Jack Watts Thread

[biggestred 4,377]

Are you serious?

Could it be the fact that virtually all our players have gone backwards since his appointment?

Could it be we went from a team who had won 8.5 games in the previous two seasons to a team that effectively won just one game last years (not counting new franchises) and could well go winless this season?

Could it be the stampede of our better players desperate to leave the club at the end of last season. These included a life long Melbourne supporter in Moloney?

Could it be the complete failure of Neeld to develop any of our early draft picks in the 18 months he has been the HEAD coach?

Could it be the complete lack of a visible game plan, or the complete failure to instill the defensive pressure Neeld himself identified as a major weakness?

Or could it be the failure to create a game plan the suits the young players on our list rather than trying to install an old Collingwood game plan that required big forwards and big bodies mid-fielders, a game plan that is superseded and all teams understand and know how to defeat.

Perhaps its the complete lack of confidence and the loss of the natural flare of our players.

Perhaps its the complete failure to being able to get the best out of his players (the primary responsibility of any coach), the complete failure to inspire get the players up to play for the gurnsey.

Then again Neelds recruiting was great (not). Lets trade out young early draft picks for 30yo has beens who can't even cement a place in the worst team since the dying days of Fitzroy.

Perhaps we should look at the form of some of the players we delisted like and, Pettard, Martin. They look a hell of a lot better than the duds we picked up.

Maybe I feel its Neelds fault because we were just beaten by 148 points with just 35 tackles!!!!!!!!!! 50 less tackles than 186.

Perhaps it was the poor treatment of our senior players in 2012, the sacking of Green as Captain, the sacking of Maloney and Rivers from the leadership group and installing players with less than 30 games experience as captains!!!!! (No disrespect intended to these boys). Not surprisingly all these players have run to the exit.

Whatever the case, responsibility for these things falls to the head coach.

NEELD MUST GO NEXT!!! He is a DUD. He should resign in shame.

He is the worst mistake our club has made since sacking Norm Smith…….. and to think we could have held out and made a play for Malthouse or Roos.

Thanks for that caro

[Josh 1,420]

Seen a guy buying these yesterday, bit below the belt I know but I couldnt help myself...

[Jack Jack Tappy 112]

Go barrack for some

Seen a guy buying these yesterday, bit below the belt I know but I couldnt help myself...

Go barrack for someone else idiot.

[Josh 1,420]

Come on Russian that's funny

[Deano74 156]

Bring him back next week and play him across half foward.

[Deemotivated 550]

Feel free to shout me down but is it worth making Jack more accountable this week by playing him against the giants as a dedicated defender. No loose man garbage but playing man on man... No excuses.

Frawley could then play loose if that's how Neeld wants to set up or even give him a week at casey or rest.

[Deano74 156]

Are you serious?

Could it be the fact that virtually all our players have gone backwards since his appointment?

Could it be we went from a team who had won 8.5 games in the previous two seasons to a team that effectively won just one game last years (not counting new franchises) and could well go winless this season?

Could it be the stampede of our better players desperate to leave the club at the end of last season. These included a life long Melbourne supporter in Moloney?

Could it be the complete failure of Neeld to develop any of our early draft picks in the 18 months he has been the HEAD coach?

Could it be the complete lack of a visible game plan, or the complete failure to instill the defensive pressure Neeld himself identified as a major weakness?

Or could it be the failure to create a game plan the suits the young players on our list rather than trying to install an old Collingwood game plan that required big forwards and big bodies mid-fielders, a game plan that is superseded and all teams understand and know how to defeat.

Perhaps its the complete lack of confidence and the loss of the natural flare of our players.

Perhaps its the complete failure to being able to get the best out of his players (the primary responsibility of any coach), the complete failure to inspire get the players up to play for the gurnsey.

Then again Neelds recruiting was great (not). Lets trade out young early draft picks for 30yo has beens who can't even cement a place in the worst team since the dying days of Fitzroy.

Perhaps we should look at the form of some of the players we delisted like and, Pettard, Martin. They look a hell of a lot better than the duds we picked up.

Maybe I feel its Neelds fault because we were just beaten by 148 points with just 35 tackles!!!!!!!!!! 50 less tackles than 186.

Perhaps it was the poor treatment of our senior players in 2012, the sacking of Green as Captain, the sacking of Maloney and Rivers from the leadership group and installing players with less than 30 games experience as captains!!!!! (No disrespect intended to these boys). Not surprisingly all these players have run to the exit.

Whatever the case, responsibility for these things falls to the head coach.

NEELD MUST GO NEXT!!! He is a DUD. He should resign in shame.

He is the worst mistake our club has made since sacking Norm Smith…….. and to think we could have held out and made a play for Malthouse or Roos.

Watts played his best and most consistent footy under neeld last year in defence. I think we would all love to know why he hasnt reproduced that football, probably including himself. I think we all thought last year that he was showing what we had hope he would be. Hes going to get another crack and hopefully this week and im sure he would like to prove everyone wrong. Todays first half showed that when the players apply themselves they can compete.

[Deano74 156]

Feel free to shout me down but is it worth making Jack more accountable this week by playing him against the giants as a dedicated defender. No loose man garbage but playing man on man... No excuses.

Frawley could then play loose if that's how Neeld wants to set up or even give him a week at casey or rest.

I think he needs to be up forward playing along side Mitch, whom can give him direction and muscle.

[Gorgoroth 12,352]

I think it as Watts fault we lost after half time, he did not even get a stat!!!!!!

Needs to shave too!

[Deano74 156]

I think it as Watts fault we lost after half time, he did not even get a stat!!!!!!

Needs to shave too!

Taken over from Dunns mo. He does need to shave it off.

[cfe 30]

The Sunday Inquisition on ABC just absolutely ripped into the club's handling of Watts (and not just the past few weeks - going all the way back to his first game).

I have to say, I completely agree with them, especially in relation to the way he has been dealt with in the last few weeks. Here is what they said (and I agree with) in summation:

1. He should not have been subbed and thereby made into an easily identifiable target and scapegoat v. the Bombers - plenty of other players had played worse than or just as bad as him to that point, and no need to do that to someone who is already a lightning rod in the first place.

2. For the same reasons, he probably should not have been dropped.

3. Finally, if he was going to be dropped, he should not have been held back from Casey this weekend to be an emergency for the firsts. You don't improve by not playing football. I've heard Neeld's explanation with respect to the need to have him in Melbourne as a backup tall and it is BS - find someone else to be your tall emergency.

[Gorgoroth 12,352]

FFS, he was vomiting at half time, Neil Craig has said this on MMM, so once h did not get better he got subbed, what should we do leave him out here?

[censored] what the media think, the club did the right thing by a ill player.

MItch then needed a fitness test pre game and if he failed and Watts was at Ballrat we bring in Spencer........... Great swap that would have been.

So who is th tall you would have had? Gillies? Is ther another at Casey?

[Webber 10,181]

The Sunday Inquisition on ABC just absolutely ripped into the club's handling of Watts (and not just the past few weeks - going all the way back to his first game).

I have to say, I completely agree with them, especially in relation to the way he has been dealt with in the last few weeks. Here is what they said (and I agree with) in summation:

1. He should not have been subbed and thereby made into an easily identifiable target and scapegoat v. the Bombers - plenty of other players had played worse than or just as bad as him to that point, and no need to do that to someone who is already a lightning rod in the first place.

2. For the same reasons, he probably should not have been dropped.

3. Finally, if he was going to be dropped, he should not have been held back from Casey this weekend to be an emergency for the firsts. You don't improve by not playing football. I've heard Neeld's explanation with respect to the need to have him in Melbourne as a backup tall and it is BS - find someone else to be your tall emergency.

I heard this too cfe, and also agree. For some reason he is treated uniquely at this club as someone to be made an example of. Actually, I do know why, and it's because he was a no. 1 draft pick. The very point of a team game, one for all and all for one etc, should be that everybody should be treated equally. He is scapegoated because of expectations that the club has bought into via the media and thus public perception.

The other thing mentioned on the abc in conclusion was that had he been properly managed at another club, he would be an outright star by now.

The judgement and confidence to make the right decisions regardless of media pressure and perceptions at this club just seems to be completely absent at the moment, and they greatest problem the club faces now in respect to rebuilding a good list, is I think is being able to hold onto quality players or attract any quality TO the club.

I feel desperately sorry for players like Nathan Jones, Jack Viney and Jack Grimes, who ooze loyalty, because their playing careers are currently being smothered by the endless dysfunction at this club.

[mjt 640]

I heard this too cfe, and also agree. For some reason he is treated uniquely at this club as someone to be made an example of. Actually, I do know why, and it's because he was a no. 1 draft pick. The very point of a team game, one for all and all for one etc, should be that everybody should be treated equally. He is scapegoated because of expectations that the club has bought into via the media and thus public perception.

The other thing mentioned on the abc in conclusion was that had he been properly managed at another club, he would be an outright star by now.

The judgement and confidence to make the right decisions regardless of media pressure and perceptions at this club just seems to be completely absent at the moment, and they greatest problem the club faces now in respect to rebuilding a good list, is I think is being able to hold onto quality players or attract any quality TO the club.

I feel desperately sorry for players like Nathan Jones, Jack Viney and Jack Grimes, who ooze loyalty, because their playing careers are currently being smothered by the endless dysfunction at this club.

Jack Watts is in this position because he has no heart.

[Webber 10,181]

Jack Watts is in this position because he has no heart.

Brilliant reply. Wow!

[The heart beats true 16,485]

The beard is gone! Repeat, the beard is gone!

[Ted Lasso 17,123]

The beard is gone! Repeat, the beard is gone!

The beard was apparently taking performance enhancing substances, so now it's gone we are clean and jack can play some good games

[robbiefrom13 877]

Jack Watts is in this position because he has no heart.

Brilliant reply. Wow!

I'm with Webber - some of the positions taken by regular posters on Demonland are not discussion, they are really dumb and offensive abuse. Tedious.

I know - just don't read it. Well, we are all supporters of the MFC, and we ought to be able to discuss, and hear what others with views different from our own have to say. Genuine interest is frustrated here, among fellow supporters, by these posters with their relentless and obdurate refusal to engage within the parameters of what is generally understood by "discussion".

[Chook 14,613]

Good win today, but Jack Watts is honestly screwed. He just does not have the courage or desire to impact games of footy. Get him out of the side ASAP and create that high-performance culture we're all looking for.

[stuie 7,374]

19 touches today, 9 contested, 84% efficiency... Some perspective please.

Not saying he was great, but wasn't as bad as people are TRYING to make out.

Edited April 21, 2013 by stuie

[Benson 254]

If Clark is out next week, Watts needs to sit inside 50.

He was an emergency last week for Clark. And now that Clark had injured his foot, JW should take that spot.

[Chook 14,613]

19 touches today, 9 contested, 84% efficiency... Some perspective please.

Not saying he was great, but wasn't as bad as people are TRYING to make out.

Fair enough, but the fact that I'm surprised he touched it that often speaks to the fact that he had no impact on the contest.

Edited April 21, 2013 by Chook

[Pennant St Dee 11,481]

He actually improved in the second half, was not great but the guy is actually mentally shot at the moment, there is a choice he plays the next 3 weeks straight at Casey where he makes a statement and can't be left out or he plays again next week. My gut tells me to play him again next week

[low flying Robbo 979]

I've been behind Watts all the way, but he seems to have completely lost all his confidence. He got caught out lagging behind his man numerous times on centre clearances today. I think it's time to drop him and let him dominate some VFL and get that confidence back. Worked last year...

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

19 touches today, 9 contested, 84% efficiency... Some perspective please.

Not saying he was great, but wasn't as bad as people are TRYING to make out.

If there was a stat for panicking with the ball or pulling out of contests you might actually take notice.

He did not want to be there today, at one point every time he got near the ball GWS seemed to score.

Woefully bad today.