WE've all seen Jack win the ball becasue he's more skilled than his opponent, becasue he's faster than his opponent and even smarter than his opponent. The leap to him becoming the player we'd all like is to win the ball consistently becasue he wants it more than his opponent

That just isn't true.

Watts is a developing player. We are impatient, but there is significant recent history to suggest that key position players take a long time. Especially skinny ones like Jack.

People here are saying that being pick 1 doesn't mean he's going to turn into a top quality player. That's true, but what is also true is that his many talents should see him become a top quality player. He has pace, agility, awareness, sublime skills, great hands, size and a bit of X factor that should get him to the top of the game. Many, many players take time to get there (like Goddard).

He still plays the game like basketball a bit, but the game has moved away from that. I think he will be a very good key forward, but I also think he could be an absolute star midfielder. Pendlebury played the game like basketball, but that has now turned to his advantage. \

Once Jack starts flying for big marks we will see him become an absolute menace. He has it in him - he just hasn't yet worked out how.

I'm not worried, just impatient like everyone else. I want to see the future today!

I agree with all of what you say, the big question is how to get him to get achieve it? Gifting him, or any other 20 year old games is not the answer.

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by dandeeman

The criticism from Carey, Malthouse and Wallace was that Watts needs to show more urgency. No one can deny they are right about this.

EDIT: Brain fade.

I agree with that, but urgency can be drilled into you, talent can't.

Some players are very laconic by nature. I think Garland is similar, but because he is a defender, he doesn't require the same sense of urgency to attack the contest, the contest comes to him.

Watts has to develop the aggressive side of his game, he needs to go hunting for the ball and become more attacking. That sort of thing often comes with age, with realisation that your body is capable of handling your opponent and also with general maturity and confidence.

Jamar and Frawley, who are both monsters and have always been fairly large, used to get lost in contests. Now they are both in the top bracket of their position amongst the competition.

Not everyone is aggressive and intense from the moment they step on the field, some players need that side developed, and Watts is one of those players.

I certainly don't see him as somebody who is scared of body contact, he hasn't consistently ducked out of contests or stayed away from the packs, but he also doesn't seem to have the inner belief to physically impose himself on matches. Being hammered in the media every week surely doesn't help either.

They got the best defender when forward last year, if not 2nd best cause of Jurrah. With less pressure this year, and hopefully a wingman's role when Neeld wakes up to the fact that he isn't a KPF yet then he will continue to blossom.

Also has anyone else noticed that when Watts has his socks down he plays crap, when his socks are up he plays well, when his socks are shin height he plays alright without influencing. This sock height business may be a sign of confidence and form. JUST A THOUGHT.................

Given Mark Neeld is one of Mick Malthouse's proteges, is it plausable that Mick is giving Jack a serve about his intensity in order to assist Jacks development and to support his friend Mark Neeld?

Neeld said recently that Jack came out of the private school footy system straight into AFL level (a big jump) without the pressure and intensity of going through the TAC cup, AIS, system etc... I've often though of Jack as like a lion cub who would need to shed the baby fat and "harden up" (physically and mentally) in order to prosper in the big league. Mick is assisting him to do that.

At the end of the day, the media, Mick Malthouse and us would not be having this conversation if Jack didn't have the potential to be an absolute superstar.

Interesting year ahead in his development, bring it on.

Go Jack

Go Dees

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by PaulRB

That's because Watts spent most of the year across half back....80% of his possessions and marks would have been uncontested.

Hasn't Hurley been used in defence as well? Both players it's fair to say have had stints both down back and in the forward line.

Also has anyone else noticed that when Watts has his socks down he plays crap, when his socks are up he plays well, when his socks are shin height he plays alright without influencing. This sock height business may be a sign of confidence and form. JUST A THOUGHT.................

Imagine how good he would be if he wore tights.

http://thewhitemaggot.com/2012/03/07/afl-media-ignores-pies-form-to-relentlessly-pursue-watts-criticism/

http://thewhitemaggo...atts-criticism/

This is deserved parody.

It's amazing to think that if the team didn't play well and we got flogged, no-one would care that Watts was down on the night - but because we turned up on the night and won, the story is Watts.

It's a journalistic bias toward laziness and the desire for grand statements that make news.

Think about it - journos are quoting other journos and it is news.

Journalism gets more and more pathetic.

Biffen at the risk of offending you, TW and MM carry a bit more weight than you.

You cannot simple defeat their arguements by slagging them off.

If you want to defeat everyones argument then simply draw up two columns and write every teams regular CHF('s) for the last 10 odd years.

Then write down at what age these players started to make a real impact. Draw the line at age 22.You will find that the list of players that impacted sub 22 is way shorter. Franklin - freak. Cloke, Dawes, Kennedy, Hawkins - normal development. Alas - our Jack may turn out special but is he a freak like Franklin and Carey who basically tore it up from day one ? nope.

What has got me completely astounded in this whole debate is the common axiom that key position players take time to mature obviously doesnt apply to number one draft picks

Edited March 7, 201213 yr by nutbean

WE've all seen Jack win the ball becasue he's more skilled than his opponent, becasue he's faster than his opponent and even smarter than his opponent. The leap to him becoming the player we'd all like is to win the ball consistently becasue he wants it more than his opponent

That is a good summary of where young Jack is at present.

And the commentators are at least right in suggesting a sense of urgency will take him a long way further. That should come with time, experience, and a structured team with a game plan around him, and especially alternative forward targets.

Edited March 7, 201213 yr by monoccular

It's a journalistic bias toward laziness and the desire for grand statements that make news.

.

I will make myself cringe with this tired old cliche but is there more than a hint of "tall poppy syndrome" in the Watts reporting ? Golden hair, private school boy from Brighton makes bad ?

Also has anyone else noticed that when Watts has his socks down he plays crap, when his socks are up he plays well, when his socks are shin height he plays alright without influencing. This sock height business may be a sign of confidence and form. JUST A THOUGHT.................

I hadn't noticed, but if that is the case then get him some MFC pantyhose quick smart. ;-}

Also has anyone else noticed that when Watts has his socks down he plays crap, when his socks are up he plays well, when his socks are shin height he plays alright without influencing. This sock height business may be a sign of confidence and form. JUST A THOUGHT.................

I know it means nothing to a players actual performance but I think having your socks down is a poor look.

A very long time ago my father told me " pull your socks up son you will at least look like you deserve to be out there"

Wise words i figure.

Jacks just doesn't have enough aggression and intensity at the moment. It doesn't come natural to him and Its something that he will have to learn and work on. Once he starts to lift that area In his game we will see a very good player. It's just the way It Is with some blokes, they either have that aggression or they have to be taught It. Look at Troy Davis as an example. 19 year old big fella, pick 50 something In the draft, first game for the Dees and he's trying to play a key back and was fighting tooth and nail to win the contested ball. My point Is some players have It and some players need to be taught It. Jack needs to be taught and that's why we need patience.

I will make myself cringe with this tired old cliche but is there more than a hint of "tall poppy syndrome" in the Watts reporting ? Golden hair, private school boy from Brighton makes bad ?

Pretty much nailed it there .Tom Hawkins is another case in point .As far as the TAC comments go -he won the grand final for Vic Metro off his own boot .Not sure why they say he didn't play in it .Maybe they dont research enough .In a few weeks they will ask him about how he managed to forget about the knockers and play so well .Terry Wallace-I'm sending Balls to your house-be afraid .

I recall Leigh Mathews bagging Wattsy in a game v Bombers-perhaps his second game ever. Lloyd former Bomber all time great FF quickly picked on this point and gave Watts every chance to succeed and pointed to Reivolt and his own slow starting career.

Watts first game v Pies was all I needed to see. Pies were all over him and he took it quite well with not much back up from our boys. Where's Neita when you need him?

Be patient!

Lengthen out your left side whilst sitting into the ground more and draw right shoulder blade back and down, don't let the right ribs bulge out and turn from below the navel.

Otherwise a nice twist for a big bloke.

Oh and agree on the Pies game, the support was pathetic, Backing up your teammates wasn't a highlight under Bailey

I am not too worried about Jack at the moment but he does need to show more urgency. However, I have just watched the Tony Modra highlights video on the AFL website and I want Jack to attack the ball in the air like Modra did. No, I am not after mark of the year each week but I forgot Modra's manic, confident, aggressive attack on the ball in the air. If Jack can attack the ball in air like this and not hang back, our forward line could be very dangerous.

Watts dropped to the VFL for the final preseason game to find form. I think he deserves to stay in the firsts and has been playing ok, obviously Neeld is not as happy with his form as he has been making out.

His form has been poor but we also need to look at different forward set ups. We have played with three talls for the past three weeks, we might look at having both Davey and Blease for a bit more speed and pressure in our forward half. We also have Petterd, Green, Howe, Dunn, Sylvia playing. Jack is going have to earn his spot which is great.

Watts dropped to the VFL for the final preseason game to find form. I think he deserves to stay in the firsts and has been playing ok, obviously Neeld is not as happy with his form as he has been making out.

I think the last quote I heard from Neeld was "his workrate is good and he is in the mix to play Round 1" or something similar.

While the MFC statement uses the word "dropped" it might also be nothing more than list management. Other players have been "rested" in previous weeks. The NAB Cup is all about list management, trialing options, etc.

Of course, being "rested" might actually be the wrong word. It's possible players "dropped" to Casey work harder for longer because of the extra players allowed in the NAB Cup games all requiring game time.

I saw a post last week listing the players that we have selected with our early picks over the past 5 drafts that are not playing for Melbourne you add Watts to the list of Morton, Grimes, Maric, Strauss, Scully, Tapscott, Gysberts, Cook, the only two playing Friday are Blease and Trengove.

From 11 picks 2 have left the club, Grimes, Strauss, Morton, Tapscott and Gysberts have injury issues Watts is struggling and Cook is a mile away from playing AFL.

The nine that remain onour list only 2 would be considered automatic selects when fit Grimes and Trengove. Over improvement as a club has to come mainly from these players.

Watts is in the gun now, wait till the media realize that is is only one piece of our under performing first round picks.

While the MFC statement uses the word "dropped" it might also be nothing more than list management. Other players have been "rested" in previous weeks. The NAB Cup is all about list management, trialing options, etc.

Of course, being "rested" might actually be the wrong word. It's possible players "dropped" to Casey work harder for longer because of the extra players allowed in the NAB Cup games all requiring game time.

I think the clubs website is quite clear that he has been dropped and not rested. MFC has also put on the offical facebook site that he has been dropped to the VFL to find form.

I think he should be running out with the firsts, but good to see no player getting a free ride anymore.