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

[sylvinator 96]

I thought Watts was OK. pretty good actually. 2-3 times he lost his feet, or did other mistakes, but not the end of the world.

He will be a very good player one day. I'm sure of that.

What has me a little down, is that I was hoping he would become MFC's absolute superstar.

I know you can look at the stats, but the absolute superstars show that 'super star' ability early on. Reiwoldt won the rising star award in his second season. Franklin kicked 100 goals in his third.

I'm just not seeing that special quality in Watts that makes me think he could be the next premier forward in the comp.

More realistically I think he could easily become a very good 50-60 goal a year forward, which would be great.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

The problem with everyone nowadays is that everyone wants everything to happen right now.........

Patience is a lost virtue.

Not so long ago everyone was slamming the backline. Now look at it.

Then the midfield. Now look at it.

Give the forward line time to develop and get fit.

Remember too that their long term plan will involve not only Watts, Bate, Wona, Bennell, LJ but blokes like Fitzpatrick, perhaps Tapscott and whoever else they draft this year. (And forget Petterd, he is going to Qld).

Have faith in the system and people that have built this team to where it is now that they have the ability and people in place to continue to build it.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

I thought Watts was OK. pretty good actually. 2-3 times he lost his feet, or did other mistakes, but not the end of the world.

He will be a very good player one day. I'm sure of that.

What has me a little down, is that I was hoping he would become MFC's absolute superstar.

I know you can look at the stats, but the absolute superstars show that 'super star' ability early on. Reiwoldt won the rising star award in his second season. Franklin kicked 100 goals in his third.

I'm just not seeing that special quality in Watts that makes me think he could be the next premier forward in the comp.

More realistically I think he could easily become a very good 50-60 goal a year forward, which would be great.

i see where your coming from, watts has not looked like he will set the world on fire yet.

i think it is important to remember that nick riedwolt came into the team at already 90 kilos, watts was ridiculously underwieght recquired to play afl. also he had last season which can barely count as he was in school, did not full time train, this season he has shown significant improvement (with a hindered pre season), apart from losing his feet a little bit, with a bit more weight and core strength he will not do that so much.

i have already posted these figures before but i really think it shows how players develop

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

now i know that he is a fair way off rising star tis year, but in effectively his first season he is equal to or even better than an already appropriately weighted nick riedwolt.

i think we have a star

i dont want to put all this expected pressure, but i really think the mfc have found a gem, when he is weight appropriate we will see, next season will be effectively his second season so would love to see him play 22 games, and have figures similar to riedwolts again, just more goals

[Redleg 41,436]

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

I thought Jack was now a few kilos heavier.

Just looked up MFC site and it says Rohan Bail is 183cms and 91 kilos. There is no way he is 91 k's. Must be a mistake.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

I thought Jack was now a few kilos heavier.

Just looked up MFC site and it says Rohan Bail is 183cms and 91 kilos. There is no way he is 91 k's. Must be a mistake.

so did i, but mfc put him down as 83

[Guest DeesPower]

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

I think this is very simplistic. The forward line is much less developed than the rest of the team because it a) has had cripling injuries to Jurrah and Pettard, b)Jack Watts is less developed due to a lack of preseason thru injury and c) key position forwards take much longer to develop than smaller mid fielders.

I'd also say that the mid field has been given a huge boost by the outstanding form of Jamar this year and simply we have a more mature group in there including Maloney, James Mac, Jones and sometimes Sylvia. Sculgove are also once in a generation talented kids and being smaller develop faster.

Having said that though, there is always room for improvement and as I have posted elsewhere on this site I think we should use specialist on a one-off basis just like golfers do to get someone to correct their swing. A really good example of this is Brad Green's current set shot woes. Why not get a David Schwartz or a Gary Lyon to come down on a one-off basis just to take a look to correct any imperfection in technique which may have crept into the game of an immensely talented footballer. Three additional goals on Monday would have been very handy. If at the same time they can pass on specialist key postion knowledge to the likes of liam jurrah, jack Watts and lyndon dunn then that would be good too. It does not need to be threatening to the current coaches but merely as a one off which adds to the knowledge of the group. Our set shot goal kicking if anything has got worse during this year, and who knows this just might go a long way to correcting it.

Edited June 16, 2010 by DeesPower

[e25 5]

Clueless.

Brad Green misses a few set shots and we need to bring help in.

Dear me.

Players who have an off week do not indicate a need for specialist coaches.

If it becomes a trend over half a season then maybe there is an issue that needs to be rectified.

Kids not doing things the right way are not an indication that we need specialist coaches.

The kids are LEARNING so there is every possibility they are being shown and told the correct way to play, but it has not sunk in yet.

Very rarely do you teach a kid a skill and then BANG he is perfect at it from then on.

Just leave worrying about all this to the football dept, they will sort it out and get the people they need.

[Guest DeesPower]

Clueless.

Brad Green misses a few set shots and we need to bring help in.

Dear me.

Players who have an off week do not indicate a need for specialist coaches.

If it becomes a trend over half a season then maybe there is an issue that needs to be rectified.

Kids not doing things the right way are not an indication that we need specialist coaches.

The kids are LEARNING so there is every possibility they are being shown and told the correct way to play, but it has not sunk in yet.

Very rarely do you teach a kid a skill and then BANG he is perfect at it from then on.

Just leave worrying about all this to the football dept, they will sort it out and get the people they need.

I thought this was supposed to be a forum to exchange ideas and to make constructive suggestions, NOT a forum for personal abuse and patronising nonsense. Then again, some people have different standards of behavior I suppose unfortunately.

Edited June 16, 2010 by DeesPower

[e25 5]

I thought this was supposed to be a forum to exchange ideas and to make constructive suggestions, NOT a forum for personal abuse and patronising nonsense. Then again, some people have different standards of behavior I suppose unfortunately.

Whinge, whinge, whinge.

My opinion is that you don't have a clue.

I backed that up with reasoning.

Feel free to retort instead of having a cry.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

Whinge, whinge, whinge.

My opinion is that you don't have a clue.

I backed that up with reasoning.

Feel free to retort instead of having a cry.

Now that is edifying stuff. Actually, I have thought for awhile that one of the best kicks in the comp, let alone the MFC, in Brad Green has been off for a number of weeks. Hopefully the break will see him come back with a different mindset and approach, especially to his set shots for goal.