Jack Watts

[dee-luded 2,959]

Nobody disagrees that he is the boy you'd want your daughter to marry.

He has to learn that we need him to the the man you want to go to war with.

I have watched MFC last decade doing token 1%ers. Lets call em half percenters. The clayton's smother. You know, one hand up, look away, hope the ball doesn't bend my pinky.

Tonight I watched Sydney. 1 and a half percenters. Smothers full on diving. No token efforts. We are getting there gradually. But like Roos says, we have a long way to go. So does Jack of Hearts.

well done TGR, this is exactly what I've been trying to get across re the culture angle & etc.

this is exactly what Roos will get out of our system, & the culling of our list over the last 5 years-ish, started clearing the dead wood. apart from Jnr & Miller.

you could make a long list of the physically half hearted over the last 15 years. fear & laziness.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Nobody disagrees that he is the boy you'd want your daughter to marry.

He has to learn that we need him to the the man you want to go to war with.

I have watched MFC last decade doing token 1%ers. Lets call em half percenters. The clayton's smother. You know, one hand up, look away, hope the ball doesn't bend my pinky.

Tonight I watched Sydney. 1 and a half percenters. Smothers full on diving. No token efforts. We are getting there gradually. But like Roos says, we have a long way to go. So does Jack of Hearts.

well done TGR, this is exactly what I've been trying to get across re the on-field culture angle & etc.

this is exactly what Roos will get out of our system, & the culling of our list over the last 5 years-ish, started clearing the spoilt decayed wood. apart from Jnr & Miller.

you could make a long list of the physically half hearted over the last 15 years. fear & laziness.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Thanks for sharing pilgrim.

Didn't know video game stores were still around!

I too have spoken to watts on a few occasions and every time he is more than happy to chat and have photos etc.

Great bloke and gets far too much negative comments/publicity.

its just melbourne people wanting to respect him for his onfield actions. not just another boy next door.

[ThreeOneSix 954]

Jack Watts is the real deal.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,387]

Jack Watts is the real deal.

Agree all the way. Jack is so very talented and is improving his aggression with every game. Sublime kicking skills.

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

He seems to have found some urgency, couple of really good tackles.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,408]

Jack Watts is the real deal.

Still waiting.

[Dockett 32 1,239]

Give it a rest.

Playing his part and improving in areas he needs to.

[Sir Why You Little 37,134]

Jack Watts is the real deal.

He can still be so much better on the field...

We need it badly.

[Guest]

I won't bag Jack for the sake of it. Maybe Roos is taking the same approach with him as he is with the rest of the team. He is aiming for progressive improvement each week in the areas he needs to improve in. I saw Jack last night at the bottom of the pack. The snarky side of me said 'Will miracles ever cease?' but he should be praised for at least doing it.
I do also think he has quite a way to go on the intensity front and if I were the coach, I would have sent him to Casey. Thank Christ I'm not coach. We have a capable coach in PR and I trust that he will do the right thing by Jack. These are people who know more than me and I will trust their judgement. It is frustrating to see Jack standing dead still while calling for the ball (like I did last night) but I'm hoping that the 'more carrot, less stick' approach with Jack is the right one.

[jazza 1,323]

I won't bag Jack for the sake of it. Maybe Roos is taking the same approach with him as he is with the rest of the team. He is aiming for progressive improvement each week in the areas he needs to improve in. I saw Jack last night at the bottom of the pack. The snarky side of me said 'Will miracles ever cease?' but he should be praised for at least doing it.

I do also think he has quite a way to go on the intensity front and if I were the coach, I would have sent him to Casey. Thank Christ I'm not coach. We have a capable coach in PR and I trust that he will do the right thing by Jack. These are people who know more than me and I will trust their judgement. It is frustrating to see Jack standing dead still while calling for the ball (like I did last night) but I'm hoping that the 'more carrot, less stick' approach with Jack is the right one.

saw it,and read 3 million comments about him.

have written a couple myself,for the life of me i cant see the upside everybody talks about.

im amazed at how many people swoon when he does the smallest thing{basic} during a game.and little else.

i hear people say "hes getting better", hes "improving slowly".

just proves we are all different and our opinions are so.

[george_on_the_outer 7,708]

Lazy, Lazy, Lazy......a wasted talent.

going the same way as Col Sylvia without the off-field distractions.

[jimcor 212]

Lazy, Lazy, Lazy......a wasted talent.

going the same way as Col Sylvia without the off-field distractions.

I'm surprised that so many are able to make the judgement that they know what Jack is being instructed to do by the coaching panel.

Has someone heard that:

(A) he's being told to develop his 'inside ness' and go hard in & under?

(B) he's being told to stand off of inside contests so as to make himself available when the ball comes out?

His use if the ball is consistently sublime and he showed tonight that the odd, critical tackle is an option. If Roos thought he wasn't performing as expected, I have no doubt he'd be at Casey.

As I've said before, cut him some slack 'cos he might actually read some go these comments.

[DeeSpencer 26,083]

I'm surprised that so many are able to make the judgement that they know what Jack is being instructed to do by the coaching panel.

Has someone heard that:

(A) he's being told to develop his 'inside ness' and go hard in & under?

(B) he's being told to stand off of inside contests so as to make himself available when the ball comes out?

His use if the ball is consistently sublime and he showed tonight that the odd, critical tackle is an option. If Roos thought he wasn't performing as expected, I have no doubt he'd be at Casey.

As I've said before, cut him some slack 'cos he might actually read some go these comments.

That he's been moved from the midfield to a forward role, clearly instructed to be more urgent and had Dawes get right in to him with positive praise is pretty obvious the coaches haven't been impressed with the hardness/defensive parts of his game.

But at the same time his ball use last night was very good. He still has moments where he's a class above most of our guys by foot. So he's more and more looking like a guy we are going to have to take the good with the bad with it's just you pray little by little the bad improves.

His run down chase was brilliant but it was telling that he couldn't completely nail the guy with a strong tackle. Despite years on the list he still looks like he needs yet another preseason to get the right mix of strength, speed and endurance.

But on your last point if Jack Watts reads demonland or googles himself in any way then not only is he going against the advice given to sports people but he's a moron.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

He has a long way to go but has past two weeks have been far better.

[beelzebub 23,383]

He has a long way to go but has past two weeks have been far better.

The aspect that still concerns me is its often not that he doesnt try to do things , its just that they dont stick or impact. A couple of tackles only JUST hung on ( and thats better than not ) but they werent emphatic. He just doesnt like ( seem to ) bashing his way in a pack to take a mark.

But hes losing some of the lethargy. Still not where he ought to be but its progressing a bit

[Sir Why You Little 37,134]

The aspect that still concerns me is its often not that he doesnt try to do things , its just that they dont stick or impact. A couple of tackles only JUST hung on ( and thats better than not ) but they werent emphatic. He just doesnt like ( seem to ) bashing his way in a pack to take a mark.

But hes losing some of the lethargy. Still not where he ought to be but its progressing a bit

There is definite improvement in Jack's output but it is still to sporadic...He needs to become "switched on" for 120 minutes

not in 5 minute bursts

[beelzebub 23,383]

It also worries me ( for his sake actually ) that despite some very good work to get himself into the RIGHT position hes just ignored. I think I saw 3 occasions and granted only on telly , got home way too late from Gipps to attend ( , of this . Now just because youre in a good possie doesnt mean you WILL be sighted and passed to but it seems to happen a lot. Again I can only think theres still a trust issue here.

There were i reckon 2 goals begging for want of passing to him.. We cant let this continue

[rjay 25,093]

The aspect that still concerns me is its often not that he doesnt try to do things , its just that they dont stick or impact. A couple of tackles only JUST hung on ( and thats better than not ) but they werent emphatic. He just doesnt like ( seem to ) bashing his way in a pack to take a mark.

But hes losing some of the lethargy. Still not where he ought to be but its progressing a bit

Those were lunging tackles where he managed to hang on. Watts showed real strength to hold those tackles, one was against Cooney who is very hard to run down and tackle. Well done to Watts, I thought it was the best I've seen him as far as commitment to contest and tackle. Roos is taking the right approach with him.

[beelzebub 23,383]

rjay..how many players are actually QUICKER than Watts ? for one

Yes it was lunging and I can only concur it was far better to do this than nought but his tackling style is haphazard and tiggy touch often. Compare to say how a Jones or Viney would have done this. it would be to get a better grasp or body onto the other. Not also possible perhaps but its something I see. Each to their opinion

[whatwhat say what 22,948]

There were positive signs again yesterday.

Urgency and quick decision making still need improvement - the decision to hold into the pill and then try and pick out JKH deep in the forward pocket was unnecessarily finicky when Dawes had been screaming for it one out at the top if the square.

Two things that impressed me were the two goal-saving tackles, and perhaps even more so he twice had the ball sat on his head - first time he crashed the contest, the next time he held the mark.

Keep improving both these aspects - defensive intensity and willingness to back himself in the air - and he'll keep coming along nicely.

I know people often compare him to TJ - in their respective sixth years, how did their performances compare, notwithstanding one was playing permanent mid and the other a high half-forward?

[whatwhat say what 22,948]

Oh, biggest thing I'd like to see improved - don't go to ground so easily.

He spends an inordinate amount of time on hands and knees around packs.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

thought there was a big improvement the past few weeks.
Some of his kicks were just sublime last night and he saved us at least 2-3 goals by laying some ripper tackles.
Some people can't see the forest for the trees of jack watts insults.
I was over him at times this year, yes, but the kid is noticeably trying to improve himself.

[beelzebub 23,383]

Oh, biggest thing I'd like to see improved - don't go to ground so easily.

He spends an inordinate amount of time on hands and knees around packs.

He definitely needs to improve core strength. He seems to get thrown off like a rag doll at times

[rjay 25,093]

rjay..how many players are actually QUICKER than Watts ? for one

Yes it was lunging and I can only concur it was far better to do this than nought but his tackling style is haphazard and tiggy touch often. Compare to say how a Jones or Viney would have done this. it would be to get a better grasp or body onto the other. Not also possible perhaps but its something I see. Each to their opinion

I agree the best way to tackle is to get the body into your opponents body but in these cases if he had of waited to get in position to use correct technique the player would not have been there. He showed desperation which is something we can't normally accuse him of.

He definitely needs to improve core strength. He seems to get thrown off like a rag doll at times

I'm not sure its core strength or knowing how to better use his body but there are times in marking contests where he needs to be stronger particularly against a smaller opponent. That was pretty evident against the GC a few weeks back...he has been better the last few weeks and it looks like Roos will get the best out of him.