Ok, there is a fundamental disconnect here because I think most of us sit in the following camp:

We want all our players to want to stay but there would be only a handful of players we wouldn't trade to get a better player back.

Now with that mindset - how can we damn someone, who has had issues with our previous coach, to wait on who will be our next coach and what direction we will move in?

I want to keep him but I would move him if the right trade came in.

Watts isn't my best friend at the moment but I'd still keep him. Hogan, Mitch, Dawes and watts is a damn good forward line.

It all depends on what/how Jack feels?

If he wants ca$h or other, & wants out, then GWS may have a handsome offer for him? to me it depends on his desire & hunger?

If he wants off, then we can see wats on offer around the traps??? maybe the adams family would like a home in Melbourne?

over to you Jack.

I'd trade the pea-heart, because he'll never dominate in a final and he has some reasonable currency still.

Terminate him for a quality mid who keeps his feet over the ball. Someone who can help drive the engine room and actually influence the results of games.

I'd trade the pea-heart, because he'll never dominate in a final and he has some reasonable currency still.

Terminate him for a quality mid who keeps his feet over the ball. Someone who can help drive the engine room and actually influence the results of games.

But no quality mid would want to come to us. It is Watts, or pick ~#10-15, or fringe players like Robinson and Bell.

I also think you are underrating his potential improvement.

Just before jones started to play well, there were threads like this about him.....

I'd keep Watts.... Trading him for Swallow or Gibbs is just swapping deck chairs.... Swallow has done nothing and Gibbs is softer.... If we can wait 8 years for Sylvia than we can wait 8 for watts.... I'd rather watch watts grow here then watch him dominate for another team....

Definate keep for me....

Edit: after the footy though... Watts is definitely gone....

How about watch him stay and under perform on huge money? Thats our usual outcome>

But no quality mid would want to come to us. It is Watts, or pick ~#10-15, or fringe players like Robinson and Bell.

I also think you are underrating his potential improvement.

If we can somehow prize David Swallow to the club using Watts I'd be delirious. But I accept your point. I'd also trade him for Carlton's pick 9.

Underrating his potential improvement ? Dunno. I don't underrate his natural ability, but yes, I don't think he has the mind of a winner. One can only judge by what is before them.

Whilst Swallow is a good young player (better than Watts), I think he has grossly underperformed as a number one draft pick and seems to escape any criticism.

keep

Whilst Swallow is a good young player (better than Watts), I think he has grossly underperformed as a number one draft pick and seems to escape any criticism.

The upside to Swallow is enormous compared to JW.

Swallow wants to compete.

I'm never one to sit on the fence, but I am unsure about Jack's stance.

Part of me says if Jack wants to stay, he would've already committed.

Another part of me says we have been a rabble this year and Jack is well within his rights to wait this out.

Either way, we need to keep Watts if we can, he is going to be a hell of a player.

I still think Watts will be a superstar and I'd keep him at all costs, I reckon he is exactly the type of bloke we need around the club.

Watts has an air of confidence, always has, even though he is much maligned, if this bloke keeps improving, that confidence will rub off on the group collectively.

How about watch him stay and under perform on huge money? Thats our usual outcome>

you mean like the rest of our list?

The upside to Swallow is enormous compared to JW.

Swallow wants to compete.

I think it's debatable either way.

One could argue that Watts was never going to be dominate in his first 4 years.

Given Jack came into the system a skinny kid - whereas Swallow had the body from the get-go.

Watts is improving at a more rapid rate than Swallow - who realistically has underwhelmed, considering he already has a mature body.

Swallow is a tremendous talent. He's been played off half-back and is having an ordinary year, but I've seen enough of swallow to be certain he'll become an A-grade mid.

And he addresses a need, class in the midfield.

But I am surprised he hasn't progressed further this year. His third year reminds me of Cotchin. Everyone was expecting Cotchin to break out in his third, but he didn't. It took until his 4th until he got motoring.

And no point comparing watts and swallow. One puts their head over it and plays in a part of the ground we're deficient. If you wouldn't do a straight swap your nuts. Unfortunately the Suns aren't nuts.

Just before jones started to play well, there were threads like this about him.....

I'd keep Watts.... Trading him for Swallow or Gibbs is just swapping deck chairs.... Swallow has done nothing and Gibbs is softer.... If we can wait 8 years for Sylvia than we can wait 8 for watts.... I'd rather watch watts grow here then watch him dominate for another team....

Definate keep for me....

Edit: after the footy though... Watts is definitely gone....

Comparing Watts and Jones is not comparing apples with apples. One gives his all, has built his body into a machine, puts his body on the line repeatedly, has worked on his deficiencies and bleeds red n blue. The other gives occasionally, jogs instead of gut runs, has untapped potential and skill, wants success in order to re-sign rather than leading by example in a winning side. I. Think you can guess who is who.

And no, we cannot wait 8 years to see Jack become as disappointing as Colin Silvia.

The upside to Swallow is enormous compared to JW.

Swallow wants to compete.

One Swallow a midfield doth not make, but it'd be an excellent step in the right direction. Lets hope GC spit him out.

Watts isn't my best friend at the moment but I'd still keep him. Hogan, Mitch, Dawes and watts is a damn good forward line.

Too many talls Cowboy and not enuf quality mids to get it there often enough to matter nor decent smalls/mid sized agile forwards to crumb/kick goals. Too cumbersome and slow when the ball hits the deck. Opposition will lick their chops at the prospect of playing us with such a "too tall" foward line.

Watts prefers the easy route to success and is never going to miraculously find the grunt and hard nosed work ethic (tackling, 2nd/3rd efforts etc) so needed in today's game. Won't get himself to the top let alone the team with his present "kick it to me kick it to me" sooky la la soft [censored] attitude.

While he still has some value and provided we can secure a solid mid and/or a decent small crumbing goal kicking forward I would be happy to see us trade.

Trade

Not interested in him after his footy show performance

That was a disgrace

Over it

Be lucky to get a second round pick though

If Watts was your son, would you want him to stay or go? I believe he could be a very good player with some good players around him. Yeah he will frustrate you when he looks like his is going half pace. But sadly will never be a Brown or Reiwoldt half forward. He could be a great player but don't know if he will be if he stays at MFC.

I hope he stays.

If Watts was your son, would you want him to stay or go? I believe he could be a very good player with some good players around him. Yeah he will frustrate you when he looks like his is going half pace. But sadly will never be a Brown or Reiwoldt half forward. He could be a great player but don't know if he will be if he stays at MFC.

I hope he stays.

if he were my son , a kick up the blurter for the bad hairstyle for starters

don't even get me started about the bumfluff on the face

don't think a great player will be his adornment at the end

he will be a jack dyer at best we hope

It's a tricky one, his best position is probably up forward but there will be no spot for him next year if all key forwards are fit, same with Fitzy he would be getting offers and waying up his future, how will he fit into the forward line next yr? & who will play the second ruck spot resting up forward??

Hogan Clark (small forward)

Sylvia Dawes Howe

traded already for Gibbs!

I would trade one million dollars for one and a half million dollars, but I wouldn't trade one dollar for fifty cents. How can I say whether I'd trade Jack Watts if I don't know what I'd trade him for? Every player in the AFL is tradeable for the right price, some just would require so much in return that clubs wouldn't do it. If we were offered a good enough deal for Watts then I'd do it, but any talk of accepting pick 15 or worse, given our suicidal drafting record, is madness. If we can trade him, possibly packaged with a pick depending on the player, for a very good young midfielder in the Swallow/Sloane/Adams sphere, then I'm all for it. Any avenues to help significantly improve the midfield without damaging the key position core of Frawley/Garland/McDonald-Clark/Hogan/Dawes should be rigorously explored.

Trade his heart aint in the club clear to see it last night, as much as i want him to suceed i doubt he wants to stay.

what currency he has well thats debateable

One Swallow a midfield doth not make, but it'd be an excellent step in the right direction. Lets hope GC spit him out.

Methinks they're not that stupid.