Jack Watts Keep or Trade ?? The Poll

[beelzebub 22,225]

The problem is not with Jack, more with our list's lack of depth and talent such that we have to play and rely on Jack week in week out. Much to our dissapointment.

He's alway suffered from that expectation, and he's not up to carrying this team. But to be fair, none on our list are, and only a few in the AFL could (i.e Ablett).

Jack will rise with the tide...

carry the team ?? cant stick a tackle ffs. Worlds away

carry a team.....cant keep his feet

carry a team....cant pack mark to save himself

These are just fundamental elements of a game that ANY player should be able to do ( to some level)

Jack is a sort of two trick pony. It just wont do, not for any member of the team. There must be basic non negotiables

[frankie_d 1,407]

imo, straight swap this >

Photo: Jack Watts of the Demons looks on after one of the Cats' 37 goals during Saturday's match at Kardinia Park. (Hamish Blair)

for this >

In a heart beat. Seen her play twice and no comparison...

[Redleg 37,599]

We have been playing for most of the season with 2 blokes not trying. That is a team buster. Both must go. One will, maybe the other.

[Tatu 416]

We have been playing for most of the season with 2 blokes not trying. That is a team buster. Both must go. One will, maybe the other.

yeah Frawley is already gone... but i think Dawes is still contracted, so we might be stuck with him...lol..

[dee-luded 2,958]

the way i see it... Jack will mentally mature and realise his body is bigger than most when he's about 26/27.... He is 23... He will be a completely different player when he turns 26/27... Can we wait that long? And probably only for two or three golden years? I can... But i have trouble letting any of our players go, so of course i can...

In about round five this year, most were saying he had turned his game around and that Roos was a genius... I did like a couple his matches back then, but really they were skill based games and he managed to rack up quite a few possessions... When he mentally matures, the way he attacks games will be completely different... He will never be a bustling, bash and crash type player, who drags in pack marks over five players.. But with he's skill set, i don't think he'll have to be... Others may not agree with me... but i think Jack will mature in to a very skilful player that will control matches, floating through all parts of the ground... People tend to compare him to Goddard who plays a similar game, but for me Hird in 2000 is a better comparison...

Jack looks to lack confidence in his game and in his team mates, much like most of our team... With confidence he showed earlier this year, that he can produce some solid performances... Team confidence is a major factor here and Obviously, when the team grows in confidence so will jack... Unfortunately for us though, we will have to wait until he turns 26/27before we see the best of Jack Watts...

I just hoping that we as a club, can hold our nerve.... the media machine of the power clubs are pushing for us to move him on, and the hordes circling our fallen list... If we aren't careful we will become holding station, for the stronger clubs...

its not what he may bring in another 2 or 3 Yrs time... its the damage he's doing to our other players who have to run chase tackle, bash crash get flattened attacking a hospital ball now & next year.

If he won't risk his body being hurt, then why should others risk their bodies??? this is the cancer we have to get rid of.

Jack is damaging not only our culture shift of the MFC, but also the supporters faith in the Roos team.

Do you want to trust this person in a finals game, when he wimps it out now after 5 years of senior footy ?

Edited August 25, 2014 by dee-luded

[Tatu 416]

its not what he may bring in another 2 or 3 Yrs time... its the damage he's doing to our other players who have to run chase tackle, bash crash get flattened attacking a hospital ball now & next year.

If he won't risk his body being hurt, then why should others risk their bodies??? this is the cancer we have to get rid of.

Jack is damaging not only our culture shift of the MFC, but also the supporters faith in the Roos team.

Do you want to trust this person in a finals game, when he wimps it out now after 5 years of senior footy ?

lol... Wow... Cancer... Thats a bit harsh... Jeez... I'm happy to have PR decide whether we keep Watts or not... Jack is one player in a team full of players, not performing to AFL standard... I doubt trading him will turn this club around...

Ive seen these boards attack and blame, player after player... One by one those players have parted from our club and still nothing has changed... Some of the character bashing on here is unbelievable.... Morton, Bennell, Martin, Moloney, Bruce....ect... All have a case for online bullying here... Who knows? One day a player might actually do something about this...

As far as Watts being the cancer in our footy team...jeez... Hows about you listen to what the other players and the coaching staff have said about Watts...

I believe our problems come from a few directions, but if you have to pin one thing for our problems... Then i would be more inclined to say that our clubs culture and sad reactionary supporter base, is a good start....

In 2007/08/09 our so called leaders, stripped our team bear of any on field leadership.. in the hope that they could recreate a new Norm Smith era....lol.. Without a real plan... We were directed to pick a kid to support and follow as the team grew, to watch as we rise up the ladder...pffft... They sold us a dream and now we are paying for it, and to be honest... their legacy might still be to much to come back from...

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

As per a previous poster his number 1 pick is never going away or will ever be forgotten about, he just needs to toughen up and build a bridge. I cannot believe he's nearly at 100 games, just typifies how crap a team we are

[jackaub 1,402]

What a sorry admission it would be to get rid of him

It would be an admission that we dont know how to get the best from the best

We have not and are not maximising him

Its not all his fault there ere other aspects of our game and our team which need to be adressed

I just hope Roos has got the answers.

Sorry it is all his fault and the fault of MFC for selecting him He is responsible for his lack of effort and physicality

[beelzebub 22,225]

imo, straight swap this >

Photo: Jack Watts of the Demons looks on after one of the Cats' 37 goals during Saturday's match at Kardinia Park. (Hamish Blair)

The body language tells a story. "Gee, what happened there , kinda thiing " "a whats happening? deja vu all over gain

He looks mentally whacked. Far from the only one I agree

[diesel 420]

Even though I voted tot retain we can't have a bloke in the side who is patting opponents on the back after tackling them, as I saw him do a few weeks ago. Yes, his biggest issue is his lack of intensity and it's the fault of the MFC that it hasn't been removed.

[beelzebub 22,225]

Even though I voted tot retain we can't have a bloke in the side who is patting opponents on the back after tackling them, as I saw him do a few weeks ago. Yes, his biggest issue is his lack of intensity and it's the fault of the MFC that it hasn't been removed.

Is it though/ They've /We've probably tried . I just dont think its in his makeup to be that way.

I simply think he doesnt quite get what AFL is as opposed to footy in general. At this level its gladiatorial and hes still in theatrical mode

[Pipefitter 2,016]

We drafted him hoping for the next Nick Riewoldt. It takes more than just talent to get to that level. Courage, Heart, Not throwing in the towel. Jack has none of these qualities. We just have to move on and accept it was another mistake in drafting. From what i've heard if we are offered a suitable trade he is gone.

[old dee 22,854]

We drafted him hoping for the next Nick Riewoldt. It takes more than just talent to get to that level. Courage, Heart, Not throwing in the towel. Jack has none of these qualities. We just have to move on and accept it was another mistake in drafting. From what i've heard if we are offered a suitable trade he is gone.

You have my vote.

[dee-luded 2,958]

lol... Wow... Cancer... Thats a bit harsh... Jeez... I'm happy to have PR decide whether we keep Watts or not... Jack is one player in a team full of players, not performing to AFL standard... I doubt trading him will turn this club around...

Ive seen these boards attack and blame, player after player... One by one those players have parted from our club and still nothing has changed... Some of the character bashing on here is unbelievable.... Morton, Bennell, Martin, Moloney, Bruce....ect... All have a case for online bullying here... Who knows? One day a player might actually do something about this...

As far as Watts being the cancer in our footy team...jeez... Hows about you listen to what the other players and the coaching staff have said about Watts...

I believe our problems come from a few directions, but if you have to pin one thing for our problems... Then i would be more inclined to say that our clubs culture and sad reactionary supporter base, is a good start....

In 2007/08/09 our so called leaders, stripped our team bear of any on field leadership.. in the hope that they could recreate a new Norm Smith era....lol.. Without a real plan... We were directed to pick a kid to support and follow as the team grew, to watch as we rise up the ladder...pffft... They sold us a dream and now we are paying for it, and to be honest... their legacy might still be to much to come back from...

we have to set a standard that every recruit clearly understands the day they first get photographed with the red & blue jumper in hand, or on their backs.

that not going when they're turn is not an option.

they should stay in the ressies until they fully embrace the contact side of the game. or just never play AFL.

Edited August 25, 2014 by dee-luded

[old dee 22,854]

we have to set a standard that every recruit clearly understands the day they first get photographed with the red & blue jumper in hand, or on their backs.

that not going when they're turn is not an option.

they should stay in the ressies until they fully embrace the contact side of the game. or just never play AFL.

WE should change that to the Red, White and blue one.

We win a lot more games in that one.

[daisycutter 28,529]

WE should change that to the Red, White and blue one.

We win a lot more games in that one.

could you please define the word "lot" for me od

still waiting for your preferred new mascot name

[old dee 22,854]

could you please define the word "lot" for me od

still waiting for your preferred new mascot name

Well dc as you well know we won four games this year in Red, white and blue versus zero in the half century flop design.

Actions speak louder than words I am afraid.

As for the new mascot name, after much thought the only one that seems appropriate is "DUD" he would have to be clothed in Red and Blue and only allowed on the arena at the G

[praha 10,279]

I don't doubt the kid can be a good player when he hits 26/27 but unfortunately he has been part of a terrible era of the club and we must cut our losses and move on. No point holding onto a kid who will only play well when the team does: we need someone to fill his spot that can actually help us WIN.

He is to Melbourne what Brad Ottens was to Richmond: a talented downhill skier who has had a handful of great games, some good games, but has mostly been underwhelming.

For both the sake of Melbourne and Jack, it's time to move on. We need talent NOW because the club can't afford to wait anymore. In 2010, 2011, fair enough, but these losses and the body language of the players turns away fans and potential members and the club simply can't afford it, financially and metaphorically.

I think Melbourne would need to trade overs to get talent in. They'd need to give Watts + a pick between 20-30 to get a decent player. We could get a player with half of Watts' talent but from an experienced, good side that at least knows how and when to win the football.

The club needs to try and get Christensen from Geelong. It won't be a straight trade despite their similarities and we'd need to give Geelong a top 30 pick + maybe even another player. We need to cut our losses, otherwise we're going to end up with another Sylvia, or Bruce (who we should have traded at the end of 2007 for a high pick).

Roos is doing now what the club should have done in 2007 and 2008: trade away the good but not great players, while maintaining the bleeding hearts for the club. Instead, it dumps leaders and forces KPP likes White out of the team, all the while letting the likes of Jolly leave without so much as a fight 3-4 years earlier.

I imagine he'll trade away the likes of Watts, Grimes, Trengove for picks, and then do similar moves as the Tyson-Salem draft pick moves from last year. It's the club only option. Keeping the players that epitomised the club during one of its worst ever eras seems antithetical to the club's intentions to improve and improve dramatically.

There's zero benefit to keeping guys like Watts anymore. Maybe in 2010-2011, but not anymore.

Edited August 26, 2014 by praha

[old dee 22,854]

Interesting poll result it would appear that the majority still want to keep him.

Obviously I need a visit to Spec Savers.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,415]

We drafted him hoping for the next Nick Riewoldt. It takes more than just talent to get to that level. Courage, Heart, Not throwing in the towel. Jack has none of these qualities. We just have to move on and accept it was another mistake in drafting. From what i've heard if we are offered a suitable trade he is gone.

I'd take a second round pick for him. Carltons second rounder would be a mid 20's pick, seems fair.

[beelzebub 22,225]

Interesting poll result it would appear that the majority still want to keep him.

Obviously I need a visit to Spec Savers.

Re read the results OD...Spec Savers for you !!!

[praha 10,279]

Interesting poll result it would appear that the majority still want to keep him.

Obviously I need a visit to Spec Savers.

Hmm, no. There is more than one option for trade.

[beelzebub 22,225]

1. Trade, just trade (38 votes [17.84%])

2. Keep , just keep (89 votes [41.78%])

3. Trade for Round 1 pick only (24 votes [11.27%])

4. Trade for what we can realistically expect (42 votes [19.72%])

5. Keep , unless a really good trade is offered (20 votes [9.39%])

Answers 1, 3 and 4 go directly to trade...offload 104 votes or %48.83

Only answer 2 goes to outright Keeping 89 votes %41.78

the interesting answer is choice 5 . In reality I dont think either camp to lay outright claim to it. its a Keep ..BUT !! if a trade was on then they too are happy to do so. An argument could almost be made to give to either camp so in fairness its not truly a number that can be given or accorded either .

therefore currently its 48.83 trade, v 41.78 Keep with 9.39 on the fence so to speak

[old dee 22,854]

Re read the results OD...Spec Savers for you !!!

Keep vote 41%

Trade for First round pick only vote 11% ( everyone knows this is effectively saying Keep as it wont happen )

Total 52% that is a majority in my book and would get your control of the house of Reps with a health majority.

[beelzebub 22,225]

Keep vote 41%

Trade for First round pick only vote 11% ( everyone knows this is effectively saying Keep as it wont happen )

Total 52% that is a majority in my book and would get your control of the house of Reps with a health majority.

the intent of answers 1 , 3, and 4 start with TRADE, yes there are various outcomes but its hardly ambiguous as to intent Id have thought.

By your own reasoning youd accommodate the Keep unless a trade found ( answer 5) as being a "Trade" then ??