Paul Roos on AFL360

[jackaub 1,402]

YES

No the guy comes across as a slease bag

Lock up your Gfs Dees if this happens

[jackaub 1,402]

Here we go the two bob experts. Drop Watts, do this, do that.

Guess what, there is a bloke being paid millions of dollar,s a bloke who has coached a premiership side, a bloke who knows a hell of a lot more than you naysayers and he says Watts is not the biggest problem, that Watts should play this week.

Now if Roos says play Watts then I agree with him, the rest of you keyboard champions can pull your heads in.

I support the Melbourne FC , Paul Roos, the players and supporters you whingers need to realise that you are not supporting your club by tearing down players and decisions of the FD.

So in future when I read posts that disagree with our coach I will immediately realise that you are not a Melbourne supporter, you are a whinging loser, prepared to undermine the best chance of success we have had in over 20 years.

Its exactly that type of approach that has us where we are today as a club

Clearly Watts and Roos are not understanding each other. Either Watts cant do it or wont.

So where to from here another 3-4 years of hoping he comes good.

History would show an early call on these types of players is required and MFC has continually failed to do it.

If Watts hasnt come to play in the last 2 weeks after strong critisim then whats going to change ?

[Machsy 2,858]

Ah Ben Hur you are leaving us again. Thank Christ. Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. And lock it, we don't want you back here again.

There is no way that imbecile is BH.

BH could be a right ****, but he wasn't that thick.

[Machsy 2,858]

People see what they want to see!!!

I sat on the IQ last night watching the game pausing at stoppages and when they panned out watching what players were doing and who was picking up who etc

Watts was fine... He ran with his man all the time and didn't not put in... Occasionally he should of hit an opponent hard who was shepherding him but he choose to stay on his feet and be involved in the next play, whilst I don't agree with his decision it's obvious that it's a coaching directive to be on the outside... Most of his tackles effected the disposal of the swans player although again I would prefer he ride them to the ground

He wasnt great but the response in this thread is of people who have never played the game... A perfect example is cross was 3m behind jack at a stoppage and jack ran from half back to his fwd 50 to kick a goal(1st qtr I think ) ... Cross was 3 to 5 behind him the whole way but couldn't catch him and he turned to watts and said something and people blame watts!!! Watts was running back covering the corridor( what he should have done) and should never of went to jack who just outrun cross but people blame watts!!!

It's the same as people watching our mids have 30 touches each and only 31 inside 50s and thinking it was our Fwds who had a bad game!!! Some need to watch the game and the positioning not the stats sheet

Rant over

I think it's also a case of Watts being a tall atheltic blonde who stands out on the field.

He's quickly and easily identifiable when scanning across play.

As such, when something goes wrong, he's often the first player identified as being close to the play and "letting" it break down, or not "stopping" the opposition's play.

You can pick him out at the far end of the ground at ease.

Other players take a bit of time to recognise and can be interchangeable.

"Is that Nicholson? Or Strauss? I didn't think either was playing... Can't see his number. Oh no, it's Evans. ... Or maybe Cross."

Coupled with higher (and some would say unrealistic) expectations by virtue of being a number 1 draft pick, and he is everybody's favourite whipping boy.

Quite a bit of the criticism is deserved, but I think the overwhelming majority is blind targetting of a player by those who have trouble reconciling that their team is not winning, and need somewhere to misdirect their frustration.

[nutbean 8,838]

A serious question.

Can anyone remember a high pick draftee that has come under as much scrutiny as Jack Watts.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

A serious question.

Can anyone remember a high pick draftee that has come under as much scrutiny as Jack Watts.

No, there are so many reasons why he is scrutinised so heavily.

[old dee 23,872]

A serious question.

Can anyone remember a high pick draftee that has come under as much scrutiny as Jack Watts.

No

Only now are we getting articles about Scully in todays HUN.

JW has probably been paid a third of what TS has got with similar results.

How come no one is screaming about TS being grossly overpaid and producing little?

[nutbean 8,838]

No

Only now are we getting articles about Scully in todays HUN.

JW has probably been paid a third of what TS has got with similar results.

How come no one is screaming about TS being grossly overpaid and producing little?

Although he is heavily scrutinised, I don't think that should detract for the simple fact that IMO he is not doing enough.

However he really does get more attention from the media than most and TS is the first that comes to mind about a player that really has not produced and hasn't faced the harsh spotlight that JW receives

[Sir Why You Little 37,131]

Jack is only scrutinized hard because of how HE plays

He has been highly underwhelming. The ball is in his court.

[Machsy 2,858]

It's been easier for Gibbs, but I think that's because it's easier to hide in a side that is winning (relative to MFC).

Same with Kreuzer, but he also gets the benefit of the doubt, having missed so much time due to injury.

[binman 43,786]

A serious question.

Can anyone remember a high pick draftee that has come under as much scrutiny as Jack Watts.

At least part of it is that his potential is so obvious.

[DeeSpencer 26,082]

It's been easier for Gibbs, but I think that's because it's easier to hide in a side that is winning (relative to MFC).

Same with Kreuzer, but he also gets the benefit of the doubt, having missed so much time due to injury.

Yeah Kreuzer has copped a bit. Especially when he plays meekly for a big man. The heat will turn on him if he comes back from injury and still struggles.

Say what you like about Gibbs being a front runner and a bit soft but he'd be in our starting midfield. He does actually win the ball and do things with it. As poor as he's been he's never been as bad as Watts.

The thing about the Watts criticism is it disappears if he just plays to a certain standard. Look at the end of last year where he was hardly setting the world on fire most games but he was contributing and didn't stand out.

For us fans and the media with untrained eyes when you watch Melb v Syd you notice Watts more than any other player. Roos might not do that as he's watching the team and seeing efforts everywhere. I wish I could train my eyes to judge Watts as just another player but I can't. The unfortunate thing is commentators often describe games based on reputation and the stats sheet as well.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

A serious question.

Can anyone remember a high pick draftee that has come under as much scrutiny as Jack Watts.

The Toigs were pretty good at stuffing it up; e.g. Darren Gaspar, Anthony Banik and Richard Lounder, all of them number 1 draft picks and throw in Richard Tambling for good measure, who was taken at pick 4, before Buddy Franklin.

[nutbean 8,838]

The Toigs were pretty good at stuffing it up; e.g. Darren Gaspar, Anthony Banik and Richard Lounder, all of them number 1 draft picks and throw in Richard Tambling for good measure, who was taken at pick 4, before Buddy Franklin.

Actually Tambling got a bit of a beating in the press purely based on him being taken before Buddy ( and being half the footballer)

[Pennant St Dee 13,305]

The Toigs were pretty good at stuffing it up; e.g. Darren Gaspar, Anthony Banik and Richard Lounder, all of them number 1 draft picks and throw in Richard Tambling for good measure, who was taken at pick 4, before Buddy Franklin.

Another AFL Myth that has grown over time

Pretty sure Sydney took GASPAR at number 1 and he ended up at Richmond via the Pres season draft as an uncontracted player, so hardly a waste of a pick. I would also think being a 2 time All Australian, club B&F and playing over 200 games the Tigers got a very good return for that pick

[pitmaster 3,578]

Really?

Did you watch Hawkins in his first 5 seasons? I did.

Up close.

And he was afraid of contact and taking anything by the scruff of the neck.

He was big baby Huey, and avoided contested situations.

Right, and someone had to say it.

The truth is Hawkins is 2 years and nine months older than Watts and for his first five seasons looked like what he was - a pampered private schoolboy.

His break out game, as someone pointed out, happened to be a Grand Final (2011) when he was more or less the age Watts is now but in a vastly more powerful outfit.

Until that time he really had been a damp squib.

Now he is absolutely elite. Watts does not look like he has the same physical development in him but we know he has the talent. I live in hope that Roos' will bring him along to realise it.

Edited April 30, 2014 by pitmaster

[nrc73 77]

People see what they want to see!!!

I sat on the IQ last night watching the game pausing at stoppages and when they panned out watching what players were doing and who was picking up who etc

Watts was fine... He ran with his man all the time and didn't not put in... Occasionally he should of hit an opponent hard who was shepherding him but he choose to stay on his feet and be involved in the next play, whilst I don't agree with his decision it's obvious that it's a coaching directive to be on the outside... Most of his tackles effected the disposal of the swans player although again I would prefer he ride them to the ground

He wasnt great but the response in this thread is of people who have never played the game... A perfect example is cross was 3m behind jack at a stoppage and jack ran from half back to his fwd 50 to kick a goal(1st qtr I think ) ... Cross was 3 to 5 behind him the whole way but couldn't catch him and he turned to watts and said something and people blame watts!!! Watts was running back covering the corridor( what he should have done) and should never of went to jack who just outrun cross but people blame watts!!!

It's the same as people watching our mids have 30 touches each and only 31 inside 50s and thinking it was our Fwds who had a bad game!!! Some need to watch the game and the positioning not the stats sheet

Rant over

Running with someone and keeping up is one thing. Imposing yourself on the game is quite another. No one cares that Dawes gets 6 touches in a game because they know every time it comes near him he imposes himself, often beating or darn near beating the 2 opponents on him. That's all we care about.

In previous seasons Nate Jones was one of the few that regularly imposed himself. Now there are a number of other guys doing it regularly and all of a sudden players like Jack Watts (and yes there are others) stick out for their lack of spirit. This is what culture change is all about. Jack does not much look like he's changing with the culture as Dunn, Pederson and others are. Watts is being left behind.

I think Roos is better off playing him to his strengths to get the most currency out of trade at season's end. I do not agree with Roos that Watts is the easy scapegoat. "Trying to find a role" for a player (last several coaches have used that line for Watts) is hardly an endorsement.

There is a massive cost on the morale of a team when there's a player on the ground who doesn't even look like they know what they're doing. It's clear the first & second year players are still learning where to run to etc., but at least none of those guys looked lost like Watts did!

Edited April 30, 2014 by nrc73

[sue 9,145]

Its exactly that type of approach that has us where we are today as a club

Surely you can't really think fans accepting things being bad has much effect on what actually happens within an AFL club (other than income). These days we are merely spectators watching a business run.

[Machsy 2,858]

Right, and someone had to say it.

The truth is Hawkins is 2 years and nine months older than Watts and for his first five seasons looked like what he was - a pampered private schoolboy.

His break out game, as someone pointed out, happened to be a Grand Final (2011) when he was more or less the age Watts is now but in a vastly more powerful outfit.

Until that time he really had been a damp squib.

Now he is absolutely elite. Watts does not look like he has the same physical development in him but we know he has the talent. I live in hope that Roos' will bring him along to realise it.

Not sure I can agree with the bolded section - I don't think where he went to school has any relevance.

I went to a public school and it certainly didn't make me any tougher than anyone at a private school.

It's his talent that made him not have to do the hard things to get noticed as a junior, so he needed them drilled into him when he first arrived at AFL level, but they weren't, so he doesn't even have the basics of the 1%ers in his game.

It's not in his mentality.

[chook fowler 19,551]

Right, and someone had to say it.

The truth is Hawkins is 2 years and nine months older than Watts and for his first five seasons looked like what he was - a pampered private schoolboy.

His break out game, as someone pointed out, happened to be a Grand Final (2011) when he was more or less the age Watts is now but in a vastly more powerful outfit.

Until that time he really had been a damp squib.

Now he is absolutely elite. Watts does not look like he has the same physical development in him but we know he has the talent. I live in hope that Roos' will bring him along to realise it.

I'm so over these private school put downs. it just demonstrates that those who make them have giant chips on their shoulders and contributes nothing to the assessment of someone's worth as a footballer. Dawes came from Brighton Grammar and Rod Grinter is connected with St Kevin's, so what.

And no I'm not a product of the private school system - went to a small country high school.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

Right, and someone had to say it.

The truth is Hawkins is 2 years and nine months older than Watts and for his first five seasons looked like what he was - a pampered private schoolboy.

His break out game, as someone pointed out, happened to be a Grand Final (2011) when he was more or less the age Watts is now but in a vastly more powerful outfit.

Until that time he really had been a damp squib.

Now he is absolutely elite. Watts does not look like he has the same physical development in him but we know he has the talent. I live in hope that Roos' will bring him along to realise it.

He also grew up on the land in Finley. I guess you would call farmers pampered as well.

[nutbean 8,838]

I am a product of the private school system. I was also a pretty handy footballer until I injured my foie gras.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

What constitutes a private school?

[Yossarian 1,820]

High fences.

[nutbean 8,838]

What constitutes a private school?

non government