On 16/04/2013 at 01:31, DemonWA said:

Another Jack Watts opinion piece? Boring, I'd prefer to read stories about Carlton being on the verge of 0-4, having no decent KPP's and the fact they lured Malthouse back from retirement with an outdated game plan?

My perfect morning read

First we cop it for letting go the likes of Moloney,Rivers, Petterd etc,and now they suggest we get rid of Watts too?

Any opportunity to sink the boots into a club when they are down is what the gutter journos of this town are offering.

Absolute trash

"Watts is not blameless in this situation. He certainly hasn¹t enhanced his status in his short time in the game, and when AFL playing list expert Terry Wallace last year re-analysed the 2008 national draft, he rated Watts a mid-20s selection only."

Well FMD. After 4 years Terry 're-analysed' the 2008 draft and places him mid twenties?? Revisionist clown.

  On 16/04/2013 at 02:24, Jaded said:

Ridiculous article, written by a ridiculous man, to feed the ridiculous masses of morons who have given up on a young KPF.

Harden up people!

Let's not kid ourselves... yes, this is a ridiculous article (well, unoriginal and no more enlightening than all before it), but kids like Watts will read these articles and over time will start to take note of the encouragements to seek greener pastures elsewhere so that they can taste success. That IS a cause for concern.

When you're calling Terry Wallace a playing list expert, you KNOW you're clutching at straws.

why aren't these pieces being written about scully, who is only a year behind Watts and on double the salary? or Matthew Kreuzer for that matter?

in the week before Round 1 Robbo said Watts would be an all-Australian backman this year - admittedly it was his 'big call' for the year on SEN but he was by no means laughed at making the suggestion. Luke Hodge - No 1 draft pick in 2001 - got his first and only All Australian selection in 2008. Watts hasnt started well but he's played 2 games in a woeful side. he certainly isnt alone.

how old is Watts again? i can deal with Petterd holding down a half back flank in the undefeated tigers (sort of), but if we lose the 22 year old Watts at the end of this year it will be a terrible, terrible error.

  On 16/04/2013 at 03:22, low down said:

why aren't these pieces being written about scully, who is only a year behind Watts and on double the salary? or Matthew Kreuzer for that matter?

in the week before Round 1 Robbo said Watts would be an all-Australian backman this year - admittedly it was his 'big call' for the year on SEN but he was by no means laughed at making the suggestion. Luke Hodge - No 1 draft pick in 2001 - got his first and only All Australian selection in 2008. Watts hasnt started well but he's played 2 games in a woeful side. he certainly isnt alone.

how old is Watts again? i can deal with Petterd holding down a half back flank in the undefeated tigers (sort of), but if we lose the 22 year old Watts at the end of this year it will be a terrible, terrible error.

No one will have a go at the AFL pin up boy.

The AFL have invested alot in him to get him to GWS - not a surprise no one wants to call him out on his failures as it would just be another failed AFL marketing move (like Israel Folau)

  On 16/04/2013 at 02:22, Bossdog said:

Another Watts thread??????

Geezzz, it's been done to death.....Can we please have no more Jack threads.......

Amen to that Brother.

  On 16/04/2013 at 03:28, PJ_12345 said:

No one will have a go at the AFL pin up boy.

Footy Classified did a pretty good job of it last night.

He's averaging 15 possessions a game, one-third of which are clangers (2nd or 3rd highest total in league), and has given away the 2nd or 3rd highest number of free kicks in the league.

So he's barely doing anything, and what he does do is generally to the detriment of his team.

  On 16/04/2013 at 03:13, McQueen said:

"Watts is not blameless in this situation. He certainly hasn¹t enhanced his status in his short time in the game, and when AFL playing list expert Terry Wallace last year re-analysed the 2008 national draft, he rated Watts a mid-20s selection only."

Well FMD. After 4 years Terry 're-analysed' the 2008 draft and places him mid twenties?? Revisionist clown.

Where did he place Tambling when he revised that draft?

  On 16/04/2013 at 03:40, Grapeviney said:

Footy Classified did a pretty good job of it last night.

He's averaging 15 possessions a game, one-third of which are clangers (2nd or 3rd highest total in league), and has given away the 2nd or 3rd highest number of free kicks in the league.

So he's barely doing anything, and what he does do is generally to the detriment of his team.

That makes me feel all nice and warm inside.

What makes me feel sick is that the Dees picked another dud.

We were lucky with this one we got out of it but bloody hell we are pathetic at picking talent and more importantly DEVELOPING them.

  On 16/04/2013 at 01:24, Cudi_420 said:

"Maybe it can be traced back to his very first game in the AFL, round 11 2009. Having quarantined Watts from the pressures of the big-time for the first half of the season, Melbourne officials abandoned the cotton-wool approach and, putting its own public relations requirements ahead of Watts, unveiled him in front of 61,000 spectators in the Queen¹s Birthday game against Collingwood."

He's not wrong about that.

That entire thing was embarrassing for the club and Watts. They actually made an announcement as the team ran out: "Ladies and gentlement, No.1 draft pick Jack Watts, and the Melbourne Football Club."

God awful.

I don't buy this at all. I know it's the conventional wisdom, but one moment does not wreck a career unless it is an injury you don't come back from. Jack has been sheltered behind rubbish like this for a long time now and it doesn't cut it for me.

Probably not a great decision by the club but the tripe that's been talked about it since...we are talking about an elite level sportsman and if he can't shake this off he shouldn't be taking the cash.

The Collingwood game would be the least of his problems, Neeld's handling of him may be a bigger one.

  On 16/04/2013 at 02:05, Al said:

Not sure if you're referring to my post as a joke, but in response to yours- How is Cale Morton finding it in a top side?? Top sides don't gift players games but back themselves to turn careers around. We drafted Watts as a forward, with recent recruiting Neeld doesn't want him up there, reading pre season training reports he was the go to man coming out of defence....dropped after two games. He is running out of options. Neeld, Craig and Misson are not stupid, any chance Jack might be part of the problem. We often ask should we have traded Sylia while he still had youth on his side, lets learn from that.

My response was in reference to the article not your post.

I am just tired (fatigued, weary, etc etc) of seeing players with apparent talent exit because we cant get the best out of them.

Morton in my opinion will struggle to break into any side in AFL. He is not quick enough to play outside, not stong enough to play key position and not hard enough to play in and under.

I suspect that nearly every AFL side would play Jack Watts in their team however.

Anyway - I guess I am just getting fed up!

Put Watts on the wing and let him run

  On 16/04/2013 at 03:13, McQueen said:

AFL playing list expert Terry Wallace

Quite possibly the funniest collection of words in the football world.

And right now I don't care if Watts walks (or we throw him out). He's a ballerina. He should be doing that on a Saturday afternoon rather than embarrassing him and us by pretending to play a contact sport. He was a waste of a good pick and the only thing of note he'll do in his football career is be a trivia question at our expense in years to come.

Damien Barrett clearly doesn't like us and he makes no secret of it, as mark neeld said, jack watts was ill as well as out of form and that's why he was subbed, he is a confidence player who was feeling like crap and getting destroyed on the field, makes no sense to leave him out there.

  On 16/04/2013 at 05:25, Demonfan26 said:

Damien Barrett clearly doesn't like us and he makes no secret of it, as mark neeld said, jack watts was ill as well as out of form and that's why he was subbed, he is a confidence player who was feeling like crap and getting destroyed on the field, makes no sense to leave him out there.

Its amazing how journalists cant stand the club, we havnt won a thing for 50 yrs and they still stick the boots in, who gives a [censored] what Damion Ferret thinks, if jack wants to leave the balls in his court.

Disagree with Barrett.

It was time for Watts to go last year. We could've got something half decent for him.

Barrett's a muppett, there's no question there. But there is some method to his madness.

Watt's was woeful for the first couple of games, there is no debate there. But so was most of the team. Watt's has more talent in his little finger than majority of players in the team. Either he doesn't believe what the coach is selling and that translates to his onfield performance or the Coach is playing him horribly out of position and Watts is losing his confidence in him because of this.

I do share a similar view that it wouldn't surprise to me Watts did ask for a trade at the end of the year. Its simple that he'll be scapegoat for Neeld should the team do poorly this year, hence Sellar, Pedersen and Sylvia to name kept their spot in the side, Sylvia I believe is waste of talent its so bloody frustrating watching him play week in week out and hardly delivering. If I were Watts I'd be filthy that someone like Sylvia still gets a game, yet he's the scapegoat more often than not.

I do hope he stays on, but I won't be surprised if he leaves at the end of the year...actually I wouldn't be surprised if his manager isn't already fielding calls from opposition clubs. His five years at the club starting from that Queens Bday Deebacle back in 2009 when he was used as a marketing tool has been nothing but a state of mediocrity. IMO I think he needs a fresh start else where.

  On 16/04/2013 at 01:59, Chook said:

How dare he make our pin-up boy earn his spot! Dean Bailey would have never done that!

Agree, unless he plays this week and therefore didn't earn it, got it back anyway. That would be a WTF Neeld moment for me.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HeraldSunAflMelbourne/~3/hol_MwbmgS4/story-e6frf9mf-1226621044560

  On 16/04/2013 at 05:46, Deestroy All said:

Disagree with Barrett.

It was time for Watts to go last year. We could've got something half decent for him.

We have already jettisoned two high draft picks that for very little (Pedersen) we can afford to keep the one bloke that has a chance to be something.

If we were to entertain the idea of Trading Jack watts ( i hope we don't because he is only 22 and i thought he showed how good he can be in patches last year and this pre season)

What would be a suitable trade?

maybe to St Kilda for Nick dal santo who is out of contract? an elite midfielder with fantastic disposal who would thrill clark, dawes and hogan and be able to teach our younger mids alot

a successful player at a strong club ( just what mark neeld likes )

Take that back, he's a free agent... but that sort of player anyway.

Barret should post this:

Mick Malhouse's home

Knock knock

Who's there??

Norton?

Norton who?

Naught-n-three

(Tee Hee)

  On 16/04/2013 at 03:57, Born to Run said:

My response was in reference to the article not your post.

I am just tired (fatigued, weary, etc etc) of seeing players with apparent talent exit because we cant get the best out of them.

Morton in my opinion will struggle to break into any side in AFL. He is not quick enough to play outside, not stong enough to play key position and not hard enough to play in and under.

I suspect that nearly every AFL side would play Jack Watts in their team however.

Anyway - I guess I am just getting fed up!

Morton is now at a top AFL club, he's not to late to be saved, if we were the problem. But I think he's got the same problem as Watts. If other clubs landed Watts where would he line up??