It might be a big call, but I think Watts will be the best player from the draft in 2-3 years time.

At the moment, Hill and Hurley are streaks ahead of him, but watch out for a fully developed 100kg, 2.7sec over 20m, Jack Watts

Hurley is not streaks ahead him. Hurley is grossly over rated by the media.

Edited May 9, 201114 yr by big_red_fire_engine

Have to admit his last couple of weeks have been promising. The fact that he's attacking the ball on the ground and In the air a lot harder and showing more intensity Is great. His contested grabs are becoming more regular too. It doesn't matter that he's drifting In and out of the game at the moment, It just matters he's starting to do the sort of things that we want him to do, he'll become more consistent over time. It will start with a great qtr here and there, then over time the gap between his best and worst will become smaller until one day he'll have a game where we can all sit back and say WOWEE (Brian Taylor voice)

A standout game where he kicks a bag of goals is just around the corner, then watch this site and the media, go on about how good he is going to be.

He has all the attributes you want, he just needs time to mature and develop his game.

He had 12 or 13 pressure acts yesterday which for a big man is awesome.

I'm happy with what I've seen lately. When Watts first came in he - understandably - looked all at sea at times. I think he's shown a fair bit in the last 2.25 games. Watts has gone from nearly not making a mistake to nearly doing something very good. I like the fact he has started backing himself a little more.

Best game I've seen him play. Someone made the call that he needs another preseason - I totally agree, think he will be amazing next year, but he was superb yesterday.

currently 91kg, another pre season and another 5kg the KID will be a gun. extra muscle will give him some confidence to crash some packs.

Watts has given the ball off about 20 times in his short career so far when he should have had a ping. I loved it that he had the confidence to have a crack. I WANT our key forward to be hungry for a goal. He is really starting to lead aggressively and players are starting to look out for him. He is not far away from a little haul me thinks.

yeah I just think no matter who you are or what state the game is in, if a teammate is in a position for a gimmee goal whereas you are in a bit of a trcky spot, you pass. I doubt that he would have done it if the game was anywhere near close though. Very happy with him the last few weeks, as others have mentioned he has a number of tricks that his colleagues like Jack Riewoldt and Hurley just don't have, such as the speed and agility and skill when the ball is on the deck. You can just tell why he was such a safe/obvious pick at 1 because it's hard to imagine a KPD that will be able to line up on him if he gets anywhere near his potential. Long way to go, but here's hoping he does a Frawley and just suddenly turns into the real deal in the lot too distant future

He is definitely getting better each week.

Looks like he is really starting to understand the game and what is required.

Keep it going Jack!!

Have to admit his last couple of weeks have been promising. The fact that he's attacking the ball on the ground and In the air a lot harder and showing more intensity Is great. His contested grabs are becoming more regular too. It doesn't matter that he's drifting In and out of the game at the moment, It just matters he's starting to do the sort of things that we want him to do, he'll become more consistent over time. It will start with a great qtr here and there, then over time the gap between his best and worst will become smaller until one day he'll have a game where we can all sit back and say WOWEE (Brian Taylor voice)

as d Commetti said after he took that spectacular mark in the goalsquare then goaded "it is the sort of thing where you can say I was there that day when it all started ..." quite a statement. D Commetti is a huge Demon fan

the thing that gets me a bit stiff in the pants is the confidence he is getting by the week. If we can hold this young group together for 5+ years we could see something similar to brisbane. Massive call yes, but just trying to get through the day.

Petterd Watts Wonna

Jurrah Sylvia Gys

maybe only 3 years and this forward line will do good things for us

the thing that gets me a bit stiff in the pants is the confidence he is getting by the week. If we can hold this young group together for 5+ years we could see something similar to brisbane. Massive call yes, but just trying to get through the day.

Petterd Watts Wonna

Jurrah Sylvia Gys

maybe only 3 years and this forward line will do good things for us

pettard cook wonna

jurrah watts maric/sylvia (rotate)

I seem to recall him doing some really nice ruck work around the stoppages on Sunday, another string to his bow...

Can't wait to see him in a few pre-seasons.

Go Jack.

I seem to recall him doing some really nice ruck work around the stoppages on Sunday, another string to his bow...

Can't wait to see him in a few pre-seasons.

Go Jack.

I think it was last year that I was calling for him to be moved in to the rotate ruck position for a few games, just to get him around the ball and copping a few bumps here and there. Of course, most on here disagreed, but like you, I noticed the impressive ruck work he did in small patches.

Someone mentioned earlier that he had a quiet 2nd half. I challenge those to watch the replay of the second half and count how many 1% things that Jack did that they wont find on their little stats card. His knock-ons, little kicks along the ground, his sheppards, just great!

I loved how he played deep too. I admit, I'm a big Watts fan, and often wear my heart on my sleeve for him, but there was a stage on Sunday where every time we were going forward, I was hoping they would kick it to Watts, not because he deserved it, but in the kind of way that St Kilda supporters wished the ball was always kicked to Riewoldt when they go forward - know what I mean???!!!

I think by year end he will have his face proudly pictured in the Demonland banner at the top of this page!

as d Commetti said after he took that spectacular mark in the goalsquare then goaded "it is the sort of thing where you can say I was there that day when it all started ..." quite a statement. D Commetti is a huge Demon fan

He's got that wrong. I reckon Watts' first big contested grab was against West Coast at the G last year.

Watts has given the ball off about 20 times in his short career so far when he should have had a ping. I loved it that he had the confidence to have a crack. I WANT our key forward to be hungry for a goal. He is really starting to lead aggressively and players are starting to look out for him. He is not far away from a little haul me thinks.

I agree Big Red. His awareness of the position of his teams mates is always really good, but sometimes he should not give it off.

3 things I love about Watts at the moment:

He is going to grouind less, and keeps his feet when tackling.

His decision making and awareness of where his team mates are.

His skills. Here's a question - are his in-game ball skills equal to or even the best we have?

And I loved when he ran into that open goal and didn't dribble it through - he kicked it into the 2nd tier. Jakovich and Shwarz come to mind here, although I doubt he will have the ego of either of these two.

.

And I loved when he ran into that open goal and didn't dribble it through - he kicked it into the 2nd tier. Jakovich and Shwarz come to mind here, although I doubt he will have the ego of either of these two.

He doesn't have the ego, but he always strikes me as having supreme self-confidence - how relaxed does he look in front of a TV camera for example? If this self-confidence is able to be harnessed in the correct way then it should be a huge asset to him.

I loved Jack Watts contested grab in the second Q.

It was barely contested. As the paper said it was the first ever uncontested pack mark.

He is close to having a 6-7 goal game. He also laid some good tackles & chased hard.

Let's get him to a 3 goal game first in a one-sided affair. Let alone a 6-7 goal game. Actually let's just hope he gets to the point where he can kick 2 more often.

It was barely contested. As the paper said it was the first ever uncontested pack mark.

It's actually pretty common for a 'contested' mark to be taken when only one guy actually attempts to mark.

It's actually pretty common for a 'contested' mark to be taken when only one guy actually attempts to mark.

it means he read it and made position better than the others

He had something like 27 "pressure acts" i think only sylvia or someone was better than him in this regard.... a good score by others was only 15

Edited May 10, 201114 yr by Jordie_tackles

One thing about the game on the weekend for me is the goals he missed. He wound up with 2 goals to his name, but given he missed two more very gettable shots and dropped an uncontested mark in the goal square, it could very easily have been four or five. A tiny bit more polish, a little more presence of mind and he is there. I think this was the first game he's played in the seniors where he looked like a serious forward threat.

It's actually pretty common for a 'contested' mark to be taken when only one guy actually attempts to mark.

Yeah, I've heard that that's how it works... all you have to do is have someone near you... You catch my drift though. He did get a handy little lift off the shoulder of one of them, but he mistimed it a bit. It was actually pretty funny watching the game on replay and seeing how many simple marks we dropped in the first quarter. It's a thing of beauty on slow mo watching him rise alone above a pack... then he takes his eye of the ball... and somehow loses it.

He had something like 27 "pressure acts" i think only sylvia or someone was better than him in this regard.... a good score by others was only 15

I want to know what counts as pressure acts. But yeah, he's been doing that for a while. Loved the big shiner he must have gotten from training.

Yeah, I've heard that that's how it works... all you have to do is have someone near you... You catch my drift though. He did get a handy little lift off the shoulder of one of them, but he mistimed it a bit.

My point is that even in pack situations it's amazing how many times there's only one guy actually actively going for the footy.

The day it all started was definitely the day we left him on the pine for the first 3 quarters against GC.

Masterstroke.

I want to know what counts as pressure acts. But yeah, he's been doing that for a while. Loved the big shiner he must have gotten from training.

I believe it's any act around a contested ball, which is why you generally end up with high numbers. Things like tap-ons and such all count. Not sure whether a shepherd does.