It's 'cool story, hansel'.

And I'm with wyl and the ox.

It's not about stats. Intensity, desire and aggression.

That is what we want. Shut up about his stats.

Seriously.

Edited March 15, 201213 yr by stevethemanjordan

It's 'cool story, hansel'.

And I'm with wyl and the ox.

It's not about stats. Intensity, desire and aggression.

That is what we want. Shut up about his stats.

Seriously.

Oh I get it. He just has to look good getting those stats and then it will be better. Silly me

The media and football cognoscenti have short memories.

I totally agree. This is a huge bugbear of mine. There is 50 times (almost without exaggeration) journalists covering footy than say 20 years ago and there is wall to wall coverage (something the AFL carefully orchestrates and to my my mind is a big part of the problem) yet the analysis is woeful and so often the media seem to operate in 24 hour cycles of rubbish and are amazingly lazy.The real concern is when footy fans swallow the media rubbish without applying some intelligent filtering.

I'll say it again, i was critical of Watts before last season, partic in regard to his intensity. I thought he had a good season last year and worked hard on his deficits. There seem to be general consensus on this at the time and his numbers clearly support it. Now all of a sudden he's "out of form" after 3 NAB games (i thought he was ok against the Hawks BTW, certainly no worse that some others) and under pressure. Just nonsense.

As an example of the rubbish that gets trotted out the headline in todays sun is " Watts must earn his place back". This despite the article quoting Need who is adamant he has not been dropped so therefore has not "lost his place".

So Watts is the new easy target. I thought Trengove didn't play well against the Hawks. What happens if he doesn't fire in the next few weeks, does he too come under fire?

It's 'cool story, hansel'.

Yeah, I know, but I don't want to sound gen y if I can avoid it.

The Ox is looking at it from an ex player who still loves his club.

He wants Jack to thrive on the big stage.

I don't care what the journalist's write.

But a past MFC CHF....yes i do

Edited March 15, 201213 yr by why you little

It's a shame Jack couldn't have done a couple of years apprenticeship under David Neitz, like NikNat under Cox. Hopefully, Clark will provide this over the next couple of years as Jack grows into his body and learns his craft.

I'll repeat what I've posted before, as I feel its very relevant. How long has it taken Tom Hawkins to make an impact? Six years and thats with a top side supporting him!

I'll repeat what I've posted before, as I feel its very relevant. How long has it taken Tom Hawkins to make an impact? Six years and thats with a top side supporting him!

A long time, now he is jumping at the footy with his eyes fixed firmly on it more often than not.

I'll repeat what I've posted before, as I feel its very relevant. How long has it taken Tom Hawkins to make an impact? Six years and thats with a top side supporting him!

I know this is off topic but does any1 else think that Tom Hawkins looks like the Jock from Grease?

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQfWWttJf-0eetAoRFUS7dOC1jcFCoDpmjT0C-Kmtqq8ARSt_zSe5Gr_Y2RA

Amazing that a couple of quiet practice matches make most journalists and football followers forget an impressive stretch of football he had last year. Obviously he needs to work on his intensity and impact games more, and obviously he is a bit behind where most wanted him to be at this stage of his career. But with most of the commentary surrounding him you would think the bloke is a complete spud.

A No. 1 pick is a substantial investment and it needs ot pay off or it will reflect poorly not only on Jack W but the whole club.

No it won't.

No it won't.

I think it will for the Club bing. 2 x Number 1 draft picks in a row - one turns out to be a dud*, the other one left after 2 seasons, all while the Club tanked to get the best picks they could, while begging to its members to wipe out a $5m debt. I think it is very important that all of our draft picks, in particular the first rounders, turn out to be better than handy players.

*I'm not concerned about Jack.

Jack is well behind NikNat at the moment, see the Herald top 50 players for confirmation. Ox's criticism and disappointment may be uninformed, or over the top, but it is warranted.

We are all hopeful and protective of Jack, but he needs to lift significantly this year to get where he should be, and where the club needs and expects him to be.

Is this a serious comment? i have found the top 50 an absolute joke.

NikNat isnt in it imo atm, he looks good and people get hyped, late last year nobody would have had him in it imo........was an average player.

I think his highlight reel gets him off the hook a bit, he will be an amazing player in 24 months but top 50 now is crazy in my eyes.

I still remember Watts being about the only player having a real crack against West Coast last year. Nothing wrong with his attack on the ball that night, he was in the best from both clubs. He is doing fine as far as I am concerned, but the I'm not trying to make a name for myself in the media by having a crack at a developing playing, knowing it will get my head on the TV.

All the Jack bashing by the media over the past 2 weeks has been a product of the NAB cup and there being not much else to talk about.

Jack will be fine, 6 foot 4 key possition player that will take time but when it all clicks like Cam Mooney and Barry Hall said on 360 at arround 23-24 he will tare the comp apart.

Jack will be a 15 year player at our club and when we look back on his career we will talk about him as one of the greats.

Edited March 15, 201213 yr by Steve13

Listening to cam Mooney this afternoon and he suggested that Jack should play CHB for a while, he said he did in 2004, I think it was, and it taught him what was required to play CHF.

Listening to cam Mooney this afternoon and he suggested that Jack should play CHB for a while, he said he did in 2004, I think it was, and it taught him what was required to play CHF.

I think Neeld will put him back there sooner or later . He looks a lot more comfortable there , reads the play better and he can play from behind (most defenders do , most of the time) . Jack has got terrific skills and quite good vision . It's a no-brainer for mine .

Trouble is , many want him to succeed as a key forward and maybe aren't prepared to change their mind .

The other thing is that Jack didn't ask to be picked at #1 . Our club put that number and onus on him . If , for instance , we were to "imagine" him as a no.12 pick , the thinking on him changes quite dramatically .

The National draft is in a lot of ways speculative . It's never 100% correct . It comes close sometimes . The recruiters are better than they were 10 years ago but they're still taking a punt . If you went back over the top 20 picks in the last 10 years the players would be in a different order in terms of ability and output . Sometimes way different .

If , in 10 years time , it turns out that Jack wasn't the true no.1 , it may not be his own fault .

Cheers

Edited March 15, 201213 yr by Macca

There is a lot of argument that Jacks development is taking its time as he is a KPP.

Let me ask how many years Frawley took to shine?

I just don't get all this hype regards Watts.

After seeing him in his first game at Casey, I commented to the guys at work that he wouldn't be ready for a senior game until 2011.His attitude was that of a young schoolboy (immature & lacking in confidence).

He should have been nurtured through Casey until at least the end of the 2010 season.

His placement in the team so early is an indictment on the people within the club at the time.

How can you expect a kid to gain confidence in this situation.

If he had started his career in the seniors last year everyone would be heralding him as a future star on his form as a 20 y.o.

Lets hope his mismanagement in his early career has not damaged the star he could & might still be.

Listening to cam Mooney this afternoon and he suggested that Jack should play CHB for a while, he said he did in 2004, I think it was, and it taught him what was required to play CHF.

I think he'd make a pretty good winger.

I think he'd make a pretty good winger.

He probably would but that's not what we need him to be; he will be more valuable as a KPf with someone like Morton playing on the wing.

I think he could play in quite a few positions until he's ready but ultimately we have to teach him the art of forward play, just like Neita had to learn when the Ox went down.

He probably would but that's not what we need him to be; he will be more valuable as a KPf with someone like Morton playing on the wing.

I think he could play in quite a few positions until he's ready but ultimately we have to teach him the art of forward play, just like Neita had to learn when the Ox went down.

You are right. He does need to be taught the 'art of forward play.' But you can't teach aggression, and he has nowhere near enough of it for any of the positions through the centre of the ground. He plays like a link player, has pace and not too bad above his head 1 on 1. I think we're better off positioning him according to his strengths and style of play than we are trying to change his strengths and style of play to fit the position we want him to play.

And Lloydy has just gone BANG!!!

Edited March 15, 201213 yr by 13thFlagIsComing

^{Matty Lloyd's comments just then on footy show in regards to Jack Watts and lack of leadership at the club when he first walked in are spot on. He said it was likes of Thompson, O'donnell & Harvey etc that highlighted what was required of him at essendon. And Lloyd questioned what culture and examples did Melbournes experienced players show back then. And that likes of Davey, Moloney, Sylvia, Rivers etc should be embarrased they arent in the Melbourne leadership group. Watts is a talent and hopefully the club can develop him correctly same go's for all drafted over last 4-5 years.}

Edited March 15, 201213 yr by Angelus BTVS

Something to settle the hysteria.

http://adamwbaldwin.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/practice-are-we-talking-about-practice/