NOT. STRONG. ENOUGH. YET.

Geez. We've got a kid just out of short pants and a good honest VFL player as our KPF's. We don't have the luxury of putting Jamar down there to add some muscle, and we are missing two other players) Jurrah and Petterd that will take good defenders. To expect Watts and Miller to be able to kick a winning score with out that is a pipe dream.

Talk to me in 2 years and 12 Kgs time when we have a forward line.

'old dee', can I get in early?

From Watt I've seen, & the fact he's been held back, "while still growing" & not yet filling out, I think we'll see him play a fair bit @ Casey, &, If I'm not getting ahead of myself, playing finals with Casey, & going full tilt come September.

Followed up by a Big Pre/Season & a totally Optimistic 2010!

Well "Dee Luded" I hope you are right, I really do!

I would love to see him carving up the forward line for Casey.

Thanks for your confidence "Rusty Kingswood" just let me know when he plays in a game where he actually influences the result.

He should be good below the knees he spends alot of time on them.

How many other 5 gamers seriously influence the result?

How many other 5 gamers seriously influence the result?

Gysberts - 2 games, 53 touches

Gysberts - 2 games, 53 touches

In 2 loosing matches.

How did he influence the result?

How many other 5 gamers seriously influence the result?

A kid called Scully almost won us the game against the bulldogs in his seventh game.

From Memory he had more possesions in the last quarter than "Jack has had in his 5 games!

The really annoying bit, the 3 obnoxious Carlton supporters behind me were getting maximum pleasure bagging him constantly. They loudly proclaimed that Melb had picked a dud at #1, and even more loudly pretended not to know who was pick 2 in that draft, then sang Natanui's praises to rub it in.

It didn't help that they giggled and pointed out all the times that Watts fell over his feet. The most unfortunate thing, I couldn't really say anything to shut them up.

Hmm sounds like my mates. I know it wasn't them, as they were with me this afternoon, and none of them are dumb enough to be Carlton supporters.

I hope Watts does play next weekend, and plays an absolute ripper. Otherwise the "Joke" Watts digs are going to be unbearable with the 10 of them I'm dragging along to QB next week.

A kid called Scully almost won us the game against the bulldogs in his seventh game.

From Memory he had more possesions in the last quarter than "Jack has had in his 5 games!

This is exactly why Jack should not be played in a key position YET. He is not ready.

Give him senior games in the backline if he is to play in the senior side.

Otherwise play him at Casey for the rest of the year.

In 2 loosing matches.

How did he influence the result?

He influenced the result insomuch as had he not been playing we would no doubt have lost both games by even more than we did.

Any player who has a decent amount of the ball and uses it well, or performs a specific role well for the team, is influencing the overall result of a match.

Watts is having near zero impact. He's a non-event at this stage.

Otherwise play him at Casey for the rest of the year.

Why the rest of the year? Don't see why you'd make a final call for the year on a guy after round 10.

This is exactly why Jack should not be played in a key position YET. He is not ready.

Give him senior games in the backline if he is to play in the senior side.

Otherwise play him at Casey for the rest of the year.

Could not agree more, I did not see him play a game for Casey that justified his promtion last year or this year.

I think he has been played for political reasons that are not the kids fault.

Unfortunately being a number one pick does not guarantee you will make it.

In a very poor forwrd line he gets a lot more pressure than if he was playing for a good side, and right now he is not good enough to play a major role. I just hope he will one day because the early signs are not great.

Why the rest of the year? Don't see why you'd make a final call for the year on a guy after round 10.

He is not ready to play senior football. Dominating schoolboy football is one thing......i want Jack to succeed not to have his confidence shattered.

Let him play finals at casey this year.

"we wants Watts" .... Now we want to drop Watts

Why are some people on here being so precious about criticism of a player who had a measly 3 posessions for the entire game? Does being a high draft pick mean you are allowed to not be held accountable for your performance?

Watts was awful today, and does not deserve a game next week based on the past fortnights efforts.

Why are some people on here being so precious about criticism of a player who had a measly 3 posessions for the entire game? Does being a high draft pick mean you are allowed to not be held accountable for your performance?

Watts was awful today, and does not deserve a game next week based on the past fortnights efforts.

Have to agree. I know we must get games under his belt, but in this team, you MUST earn your spot in the 22. Another poster mentioned how would guys like Dunn and McKenzie feel seeing him playing poor games and getting a run, whilst both of them were in pretty good form and got dropped.

BTW, Dunn is a certainty next week after 8 goals in the wet today at Casey. We could have done with McKenzie today too.

I want Jack to play as many senior games as possible this year, but he should not be rewarded matches simply for being a No 1 draft pick.

Sure, it wasn't a good day for talls. However, he's looked slow all year.

You don't learn much when you're playing out of your depth, and at the moment Watts is struggling, so I won't be surprised if he goes back to Casey for a spell.

IMO it's a bit silly to write him off for the season though.

PS. Many bemoan those who 'attack' Watts, but just as bad are those posters that attack anyone who make a critique that isn't as upbeat a a player review in the Casey VFL Coaches report.

While I wouldn't be surprised or dissapointed to see him dropped next week, I am surprised that people would seriously try to argue that he hasn't shown anything this year. Watch his first two return games this year. If you see nothing to like, you're not paying attention.

Watts has alot of work to do on certain areas of his game, and his last two matches have been poor. This doesn't change the fact that as a 19 year old beanpole KPF, in his first year playing against other adults (let alone at the highest level), he has already shown the ability to contribute at senior level despite playing in a makeshift forwardline with little support. Let's also consider that his two poor games have come against the best side in the league, and in poor conditions, respectively. His form in the last two games put his immediate place in the side in doubt, but they don't negate his progress or cast serious doubt over his longterm prospects.

Why are some people on here being so precious about criticism of a player who had a measly 3 posessions for the entire game? Does being a high draft pick mean you are allowed to not be held accountable for your performance?

Watts was awful today, and does not deserve a game next week based on the past fortnights efforts.

Wot he said...

I was apalled today at Jack's general game sense. Forget about being young bodied etc. - his head is in the wrong place. Giving up on a chase while appealing to the umpire for a free... running (loping) towards goals slowly with your head down, while the play is developing in our favour through the middle of the ground behind you, and you could have broken left or right to be a free player in space if you had only turned to look...

Didn't you hear me yelling "Turn around Jack!"?

I'm not quick to give up on players (really slow in fact), but for the first time today I heard myself thinking "trade bait". Am I alone?

I'm not quick to give up on players (really slow in fact), but for the first time today I heard myself thinking "trade bait". Am I alone?

I suggest reading the post directly above yours.

If my memory serves me correctly, Watts actually played the majority of his junior footy as an onballer (certainly often played as a midfielder with the Dragons). He came to most outsiders attention as a key forward through the U18 carnival in 2008 with a couple of really dominant performances. It may be worth giving him a run up the ground in bursts. Our forward line structure was not good today and as many posters have said we had very few forward line winners. The ball usage of senior players like Moloney was diabolical in the first half and certainly didn't help. I still believe Watts has what it takes and in time will prove so. Lachie Hansen went at number 3 in 2006 and only now is he consistently demonstrating the form North fans would have been hoping for. Be patient.

OMG, here we go again.

It was a dirty day for forwards, and in his 5th games he didn't play well. Call the football police and arrest the kid, because somebody needs to think about the children and humanity and all that.

Watts won't learn anything in the VFL that he doesn't already know. He needs game time, and plenty of it, to gain experience. [censored] games will come his way as he develops and the absolute worst thing we can do is jump up and down and scream about it.

I don't reckon it's a ridiculous assertion. I reckon Watts was unlikely to play EVERY round for the rest of the year.

And I'm not sure grinding his confidence into the dirt and running a young unfit player into the MCG turf isn't helping him any more than a lower pressure Casey.

Oh... and if you love the Rising Star, he's still eligible for next year.

:D

A kid called Scully almost won us the game against the bulldogs in his seventh game.

From Memory he had more possesions in the last quarter than "Jack has had in his 5 games!

Please, Old Dee. Surely your not going to compare Scully who plays as a receiving midfielder, to Watts, who is being played at deep in the forward line????

I reckon if I stood in the middle for 4 qrts, i might get a couple of touches too.

EDIT: And just to clarify, i am not for one second, saying Watts has done more than SFA in the last 2 matches, but to call him a dud....Please.

Edited June 5, 201015 yr by rusty_kingswood

While I wouldn't be surprised or dissapointed to see him dropped next week, I am surprised that people would seriously try to argue that he hasn't shown anything this year. Watch his first two return games this year. If you see nothing to like, you're not paying attention.

Watts has alot of work to do on certain areas of his game, and his last two matches have been poor. This doesn't change the fact that as a 19 year old beanpole KPF, in his first year playing against other adults (let alone at the highest level), he has already shown the ability to contribute at senior level despite playing in a makeshift forwardline with little support. Let's also consider that his two poor games have come against the best side in the league, and in poor conditions, respectively. His form in the last two games put his immediate place in the side in doubt, but they don't negate his progress or cast serious doubt over his longterm prospects.

Agree completely.

Please, Old Dee. Surely your not going to compare Scully who plays as a receiving midfielder, to Watts, who is being played at deep in the forward line????

I reckon if I stood in the middle for 4 qrts, i might get a couple of touches too.

EDIT: And just to clarify, i am not for one second, saying Watts has done more than SFA in the last 2 matches, but to call him a dud....Please.

I was replying to Rusty Kingswood who said " how many 5 gamers influence a game.

I am not for one moment expecting Jack to get as many touchs as a mid fielder.

Just stating that a seven gamer influenced that game.

You are obviously better than me I would get killed out there in the first five minutes would not last 4 quarters, too old and too soft now adays unfortunately.

This is a big chance to hit 1,000 posts again!!

I wonder if Anthony Banik felt this pressure?