It is totally understandable that people are asking about JW especially when the media constantly is comparing Nic Nat to JW. Yeah sure we need to be patient. I like all of you have been so F’in patient over the many many years, I suppose that another year or so to hopefully see our beloved team not only win that elusive premiership but be a dominant footy team for decades to come.

I only hope that all this press and conjecture only spurs JW so much so that someday soon they will be asking who is Nic Nat!!

Why is he more speacial than the rest?

Is he a god?

Yes , Jack is god.

To use a Horse Racing Terms.

Watts is a young 2 yr Old, with people wanting him to win the Melb cup straight up, It doesnt happen !

What he does have is untapped potential !, Give him time to finish growing and bulk up and become fitter.

As long as he is improving is all that matters. When he matures we will see the rewards.

I conclude that it is only his body holding him back and the coaches have been doing the right thing

in getting him right.

It is very interesting, the Watts v Naitanui debate. Especially interesting that the Crows (apparently), who are bereft of ruckmen, would still definitely take Watts before Naitanui.

Naitanui is a very exciting player. He was pick 2 in a great draft, so I think that tells you he'll be a damn good player. He was picked before Stephen Hill at 3, so he'd better be a damn good player!!! As for saying that Naita has more potential, I'd argue with that. He's a very exciting player, but I don't think that people realise how good Watts could be.

Naita will have a great highlights reel at the end of his career, filled with high jumping, fast running and strange events. Everything he does is exciting. But is he more likely to win a side a premiership than Watts? I would doubt it. Watts is won't be as spectacular, but he'll put results on the board and win a team a premiership. Naita is X-factor, while Watts is production.

He's getting the ball 20+ times a game and using it well as an underdeveloped 197+cm wingman and people are disappointed? His time will come, and I'm prepared to wait as long as is required.

As supporters, just suck it up and put up with the media bashing for a little while, because eventually you'll be able to stick it up everyone.

And for the third time, I have not made a comparison, just cleared up some facts about Riewoldt

No point talking about how many years they've been at a club, without looking at how old they are. Jack's second year does NOT equal Riewoldt's second year, because JW was taken a year younger. Same with NN.

Or to put this another way ... if our Jack plays less than 10 games beforehand, he would still be eligible for the Rising Star in 2011 .... AND in 2012.

He's still a kid. Let's just leave him alone. For a few years at least.

B

Please don't take this as any form of "Watts bashing" or asking too much too soon, or anything of that nature. But it's a little disappointing to hear the reality of what has been talked up as a 24 touch game for some reason. Sounds like Jack was pretty ineffective last weekend.

From Brad Gotch:

Jack Watts - Kicks 7, Handballs 5, Marks 2

Collingwood rolled a lot of numbers back, which made it hard for Jack to find the space that he needed. To his credit, he worked really hard to push up the ground - to find that space - and he set up some nice attacking phases for us, which we capitalised on the scoreboard with.

No point talking about how many years they've been at a club, without looking at how old they are. Jack's second year does NOT equal Riewoldt's second year, because JW was taken a year younger. Same with NN.

Or to put this another way ... if our Jack plays less than 10 games beforehand, he would still be eligible for the Rising Star in 2011 .... AND in 2012.

He's still a kid. Let's just leave him alone. For a few years at least.

B

No idea. Read my earlier posts, I'm not going to say this a fourth time.

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.

Agree. NicNat's performance is being overhyped. He did a few good things in the game that were flashy and he stood out. For mine he played one and half good quarters.

In any event there is always going to be players we didn't take we missed etc etc. Evidence suggests we have generally recruited pretty well. Different players arrive and develop at different times. Scully "arrived" in the 3rd quarter last week, suddenly he started to have more time and stopped spilling the pill.

So we should all relax and let the FD decide how to bring through the talent. When Watts plays it will be sometime for him to get used to the AFL so lets remember that as well.

Please don't take this as any form of "Watts bashing" or asking too much too soon, or anything of that nature. But it's a little disappointing to hear the reality of what has been talked up as a 24 touch game for some reason. Sounds like Jack was pretty ineffective last weekend.

From Brad Gotch:

Jack Watts - Kicks 7, Handballs 5, Marks 2

Collingwood rolled a lot of numbers back, which made it hard for Jack to find the space that he needed. To his credit, he worked really hard to push up the ground - to find that space - and he set up some nice attacking phases for us, which we capitalised on the scoreboard with.

Listening to Kelly O'Donnell this morning on SEN his comments with regard to Jack was that a KPP takes longer than a midfield to reach the moment when he plays senior football. He also said that many people have forgotten that last year Watts was a partime player sho was concentrating on school an not on football. Also the couple of injuries he has had has set him back and that he will continue to play at Casey but will play with the seniors sometime this year. O'Donnell said that Jack was good mates with Natanui and has spoken with him. He said that he played a very good game two weeks ago but last Sunday did not play as well and he thought that was due to the zoning game that Collingwood played. He went through all his attributes but said that he was a dream to coach, was level headed, positive and despite being desperate to play senior footy was also patient. From that I am very happy for Jack to stay with the Scorpions and get good game time and also allow his body to develop to play FF or CHF

Jack was good mates with Natanui and has spoken with him.

How could they possibly be mates... have they ever even been in the same room together? I think footy people use the term 'mates' extremely lightly

apparently they talk on the phone, same manager,nic nat defended him on the news to nite.

Please don't take this as any form of "Watts bashing" or asking too much too soon, or anything of that nature. But it's a little disappointing to hear the reality of what has been talked up as a 24 touch game for some reason. Sounds like Jack was pretty ineffective last weekend.

From Brad Gotch:

Jack Watts - Kicks 7, Handballs 5, Marks 2

Collingwood rolled a lot of numbers back, which made it hard for Jack to find the space that he needed. To his credit, he worked really hard to push up the ground - to find that space - and he set up some nice attacking phases for us, which we capitalised on the scoreboard with.

Wow. Bit of a comedown from the earlier reports on how he went. Guess I should wait for the official count rather than taking people's word on it.

apparently they talk on the phone, same manager,nic nat defended him on the news to nite.

They may have been AIS/AFL scholarship holders together. Those teams travel to south africa etc together

LOL, who is the idiot that said he got 24 possessions?

Epic fail.

I might get shot down for this but I reckon it's time to throw Jack to the wolves down at Casey. Put him at CHB or Full back and develop his defensive side of the game first. We all know he has got the talent and the offensive skills to be a key forward. Not only will he learn two way running, his aerial skills and reading of the play will improve. Freo did it with Pavlich, he got names AA at full back in one of his first seasons and look at what a great all round player he is now. Just an idea.

How could they possibly be mates... have they ever even been in the same room together? I think footy people use the term 'mates' extremely lightly

From A.I.S. days Together. Very Good Mates.

fellas just dont you worry. jack watts will be an afl superstar at. you must have faith in him now because once he hits his peak and tears apart the league, i hope i dont see all these fans jumping on the banwagon. believe in the KID from now!!

LOL, who is the idiot that said he got 24 possessions?

Epic fail.

someone from Triple M

LOL, who is the idiot that said he got 24 possessions?

Epic fail.

That idiot was Jack Grimes on SEN, Monday morning

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.

A number one pick has a poor attitude to footy? Maybe in 1997, but not these days.

Just another ridiculous fabrication in line with the other rot you see on D'land where 'a mate' or 'family friend' is sure of this or that.

That idiot was Jack Grimes on SEN, Monday morning

Maybe referring to the week before..?

That idiot was Jack Grimes on SEN, Monday morning

Actually I think Anthony Hudson said it in the conversation with Grimes.

I think this thread consists of two different groups.

A. A group that has been supporting Melbourne for so long and is in denial that the club could make a mistake. They're delirious with failure.

or

B. Realists who don't deny he is crap, but that recent evidence (poor form) MAY dictate that he IS crap. In other words, then rely on current form to make an assessment of a POSSIBLE future.

I Hate this Thread...Jack Watts is 6'5 & still growing not six months out of school.

The Club has made one mistake, that is we played him in the QB game last year.

he is just out of school boy footy-LET HIM LEARN HIS TRADE (all year at Casey if necessary)

6'5 & still growing-He could be anything.

Get off his case & show him support.

The Club has made one mistake, that is we played him in the QB game last year.

why is that even a mistake, they were always going to give a few tastes at the big time to know what he's up against. Why not use it give us a bit of profile and gate revenue also