I guess RR would have picked Natanui. Perhaps that should be the question - Who do you think RR would have preferred MFC have picked:

a) Natanui or

B) Watts

Myself i'd ask:

Is there any point in having poll on who we should have picked?

a) yes; it is endlessly fascinating to dissect previous drafting decisions, particularly those of almost completely different football department and playing the 'we should have picked (insert flavor of the month player) instead of (insert maligned MFC player) or

B) no; unless i'm mistaken there is no such thing as a time machine that means a different decision can be made now

We've got what we've got. Pointless poll.

Most of the staff around during that draft are no longer with us (actually, except Tim Harrington...), and we have Watts. So let's get behind what we have rather than beginning a poll full of pre-determined agendas.

On a side note, I'd like to hear why Harrington is still part of our draft/recruitment team when just about everyone else has been moved on. Is he any good? Anyone know of his credentials?

This is really a question of "would I prefer Jack Watts at Melbourne and Nick Naitanui at West Coast OR Jack Watts at West Coast and Nick Naitanui at Fremantle/West Coast."

The FACT is that there is no doubt Nick Naitanui would have split back home the first chance he got. Jack Watts was our only option, and he is a damn fine footballer anyway.

One of your worst RR. There should be a 4th option of none of the above.

Two totally different players who play different roles at two teams on opposite sides of the ladder at the moment.

It would be like saying who was a better player, David Neitz or Nathan Bourke???

A better player to compare Watts to is Brendon Goddard and where they were both at at this stage of their careers.

Looks like NikNat is surging ...

Range Rover, the last time you started a NicNat thread (something absurd like Naitainui will be the greatest player in history), the kid came out the very next week and barely got a touch. So why don't you give it a rest with starting new threads?

Sheedy would have thrown everything into getting Nic Nat he would have been the poster boy.

Correct. Would have gone home to Perth or alternatively be the highest paid player in the league at Breakfast Point. No way he would ever have stayed. Probably told us this before the draft.

RR started it because the commentators were ejaculating all over their microphones during the game on the telly.

Yes looks great flying through the air, missed two easy set shots and handball/kicking effiiciency was 53%, but hey he's the Messiah

Again he has a big guy called Cox sharing the ruck duties and there was no Darren Jolly

Yes he will be a really good player....but the overkill bores me

"I thought Naitanui, in particular, was damaging around the ground" - Nathan Buckley after the game Sat. night.

"I thought Naitanui, in particular, was damaging around the ground" - Nathan Buckley after the game Sat. night.

"The way they moved and the way that they played the game, you certainly think, are we seeing the superpower of the future?" - Michael Voss after Melbourne's demolition of Sydney in Round 17, 2010

Let's just let things play out without making silly predictions and exaggerations, huh?

Edited August 27, 201212 yr by Chook

Ask me in 10 years RR, don't have my crystal ball.

Naitanui could play with a a full surround sound stereo system and 42" plasma TV strapped to his back and he'd still be better than Watts.

Gee, RR your love affair with Nic Nat is becoming embarrassing. Change the needle mate. Sure he took a couple of grabs this week but last week NOT ONE MARK!( and a measly 9 possessions). Check for yourself if you don't believe me. As I've said Watts is a FOOTBALLER, Nic is an ATHLETE.

Edited August 27, 201212 yr by Bobby McKenzie

I'm not sure yet because of one very important factor:

One of these players can use the footy.

One can't.

Gee, RR your love affair with Nic Nat is becoming embarrassing. Change the needle mate. Sure he took a couple of grabs this week but last week NOT ONE MARK! Check for yourself if you don't believe me. As I've said Watts is a FOOTBALLER, Nic is an ATHLETE.

Do TheAge Monday footy poll to see who was voted the best player of the round across ALL games, with 34% of the vote ...

Halfway down on the right of the page.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl

Do TheAge Monday footy poll to see who was voted the best player of the round across ALL games, with 34% of the vote ...

Halfway down on the right of the page.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl

Shows just how much they are influenced by someone who can leap high in the air doesn't it? 17 possessions for 1 goal 3 is hardly brilliant football is it? Surely Priddis and Kerr were much more valuable. And it is just ONE game. You didn't raise this topic after Nic's effort against Port last week with just 9 possessions.

Do TheAge Monday footy poll to see who was voted the best player of the round across ALL games, with 34% of the vote ...

Halfway down on the right of the page.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl

You're relying on an Age poll for evidence? Even you know more about footy than the kind of people who would vote on an online Player of the Week poll.

Edited August 27, 201212 yr by Chook

Won't know for a while yet. One is playing in a team who are absolute rubbish and one in a side which is going OK. Natanui is however, currently the most over rated footballer in the League for what he actually does.

Do TheAge Monday footy poll to see who was voted the best player of the round across ALL games, with 34% of the vote ...

I'm confused RR. You start a poll then periodically try to influence the outcome of said poll by pumping up the case for one of the options. Hardly likely to be a reliable result then is it. So what's the point of it (other than winding people up)?

Why not start a thread called "Why i believe Natanui should have been selected by the MFC instead of Watts". It would be a lot more transparent.

Edit: had to laugh, just looked at the photos you included in the initial post. Natanui taking a screamer and Watts being tackled and dragged to the ground. That's funny.

Edited August 27, 201212 yr by binman

Am I the only one who finds these sorts of discussions an absolute bore? Yes, many of us are disappointed with aspects with Watts' game. Yes, other good players were available in that draft (amazing! Other good players in a draft? I can't believe it.) But hindcasting is one of the most tedious and useless exercises we can do as people.

There's nothing to learn from a Watts vs Naitanui thread. If Watts was a poor pick then it's because Watts was a poor pick; it's got nothing to do with the fact that Naitanui was also available. It's why I also find the Cook vs Darling discussions boring. The reason Cook was a poor pick is not because Darling was available, Cook was a poor pick because as it turns out, he's not much of a player.

Was James Frawley a bad pick, considering Jack Riewoldt was available?

Won't know for a while yet. One is playing in a team who are absolute rubbish and one in a side which is going OK. Natanui is however, currently the most over rated footballer in the League for what he actually does.

Maybe -but when he does do what he does do it is damn delightful.(say that 10 times fast)

I love Jack Watts.... But I am man enough to put my bias to the side and admit we got this wrong.

These guys are entering their 5th year next year... There has been enough time to judge.

We drafted a 196cm key forward, WC drafted a 202cm ruckman.

One is getting possesions as a loose man in defence in a terrible team, the other is tearing Collingwood to pieces in the ruck.

To say we got it right at this point proves you do not watch other football teams.

I'm not sure yet because of one very important factor:

One of these players can use the footy.

One can't.

I understand your point, but I would say palming the ball from a ruck contest down the throat of your midfielder was good 'use' of the ball.

YMMV

Am I the only one who finds these sorts of discussions an absolute bore? Yes, many of us are disappointed with aspects with Watts' game. Yes, other good players were available in that draft (amazing! Other good players in a draft? I can't believe it.) But hindcasting is one of the most tedious and useless exercises we can do as people. There's nothing to learn from a Watts vs Naitanui thread. It's just an opportunity to exercise one's disappointment gland if one is so inclined.

hindcasting- you forgot to add irritating, grating and plain annoying. If I had the tattslotto numbers for tomorrow night now I would be sure of getting some sort of payout.

Gee Nasher, I wish you had posted this on this thread before this thread was started.

I have been in Jack Watts corner but to me he has been extremely disappointing this year. To play Watts of Half Back just shows how far this guy has gone backwards. He was a better player last year and had a run of games up forward that still IMO are the best games he has played at the club. Moving him to the back half would have been good if he was to play on tall forwards, he played mainly on smalls and zoned off. We drafted a key forward that is 4 years in the system and still doesn't have enough body strength to compete. Nic Nat has Jack Watts covered by a country mile, the way he hunts to ball and attacks the contest is amazing, Watts has a lot more talent but Nic Nat wants the contest, he wants the footy he wants body contact.

These guys are entering their 5th year next year... There has been enough time to judge.

If you want to take a poll of the right or wrong to date I would say pointless but you can make a comparison and I think NN has had a bigger impact.

There has been enough time to judge ? At risk of repeating myself- for every really good KPP who have delivered by 21 I will give you 5 other really good KPP's who didnt start to deliver consistently until 23 . The key forward who tore us a new one yesterday drafted a year ahead of Watts and has only started to show any sort of consistency this year at age 22.(in and out his first year, dropped in 2010 and dropped last year as well)