Jack Watts

[Little Richard 6,265]

Absolute shocker, it's just so sad that he doesn't want to put his body on the line for his team mates, and the footy club which has a massive amount of faith in him. He is a passenger, just like the majority of players wearing the red and blue.

[monoccular 17,573]

I too am a fan, but he just didn't look as if he cared tonight (though I am sure he actually did.)

I won't condemn him on one shocker.......but you were needed in the final 15-10 minutes..... Where we're you?

[Sdemon53 15]

Unfortunately I do not think that Jack Watts has a clue how to play AFL footy. He should be sent back to Casey and told to improve his game. At the moment he seems to be more of a liability rather than an asset.

I am not all that sure Jack really wants to be an AFL footballer. He has the ability but it seems not the desire. In some ways he reminds me of David Cordner although David suffered from being injured most of the time. Cordner like Jack was great at junior level kicking 117 goals in a season in the under 19s.

[Hannibal 5,814]

you're delusional if you think there isn't a great player in there.

Or maybe you just don't like what you see now and have thus decided that he'll fail us no matter what.

As a Mod I assume you're widely read, if so you'd realise that I don't question his natural ability. A "great" he'll never be. He's way too soft.

[Guest José Mourinho]

I think Tom Hawkins has probably shown just how important confidence can be and the monumental difference it can make.

With Watts, I think he lacks confidence in his body and throwing his weight around.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

The guy still has no upper chest size. What do people expect? The Saints are pretty much all mature.

Relax. He's been going ok up until tonight. Still running to good spots. He's just not heavy enough yet. Dropping him might make sense, but at this stage of his career he's better than Tomahawk was. And look at him now.

[Pipefitter 2,168]

He ran one quarter with an elite player and was finished after that. Along way off having the fitness, desire, etc etc to be an elite footballer.

[Jarka 767]

I've noticed that if something goes wrong he tends to go into his shell for awhile, I think that it's mostly a confidence issue with him and as he gets bigger and stronger he'll get better.

Being the no.1 pick has not helped his development at all.

[jackaub 1,402]

I think Tom Hawkins has probably shown just how important confidence can be and the monumental difference it can make.

With Watts, I think he lacks confidence in his body and throwing his weight around.

He lacks the body and the desire

Appalling all night he was beaten for strength in one on ones and went to ground all the time just like in his first game absolutely no improvement in my opinion Zero impact on the game again!

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

Let's be honest the conditions were not really suited for talls, he didn't have a great game, but in the wet you wouldn't expect someone who is 195 to have a good game

Edited April 28, 2012 by Mad_Melbourne

[Hannibal 5,814]

Excuses excuses excuses. It's all I read from Melbourne supporters with regards to Watts. In all honesty he was a terrible pick one even though he was pegged top 3 by most recruiters. So I don't blame the MFC at all, it's just one of those things that can be gleaned by the benefit of twenty twenty hindsight.

Jeremy Cameron is an undersized tall in his first year in the AFL and I would trade Watts for him in a nano second. That boy has heart, courage, desire and can play. He makes Jack look like a sick joke.

[dpositive 1,683]

Let's be honest the conditions were not really suited for talls, he didn't have a great game, but in the wet you wouldn't expect someone who is 195 to have a good game

Havent seen the stats but St Kildas "tall" "mature" "well developed" "Stars" didnt seem to have a great impact all night.

BUT and I am a Jack Watts supporter they did have an impact at times and I didnt notice Jack do that

He did execute some good passages and I even saw him put some tackles on with intensity and cleared a path for others but as has been overwhelmingly stated he didnt seem to do enough for mine when it was really needed

Perhaps its confidence perhaps fitness perhaps its just a mental scouring that the coaches havent yet been able to penetrate

Again it may be appropriate to play him at Casey but not as a penalty but rather as a refresher to get him to work on those attributes beyond skill that he needs to find

I too was interested in the Hawkins article and see some parallels(??spelling)

BUt overall a great improvement on the output and the outcome even in defeat there was some progress

It must be continued

GO DEES

looking forward to the rest of the site and comments

[jackaub 1,402]

Excuses excuses excuses. It's all I read from Melbourne supporters with regards to Watts. In all honesty he was a terrible pick one even though he was pegged top 3 by most recruiters. So I don't blame the MFC at all, it's just one of those things that can be gleaned by the benefit of twenty twenty hindsight.

Jeremy Cameron is an undersized tall in his first year in the AFL and I would trade Watts for him in a nano second. That boy has heart, courage, desire and can play. He makes Jack look like a sick joke.

Yes watched some tube of him amazing desire for the contest

JW im sorry to say doesn't have it!

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

Although watts was a number one draft pick he still hasn't become a key target, yet him and Rhys Stanley are at very similar stages of their development and had very similar stats, basically the same stats 12 touches - 1 goal both of them!

Hopefully watts can out develop and become a better player than Stanley but it will be interesting to see the comparison over the next few seasons.

[sylvinator 96]

Watts has been one of our only players to stand up in the first 3 weeks of the season and was one of our best players.

Being 196cm, raining and greasy day was never going to be his day. Look at how well Reiwoldt performed in the wet.

Watts will be fine. he's continued to improve. When he hits 100kg and 23 years old, look out competition

[Hannibal 5,814]

BUT and I am a Jack Watts supporter they did have an impact at times and I didnt notice Jack do that

He did execute some good passages and I even saw him put some tackles on with intensity and cleared a path for others but as has been overwhelmingly stated he didnt seem to do enough for mine when it was really needed

I thought his efforts were poor. He may have half-heartedly tried to make the odd tackle, but it's noteworthy that of our 100 tackles last night 21 of 22 Demons registered legitimate tackles.

I'll let you guess the odd man out.

[mrtwister 652]

You can teach skills.

You can teach technique.

You can teach tactics.

You can teach strength (through weight sessions etc).

You can't teach desire for the footy.

You can't teach toughness.

You can' teach bravery.

You can't teach effort.

Jack has the top half, but not he bottom half.

Winger at AFL level, at best.

Edited April 29, 2012 by mrtwister

[Guest José Mourinho]

I thought his efforts were poor. He may have half-heartedly tried to make the odd tackle, but it's noteworthy that of our 100 tackles last night 21 of 22 Demons registered legitimate tackles.

I'll let you guess the odd man out.

If Cale Morton can lay tackles, then so can Jack Watts.

But he'll soon learn that skirting packs is not enough.

[dbj1983 138]

Neeld needs to pick a position for Watts to play (probably Wing) and play him in that position for the rest of the year. He is clearly getting confused as his role is changing every 5 minutes.

The kid can play but needs to learn to play a permanent position before playing other positions. The more I hear old players talking about him they all suggest he should be played at CHB for the rest of the season and let it show him how to find the footy. Something Neeld should potentially consider.

[dazzledavey36 55,318]

Excuses excuses excuses. It's all I read from Melbourne supporters with regards to Watts. In all honesty he was a terrible pick one even though he was pegged top 3 by most recruiters. So I don't blame the MFC at all, it's just one of those things that can be gleaned by the benefit of twenty twenty hindsight.

Jeremy Cameron is an undersized tall in his first year in the AFL and I would trade Watts for him in a nano second. That boy has heart, courage, desire and can play. He makes Jack look like a sick joke.

i agree some of the [censored] weak excuses some of these supporters bring up makes me sick. jack just looks disintrested out there. soft as butter.

[Guest José Mourinho]

i agree some of the [censored] weak excuses some of these supporters bring up makes me sick. jack just looks disintrested out there. soft as butter.

Well that's your incorrect and uneducated opinion, but you're allowed to have it.

[Jaded No More 68,973]

Reiwoldt had a sh*t night too. Just saying.

Not an excuse for being soft around the packs, and that is something that Watts has to improve on because it's unacceptable not to go in hard when required, but it wasn't a good night for tall players.

The thing that is really lacking with Watts is the physical confidence to push his man out of the way.

[Webber 10,538]

I think Tom Hawkins has probably shown just how important confidence can be and the monumental difference it can make.

With Watts, I think he lacks confidence in his body and throwing his weight around.

On the money....... confidence is his only hindrance, but those brickbats will just keep flying until he turns games week after week. The expectations on this kid are bizarrely disproportionate to his age and experience, and most of that comes from Melbourne supporters. The woefully stupid hyperbole such as saying he has no idea how to play the game and should be sent back to Casey until he learns, are just idiotic and desperate. And yet they keep coming.

[Macca 17,032]

Still maintain Jack would be better off having a role in the backline . And his kicking skills are good so he could be used to set up our rebound out of the backline .

Jack was used in the backline last year and on occasions he looked ok . Putting him back there might have the added effect of Jack learning more about the game and also having to be accountable for his opponent .

Having him on the wing isn't working , though he did play a bit forward last night .

Edited April 29, 2012 by Macca

[dazzledavey36 55,318]

Well that's your incorrect and uneducated opinion, but you're allowed to have it.

so what your saying watts is tough couragous and hard at the ball? he needs to lift his intensity to another level and throw himself to the contests and show that he means business. im sick to death of these [censored] weak excuses about about its wet weather footy, its not his style seriously what a load of crock [censored]. didn't stop tom hawkins playing in a tsunami last night. i have been a big supporter of watts but lately prencing aound getting cheap possessions and not putting ya head over the footy or even laying a [censored] tackle last night is [censored] weak and not a good enough effort.