We do need another key forward but it won't be Watts. He will never make it as a key forward and his talent is wasted as a 3rd tall forward. Fantastic decision making anddisposal means we need him to get the ball a lot. I'd prefer he plays key back in an attacking role a la Ben Reid than midfield. He needs to raise his intensity whatever. .

Watts will not get much heavier so all he can do is keep working on his strength and fitness Has all the skill and attributes of most elite players Plain and simple he just doesn't work hard enough yet

I'm not sure why you think Watts won't get much heavier....what makes you say this. He has gotten bigger and stronger each year he has been at the club. He was probably one of the most underdeveloped (Physically) players in the whole draft class given he didn't play TAC Cup. Physically he's probably a year or more behind other players. He's also one of the youngest from that draft class (NikNat is 11 months older than him).

I don't think his problem is that he doesn't work hard enough, his work rate has always been rated highly, even by Neeld. It's just been his appetite for the contest that is lacking. I watched the casey game on tv and not once did I say him try and run into a contest to impose himself. Rather he waited around the contest for the ball to come out. If he can get some desire for the contest then I think that the tide will turn on his career and he'll begin to fulfil his potential. But until he wants to be a player that imposes himself on contests, he will remain a decent but not great footballer.

The only thing i am convinced about Watts is he will not learn anything at VFL level that he couldnt learn at ALF level

Watts will not get much heavier so all he can do is keep working on his strength and fitness

Has all the skill and attributes of most elite players

Plain and simple he just doesn't work hard enough yet

I disagree.

He will learn that omitting certain aspects from his game will keep him in the VFL, or alternatively, will not earn a game in the AFL.

jade rawlings and leigh brown are with him at the saints carlton game,

jade rawlings and leigh brown are with him at the saints carlton game,

Just saw that, hopefully they are showing him the work rate required to be a KPF in the mould of Riewoldt.

Just saw that, hopefully they are showing him the work rate required to be a KPF in the mould of Riewoldt.

I can't possibly fathom them being there and not focusing on exactly that.

I can't possibly fathom them being there and not focusing on exactly that.

may also be running patterns ect, but yeah just his game in general, what he needs to do.

Riewoldt wasnt amazing tonight but he work hard, and made alot of contests even if he wasnt winning the majority

I can't possibly fathom them being there and not focusing on exactly that.

It's the Melbourne Football Club. The place where the unfathomable becomes fathomable. Generally always in a negative sense.

Hopefully the club know that this is clearly the main issue with Jack and hopefully he is working on it in some capacity.

I think it's time and experience, along with size that fixes the wuss aspect.

You can't exactly go back to the vfl to work on your courage. Can you?

Of course you can. The bodies are just as big. It's senior footy. Getting the hard ball is probably one of the few things that you don't miss out on in the VFL.

you think Magner learnt his courage through the vfl? That's ridiculous! He would have been a hardnut as soon as he started playing footy. Just like Jack Viney is already a hardnut. You can't teach or learn hardness, it's an innate ability and its the sole reason why Cale Morton and Watts will never improve in this area

Garbage. Morton is already tackling harder this year. Speaking from personal experience, I didn't go for hard balls at all when I played, then I turned 25, filled out, then overnight getting hard footy became the reason I played.

You don't go from being a wuss to being Magner... but you improve on it heaps. It takes size firstly, then time and the experience of coming off better than the guy you hit in order for you to trust yourself in those situations.

Plus... the fear aspect at times might not be physical pain. It can be the fear of embarrassing yourself and letting down your coach and team mates. When you realise that you embarrass yourself more by not giving it a crack and failing, then it changes the way you think.

It's absolute garbage that kids don't gain toughness as they age. They're not all Fiora.

The more I think about it, the more I see Watts being less of a strict CHF and more of a taller Goddard-type.

Plug & play.

The more I think about it, the more I see Watts being less of a strict CHF and more of a taller Goddard-type.

Plug & play.

Yep , myself and a few others have talked about Jack having a roaming commission in the backline .

He seems ideally suited , has terrific skills , will often have a height advantage , he could set up our forward forays etc etc .

When Bailey threw him back there last year , he seemed much more at home . He wouldn't necessarily be needed to mind a man . Many Clubs play an 'extra' backman . Why not a 6'5" player who has terrific speed and excellent skills ? Gotta be better than playing him on the wing .

I think it's time and experience, along with size that fixes the wuss aspect.

Of course you can. The bodies are just as big. It's senior footy. Getting the hard ball is probably one of the few things that you don't miss out on in the VFL.

Garbage. Morton is already tackling harder this year. Speaking from personal experience, I didn't go for hard balls at all when I played, then I turned 25, filled out, then overnight getting hard footy became the reason I played.

You don't go from being a wuss to being Magner... but you improve on it heaps. It takes size firstly, then time and the experience of coming off better than the guy you hit in order for you to trust yourself in those situations.

Plus... the fear aspect at times might not be physical pain. It can be the fear of embarrassing yourself and letting down your coach and team mates. When you realise that you embarrass yourself more by not giving it a crack and failing, then it changes the way you think.

It's absolute garbage that kids don't gain toughness as they age. They're not all Fiora.

well said

Cannot fathom the scattergum crap that Jack has copped from thread to thread in the last couple of days.

He was asked to play a role and did it incredibly well. 8 D50 rebounds, 12 contested possessions, 22 uncontested, 11 marks with two of those contested.

He regularly filled holes and tried very hard in a position he wouldn't have played in at all.

I understand that we didn't draft him to be a loose man in defence, but a 21 lead up forward is not going to get near it when we have 30 terrible I50s a game.

Those criticising him after that game simply look like people who have made their mind up on Jack for the time being and will not let facts sway their belief.

But in all the gloom - Watts did well, Blease did well, and thank Christ for Mitch Clark and Nathan Jones.

Super post RPFC , hard to have a go at a kid for doing his job assigned to him, hes at the early stage at his career and might as well play him now where hes going to get the ball the most and get a feel for the footy. He showed last year in a few games he can play in a few positions including forward and dominated the Tigers and Freo, you dont lose that overnight and I believe jack isnt one of the problems at the club despite how much were making him out to be

Not sure if anyone has seen this yet?

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/beleaguered-watts-taps-in-with-malthouse-20120524-1z7vo.html

Have to say it says a lot about Watts that he would approach someone who questioned him and his work ethic earlier in the year in order to get some ideas on how to improve as a player. Good on him.

I few stats for the Demonlanders to mull on,

Jack is doing better than we (Inclusive of media) think!

Against the likes of Hurley the media darling..

http://finalsiren.com/PlayerCompare.asp?SeasonID=2012&Compare=Go&PlayerName1=Jack+Watts&PlayerName2=Michael+Hurley&PlayerName3=&PlayerName4=&SelectedPlayers=

Of the 08 draft Watts & Nicnat the bigger taller forwards out of a midfielder type draft with, Vickery, Hurley..Brown maybe and Ayce Cordy being decent but probably Hurley & Nicnat being the dominant ones with Watts so yes MFC made the best descision for sure & I have never doubted it.

Jacky boy is coming along just nicely..yes we all want him to do more but he will with time.(Yes we are sick of waiting for things to change)

Maybe he wont be the forward we want maybe he will but right now hes doing pretty well for 21 against some great sides/players

08 Draft

1 Melbourne -- Jack Watts (Sandringham Dragons)

2. West Coast Eagles -- Nicholas Naitanui (Swan Districts)

3. Fremantle -- Stephen Hill (West Perth)

4. Port Adelaide -- Hamish Hartlett (West Adelaide)

5. Essendon -- Michael Hurley (Northern Knights)

6. Carlton -- Chris Yarran (Swan Districts)

7. Brisbane Lions -- Daniel Rich (Subiaco)

8. Richmond -- Tyrone Vickery (Sandringham Dragons)

9. North Melbourne -- Jack Ziebell (Murray Bushrangers)

10. Adelaide -- Phil Davis (North Adelaide)

11. Collingwood -- Steele Sidebottom (Murray Bushrangers)

12. Sydney -- Lewis Johnston (North Adelaide)

13. St Kilda -- Tom Lynch (Sandringham Dragons)

14. Western Bulldogs -- Ayce Cordy (Geelong Falcons) – Father/Son

15. Geelong -- Mitchell Brown (Sandringham Dragons)

16. Hawthorn -- Ryan Schoenmakers (Norwood)

Jack Watts, get some, aggression aggression aggression...

Yep..agree. Aggression is the one thing I want him to have more of!!

If that comes then look out AFL world.

Yep..agree. Aggression is the one thing I want him to have more of!!

If that comes then look out AFL world.

It'll come with another 10kgs!

Like Mr T said "Get some nuts"!

It'll come with another 10kgs!

More excuses.

It doesn't take 10 Kgs to show a desire for the hard contest.

So watts your prognosis for Cale Morton? I don't want to see Jack W go the way of Morton & Bennell.

Not sure if anyone has seen this yet?

http://www.theage.co...0524-1z7vo.html

Have to say it says a lot about Watts that he would approach someone who questioned him and his work ethic earlier in the year in order to get some ideas on how to improve as a player. Good on him.

Yes, he may 'not care about winning' as he was once unfairly pilloried over, but he certainly seems interested in improving as a player, and doing something with his footy life.

Hasn't shown an appetite for the contest, the physicality and probably never will.

Hasn't shown an appetite for the contest, the physicality and probably never will.

Still our best on ground in a terrible Sydney trip.

I few stats for the Demonlanders to mull on,

Jack is doing better than we (Inclusive of media) think!

Against the likes of Hurley the media darling..

http://finalsiren.co...SelectedPlayers=

Of the 08 draft Watts & Nicnat the bigger taller forwards out of a midfielder type draft with, Vickery, Hurley..Brown maybe and Ayce Cordy being decent but probably Hurley & Nicnat being the dominant ones with Watts so yes MFC made the best descision for sure & I have never doubted it.

Jacky boy is coming along just nicely..yes we all want him to do more but he will with time.(Yes we are sick of waiting for things to change)

Maybe he wont be the forward we want maybe he will but right now hes doing pretty well for 21 against some great sides/players

08 Draft

1 Melbourne -- Jack Watts (Sandringham Dragons)

2. West Coast Eagles -- Nicholas Naitanui (Swan Districts)

3. Fremantle -- Stephen Hill (West Perth)

4. Port Adelaide -- Hamish Hartlett (West Adelaide)

5. Essendon -- Michael Hurley (Northern Knights)

6. Carlton -- Chris Yarran (Swan Districts)

7. Brisbane Lions -- Daniel Rich (Subiaco)

8. Richmond -- Tyrone Vickery (Sandringham Dragons)

9. North Melbourne -- Jack Ziebell (Murray Bushrangers)

10. Adelaide -- Phil Davis (North Adelaide)

11. Collingwood -- Steele Sidebottom (Murray Bushrangers)

12. Sydney -- Lewis Johnston (North Adelaide)

13. St Kilda -- Tom Lynch (Sandringham Dragons)

14. Western Bulldogs -- Ayce Cordy (Geelong Falcons) – Father/Son

15. Geelong -- Mitchell Brown (Sandringham Dragons)

16. Hawthorn -- Ryan Schoenmakers (Norwood)

All good players except for Steele Sidebottom -who is a gun .