My 3 word player analysis V The Scum's poor cousins

[13thflag 0]

Watts last Q was great and also i have to send some love to Chippa loved his game today.

[Red Sox 2]

All positives for me with Scully & Watts being so busy in the last quarter. Yep Watts needs to 'grab' a few more, but he's no Jane. Being there when the game was on the line, nice stuff & it will all get even better.

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

All positives for me with Scully & Watts being so busy in the last quarter. Yep Watts needs to 'grab' a few more, but he's no Jane. Being there when the game was on the line, nice stuff & it will all get even better.

He showed great awareness in the last quarter when he ran back towards goal and turned around at just the right time to mark and then went back and kicked the goal. It was a pretty easy shot on goal, but given it was a pretty high intensity game and the game was still well and truly in the balance at that stage I thought he showed good poise to slot it through. He also was patient waiting for an forward 50 option then hit Dunn on the chest right in the goal square so had a role in at least two goals in the last quarter. Was a shame his last goal was wrongly disallowed. Sure, there were a couple of times when he could have attacked the ball harder to win it but I fully expect that will come with time, more confidence and a bigger body to throw around.

Edited August 8, 2010 by Ascobar

[damon the demon 57]

so does miller get a look in after today? i am not so sure who can be omitted for miller's 10 goals vs GC juniors?

Edited August 8, 2010 by damon the demon

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Even if Watts kicked five goals I would be annoyed because too often he still shirked the contest or didn't go hard enough for the ball.

[waynewussell 4,228]

Even if Watts kicked five goals I would be annoyed because too often he still shirked the contest or didn't go hard enough for the ball.

Shirked the contest did he? You continue to confuse anticipation of contact with cowardice. I think Watts enjoys the contest. Look, he isn't going to be a pack-breaker... I would forget the comparisons with Reiwoldt. He has the smarts in abundance and I like what he brings already. I think its silly to call him a squib when he is managing to hold down a key position at the elite level at a seriously young age!

[dees189227 11,263]

I thought Watts did some good things today. Ok he fumbled the ball a few times but so did others. He gets himself into good positions and I've noticed that he gets himself free a lot of times but players wont kick it to him. It happened a few times today. I think he could be a bit more selfish with his goal kicking. he gives it off a lot when he could go for goal, but that's not a bad thing. Just means he is a team player.

His passing is excellent. That pass he did to Dunn in the last quarter in the goal square was a pin point 55-60 metre kick. He is getting better and better and its nice to hear his critics in the media have been quiet and I havent heard anything about Nick Nat for weeks.

[TheDevilsAdvocate 1]

Even if Watts kicked five goals I would be annoyed because too often he still shirked the contest or didn't go hard enough for the ball.

not that I think he's a [censored] but wouldn't care if he was. The kid's got more class, vision and skill than most and just needs a big self belief tablet to be stuffed down his throat. Also, just like to admit I was wrong re Joel Mac.

[Jaded No More 59,839]

Even if Watts kicked five goals I would be annoyed because too often he still shirked the contest or didn't go hard enough for the ball.

Can you please show me examples of when he shirked the contest today?

He is very much a one-touch player, which is what makes him so special. Does he need better second and third efforts if at first he doesn't win the ball? Sure he does. Is he 19 and just out of nappies? Sure he is.

I have never seen a more ridiculously and unfairly scrutinized and criticized kid, pick 1 or not. It is beyond a joke, and all credit to Watts for not letting that impact him.

[Gorgoroth 12,431]

He does not shirk them, but he does not put his full body behind the ball at the contest.

but that will come with a bigger body and once he feels a few hits he will realise it ain't so bad.

[wolfy 0]

Dunn - Shave the Mo.

[agent 99 57]

Watts only mistake was that he was thinking what he was going to do with the ball before he had it ( A natural amatuers mistake). His mind looks to be ticking over a million miles per hour because of of the percieved pressure . A really good sign today was that across the body shot at goal( which should of been a goal) he took today that was bang on target, he would of looked to pass it to someone in the past but he seems to be taking the forward responsibility on his shoulders more and more slowly. He's going to be good!

Edited August 8, 2010 by agent 99

[Chook 14,647]

Dunn - Shave the Mo.

No way, man! It's the source of his power.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Not sure what Jack Watts has to do for people to stop bagging him.

How's his vision? Very confident drilling passes 50 metres.

He's certainly a rangey CHF type with a big engine. I'm pretty much resigned to the fact he'll rarely play deep and kick a lot of goals.

[Gorgoroth 12,431]

His vision and skills are actually better than I thought, that pass that was bought back cos Jurrah got a 50 (2nd quarter I think) across ground was awesome.

[Happeninghunts 7]

how good is bail - we need to pump him up more

i dont know why people write off rivers = superb

How good was he when he broke through the pack did a blind turn and delivered the footy well.

[John Crow Batty 8,352]

I thought Watts was great in the last quarter. If he didn't fumble those ground balls he could have been close to one of our best. He does seem to have a problem attacking the loose ball but his other skills are great. As for Jamar, I suspect he may be carrying an injury. Dominated the tap outs but a little tentative in other situations.

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

How good was he when he broke through the pack did a blind turn and delivered the footy well.

Play of the day for me. He rode the body contact so nicely.

[hoopla 418]

People canning Watts are blind. He played a blinder himself in the last quarter when we had to pull out all the stops (so did Scully), but even before that despite not too many disposals he'd had an important hand in several goals. He's getting there. I agree that he's a bit tentative when he has the ball forward of centre, but surely that's just confidence and learning.

Agree .... every time he gets near the ball - which is a lot - he has to carry the weight of all these blind detractors.

Edited August 9, 2010 by hoopla

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

Agree .... every time he gets near the ball - which is a lot - he has to carry the weight of all these blind detractors.

Just watched the post match interview with Watts with Matt Burgan. Was the first time i've seen him speak and he sounded like a guy with leadership potential, as Slyvia mentioned in an article the other day. Moreover, he sounded like he finally feels like he actually is an AFL player and is earning his spot which no doubt helps his confidence. Was also great to him say how much he is enjoying his time with the club and sounds like he feels much more as one of the boys now. But yeah, there are still plenty of areas of his game he'll need to work on to retain his spot in the side, especially heading into next year when there will be more forwards vying for spots in the 22, and just like Morton he could easily lose his spot if he doesn't make progress. The growing strength of our list should be a postiive thing if it starts to really force players to hone their skills in all areas and not just rely on their natural potential or previous good performances.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Ascobar

[Hannabal 4]

I hope all the Dunn haters are eating humble pie for dessert tonight

Silly comment. If Dunn keeps playing like he has in the second half of the year then he'll keep people off his back. Col Sylvia was interviewed on the radio for his 100th game and he stated that a lot of Dunn's teammates didn't think he was best 22 at the start of the year, so it seems like his teammates "hated" him too.

There's no doubt that he does have an uncanny ability to do some special things. And his kicking is more accurate with his newly found arc. He needs to keep it going. He's averaged a couple of goals a game over the last 8 weeks, which has been great. If he can become a 40-50 goal per year forward he's worth his weight in gold.

[beelzebub 22,708]

Ascobar ... I happened to chat with an Aunt of Watts a month or so back

and she told me then he's still coming to grips with where he finds himself, I.e. Still a little like adream. She had no doubts that next year we'll see "something" that will bring a smile to all us Demons:) Said he was struggling at years start and is a very VERY determined young man, still a bit of a boy amongst men, but that he'll adapt.... Always does it seems

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

Ascobar ... I happened to chat with an Aunt of Watts a month or so back

and she told me then he's still coming to grips with where he finds himself, I.e. Still a little like adream. She had no doubts that next year we'll see "something" that will bring a smile to all us Demons:) Said he was struggling at years start and is a very VERY determined young man, still a bit of a boy amongst men, but that he'll adapt.... Always does it seems

Yeah I remember that post you made and I guess I was trying to highlight that it seems as those he is at least beginning to feel more comfortable and confident playing at this level and less of a boy amongst men

So given that is the the case you would be expecting that assuming a solid and interrupted pre-season that 2011 is most likley to be the year the Jack Watts stamps himself on the game.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Ascobar

[beelzebub 22,708]

Watts = 2011 = stepup / breakout / announcing himself

Is requiscent upon solid injury free preseason. Actually I expect the three amigos ; Watts Scully and Trengove to really take game by it's scruff .. They'll have plenty of company too

[Disco Demons 92]

Bartram - did as required

i thought bartram was a little down on previous weeks form. made a couple of mistakes and you could tell he was extremely dissapointed in himself. i thought his body language showed he wasn't happy with some of his efforts.