Jack has done very little to warrant his place in the team during the pre-season thus far.

Hence, he has been dropped to Casey.

I'd like to see him earn a recall by excelling at Casey, i.e. kicking bags of goals as a forward, as opposed to being elevated because another MFC player has gone out injured, bad form etc...

Jack, it seems, needs to starved a bit in order to get hungry. The motivation by media crucifixion does not seem to be doing the job.

Just as a hypothetical, if Watts doesn't progress this year, what are the chances that he packs it in and goes and plays basketball?

It's like thinking 'happy thoughts' in Peter Pan.

As soon as Watts learns how to attack the footy and contest

ferociously ad with intent he will be a 100 x better player.

Whether that means seeing a sports psychologist, watching

footage of himself and of players such as Hurley or Brown.

Whatever it is just please make that switch jack.

You could be anything if you do. But if you don't, you

will be the biggest waste of talent MFC have seen.

No pressure...

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.

Matt Burgan is employed by the MFC. I think the use of the word dropped is quite deliberate.

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.

Yes but in the last press conference Neeld said that this weeks team will be as close as possible to the round 1 team. I don't see Jack playing round 1 unless Dunn/Petterd/Howe have stinkers. Sadly they are performing better at this stage.

Just as a hypothetical, if Watts doesn't progress this year, what are the chances that he packs it in and goes and plays basketball?

Probably very low...

But we are MFC supporters so the chances are high. Definite chance.

Just as a hypothetical, if Watts doesn't progress this year, what are the chances that he packs it in and goes and plays basketball?

lol do follow football at all?

Just as a hypothetical, if Watts doesn't progress this year, what are the chances that he packs it in and goes and plays basketball?

Near Zero.

He was a good junior bballer but that's it. His ability to carve out a good living in AFL as a good ordinary footballer at worst is much higher then his ability to play bball and earn decent money.

Neeld was just interviewed on Seven News by Sandy Roberts and said that Jack has a slight hamstring strain and has completed his allocated amount of pre-season time on the ground. He is being rested this week and will be available for round 1 selection.

Near Zero. He was a good junior bballer but that's it. His ability to carve out a good living in AFL as a good ordinary footballer at worst is much higher then his ability to play bball and earn decent money.

I think he was picked for the "Emus" which is the Aussie U/19 squad but couldnt play due to a football injury (may have been a shoulder or collarbone). So I'd classify him above being just "a good junior bballer but thats it"

He was only 17 or 18 when picked also if I remember correctly.

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.

Interesting to note that the article on the MFC has had it titled changed to "Brad Green Rushed Back for Power Clash". Methinks someone at HQ was reading this!!

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/mitch-robinson-back-scare-chris-judd-returns-for-blues/story-e6frf9jf-1226299248577

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/demons-leave-watts-out-of-main-practice-match-20120314-1uzrf.html

Please wake me up from the nightmare that our number one draft pick from 2008 can't get a guernsey in our final hit-out before round 1.

Good on Neeld for making the hard call, but seriously ...WTF!

http://www.heraldsun...f-1226299248577

http://www.theage.co...0314-1uzrf.html

Please wake me up from the nightmare that our number one draft pick from 2008 can't get a guernsey in our final hit-out before round 1.

Good on Neeld for making the hard call, but seriously ...WTF!

"Watts rested, not dropped"

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/130707/default.aspx

Woken up?

"Watts rested, not dropped"

http://www.melbourne...07/default.aspx

Woken up?

Not really. The altering of the headline on the club website should tell you something.

For all the conspiracy theorists, Watts did not (that's a NOT) train on Wednesday - he was there, but left the track early.

The presumption is that he won't play at Casey this weekend, from which we could reasonably conclude that the hamstring twinge is just that.

Neeld was just interviewed on Seven News by Sandy Roberts and said that Jack has a slight hamstring strain and has completed his allocated amount of pre-season time on the ground. He is being rested this week and will be available for round 1 selection.

He'll be picked too.

Just read an article on superfooty where David Schwarz urged Jack Watts to get some 'mongrel' in him and basically joined the chorus of media personalities who have been criticising Jack over the last 2-3 weeks.

The Ox then went on to contend that Wattsy has not improved at all in the last 12 months and is at the same point in his development that he was this time last year. I don't think anyone could be more wrong about something.I concede that Wattsys pre season form hasn't been great but I feel he made some great strides last year and really came of age. Wattsy had a consistent season and played at least 5 outstanding games:

-Kangaroos 20 disposals 1 Goal

-St Kilda 25 disposals 2 Goals

- Freo 24 disposals 3 goals

- Richmond 19 disposals 3 goals

- WB 18 disposals 2 goals in a heavy loss

- Carlton 21 disposals 2 goals in a heavy loss

Now if that's not progress and improvement from the year before then I don't know what is. I'm not sure Jack will ever be a big key position forward but rather a tall wing/half forward type player who needs to work hard and contribute to the teams performance. I believe he is well on the way towards achieving that.

David Schwarz I have always loved you but when you make ridiculous statements that are just plain wrong you lose all credibility.My advice to David........ just shut up.

Gotzy, should heed your own advice.

Ox is just voicing his opinion. No right or wrong. Only difference of opinion. Its a subjective topic. Your measure of progress is different to Ox's and different to mine. He doesn't lose credibility. He gains it for having the confidence to state his view and by doing so, also bear the risk of certain criticisms.

He is partially right. Watching the game the other night with my wife (non-Demon, disappointing), I said about half way through the game that Jack needed to get some c**t about him. The players call him Killer, let's live up to that name (not literally).

There was as a stage when we were kicking to the left hand end (watching on TV). Jack went up in a pack, was basically at the front of it. A Dawk player fell to the ground, and Jack did everything he could not to make contact with him. Those forwards the Schwarz spoke about in that article would've just falllen straight on top of said player laying on the ground - gives them a reminder that if you go up in a contest with me, or are in my way, I will hurt you. This easily would've been done fairly as Jack would've been well within his rights to land on the player. Instead, he tried stepping over him and it really did make him look like a new bor giraffe trying to take its first steps.

Just little things like that matter. Doesn't have to be thuggery (that's not in Jack's blood anyway), but just having no respect for your opposition.

Recovering gambler Ox takes 150k per year from Bruce Matheison and Woolies (who own 4 Zillion pokies) to support problem gamblers.

Gambling is a drug of dependance affecting the same part of the brain as cigarettes, grog and heroin etc.

Imagine the Coffin Cheeters paying Ben Cousins to talk to meth heads.

The world is bizarre.

The delivery to Jack has been average so far this year . He is not afraid of contact but is quick enough to weave through players sometimes . He really is quick .A good mark .A very straight kick for goal .Improving into a top 5 player every game .They'll all be patting him on the back soon enough .

Being a hired media mouth is a full time job for many ex-players .

The delivery to Jack has been average so far this year . He is not afraid of contact but is quick enough to weave through players sometimes . He really is quick .A good mark .A very straight kick for goal .Improving into a top 5 player every game .They'll all be patting him on the back soon enough .

Being a hired media mouth is a full time job for many ex-players .

He is not affraid on contact, but he would rather avoid it than create it. That is the point that Schwarz is making. Take a look at Buddy, he thrives on initiating contact, so does Cloke, and even Clark.

I don't agree with his comments about him not improving in 12 months. Lazy "jounalism" from The Ox's perspective. While he was a great player at the MFC, I'll never, ever forget how he let Sheedy make those comments last year and not challenge him about it. I lost a lot of respect for him that day.

The media and football cognoscenti have short memories.

Last season the media began to acknowledge that Watts looked likely to be a better prospect than Natanui, who couldn't find the footy.

It's all media chestbeating, and if anyone falls for it at this early stage of the PREseason, I feel sorry for them.

The media and football cognoscenti have short memories.

Last season the media began to acknowledge that Watts looked likely to be a better prospect than Natanui, who couldn't find the footy.

It's all media chestbeating, and if anyone falls for it at this early stage of the PREseason, I feel sorry for them.

Exactly.spot on.

-Kangaroos 20 disposals 1 Goal

-St Kilda 25 disposals 2 Goals

- Freo 24 disposals 3 goals

- Richmond 19 disposals 3 goals

- WB 18 disposals 2 goals in a heavy loss

- Carlton 21 disposals 2 goals in a heavy loss

Interesting stats.

I notice similar when I watched some of his early games at Casey. He collected many more pssessions than I would have credited to him had I been asked to guess.

My point? I don't know...........