6-12-6-20-1

[hardtack 10,553]

They are all old topics.....

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again, there is nothing new under the sun. Ec1:9

....and if you reckon you can read my mind that's fantastic.

BTW I won't need the cigar... but maybe you should spark one up...might help you relax...

Ok, can't read your mind... so tell me, what was the point of your topic? Or is the answer in the bible?

[Retrospective 104]

It's called a discussion hardtack.

Our draftee is a long way behind the curve. Is that because we got the wrong bloke or because JW got the wrong club?...who knows. Could be both. We certainly set him up to fail to meet expectations but he's done his part in delivering that failure. His treatment this year (around the sub and being dropped then not playing at Casey) has been diabolical. His willingness to go when it's his turn is diabolical.

We have yet to see any sign of an ability to change the course of a game, small signs of his capability occasionally. NN is not perfect... but he's building a list of actions that show that he can turn up when required...as highlighted this week....find me one of those moments for Jack.

We'll be able to understand more about Jack when he is traded to Carlton. Maybe he'll go on to fulfill his promise. Maybe he'll just drift. In my opinion one thing is for sure; we are not seeing acceptable output from a number one draft pick with 50+ games of experience.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Retrospective

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,400]

Watts to the wing. No, Neeld will most likely not be there next year but I'm sick of reading crap that Watts has suffered at the hands of Neeld/Craig/Misson. They work as a team so by blaming one you are effectively blaming all of them. M Jones and Terlich don't seem to be suffering. Watts issue isn't his skills or fitness it's his fear of the physical contest. We have three power forwards plus Howe. Lets utilise his strengths, being on a wing he has pace to run to/ find space , then deliver the ball with precision to our key forwards. Would become a difficult match up. This year is gone, why not try this for the remainder of the games his is fit to play. Something I have mentioned before is that he must be made to boxing twice a week, including sparring. We've heard about individual training program's , well he should have base fitness by now, this should be included into his program. Jack is still young but needs to address his fear of the contest, or we simply cut our losses and trade him. Out of interest, any know how Morton in going in the seconds? Elite club with a hard nosed coach..... I'm not being smart but am implying their biggest setback is something they need to overcome themselves mentally.

[jackaub 1,402]

1 Melbourne Jack Watts Melbourne 59 1 2 West Coast Nicholas Naitanui West Coast 80 1 3 Fremantle Stephen Hill Fremantle 94 1 4 Port Adelaide Hamish Hartlett Port Adelaide 54 1 5 Essendon Michael Hurley Essendon 69 1 6 Carlton Christopher Yarran Carlton 70 1 7 Brisbane Daniel Rich Brisbane 86 1 8 Richmond Tyrone Vickery Richmond 61 1 9 North Melbourne Jack Ziebell North Melbourne 70 1 10 Adelaide Phil Davis GWS 45 1 11 Collingwood Steele Sidebottom Collingwood 93 1 12 Sydney Lewis Johnston Adelaide 3 1 13 St Kilda Tom Lynch Adelaide 17 1 14 Father/Son Western Bulldogs Ayce Cordy Western Bulldogs 17 1 15 Geelong Mitchell Brown Geelong 6 1 16 Hawthorn Ryan Schoenmakers Hawthorn 64 17 Priority Melbourne Sam Blease Melbourne 24 18 Priority West Coast Luke Shuey West Coast 60 2 19 Melbourne James Strauss Melbourne 21 2 20 West Coast Tom Swift 34 2 21 Fremantle Hayden Ballantyne Fremantle 72 2 22 Port Adelaide Jackson Trengove Port Adelaide 66 2 23 Essendon David Zaharakis Essendon 74 2 24 Fremantle Nicholas Suban Fremantle 70 2 25 Brisbane Jack Redden Brisbane 84 2 26 Richmond Jayden Post 30 2 27 North Melbourne Samuel Wright North Melbourne 60 2 28 Ade

So Who should we have picked given our poor Midfield maybe JW or Nic Nat were not what we needed

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,400]

When that draft took place we didn't have the three big forwards we have now.

[jackaub 1,402]

Still very poor selections in that year Blease/ Strauss etc

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,799]

Still very poor selections in that year Blease/ Strauss etc

both of them breaking a leg hasn't helped their development.

[mauriesy 7,299]

So Who should we have picked given our poor Midfield maybe JW or Nic Nat were not what we needed

#1: Hill, Hartlett or Rich.

#17, 19: Ballantyne, Zaharakis or Redden.

But, hey, it's done and dusted now.

[Moonshadow 17,676]

Ah yes, hindsight, what a marvellous thing. I'd have got it right every year with that up my sleeve.

[Retrospective 104]

if you were ranking the first 10 draftees of 2008 with today's knowledge I don't think Jack could get above 8th.? Still I suppose he is still at the club

1. Hill (3)

2. Rich (7)

3. Hartlett (4)

4. Ziebell (9)

5. Yarran (6)

6. NN (2)

7. Hurley (5)

8. Watts (1)

9. Vickery (8)

10. Davis (10)

[jackaub 1,402]

Ah yes, hindsight, what a marvellous thing. I'd have got it right every year with that up my sleeve.

Hay Moon

A lot on here never thought Jack Watts was the right choice and were roundly condemned by many here I suppose thay must have had foresight

Hindsight is not always necessary

[hardtack 10,553]

if you were ranking the first 10 draftees of 2008 with today's knowledge I don't think Jack could get above 8th.? Still I suppose he is still at the club

1. Hill (3)

2. Rich (7)

3. Hartlett (4)

4. Ziebell (9)

5. Yarran (6)

6. NN (2)

7. Hurley (5)

8. Watts (1)

9. Vickery (8)

10. Davis (10)

That's a pretty fair assessment, yet everyone still decries the fact that we didn't take Naitanui... for us, four of those first five (Rich has been a bit up and down) would have been far more useful, although I'm still of the opinion that we made the right choice in Watts.