you are going to need to put that post on fortnightly repeat, jaded.

Will be traded straight into my supercoach side when he gets a game.

Oh for the love of all that is red and blue, can we just give this Jack Watts thing a rest?

If it helps you sleep at night, believe we made a mistake, beat yourself and the club up after every game that Naitanui plays, and go on thinking that we are forever doomed to pick dud KPF.

Or alternatively, calm down, and STFU about Jack Watts until he is 23 and has 50 games under his belt. Thank you.

Well Said Miss Jaded. Can't wait for the Day when Mr Watts Takes a Specky on the Members wing of the 'G. A change in the Force will be felt on the other side of the universe the Roar will be so loud! B)

I don't mind them running Jack around the ground a bit, getting used to the tempo of modern football.

I recall Essendon did this with a young Scott Lucas when he first came into the AFL (at Draft pick no.4). They played him on a wing and across half forward during his first season to give him confidence and get his hands on the leather.

Did Lucas turn out to be a good key position player? 270 games and 420 goals says yes he did. No, not of Reiwoldt or Brown quality, but a premiership quality elite forward nevertheless.

It's pointless putting an 18/19yo on a gorilla full back in the goalsquare until he's at least got some kilos packed onto his frame.

They're doing the right thing with Watts.

Patience!

Show me evidence to the contrary.......

Any chance you might be able to provide some evidence to back your rant?

Molan.....Oh dear

These Watts threads are shocking

Young kid who needs time

Hawkins, Gumbleton etc all take time and its not the easiest forward line to play in at the dees

PATIENCE

Will be back in Round 6 to face North.

Bookmark it.

Should we not judge Luke Molan yet? He hasn't played 10 AFL games either. I'm being facetious, of course. To the OP, just remember that Nick Naitanui is a year older than Jack Watts, and he also played in the WAFL the year before that. So essentially, NicNat has had 2 more years experience over Jack Watts. Yes I'm fearful that Jack won't live up to expectations, but I'm also patient enough to know that "playing up the ground and getting a few classy possessions" (to quote Yze_Magic quoting every Casey post ever) is probably all we'll get from Jack Watts for a while.

I didn't mention NickNak. It is unfair to compare the two. First of all they play in different positions, and secondly he is nearly a year older than Jack

Dermie was dead in his tracks at 27. Carey not much better at the same age. They were very good when they were young, but their best footy would have been when they were in their mid to late 20s ...... if their bodies had have held up.

I'd rather Jack be developed to be our key forward when we are premiership contenders. There is no benefit from having him getting crunched - be it at AFL or VFL level - each week as a key forward.

There's plenty of time to watch him play CHF when we need him to.

I did not mention the position he was playing, i was more interested whether he could beat average or below average3 opposition. From all reports on this site about the game from people who claimed to be there he not only was not able to, but he was well beaten. That is why a raised the question.

I do not care if Jack Watts plays the entire year at Casey-as long as he is ready when we seriously need him.

I have Faith in those at the Club. Jack is itching to play. Good, but make him earn it, so when he gets his chance he will make it stick.

Please stop the comparisons with Nik Nat. That kid is 2+ years ahead of JW.

I do look forward to seeing Daniel Rich up against our midfield next saturday though. Could be a beauty.

I did not compare him with Nik Nat

I didn't mention NickNak. It is unfair to compare the two. First of all they play in different positions, and secondly he is nearly a year older than Jack

You've been called out on a self-indulgent, [censored] thread and cast yourself as an overly impatient supporter with little to no knowledge of the subject at hand and no real understanding of developing a young key tall in the current AFL environment.

You've done yourself no favours in the credibility stakes.

OK, I was at the game down at Casey. One thing I can tell you about Jackie boy is that his foot speed is up there with the top few at the club, and he is now 3 inches taller than Brad Miller. For his height he would be one of the quickest in his height group in the entire AFL.

Played a nice game IMO, didnt lower his colours and did some nice things. He did not dominate, but I can tell you that he is a player on the rise.

NikNat is not a KPP, but is a fantastic prospect. Jackie Boy is a KPP and looks like to be one of the quickest and most agile young CHFs I have ever seen.

Watts is as unique as NikNat, just very different. He has good footy smarts, and has a stack of development to go. Its all about the Ceiling. Has NikNat hit his? You never know..........

If you are going to come out and hit a player hard, I suggest you look at some of the positives for that player. Watts is doing some good things, and will eventually start setting the VFL on fire.

Great post!

Looking forward to when we play West Coast too..............the Russian knows how to deal with NicNat.....other ruckmen just haven't worked it out yet!

It's time to leave Jack alone and let him get on with his football, he'll be a good player for Melbourne at worst. And he has more potential than NicNat, who can be freaky when the ball is around him, but he cant find it himself - no ability to read the play at all and just follows it around the ground, which is why he does not get many possessions.

I seem to remember this debate a few years ago about Hodge and Judd; you'd be happy with either now.

I did not mention the position he was playing, i was more interested whether he could beat average or below average3 opposition. From all reports on this site about the game from people who claimed to be there he not only was not able to, but he was well beaten. That is why a raised the question.

Which reports would those be? I've seen a couple of reports that said that he didn't set the place on fire but held his own and produced a few moments of brilliance, but I don't recall anyone saying he was beaten. And once again I ask you, who is this below average opponent you say he was playing on?

Oh for the love of all that is red and blue, can we just give this Jack Watts thing a rest?

Agreed. It is just a mindless intellectual exercise until he has a season or two under his belt and we know what he is or isn't capable of.

Colin Sylvia on the MFC site said he can see 2008 No.1 NAB AFL Draft pick Jack Watts, who played three matches last year, returning to the AFL in the next few weeks.

Just like when Sylvia said he was likely to be ready for round 1, and definitely round 2?

Agreed. It is just a mindless intellectual exercise

That seems like an oxymoron

Seems like?

That seems like an oxymoron

Heh. I should have put "meaningless" and saved then the oxymoron tag so it could have been used on those that think that a kid just out of school should be ripping up every game he plays.

Oxymoron - from the Latin to mean "a moron who wastes oxygen while asking why Jack Watts has not become the next Royce Hart yet".

Colin Sylvia on the MFC site said he can see 2008 No.1 NAB AFL Draft pick Jack Watts, who played three matches last year, returning to the AFL in the next few weeks.

Speaking of Col, does anybody remember his first few games (or SEASONS for that matter)? They were rubbish. And look at him now.

Jack has played 3 games, and is just coming off an interrupted pre-season. So just let the kid develop, it's going to take time.

The fact is we have recruited extremely well in recent history, and Jack will be no exception. The only risk with him is the weight of unrealistic expectations and negative attention affecting his confidence and enthusiasm, and hindering his development. But they say he has a good head on his shoulders, and I trust Bailey, Schwab et al. to keep his development on track, so I doubt that'll happen.

So sit back, relax, and look forward to watching his career unfold.

jack will be right lads, calm down, give him a minute to develop, he's a kid. if nic-nat wasn't doing so well this wouldn't even be discussed. can't compare the 2 lads, chalk and cheese. jack will be a star! remember a certain mr riewoldt when he started? it took him a fair while to get where he is now.

Speaking of Col, does anybody remember his first few games (or SEASONS for that matter)? They were rubbish. And look at him now.

Was that the infamous 1 possession game against North in 2004?

Was that the infamous 1 possession game against North in 2004?

Was it infamous?

FFS, its infamous that Sylvia had crippling OP that prevented him from training pre season and during the year. He clearly could not extend himself in those earlier days. He was stricken with that problem for at least his 4 years.

Hardly a good example.

But we do have to be patient with Jack.

jack will be right lads, calm down, give him a minute to develop, he's a kid. if nic-nat wasn't doing so well this wouldn't even be discussed. can't compare the 2 lads, chalk and cheese. jack will be a star! remember a certain mr riewoldt when he started? it took him a fair while to get where he is now.

Riewoldt spent a large part of his first year injured, then came out and won the rising star and St Kilda best and fairest in the next. I agree that Watts needs time, but Riewoldt is not a good example.

Someone that I work with is very close to the Watts family and the real reason Jack has not appeared in the seniors side yet (which I think has already been said here) is that his attitude to his footy. The club is not happy with this and that's why he has to prove himself at VFL level before he can get a call up.

It's time to leave Jack alone and let him get on with his football, he'll be a good player for Melbourne at worst. And he has more potential than NicNat, who can be freaky when the ball is around him, but he cant find it himself - no ability to read the play at all and just follows it around the ground, which is why he does not get many possessions.

I seem to remember this debate a few years ago about Hodge and Judd; you'd be happy with either now.

"And he has more potential than NicNat"

Now Im all for patience and reserving judgment on jack for at least a couple years or 30 games, but to say he has more potential than NicNat is ridiculous. NicNat is revolutionising the sport and he hasnt even played 15 games yet! Its no slight on watts whatsoever but we got the first pick wrong. No big deal, because Watts should be a very good player, but we definitely got it wrong.

No big deal, because Watts should be a very good player, but we definitely got it wrong.

Sure we did

Someone that I work with is very close to the Watts family and the real reason Jack has not appeared in the seniors side yet (which I think has already been said here) is that his attitude to his footy. The club is not happy with this and that's why he has to prove himself at VFL level before he can get a call up.

So it has nothing at all to do with the cautious approach by the footy department given his recovery from an injury sustained during the pre-season which pulled back his preparation and programme, being 18 years of age and all....