The comparison you noted has been made because of their basketball backgrounds.

I've never made reference to a basketball analogy, thank you.

My comparison centres on their physique and their ability to use the ball so exquisitely well. As I pointed out, if Watts was drafted by the Pies in '08, I'd half expect him to be as good as Pendles right now.

That is a sh it comparison. The most relative (or heard about) is Pendlebury, and I believe he has the tools to be that good.

Watts is a victim of poor development in a poor team. If he was drafted by Collingwood in '08 he'd be a vastly different player. Roos will extract everything we've seen glimpses of in Jack on a regular basis.

McQueen, it doesn't matter whether he is compared to Selwood or Pendlebury. If he is playing in the midfield these guys will be his nearest opponents, and with his lack of experience playing against these types it could be a tough job for Watts. I will be glad to see him give it a go but his fitness will be challenged considering the defensive two way running which is required.

You believe he has the tools to be as good as Pendlebury...if that is to be the case he will need to learn an elite inside and outside game with the ability to show poise with the ball in hand and the ability to find away through traffic and his tackling ability and core strength will have to improve. One area which I think Watts could compare to Pendlebury is the ability to be a goal scoring midfielder. But apart from that...let's be honest it's never going to happen.

Only Watts can help himself.

I've never made reference to a basketball analogy, thank you.

My comparison centres on their physique and their ability to use the ball so exquisitely well. As I pointed out, if Watts was drafted by the Pies in '08, I'd half expect him to be as good as Pendles right now.

Thats just fkn stupid. Coulda shoulda woulda been.

Jeez , i SO want to believe but the guy is about to start his SIXTH season and we are still speculating about his elite potential . I expect improvement but will he ever have that required level of hardness ?

Tap out McQueen

If only he played as well as he talked....

Go in hard Jack, that's what we want to see.

If only he played as well as he talked....

Go in hard Jack, that's what we want to see.

That's it in a nutshell RGRS.

He was certainly better last year IMO. I'm confident he can step up a gear but he's hard to watch when he gets rolled in a one on one with blokes of inferior talent.

I'll raise that with yours being a sh it analogy. My clear understanding is that Pendlebury played a position in basketball that required significantly more peripheral awareness than the position Watts played.

Awareness has not been Jacks problem, he has that.

McQueen, it doesn't matter whether he is compared to Selwood or Pendlebury. If he is playing in the midfield these guys will be his nearest opponents, and with his lack of experience playing against these types it could be a tough job for Watts. I will be glad to see him give it a go but his fitness will be challenged considering the defensive two way running which is required.

You believe he has the tools to be as good as Pendlebury...if that is to be the case he will need to learn an elite inside and outside game with the ability to show poise with the ball in hand and the ability to find away through traffic and his tackling ability and core strength will have to improve. One area which I think Watts could compare to Pendlebury is the ability to be a goal scoring midfielder. But apart from that...let's be honest it's never going to happen.

Only Watts can help himself.

He also has this...it's the tackling and hard running that he needs to get but so do our entire list so he's not on his own there. We do not have one gut runner nor do we have one elite tackler based on the last few years.

Tap out McQueen

Shame.

Thats just fkn stupid. Coulda shoulda woulda been.

Bulldust, if you're still in the camp that our player development has been good enough to allow our players to become their best then you seriously have NFI.

Only Watts can help himself.

Well FMD. Maybe we should have kept Neeld if it was that simple.

McQueen, I facking well love steak and therefore concede if you tell me the perfect steak secret.

Is there a better cut than rib eye? Don't think so.

My comparison centres on their physique and their ability to use the ball so exquisitely well. As I pointed out, if Watts was drafted by the Pies in '08, I'd half expect him to be as good as Pendles right now.

^^^^^

A supporter re-writing history. If Watts was drafted by the Pies they too would have tried to make him a key position player like they did with Ben Reid. Both were skinny 196 cm talls that were always going to take time. Reid has always put his body on the line far more than Watts. There's a reason one is a key defender and the other is trying midfield.

And it is such lame thinking to assume that Watts has Pendlebury's midfield ability. This isn't a kick mark or handballing contest. We know Watts has skills. Pendlebury is so superior when it comes to midfield positioning, play and preparedness to compete it's not funny.

Just wait and see, what is the rush to judge, we have a whole year to see if he can do it, why stress about it now. He will definitely be good in the midfield, if he's like Pendles, Hird or Goodes is yet to be seen. Reality is we doen't know. So why keep worrying and watch 2014 unfold. The fact you all keep talking about him is not his fault, he certainly doesn't ask for it.

Watts has sublime moments of vision and finesse but also stuffs up when he gets caught thinking...

I'm not convinced he's as 'soft' as people say, but he often hesitates to go in when he gets caught thinking...

He's also quite a good shot at goal, but sometimes sprays it completely when he gets caught thinking...

So, what I'm saying is, Watts can be a great player when in a good mental space, calm but alert.

I wonder where we'd find a coach who was right into fostering that sort of thing?

Watts has sublime moments of vision and finesse but also stuffs up when he gets caught thinking...

I'm not convinced he's as 'soft' as people say, but he often hesitates to go in when he gets caught thinking...

He's also quite a good shot at goal, but sometimes sprays it completely when he gets caught thinking...

So, what I'm saying is, Watts can be a great player when in a good mental space, calm but alert.

I wonder where we'd find a coach who was right into fostering that sort of thing?

Oh I wonder!

McQueen, I facking well love steak and therefore concede if you tell me the perfect steak secret.

Is there a better cut than rib eye? Don't think so.

I shall PM you my method when you become a firm Watts believer. I'm a Porterhouse man myself but do enjoy a very bloody rib eye on occasion.

can't remember ever anticipating an upcoming individual season as much as I am for JW in 14. It is hugely exciting and I am confident Watts' value to the side is about to increase dramatically. Clark, Hogan and Dawes will love seeing the ball in his hands upfield

^^^^^

A supporter re-writing history. If Watts was drafted by the Pies they too would have tried to make him a key position player like they did with Ben Reid. Both were skinny 196 cm talls that were always going to take time. Reid has always put his body on the line far more than Watts. There's a reason one is a key defender and the other is trying midfield.

And it is such lame thinking to assume that Watts has Pendlebury's midfield ability. This isn't a kick mark or handballing contest. We know Watts has skills. Pendlebury is so superior when it comes to midfield positioning, play and preparedness to compete it's not funny.

There's no point in rationalising anything Jack Watts to you, H.

Hope Jack does well but has a long way to go!!!

At the moment he's way behind another No#1 draft midfielder... Travis Johnson!

Oh yep Trav finished equal fourth in the Brownlow after four years at Melbourne...

On Trav - Johnstone was the first selection in the 1997 AFL Draft and made his debut in the 1998 season.

Johnstone took time to develop into a star player for Melbourne, and for some time was criticised in the football media for underachieving as a number 1 draft selection.

In 2002 he finished equal fourth in Brownlow Medal voting, and in 2005 he won his first Melbourne Best and Fairest Award, the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal, and he led the AFL in total kicks.

Cant wait to see Watts elite foot skills sending the ball inside 50 on to the chest of our forwards

Roos knows what he is doing, and Watts is going to have a brilliant year

I am tipping him for the Bluey

I have a feeling that he's going to be playing basically the role Hird played. He'll sit off the packs and be the designated outlet man for guys like Viney and Cross. If they go in and get the ball out to him he has the pace, poise and skill to really hurt the opposition with it. I can't see him suddenly becoming an inside hard man with a change of coaches, but he can certainly get more of the ball and be more damaging to the opposition playing in the middle.

Say what you will about Hird but he was never afraid to go in and get the ball himself and cop a whack in the process. Haven't really seen that determination from Watts yet, he overthinks things too much.

That is a sh it comparison. The most relative (or heard about) is Pendlebury, and I believe he has the tools to be that good.

Watts is a victim of poor development in a poor team. If he was drafted by Collingwood in '08 he'd be a vastly different player. Roos will extract everything we've seen glimpses of in Jack on a regular basis.

Wow, if Watts comes even close to Pendlebury I will be ecstatic. Pendlebury is close to the best player in the comp and my favourite current (non-Melbourne) player.

Hope Jack does well but has a long way to go!!!

At the moment he's way behind another No#1 draft midfielder... Travis Johnson!

Oh yep Trav finished equal fourth in the Brownlow after four years at Melbourne...

On Trav - Johnstone was the first selection in the 1997 AFL Draft and made his debut in the 1998 season.

Johnstone took time to develop into a star player for Melbourne, and for some time was criticised in the football media for underachieving as a number 1 draft selection.

In 2002 he finished equal fourth in Brownlow Medal voting, and in 2005 he won his first Melbourne Best and Fairest Award, the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal, and he led the AFL in total kicks.

Like Jack, Travis was capable of greatness and a silky player. Remind me, what did we get in return when we dispatched him to Brisbane? (Whatever it is, i suspect they are rueing it now!)