Jack Watts played a game that Goddard would have been proud of.... Has something different about him?

Recently I was given grief about how bad Watts was,......and that the demons would be dejected from the league within two years....because of poor recruiting.......by a bombers supporter........ Wow! I love the way the world works sometimes?

HaHaHa WoHoHo in the merry old land of Oz!!!!!

Watts is all class and composure, Hurley is combative and aggressive. Both great players and both clubs would be extremely happy with what they got. Totally agree with the sentiment that Watts+Hurley=Carey.

If you had a player with Jacks, skills and smarts and had Hurleys aggression you would have a Wayne Carey.

Agreed, although much better urgency from Watts tonight.

He is better than Hurley, because Hurley, as a rule, cannot kick. Watts is a sublime kick. Wouldn't mind Jack harnessing some of Hurley's aggression though. It'd elevate him to A grade already. But he's now strung three great games together and getting better every week. He likes playing the Bombers too I reckon (as do most of our guys). Upside is the key here. Watts will be a dominate backmen, if he keeps going the way he is. He'll be a champion if he brings even more physicality to his game. Tonight was a step in the right direction, but still should be holding his ground when Hurley barges through in the second quarter.

Fantastic game, Jack. Put on another 5 kg and we can give the skeptics the finger.

Also, I reckon the commentators were wrong tonight. Watts was not the spare man in defence. He tackled, spoilt, punched the ball, peeled of his man, and a couple of times went third man up. His game was much better than a cheap loose man in defence game.

Totally agree. I watched the replay as soon as I got home. No idea that mob. Darcy was a [censored] when he was a player and he's certainly a [censored] as a commentator. Jack played on a man all night. He's such a great reader of the play, it appears he's playing by himself. Definitely had an opponent all night.

Neeld wants a premiership defense. Watts may just become the lynchpin of it.

Maybe. I think that's a little harsh on an AA defender who wasn't playing for us tonight. He does add class and poise across there though. I also thought that Essendon were arrogant and showed little respect in their match ups on him. He was two feet taller than most of his opponents and therefore spoilt the ball easily, numerous times. He's the sort of player that only needs to get it 25 times (or 24 ) to have a great impact, such is his efficiency by hand and foot. 99% of the time he makes the right decision.

I left the game with a dons fan tonight who loves Hurley, and he mentioned how impressed he was with Watts. That whenever he went near it good things happened, that he never badly lost any contests. And it's true. His big contested spoils and hits proved he's capable in the contests in the air.

That was easily better than his 30+ possession game... His best footy so far actually. Did the lot.

All the little things that Jack did last night impressed me, if he missed the mark or ball he would dive back in to the pack and push it out to a player or bottle it up. If the had a stat for that he would have lead it by a mile.

Just loved some of watts' smart taps to a teammate's advantage from either the air or on the deck. Just an amazing awareness and always seems to be thinking one step ahead.

The best game I have seen Jack play.

I think because Jack played as a guard in basketball, his IQ is much better suited to playing in a position where he can see what is in front of him and making a decision, much like a point guard does in basketball.

Hopefully Cook can come on, and we won't need Watts to play forward because we need guys down back who can use it well and make good decisions.

Hopefully now after he has put 3 decent games together all and sundry can hold onto this period of form and realise He is ok and he is going to make it.

Hopefully before another delist, trade, Natawhoi is better or an unrelated thread being derailed by someone potshoting Jack

We will give him a go I don't want to see a player alienated in the same way Richmond did with Tambling.

He has arguably been best on ground for us 3 games in a row.

When has Hurley done that

When has Natanui done it

It's much easier to play in defence and for now it's where Watts is suited.

Btw, Hurley is a good kick. Lucky for us he had a shocker.

Not much between them, really. What Watts has in poise and awareness, Hurley has in physical presence. The difference at the moment is that Watts is helping a side win and Hurley is being beaten.

Also, I reckon the commentators were wrong tonight. Watts was not the spare man in defence. He tackled, spoilt, punched the ball, peeled of his man, and a couple of times went third man up. His game was much better than a cheap loose man in defence game.

He WASN'T the spare man at all......Neeld said so when talking to Richo after the game. And he seemed a bit annoyed about the fact that people imagine he's getting easy touches. Neeld definitely said JW was in the back 6. So up your bums all you media no-brains who just love dumping on Watts with the assumption he's getting easy kicks. As Neeld also said, he just reads the game beautifully, and for mine, his decision making and efficiency are already bloody good, but getting better.

I dont have a problem with Watts having no agression. I agree he can be harder at the tackle and stand his ground more but I love the cool head on his shoulders, in this day and age he ran around like Barry Hall and threw his weight around he would be forever rubbed out.

Also why does he need to have a position? What position did James Hird play? In the opinion of some one of the best ever he went to wear he was needed, play watts where we need him on the day. Foward, back, centre it really seems to make no difference with his skill set.

I dont have a problem with Watts having no agression. I agree he can be harder at the tackle and stand his ground more but I love the cool head on his shoulders, in this day and age he ran around like Barry Hall and threw his weight around he would be forever rubbed out.

Also why does he need to have a position? What position did James Hird play? In the opinion of some one of the best ever he went to wear he was needed, play watts where we need him on the day. Foward, back, centre it really seems to make no difference with his skill set.

Good words, but he's not guilty of 'having 'no aggression'. Did you see him supporting Jared Rivers during Dempsey's little brainfade? JW is just gradually developing a knowledge of how to impose himself in the best way, for the benefit of his football. His reticence has been confidence based, not weakness......

What absolutely staggered me were the Bomber yahoos behind us who started booing Hurley and even called him a dog. Probably the grog talking, but pathetic.

It's much easier to play in defence and for now it's where Watts is suited.

Btw, Hurley is a good kick. Lucky for us he had a shocker.

Unbridled enthusiasm as always BH.

Unbridled enthusiasm as always BH.

Just keeping it real.

Watts and McDonald when up and about give our defence a different dimension. I do not think anyone knows what he will be, but last night was encouraging.

The best game I have seen Jack play.

I think because Jack played as a guard in basketball, his IQ is much better suited to playing in a position where he can see what is in front of him and making a decision, much like a point guard does in basketball.

Hopefully Cook can come on, and we won't need Watts to play forward because we need guys down back who can use it well and make good decisions.

Nailed it.

Good words, but he's not guilty of 'having 'no aggression'. Did you see him supporting Jared Rivers during Dempsey's little brainfade? JW is just gradually developing a knowledge of how to impose himself in the best way, for the benefit of his football. His reticence has been confidence based, not weakness......

Yes and that was good, happy to see a little bit of flying the flag. But 24 disposals at 87% effective, 7 rebound 50's is pretty imposing. And when they send there captian to the goal square to try and win the game (which at the time I thought was a great move BTW) and Watts takes him 1 on 1 and wins that is imposing. There are alot of ways to make your presence felt and pushing and shoving is just one part that he lacks.

Just keeping it real.

You're much less grumpy when he plays badly! LOL

You're much less grumpy when he plays badly! LOL

Not grumpy at all. But it is a silly thread.

Not grumpy at all. But it is a silly thread.

Silly as in funny?

Funny haha or funny peculiar?

Come on fella, lighten up. It's a thread to counterbalance all of the vitriol the guy cops on here.

In all seriousness, if you had to choose one of them - today - to put in a hypothetical side moving forward. Who would you pick?

I could not care whether Watts ends up better than Nik Nat or Hurley. I also could not care whether he ends up a 100 goal full forward. I just want the kid to do the most with his god given attributes in the position that best suits him. I think we're starting to see where that could be. A very Goddard-esque game last night.