I've been a strong Watts supporter but I want to see him play out the season before contract talks are held. I think the goal of being in the MFC top six players is a good one but won't play a part in salary negotiations, since he is still in the front half of his career.

The variables involved in salary cap management are intricate but it would seem we have room. We should wait until the end of the season and then pay him what he's worth, whether that be $500k or a bag of doughnuts.

The other school of thought would be to try and sign him up ASAP before he plays well enough to demand more dollars. As long as he signs a MFC contract I'm happy.

Hope a three year deal is being negotiated. Pay him what he's worth. Could be incentive based, as a previous poster mentioned. Next 3 yrs will see him become one of our top 3 players, IMO. He'll get stronger and bigger, and with that, he'll get greater confidence to go harder at it when required. Isn't he only 22?

The other school of thought would be to try and sign him up ASAP before he plays well enough to demand more dollars. As long as he signs a MFC contract I'm happy.

True, but it's speculative. You would obviously have to balance potential saving and risk and there are so many variables involved in list management.

So really, I just agree with your last sentence.

If the club starts procrastinating on the issue there are other biig clubs out there who would be mighty keen.

Absolutely think that Watts should be locked up ASAP. I'm not of the school of thought that it should happen to secure a bargain, as I believe he should be fairly paid for what he brings to the table, but the distraction that these things can cause throughout a season is too big a burden to bear, as we've all seen this before and it ain't pretty, haha. I definitely think he will prove himself this year. Whilst not expecting a breakout, I believe that it will be a year where he does enough to silence most of the doubters (albeit the most voracious of them will probably never be swayed regardless of whatever he may do). Come on Killa,show us what you're made of!

I can't imagine Watts leaving our club.

He is a Vic lad, his family live in Melbourne as far as I know.

We have enough coin to match other offers.

If rumors are true that we did try to offload Watts - then a cloud goes over Neeld somewhat because offloading Watts was the more ridiculous ideas I'd heard of since we got rid of Junior.

Jack Watts was always going to develop late like Tom Hawkins, they both dominated juniors and just need time.

I am not sold Neeld tried to offload Watts either, surely he isn't that silly, he seems pretty switched on and Watts worked hard last year.

It wasn't that Neeld didn't rate Watts, but he had to weigh up whether it wasn't more valuable to the club to trade him out for an A-grade midfield talent ... the area where we are mostly glowingly deficient.

The offers weren't good enough, however (a sign that Neeld actually rates Watts highly).

Pay on outcome not potential. If he has a good year, great pay him then.

Would we rather pay $400-$500k/year to Watts or use that money to throw at a guy like Dale Thomas (we could have the capacity to do both but just using as an example). I wouldn't be falling over myself to resign him yet though I hope he does at the end of the day.

Let him play for a bit.

He's nowhere near being a FA so he is tethered. I want to see some good footy.

I think it's in Jacks best interests to play and sort out the contract later. In a way, so too the clubs. I think it will be sorted before May, myself. (But I don't like making predictions having been stung by Blease rolling his ankle after putting forth a prediction - so....I'll take it back).

Looking at Supercoach the other day (not that it means anything....), I noticed he is ranked 3rd out of the club in terms of $value behind Jones and Grimes. So there's a useless stat for some to suck on.

Personally I think this 21yo is in for an important year this season. I'd like to see some further progress in his game and his development and confidence and like the OP'er I believe there is every chance that we'll see progress by Watts.

I hope he doesn't read these forums. He'd go for sure if he did.

First, your rumours are backward. Interest was shown by other clubs, and they were told 'thanks but no thanks'.

Second, in a manner which is so ordinary and long-standing that it barely rates a mention unless the media decide to make a run of it, Jack Watts will be playing football this season and over the course of the season he, his manager and the clubs will seek to come to a suitable contract agreement based on his apparent performance.

Third... well.. this place is some kind of psych case study. I can picture the full cycle of 'club is no good because they + outlandish expectation of alternative' ravings.

2012 - 'Club is failing by keeping Watts, he's no good, they should get rid of him in a trade for Naitanui'

2013 - 'Club is failing by not signing up Watts, they should give him a five year deal'

2014 - 'Club should never have signed Watts, they should trade him for Jack Darling'

Second, in a manner which is so ordinary and long-standing that it barely rates a mention unless the media decide to make a run of it, Jack Watts will be playing football this season and over the course of the season he, his manager and the clubs will seek to come to a suitable contract agreement based on his apparent performance.

Now where have I heard that line trotted out before ...?

If RR hasnt gone through 360 then neither have I.....but...

It would be a disaster to lose him now because he's the sort of cream that will rise to the top of a good team.

Get the rest of the joint playing good hard footy and watch Watts gradually morph into a unique elite player.

Sign him mid year if possible,3 years, good pay.

Assuming he's still looking the goods when the opposition starts going in hard again

Don't forget, it's arguable that at 21 he's only really had two pre-seasons and one full year of AFL standard football. I'm becoming more and more convinced that the Bailey years were way off the standard. Watts is also still undersized - if he's 90kg (as I'm sure I saw reported somewhere) he's about 5-6kg under the weight he needs to be. If he can add that weight around his hips (without losing pace) he'll have a much better centre of gravity and be able to contest in packs more.

Don't forget, it's arguable that at 21 he's only really had two pre-seasons and one full year of AFL standard football. I'm becoming more and more convinced that the Bailey years were way off the standard. Watts is also still undersized - if he's 90kg (as I'm sure I saw reported somewhere) he's about 5-6kg under the weight he needs to be. If he can add that weight around his hips (without losing pace) he'll have a much better centre of gravity and be able to contest in packs more.

I've seen him listed as 88kgs this year which is probably incorrect, but in any case he's definitely shed weight since Misson and Craig came on board.

I think that 95kg is unlikely to eventuate and he's going to be lithe,moblie and destructive with hand and foot but not his body.

I've seen him listed as 88kgs this year which is probably incorrect, but in any case he's definitely shed weight since Misson and Craig came on board.

I think that 95kg is unlikely to eventuate and he's going to be lithe,moblie and destructive with hand and foot but not his body.

He will definitely never be a crash-bang type. I think we've all accepted that now.

But he can be the equal of Goddard or Birchall in the back half for us. Maybe even better.

But he can be the equal of Goddard or Birchall in the back half for us. Maybe even better.

I'm still hanging out for equal to,or better than, Goodes myself

I've gone completely 360 on Watts in the last 10 months. Mid last year i thought to myself - he's gonna be a star, will be close to our most important player in 2013, will push for AA selection in 2013 and by 2016 will be a AA regular. I still think that.

I've gone completely 360 on Watts in the last 10 months.

So you have the same opinion as before?

I've seen him listed as 88kgs this year which is probably incorrect, but in any case he's definitely shed weight since Misson and Craig came on board.

I think that 95kg is unlikely to eventuate and he's going to be lithe,moblie and destructive with hand and foot but not his body.

Playing at 91.5kg this year with intent still to get him to 95 - 96kg.

Source: Overhead somone who should know stating same in crowd at Dees v Saints NAB Cup game.

So you have the same opinion as before?

Yes, that's the joke. Stand on a spot, turn 360 degrees, and tell me if your view of the world has changed much.

So you have the same opinion as before?

If you read his post, yes, that's exactly what he is saying.

Next year we will still have a stack of first year players and will need to give a few guys a decent payday to meet the salary floor. Jack will be one who benefits from this.

I've gone completely 360 on Watts in the last 10 months. Mid last year i thought to myself - he's gonna be a star, will be close to our most important player in 2013, will push for AA selection in 2013 and by 2016 will be a AA regular. I still think that.

So did your opinion change, or did it stay the same throughout 2012?

So you have the same opinion as before?

Ah.....yes.

Ah.....yes.

This just in...Jack Watts blamed for supporter having the same view on Jack Watts as he did 12 months ago.