The forgotten recruit

[beelzebub 22,359]

Jack Watts finished his exams yesterday, today he was in the gym for his 1st day as a fulltime footballer

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For the most part we've forgotten about this guy amongst all he hype of players coming or not comng aboard in upcoming weeks.

Jack will put a full preseason into his training and be much the better player in 010 for it. In some respects weve got another handful of all but new guys to come back in.

Im sure jack will be fitter, stonger and more focussed next season and able to play without so much of the limelight, that now to be directed at Scully and Trengove.

He showed us he has talent, class and poise and with this he will become a bit more match smart as a benefit of his limited exposure this season.

Looking forward to the Jack show in 2010

[Viney Vidi Vici 125]

wonder if it was vis. com, history or IT... congratulations to him, I can fully sympathise. But yeah, your right, i reckon something to quietly look forward to.

[Carlos Danger 380]

Looking forward to the Jack show in 2010

I'd say Watts becoming part of the elite would be a couple more years off. Will definitely show some glimpses next year, but it's gonna be Jurrah up forward that will have everyone talking.

[Sir Why You Little 34,952]

I am waiting to see a Loooong Running Jack Watts goal sail through at post height at The MCG. Then i know that he belongs.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

I haven't forgotten anything. I sat through the worst season of all time with him as my reward

However, we are going to have to be patient, he is YEARS away and frankly we have no real basis to argue that this particular player will be any different to the last 50 or so we drafted that couldn't get past B+ grade

[DEES 0]

wonder if it was vis. com, history or IT... congratulations to him, I can fully sympathise. But yeah, your right, i reckon something to quietly look forward to.

Surely he did the vis. com exam, them other subjects are BORING, but i cant wait for wattsy to tear it up next season

BRING ON SEASON 2010! WATTS SCULLY TRENGOVE

[powser85 0]

how many games do you recon he will/ they will want him to play?

[Trengove 0]

Watts has already gone from his very slight 83kg to 89kg at the moment and should be on track to take the field next season at a much healthier 93kg - While he's been going under the radar with his schooling he certainly hasnt been slacking off. I cant wait to have him out on the field, hopefully for at least 18 games

[beelzebub 22,359]

how many games do you recon he will/ they will want him to play?

next year ?? or over his career ?

a) 22

B) 250

[MrMoose 262]

I would rather he played 25 or 26 next year!

Edited November 10, 2009 by MrMoose

[JJJ 578]

Watts has already gone from his very slight 83kg to 89kg at the moment and should be on track to take the field next season at a much healthier 93kg - While he's been going under the radar with his schooling he certainly hasnt been slacking off. I cant wait to have him out on the field, hopefully for at least 18 games

How do you know these figures? Was it reported in the media?

Watts will be good for us next year, I have no doubts. Looking forward to seeing him improve and help out Bater and Jurrah as marking targets.

[Matt Demon 1,388]

I'd say Watts becoming part of the elite would be a couple more years off. Will definitely show some glimpses next year, but it's gonna be Jurrah up forward that will have everyone talking.

Have to agree with that. I work In St Kilda and get down to the Junction when I can. I saw the boys out on the track last week and LJ already looks to be putting some muscle on his upper body. Can't wait to see him next season!

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

However, we are going to have to be patient, he is YEARS away and frankly we have no real basis to argue that this particular player will be any different to the last 50 or so we drafted that couldn't get past B+ grade

I like it when a relatively softly spoken poster gets on here and flies in the face of what we're used to.

You've hit the nail squarely on the head here. People were guilty last year of expecting too much of Watts. This coming season little will be different;. After not doing a whole lot of training, and having exams this year eating into at least some of his pre-season... PLUS the fact he's VERY bottom age...

I just hope people don't get all up in arms and start to listen to the tripe posted on here by guys like Old Xavs...

Watts is no different from any other tall. Take NicNat. He's done largely nothing... and even in the one game he stole from the Hawks last year he only showed flashes. Up until his last quarter he'd had two touches. And THAT guy is much older than our Jack.

I hope people don't make the mistake of expecting too much from him. But I'm not holding my breath.

[Hannabal 4]

However, we are going to have to be patient, he is YEARS away and frankly we have no real basis to argue that this particular player will be any different to the last 50 or so we drafted that couldn't get past B+ grade

It's subjective isn't it ? Hmm, "Years away", I suppose it begs the question, how good do you expect him to be at 20/21, which by my reckoning doesn't quite fit the "YEARS away" category, as you put it. He turns 20 in the May of 2011.

I hope that Watts finishes his career as one of the star key forwards of the modern era. Just about every star key forward in living memory was very very good by the age of 20 and bordering on stardom by 21. Players such as Lockett, Carey, Brereton, Lloyd, Kernahan, Buddy Franklin to name a few, were all stars by 21. Our own David Schwarz was on his way to stardom until cut down by injury at 21. David Neitz was a rung down from those players, but was AA by the age of 20 in a defensive role. Naturally these players peaked in their mid 20's (excluding Franklin), but they were bona fide stars by 21.

If Watts is as good as we anticipate he won't be YEARS away. He'll start showing some very promising signs this year, be a very good player in 2011 and it's up to him from 2012 onwards. This isn't to say that I'll 'right him off' if he falls short of stardom by the age of 21, but by then I'll know whether he'll reach those heights. I expect he will.

No-one needs to worry about Watts' frame. He'll be a massive man at his peak and well strong enough within 2 years. Does he have the heart, or hunger ? They're the questions he needs to answer.

Edited November 11, 2009 by Hannibal

[hoopla 418]

I hope people don't make the mistake of expecting too much from him. But I'm not holding my breath.

Ditto

Jack is several years away from his peak.

If he had been pick #25, we'd all be salivating at his obvious potential... , boy's light frame, soft hands, good balance, agile for his size, quick off the mark, poise kicking for goal, understandably a bit shell- shocked at the pace of the game.... at #25 could be anything.... exciting .......go Jack...

But as pick #1... easily brushed aside, hesitant, lacks awareness... mightn't get to 50 games........ jury's still out....come on Jack, p.y.f.o.....

Same bloke!

Give him time everyone

[Darren Cuthbertson 0]

Ditto

Jack is several years away from his peak.

If he had been pick #25, we'd all be salivating at his obvious potential... , boy's light frame, soft hands, good balance, agile for his size, quick off the mark, poise kicking for goal, understandably a bit shell- shocked at the pace of the game.... at #25 could be anything.... exciting .......go Jack...

But as pick #1... easily brushed aside, hesitant, lacks awareness... mightn't get to 50 games........ jury's still out....come on Jack, p.y.f.o.....

Same bloke!

Give him time everyone

Even Leathal thinks that Jack But as pick #1... easily brushed aside, hesitant, lacks awareness... mightn't get to 50 games........ jury's still out....come on Jack, p.y.f.o.....

Can you work your magic on Jack or are you looking to redeem yourself for your call to play him on Queen's Birthday? That is why everyone thinks what they do. Maybe Jack will be ruined forever -he seems devoid of the key ingredient of mongrel -you'll have to give him yours.

[Ryan Dee 140]

He showed us he has talent, class and poise and with this he will become a bit more match smart as a benefit of his limited exposure this season.

Not at AFL level though, not yet anyway.

[hoopla 418]

Not at AFL level though, not yet anyway.

He has shown he has talent ... even though as a schoolboy he hasn't yet demonstrated that he will be able to effectively apply his talent at AFL level.

[Rogue 585]

If Watts is as good as we anticipate he won't be YEARS away. He'll start showing some very promising signs this year, be a very good player in 2011 and it's up to him from 2012 onwards. This isn't to say that I'll 'right him off' if he falls short of stardom by the age of 21, but by then I'll know whether he'll reach those heights. I expect he will.

I take it you wouldn't 'write him off' at that stage either ?

I like it when a relatively softly spoken poster gets on here and flies in the face of what we're used to.

You've hit the nail squarely on the head here. People were guilty last year of expecting too much of Watts.

I don't want to bignote myself, so I'll just point out that plenty of people have made the two points 'Curry & Beer' did.

[beelzebub 22,359]

Not at AFL level though, not yet anyway.

Keep in mind he had three token games this year...but the talent IS there. manifesting it to its penultimate level is a journey we will have to watch and wait.

He along with Blease.. and Strauss just add to the pile of talent that really not had much of a chance to exhibit itself. Compared to many teams there a warehouse full of potential with the Dees.. Time will tell..as always !!

[Guest Watts=Saviour]

He's got the potential to become a top AFL player. Whether he makes it or not, well we'll just have to wait and see. We cant expect too much too early, but I think we'll see a lot of improvement next year. He played 3 games this year, and we were smashed in all of them. It'd take something incredible for him to do anything that turned heads. Watts is one to watch, and in my opinion I think he'll be bloody worth watching.

If Jack Watts becomes the player we all know he can, then we're in for one hell of a good decade.

[Jarka 767]

It's subjective isn't it ? Hmm, "Years away", I suppose it begs the question, how good do you expect him to be at 20/21, which by my reckoning doesn't quite fit the "YEARS away" category, as you put it. He turns 20 in the May of 2011.

I hope that Watts finishes his career as one of the star key forwards of the modern era. Just about every star key forward in living memory was very very good by the age of 20 and bordering on stardom by 21. Players such as Lockett, Carey, Brereton, Lloyd, Kernahan, Buddy Franklin to name a few, were all stars by 21. Our own David Schwarz was on his way to stardom until cut down by injury at 21. David Neitz was a rung down from those players, but was AA by the age of 20 in a defensive role. Naturally these players peaked in their mid 20's (excluding Franklin), but they were bona fide stars by 21.

If Watts is as good as we anticipate he won't be YEARS away. He'll start showing some very promising signs this year, be a very good player in 2011 and it's up to him from 2012 onwards. This isn't to say that I'll 'right him off' if he falls short of stardom by the age of 21, but by then I'll know whether he'll reach those heights. I expect he will.

No-one needs to worry about Watts' frame. He'll be a massive man at his peak and well strong enough within 2 years. Does he have the heart, or hunger ? They're the questions he needs to answer.

I agree H, spot on

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Quick note for people from twitter:

nathan2jones

Another hot session out @ Casey this morning... "My Man" jack watts had his first session good the have the big fella into full training

Full preseason just started for Watts. Waiting for someone to get out to training and get some pics.

[Ryan Dee 140]

Keep in mind he had three token games this year...but the talent IS there. manifesting it to its penultimate level is a journey we will have to watch and wait.

He along with Blease.. and Strauss just add to the pile of talent that really not had much of a chance to exhibit itself. Compared to many teams there a warehouse full of potential with the Dees.. Time will tell..as always !!

Yes the talent IS there, still has not shown anything at AFL though like I said. Only the most biased of fans could find things in those few games to give him a rap. I agree those 3 games we can't judge him on, which I am not. I am just trying to calm a few down who get carried away with the few games he has played.

I'm not sure about other people but I find whenever I talk about him to other suppoters of other teams I hear the word "HACK" a lot. The majority of suppoters from other teams have already brushed him off and I find it quite idiotic. Is it just me? or do other people hear the same thing.

[biggestred 4,377]

mr morton i have heard jack watts described as

"[censored]"

"worst number 1 draft pick ever"

which makes me laugh