We were all up in arms about Scully until we landed Hogan.

If we netted a good mid in return would we still feel the same about Watts, I think not.

Wow!

Imagine Dockerland.com going nuts over the Watts vs Nik Nat comparison.

Fish bowl!!!

A friend of mine knows Watts. Thinks he will go. He's sick of losing and being booed by his own supportera. Unless things improve. He is gone.

A friend of mine knows Watts. Thinks he will go. He's sick of losing and being booed by his own supportera. Unless things improve. He is gone.

I remember when a 'friend of Tom Scully' said he would stay!

Although Watts is a talented player, loosing a bloke who makes public comments like "we dont have a joel Selwood or a Luke Hodge to lift us when other teams get a run on" cant be seen as a huge loss.

Loosing Sylvia for nothing would be worse

You have the probelm in a nutshell there

Really.......

Quality post S

Edited May 23, 201311 yr by DemonOX

Sad situation all round. I would be sad to see Jack go but the bloke's confidence is shot nine ways from Sunday. He is the posterboy for the red and blueprint and everything that was wrong with it.

I assume/hope you have your tongue in cheek saying that

Watts will not be leaving

Jay Clark wrote the article, it is speculation, with a capital SP for spewing

In terms of the way we (supporters) have treated the young Watts and how he has been treated at the club in terms of yo-yoing etc. it was a great post.

We were all up in arms about Scully until we landed Hogan.

If we netted a good mid in return would we still feel the same about Watts, I think not.

As much as I hated (and still hate) the Scully sideshow, I knew we made out like bandits when the compensation was confirmed. Thank you GWS for your great big wad of cash.

Where the potential situation with Watts differs is that I can’t see how Melbourne can mount a case to receive anything close to fair (or favourable) in trade for Watts given his lack of proven performance. I would suggest he is nowhere near his peak value. I expect other clubs to know this and they will offer low. I’d be very surprised if we’d be able to even pry Mitch Robinson from Carlton for Watts.

Never mind the humiliation of losing two number one draft picks to add to our failure with Morton in the preceding draft. It will be a damning indictment on our club.

It seems that we are failing at selling the future to our players. The club needs to make a decision on Neeld fairly soon. I agree with GNF that if Neeld stays, we will lose players that we should be keeping. I honestly find it hard to believe that he is the man for the long haul, and if the club believe that’s the case, he must go sooner, rather than later. If he is not to be there next year, he must be gone prior to the player exchange period.

The club must be clear in the direction it’s moving and clear in its vision, because at the moment the rudder’s all over the place and the crew seems ready to jump ship. The wait and see approach will damage our club and set us back further by years.

A friend of mine knows Watts. Thinks he will go. He's sick of losing and being booed by his own supportera. Unless things improve. He is gone.

I spoke to a guy who claimed to be the cousin of Watts after the West Coast game and he said Watts has absolute faith in Neeld and his mates are all at the club... whether or not it was actually his cousin is very debatable.

A friend of mine knows Watts. Thinks he will go. He's sick of losing and being booed by his own supportera. Unless things improve. He is gone.

A friend of mine knows Watts. Thinks he will go. He's sick of losing and being booed by his own supportera. Unless things improve. He is gone.

Let him go then , I'm sick of players who don't understand 100% effort is required every week. Sorry it's not his fault it's the coaches. Neeld has stuffed lots of things but Watts isn't one of them. Drafted as a key forward, playing him down back is a cop out. We have an opportunity to make up for another drafting blunder. Loose Watts - trade for an experienced mid.

Fat Matt Thompson has penned this epic piece http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-05-23/trio-required-players-neeld

what a nothing article!

Fat Matt Thompson has penned this epic piece http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-05-23/trio-required-players-neeld

what a nothing article!

So true, I do love the final line in grey "The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs"

Fat Matt Thompson has penned this epic piece http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-05-23/trio-required-players-neeld

what a nothing article!

Stock standard to show the supporters they are aware i guess... doesn't really have any other purpose

His career is 59 games.

How many were good ones?

30?

I'd say less than 20.

Fat Matt Thompson has penned this epic piece http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-05-23/trio-required-players-neeld

what a nothing article!

Well what do you expect? The man is a cokk.....roach.

Edited May 23, 201311 yr by Dr. Gonzo

That is true, but the observations that they make within the clubrooms are more accurate than the perception of us supporters based on actions in game and possibly more accurate that the media rumors that swirl around. Jack may not be 100% happy, but none of us truely know.

I don't disagree with you regarding those in charge of the club having a lot to answer for in respect to Watts, and I know that the leadership of the club has only changed minimally. However the Football Department is completely different, and that is the environment that Watts would find himself in on a daily basis. I'm just suggesting that I think under the new football department, Watts has shown more improvement than he did under Bailey, and has in fact performed better.

Why was it bad player management? Watts hurt his ankle the week prior, and played while sick during the Essendon game. So how is it poor player management to sub a player off when he is sick and playing with a bad ankle, and struggling in the game..... Please explain.

That is bad player management in itself if true.

Everyone talks of culture. Well forget about the personalities involved and whether or not you like Jack, a good culture DOES NOT GIVE AWAY ITS CORE PLAYERS and a good culture DOES NOT LOSE PLAYERS to other teams. Jack's confidence is shot and he is too scared to do anything because of the way he is treated (I cannot name my source as it will compromise their position in the club) so what sort of culture denigrates its players. What culture belittles a leadership group when you have been in an organisation for a week. Ask the board member who let it be known that the coach has had a blue with every member of his staff. Good culture don't leak like a sieve.

PJ needs to send a message that we don't give up on our players, we don't treat them like dirt and we value their contribution and efforts and we want them to stay and improve. Fix the FD first and do it yesterday. I want Chip, Sylvia, Watts, Davey and Gawn all to stay because we will miss them when they are gone.

His career is 59 games.

How many were good ones?

30?

I'd say less than 20.

I reckon more than 50% of players would show a similar stat to that though, i think watts will be a good player, for me it's keep chippa at all costs, watts second priority sylvia third, if we can keep 2 of those three that's acceptable but it will be an up hill battle.

Won't we all be excited when we're winning games again? Can't wait.

Edited May 23, 201311 yr by Giles

Well what do you expect? The man is a cokk.....roach.

total respect to Clarko for speaking his mind on that one!

As much as I hated (and still hate) the Scully sideshow, I knew we made out like bandits when the compensation was confirmed. Thank you GWS for your great big wad of cash.

Where the potential situation with Watts differs is that I can’t see how Melbourne can mount a case to receive anything close to fair (or favourable) in trade for Watts given his lack of proven performance. I would suggest he is nowhere near his peak value. I expect other clubs to know this and they will offer low. I’d be very surprised if we’d be able to even pry Mitch Robinson from Carlton for Watts.

Never mind the humiliation of losing two number one draft picks to add to our failure with Morton in the preceding draft. It will be a damning indictment on our club.

It seems that we are failing at selling the future to our players. The club needs to make a decision on Neeld fairly soon. I agree with GNF that if Neeld stays, we will lose players that we should be keeping. I honestly find it hard to believe that he is the man for the long haul, and if the club believe that’s the case, he must go sooner, rather than later. If he is not to be there next year, he must be gone prior to the player exchange period.

The club must be clear in the direction it’s moving and clear in its vision, because at the moment the rudder’s all over the place and the crew seems ready to jump ship. The wait and see approach will damage our club and set us back further by years.

Agreed Neeld must go. Obviously a lot hinges on the new coaching appointment. I can't imagined that any other club would have matched the GWS offer to Scully. Our bargaining chip with Watts is up to 8 clubs want him (debatable). Lets hear them out. The no.1 tag currently means nothing.

Agreed Neeld must go. Obviously a lot hinges on the new coaching appointment. I can't imagined that any other club would have matched the GWS offer to Scully. Our bargaining chip with Watts is up to 8 clubs want him (debatable). Lets hear them out. The no.1 tag currently means nothing.

Carlton and Freo are certainly keen from what i have heard, not sure who the other six would be, North were in the mix last year weren't they?

Carlton and Freo are certainly keen from what i have heard, not sure who the other six would be, North were in the mix last year weren't they?

I know as a fact the Carlton are all over Watts. Multhouse has approached him personally, plus Carlton players. No doubt an orchestrated campaign. They would "love" to have him.

Most on here will remember the 10year rule. 10 Years at one club and they were free to go to the highest bidder.

Nth.Melbourne threw truckloads at targeted players when Barassi was coach, to build a team to win a flag, and they did.

When FA was announced I feared it was happening all over again, but this time a club got compensated for their lose.

And there is talk of taking away compensation if clubs lose a player through FA. If clubs dont get compensated the weak clubs will be milked dry.

FA is on paper a two way street, players not getting games, can try their luck elsewhere, BUT why arent they getting a game?, most times,its because their club have better players above that player,he can choose to go and play for a club of his choice, and it doesnt mean he will improve that clubs player list. IF a club has an abundance of ruckmen, and they need a small, seems fair to trade a ruck for a small, or let a ruckmen go in a FA so he has more chance of making it in AFL with another club. That is a win for club and player.

The way this is panning out, whats the point of having a priority pick, when the player spends his 1st 8 yrs honing his skills, and game experience, the club does the hard yards, only to see a required player walk to another club. The weak clubs havent the cash flow to match offers from the wealthy clubs. Some may argue the weaker clubs have more room to move in their salary cap,therefore can invite A grade players to come to them, but whats the point if they cant win a game? The only players they will entice are players past their best,and looking for top dollar to see out their playing days.

They may fluke getting an A grader,once in awhile, but to be competitive a club needs more than a handful of decent players,if they keep losing some of their best players every time a player gets 8 yrs up. they are going around in circles, and going nowhere fast.

Now taking our situation into account, who would blame a player wanting out, who wants to play every week and get smashed. Club loyality died many years ago. the only thing stopping them leaving, are the friends they made, a good repore with coaches and helping the club climb the ladder and if success is achieved, the reward is more forfilling. Back to the real world, if they get a better offer elsewhere to play for a team with more success. Why stay?

Having said all that, think back a few years. Aaron Davey was reported in the paper,as signed sealed and almost delivered to the Bummers.

I ask where is he playing today? The point being most times its media beatup to sell papers, until its announced offically from either club or player its business as usual. If we do lose a couple of our good players, it isnt the end of the world. If they dont want to be there, cya later.

The onus is on the club to keep our best signed up and happy,if they cant do that, whats the whole point of it all.

Edited May 23, 201311 yr by DeeVoted

Carlton and Freo are certainly keen from what i have heard, not sure who the other six would be, North were in the mix last year weren't they?

I think your right about north. A big if , but should we get a priority pick package it up with Watts then we have some bargaining power. Opposition players have to agree to the trade which may be a problem in some cases. Peter Jackson wasn't hired to sit on his hands , would love to have his office bugged.