion or style of play that could see him physically damaged?

And so it is clear Jack Watts seems like a great kid with a good head on his shoulders and immense ability.

Edited July 12, 200915 yr by dandeeman

He was drafted as a key forward.

At the moment he is looking like a poor mans Cale Morton.

But its very early days.

i agree,

when he came on for the first time at queens birthday i think it was, i thought he is going to be a good player, but for me at the moment, i dont think he has shown that he should of been the number 1 draft pick, but it is early days as you said.

It's a shame Jack has failed to play a part in these two wins. It would of done the world for his confidence.

I seriously have no idea what you are on about.

The OP asked a number of questions and at no stage have I bagged Jack Watts. I think he will be a champion player. I think you are reading things that aren't there. FWIW I agree with your second paragraph 100%. In which case you have kind of contradicted yourself in the third. On one hand you have stated that Watts doesn't take pack marks or play in and under. Yet you seem to take issue with me noting that he avoids such contests. Which is it?

My question in regard to this (and I still see it as a valid one) is.

Is the club avoiding playing Watts in a postion or style of play that could see him physically damaged?

And so it is clear Jack Watts seems like a great kid with a good head on his shoulders and immense ability.

With you all the way dandeeman. From the limited amount I have seen of Jack so far, I would say he appeared to be a bit timid. To qualify that statement, I don't think he is soft, I just think he is feeling his way through his first year of senior football. I would love to see Bailey pop him in the midfield for a game just to give him the confidence to attack the ball with a bit more conviction and get used to the physicality of the game. I think this would help cure him of any trepidations he may have. I'm sure someone will jump on and call me stupid for posting an opinion that differs to thiers, but good on you for asking the question. It would be nice if people stuck to arguing thier points and opinions rather than stoop to name calling, it does nothing to endear me to thier argument.

I'll tell you what sort of player he is...

A gifted bloody one.