Who is teaching Jack Watts to play as a key forward?

[e25 5]

Interestingly Dermot Brereton has just brought this up on SEN after being asked last week by Haydo at the match (according to Dermie).

They are questioning why the ox hasn't gone down and how Derm used to go down to the Hawks off his own back (a tad facetiously).

Would love this to occur, but the issue is - what does it cost the club and will it interfere with the efforts of the coaches already in place.

[Guest The Boss]

I don't think it will interfere with Mahoney's efforts, he needs all the help he can get.

He has had the forward coaching job since 2008, and we have not had a functioning forward line in his tenure. I am starting to believe that he was not the best person for the job when he was appointed, but only got the job through the Port Adelaide connection.

[deeflog 679]

Our defence is solidifying and becoming more cohesive by every match. our midfield is a force in the making...our forward line... our forward line ... Ferris...hello !!!!!!

i think there is a major reason why the defense and midfield are progressing quicker than the forward line.

Sean Wellman - an excellent defender in his day...backline coach

Scott West - an excellent midfielder in his day...midfield coach

Josh Mahoney - a handy high forward come midfielder...forward line coach

Now im not saying that only excellent players make excellent coaches, or Mahoney bashing, but i think it would be easier to coach the line that you were a very good player in.

I think Mahoney might be just out of his depth with the forward line right now, and maybe when he has the full selection of forwards to choose from things might change for him, but right now he needs a forward specialist coach helping him.

Just my views on this topic

[praha 11,240]

He's.

Played.

7.

Games.

For every new Watts thread that is started, I'm going to kill a puppy. It's getting ridiculous now.

[The Big Ticket 94]

How good has he been today?

Apart from falling over in the first, he's been great.

That kick from Bate, he read it so well and adjusted his position very quickly to take the mark. And the kick to Dunn was even better.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

For every new Watts thread that is started, I'm going to kill a puppy.

Won't somebody please think of the puppies!!

Being at the ground you can see that he works hard and he knows how to position himself and where to kick.

His were the best two field kicks of the day.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

Won't somebody please think of the puppies!!

Being at the ground you can see that he works hard and he knows how to position himself and where to kick.

His were the best two field kicks of the day.

One thing I trust about Watts is his goal kicking for goal. He looks sound and accurate.

[warren dean 193]

One thing I trust about Watts is his goal kicking for goal. He looks sound and accurate.

11 possies and 6 marks as well as a goal. Got lost once in the last quarter and slipped over early but pretty impressive I thought. His field kicking and goal kicking both highlights. No need to worry about this bloke!

[DeeZee 7,445]

I thought he was ordinary today.

The guy has no awareness, takes for ever to get rid of the ball and often got caught.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,088]

I thought he was ordinary today.

The guy has no awareness, takes for ever to get rid of the ball and often got caught.

Watch the game again and note his handballs in traffic. That's where he picks up the ball and passes to a teammate in the same action. His hands are almost as good as Scully's.

[e25 5]

I thought he was ordinary today.

The guy has no awareness, takes for ever to get rid of the ball and often got caught.

NFI.

None whatsoever.

[e25 5]

I don't think it will interfere with Mahoney's efforts, he needs all the help he can get.

He has had the forward coaching job since 2008, and we have not had a functioning forward line in his tenure. I am starting to believe that he was not the best person for the job when he was appointed, but only got the job through the Port Adelaide connection.

I wasn't thinking Mahoney, I was more thinking of Kelly O'Donnell.

I think Mahoney's job is to organize the forward line, KOD has the task of developing the players skills (inc forwards)

AND fwiw I think he's done a decent job to date (as much as anyone from outside the club can judge his performance).

Having spoken to Josh & seen him speak to groups and the forward line, he seems a very good coach.

In any case, Watts is, funnily enough, performing like a talented kid learning the game and I expect him to do this for some time yet.

[dee-luded 2,959]

I wasn't thinking Mahoney, I was more thinking of Kelly O'Donnell.

I think Mahoney's job is to organize the forward line, KOD has the task of developing the players skills (inc forwards)

AND fwiw I think he's done a decent job to date (as much as anyone from outside the club can judge his performance).

Having spoken to Josh & seen him speak to groups and the forward line, he seems a very good coach.

In any case, Watts is, funnily enough, performing like a talented kid learning the game and I expect him to do this for some time yet.

So, if you think he's going alright, why bring back this dreadful lousy thread?

I'm sure jack would love some time to relax thinking people weren't on his case.

You can see he's coming on slowly, as a young tall forward kid does.

[e25 5]

Only because they were talking about it on SEN.

Without referencing the actual thread, this is exactly what they were talking about.

But you're right - horrible, horrible thread.

[titan_uranus 25,043]

He was 100% better this week compared to his last two weeks.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Only because they were talking about it on SEN.

Without referencing the actual thread, this is exactly what they were talking about.

But you're right - horrible, horrible thread.

I think we need to let him have some peace, so he can focus on his footy.

[e25 5]

I think jack watts threads have no bearing on Jack concentrating on his footy.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

i am big wraps for jack watts, and will admit he does make a few mistakes, like any tall forward especially early on. he has been losing his feet lately which is a problem, mind you it will be fixed when he is weighing around 95 kilos, which is still another 10 kilos off where he is now.

i think he leads to really good positions, leads hard and finds hmself in space quite often, and isnt used enough.

his ground kicking is great. goal kicking is great. decision making at times not so great. there is alot to like and i compare him to an early nick riedwolt.

nick riedwolt first season, 93 kilos

2001 St Kilda 6 games 43 kicks 14 handballs 57 total disposals

26 marks 2 goals 2 behinds 3 tackles 1 frees against 3 frees for

jack watts this season ,85 kilos, (last season didnt count as he was still doing vce barely training.

2010 melbourne 5 games 28 kicks 27 handballs 55 total disposals

15 marks 4 goals 1 behind 5 tackles 7 frees against 7 frees for

watts is on the right track IMO, everyone should get off his back, wait until he is weighing about 95 kilos, had 2-3 seasons, and then we can judge him.

i think next season is when we will start to see him grab games by the scruff of the neck. and he will prove he is twice the player naitanui is.

[pitmaster 3,578]

Those bagging Watts after the Collingwood game and saying he has NFI have, frankly, NFI themselves. Or they weren't there.

The first half: one goal himself and one assist (the unerring pass to Dunn).

The third quarter: his best yet even silenced the Pie-Watts-baggers around me. A handful of possessions pushing high forward, in traffic, and excellent use of the ball.

He showed enough to justify his selection and to justify his drafting.

Yeah, he got lost in traffic in the final quarter, running into Miller. And yes he lacks intensity or urgency or something like that - but I think that's a function of the fact that he has loads of ability which has got him through in junior footy. He needs to learn how much harder he has to work to unleash that ability at this level. But he clearly has some effin idea.

[Seinfeld 40]

He showed plenty yesterday...his third quater was excllent. He is a safe mark and he has a deadly right foot and he even kicked it some distance with his left....

I think when he slipped over a few times yesterday you could sense that he got down on himself especially when he could hear the crowds reation on the wing near the members....but to his credit he kept trying....he is getting better and will get even moreso with each game.

[BLWNBA 1,123]

Usually I'm not drawn into posting on JW threads, but I think it must be said that people should not be swayed or put off by those that doubt Watts or his ability. As a number 1 pick Jack has often drawn unfair criticsm with many failing to aknowledge that in his first year he was hampered by having to play APS football.

Jack is a perfect example of how the APS competition is not only subpar, but is often detrimental to a players development. Jack has gone to dominating games against players whobin some cases are not even second rate, to playing against some of the best defenders in the AFL. Part of his problem is he has not spent a full year being able to play TAC nor in the VFL being able to develop. I'm not paying out on the MFC or Watts, simply stating one of the most overlooked reasons why he has not been given the praise that Scully, Trengove or Gysberts have.

Jack will be a gun, given time.

[e25 5]

What you say has some validity, but the players you reference had more game-ready bodies than Watts (considering their respective roles) and they weren't bottom age.

I think the bottom-age/ still-in-school factor is taken too lightly.

[Guest DeesPower]

This idea of a specialist key forward coach isn't particularly backwards. There are plenty of them going around in the AFL right now. David Schwarz, Wayne Carey & Brian Taylor are just a few I'm aware of who have been used as 'consultants' or 'specialists' in recent years. It's not about teaching a player to play precisely as they themselves play, it's about working on small nuances of play that those people have expertise in like using your body in one-on-one marking contests, leading, and controlling the ball to a teamates' advantage in a contested situation.

Again, use of this specialist would by no means be any kind of suggestion that Josh Mahoney is incapable, a couple of years ago I recall we were using Danny Frawley in this kind of role for our key defenders.

while we are at it, this specialist coach can teach our forwards to kick for goal as well. I have heard both Lyon and schwarter make very insightful comments on kicking for goals technique, particularly from set shots. This will be extremely important next year as we compete for the 8. it would be nice to sort it out now. I don't know how any one could argue it is where it needs to be now. If anything, it has deteriorated throughout this season and we really need tofibd a way to arrest this decline. If a "forwards mentor" like Lyon or Schwartz can do that for us then I for one am all for it. Whatever we are doing now is not working. If that also helps the two Jacks and Liam get better as key position forwards as well then I reckon it is very much worth a try.

[Guest DeesPower]

This idea of a specialist key forward coach isn't particularly backwards. There are plenty of them going around in the AFL right now. David Schwarz, Wayne Carey & Brian Taylor are just a few I'm aware of who have been used as 'consultants' or 'specialists' in recent years. It's not about teaching a player to play precisely as they themselves play, it's about working on small nuances of play that those people have expertise in like using your body in one-on-one marking contests, leading, and controlling the ball to a teamates' advantage in a contested situation.

Again, use of this specialist would by no means be any kind of suggestion that Josh Mahoney is incapable, a couple of years ago I recall we were using Danny Frawley in this kind of role for our key defenders.

while we are at it, this specialist coach can teach our forwards to kick for goal as well. I have heard both Lyon and schwarter make very insightful comments on kicking for goals technique, particularly from set shots. This will be extremely important next year as we compete for the 8. it would be nice to sort it out now. I don't know how any one could argue it is where it needs to be now. If anything, it has deteriorated throughout this season and we really need to find

way to arrest this decline. If a "forwards mentor" like Lyon or Schwartz can do that for us then I for one am all for it. Whatever we are doing now is not working. If that also helps the two Jacks and Liam get better as key position forwards as well then I reckon it is very much worth a try.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

while we are at it, this specialist coach can teach our forwards to kick for goal as well. I have heard both Lyon and schwarter make very insightful comments on kicking for goals technique, particularly from set shots. This will be extremely important next year as we compete for the 8. it would be nice to sort it out now. I don't know how any one could argue it is where it needs to be now. If anything, it has deteriorated throughout this season and we really need tofibd a way to arrest this decline. If a "forwards mentor" like Lyon or Schwartz can do that for us then I for one am all for it. Whatever we are doing now is not working. If that also helps the two Jacks and Liam get better as key position forwards as well then I reckon it is very much worth a try.

i agree partially, if you are saying we need to generate more shots at goal this is very true, although this will come with time when a forward line is synced together, and this could be helped by a role model such as lyon, schwartz or neitz, problem with lyon and schwartz is they are both in the media probably on quite lucrative contracts, hard to compete with, why not neitz.

i disagree if you are talking about goal kicking accuracy, i think we have several of the best set shot players in the league, dunn, bate, watts and jurrah, all amazing set shots, wonna aswell. miller is up and down, but our key forwards have great set shots.