Jack Watts

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Played pretty well today. Was way up the ground but provided a good target. 15 or so touches, delivered ok (not great), and I think took 3 contested marks among his 5. Not too bad. Certainly was ahead of NicNat at the end of the game.

The only positive to come out of today? He'll play again next week.

[Demon3 2,541]

Thought Jack showed lots of positives today, decision making and nice hands.

Shocking day to be a fwd in the Melbourne team though, so i hop people remember that when they talk about his performance.

[Felix 92]

WTF melbourne fans, when I was leaving the game some dick had the balls to say Joke Watts played crap and should be in "aus kick", what a joke. It was a horrible day for MFC, do not put the loss down to 1 individual. Way 2 many knobs out there.

JW is his FOURTH game had plenty of positive aspects to his game, good use by hand & foot...

Joke Watts, I think not.

Keep it up JW.

[praha 11,236]

He was easily one of our bests, but that's nothing to write home about in today's performance. Had 15 possessions (8 handballs), 2 goal assists, 5 marks (3 contested).

[Jaded No More 68,867]

One of the biggest positives of the day.

Was really happy with his strong marking and he showed us what a clean one-touch player he is. Very few players his size possess the sort of touch and smarts that he does.

Baring injuries or horrendous form, I hope he plays out the rest of the season. And hopefully on days when we can actually use the ball, he might benefit from some decent delivery.

P.S.- Watts > Mop Head

[titan_uranus 24,974]

Watts was actually quite good. He is brilliant at ground level (can't say the same for PJ or Hughes), took 2 contested marks, dished off a couple of really tight handpasses, and generally looked like he was in the right spot at the right time.

His fitness is still nowhere near good enough, but that will come with pre-seasons and added time in the AFL side. But he showed me today he is definitely going to make it.

Probably should be played closer to goal though. With his agility and hands he'd be a handful for most defenders.

[Adam The God 30,126]

I thought Jack played a decent game today. First game back, his hands were really good. I sit at the other end of the ground, but can anyone tell me did Watts dispose of the footy cleanly when he was tackled in the first quarter and rolled one through? From where I was it looked like he dribbled it through, just before being pinged.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,115]

Played pretty well today. Was way up the ground but provided a good target. 15 or so touches, delivered ok (not great), and I think took 3 contested marks among his 5. Not too bad. Certainly was ahead of NicNat at the end of the game.

The only positive to come out of today? He'll play again next week.

Agreed his clean hands in traffic and his clean contested marks really showed out. Needs to learn tto demand the ball but that will come in time.

[DeeSpencer 25,471]

Titan I think the fitness (and also his size) are the reasons he is up the ground. Plenty to look forward to with Jack.

[titan_uranus 24,974]

Titan I think the fitness (and also his size) are the reasons he is up the ground. Plenty to look forward to with Jack.

Mmm maybe but he burned up after 8 minutes just from running through the middle.

Over time this won't be a problem but I reckon if he'd played deeper he would have had more energy late.

Anyways, it's nice to know that we do have a player in Watts. What's more pressing are the dud players around him.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

That [censored] Leigh Matthews got in to him a bit on the way home tonight reckons he doesn't show enough for someone in his second season and is just a player. No thought that it was his first game this year or that he only played 3 last year, Jesus I hate Matthews.

Arrogant [censored].

[Sir Why You Little 36,979]

Jack played a good game today. His contested Marks were great, must learn to run harder to create a target, but this will happen in the coming weeks i have no doubt.

Keep working hard Jack.

[Felix 92]

hmmm, I fail to see all the hype around NicNat, 2 good marks does not make him a better pick over Jack Watts. By years end all this crap over how NicNat is the petter player of the 2 will be over. Jack Watts FTW..

Nic Nat

[Jaded No More 68,867]

Mmm maybe but he burned up after 8 minutes just from running through the middle.

Over time this won't be a problem but I reckon if he'd played deeper he would have had more energy late.

Anyways, it's nice to know that we do have a player in Watts. What's more pressing are the dud players around him.

He was definitely stuffed. He came on and off plenty of times and was sucking in the air big time.

But given he has spent a lot of the pre season injured, he still had impressive pace and was able to keep up with his opponent.

I was never worried about his skills, or his movement, but what I really wanted to see was whether he can take a contested mark, and he sure as hell can... and against Darren Glass no less, who is a monster and a very very good defender.

If he can do that, everything else will fall into place because he can run, he can kick, and he has the sort of football brain that makes coaches drool. He would also be competing with Scully and Jordie for one-touch handball skills too.

[Tony Tea 2,806]

Hats off to Jack. It was a great sign that while so many Melbourne players were dreadful, and with the team completely lacking fluency, and with the delivery into the forward line being farcical, he manage 15 clean touches and some tidy contested grabs.

Pity he dropped that mark in the last quarter because that will give the pundits something to harp on.

Speaking of harping on. 3AW was utterly abysmal regarding Watts and Naitanui. BT in particular would not shut up about any perceived Watts' mistake, but started drooling anytime Nik Nat went near the ball. Bizarre and genuinely aggravating when you consider that Watts was clearly better than Nik Nat. Seriously, it was atrocious commentary. You got the impression that BT thought he could whip up an issue with his child-like barbs. Pathetic. How he does well in "favourite commentator" polls is one of this century's great mysteries.

[titan_uranus 24,974]

That [censored] Leigh Matthews got in to him a bit on the way home tonight reckons he doesn't show enough for someone in his second season and is just a player. No thought that it was his first game this year or that he only played 3 last year, Jesus I hate Matthews.

Arrogant [censored].

Yeah I heard that too. What a [censored].

I might have understood it (somewhat) if Watts had sucked today, but Watts was actually quite good. One of our better players. Showed me his future is bright. Matthews, like most commentators, just loves Naitanui and thinks we got it wrong.

[pm24 451]

Was at the game today and i'd have to say Jack was probably our best forward on the day. Bate was playing great but unfortunately the ankle injury he incurred in the first quarter really hampered him and made him a step slower than usual, which is why i think he wasn't able to get enough space on the leads.

Though Jack didn't kick a goal i can see why he was picked before NicNat. They guy is what, 6'5" and possibly still growing to 6'6" and he was picking the ball up from his ankles as cleanly if not better than some mid-fielders. He had beautiful composure and decision making with his hands and took 3 great leading contested marks. I'm just disappointed he didn't take the shot at goal when he decided to instead handed it off to sylvia (who then went on to kick a shocker). I would have preferred to see Jack lineup from just outside 50 and have a crack!

The problem today was that our forward line structure was shocking. Jack was having to come up to our half back line to get the ball because we had no-one else providing a target. Then by the time we'd moved the ball close to our forward fifty he was behind the play. Our delivery into the forward fifty was also atrocious.

The game was ugly from our boys but i'd have to say that Jack turned out probably one of the best performance of the day on our team.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

hmmm, I fail to see all the hype around NicNat, 2 good marks does not make him a better pick over Jack Watts. By years end all this crap over how NicNat is the petter player of the 2 will be over. Jack Watts FTW..

Nic Nat

Richo gave Nic Nat 4 out of 10 and Watts 5 out of 10, not bad when one was in his first game for the year in a losing side and the other has played all year and was in a winning side.

Watts will do me he will get better and in a few years or even months those that have criticised him will eat their words.

[Felix 92]

That [censored] Leigh Matthews got in to him a bit on the way home tonight reckons he doesn't show enough for someone in his second season and is just a player. No thought that it was his first game this year or that he only played 3 last year, Jesus I hate Matthews.

Arrogant [censored].

lol @ Leigh Matthews... Second season come on, he has had an interrupted start to his career, Schooling first season then his second season interrupted by a back injury. Where do these people get off making ridiculous statements. Leigh Matthews = FAIL on so many levels.

[Felix 92]

Watts will do me he will get better and in a few years or even months those that have criticised him will eat their words.

I agree in a few months he will show more and more.

Watts played well considering the team performance today.

[Jaded No More 68,867]

Naitanui is breathtaking, and when he does something it's hard not to go "wow". Think Jurrah.

But he might want to do something more often than once a quarter, before people start blowing their load over him (again).

If he can manage to regularly get 20 clean disposals a game, he'll be a champion. That is why he was pick 2, because his potential is wonderfully tantalizing.

Having said that, give me smart, strong, skillful players any day of the week, and leave the magic up to guys like Jurrah who has the football instincts to rely on his pure freakish athletic ability, which Naitanui can't actually do because he lacks basic clean skills.

Watts has more of a chance to become the sort of player who will win you a flag on GF day, than Naitanui does.

[pm24 451]

lets not forget that NicNat is also a full year older than Jack, and was playing in the WAFL while jack was playing school boys footy the year prior to the draft. I see me more potential upside for Jack than i do for NicNat given that.

Natanui has athleticism but Watts has great footy smarts. You could see that by how he seemed like he had all the time in the world when disposing of the ball by hand.

Edit: Just another thing to add, I find the fact that Matthews is being so critical of Watts and praising Natanui ludicrous. Watts is the same age of most of this years draftees thanks to the Gold Coast raiding of 17 year olds. That being said, physically he is the same as this years draft class. Just something for Matthews to think about....but that might be to rationale for him.

Edited May 15, 2010 by pm24

[stranga 328]

Anyone who couldnt see Watts' class and potential today has rocks in their head. He is only at about 30% of what he will become yet he still looked the goods to me.

[Eth 4]

Anyone who couldnt see Watts' class and potential today has rocks in their head.

+1.

Stealing this for my signature.

Edited May 15, 2010 by eth38

[pm24 451]

Anyone else get the impression that some radio commentators get paid to be idiots!