Let's stop with the excuses for Watts. He shat himself as usual and didn't want to dive and take it on the chest because he didn't know if someone could be behind him and clean him up.

He played a very good game. But cost us a 2 goal swing by not putting his body on the line.

The coaches have presumably tried everything by now and he's slowly improving his ground balls and tackles so maybe there's hope that one day he holds a higher percentage of marks when under physical pressure.

The culture of the club is changing. Watts is probably performing as well as ever this year with most aspects of his game and the other players aren't treading with egg shells around him so much. He's part of the team and we've started to see Roos, Jones and McDonald be more honest with the media about Jack. Hopefully the media are seeing his good form as well as his bloopers and aren't so focussed on them but that's a lot to ask.

GRRM...I actually think he just lost sight of it for that moment. Ill call them as I see them. Havent been Jackie's greatest fan as anyone reading here for any time will know but it came in over him and for a sec was directly in the sun..Reckon youd have marked it ??

GRRM...I actually think he just lost sight of it for that moment. Ill call them as I see them. Havent been Jackie's greatest fan as anyone reading here for any time will know but it came in over him and for a sec was directly in the sun..Reckon youd have marked it ??

As I said earlier I was quite close to this and I agree 100% bb

GRRM...I actually think he just lost sight of it for that moment. Ill call them as I see them. Havent been Jackie's greatest fan as anyone reading here for any time will know but it came in over him and for a sec was directly in the sun..Reckon youd have marked it ??

Just watched the replay. Doubt the ball went in to the sun directly but it did go through the shade/sun contrasting area. Still think he needs to read it late and dive to mark it.

He picked it up at some stage even if he lost it, so disappointing that he didn't hold it.

Maybe more too casual than soft, but Jack never gives you the benefit of the doubt.

A series of lucky bounces (off Brown's head next to the boundary line, from the scrubbed run down kick) really helps Coll get the ball free to Varcoe.

Then probably poor communication from Jetta and Garland when Garland could've stayed down.

Such a frustrating 2 goal swing that took a lot of effort in the 2nd quarter to recover from.

Edited June 9, 201510 yr by Georgiou R.R. Martin

C'mon man.

Marking is not a Watts strong point.

More likely apprehensive about putting both hands out exposing himself to excessive risk.

What's the use of being on several hundred thousand bucks a year if you might get hurt?

Absolute rubbish Fork em I do not believe that for one second there was no one in front of him.

GRM have a look at the replay.......theres a band of sun, not very wide but right where JW was at that moment you can sort of see him lose sight on the ball as he looks back to track it. In all reality how do you know where to dive etc if youve lost it , even for that blink of a second. He puts his hand to where he thinks it might be just doesnt get any purchase this time

not really the best image but you can see the sun in this vid grab, it becomes harder to look into ( I imagine a sec later). Makes more sense in the video

GRM have a look at the replay.......theres a band of sun, not very wide but right where JW was at that moment you can sort of see him lose sight on the ball as he looks back to track it. In all reality how do you know where to dive etc if youve lost it , even for that blink of a second. He puts his hand to where he thinks it might be just doesnt get any purchase this time

not really the best image but you can see the sun in this vid grab, it becomes harder to look into ( I imagine a sec later). Makes more sense in the video

Agreed. He was stiff, but he didn't dog it on this occasion.

Agreed. He was stiff, but he didn't dog it on this occasion.

yep..thats the only real point im trying to make.. it wasnt about laziness ..possibly technique but any which way I think it was a lot harder to mark than maybe we could see at the time.

I wish the commentators would make up their minds.

In the first half they were blowing smoke up Cloke saying it was wonderful the way he was coming right up the ground and covering heaps of territory.

In the second half they were getting stick into Hogan for having to come right up the ground to get the ball.

JW....again. Wowee.

Let's talk about how we're going to develop Ben Newton, who has no regard for his opponent.

Thought Watts was decent - but only watching on TV, so as always, you miss what's going on off the ball.

Jack is a receiver and distributor. If he can do that well, or very well, he'll be a real asset. He'll never be a pack-marking mongrel, or inside player, or tackling machine. So be it.

I just hope he gets a bit of confidence back - when he's "on", there are few who can weight a football to advantage like our Jack.

Talked to a Pies supporter this morning who said he thought we played well and that Watts particularly really surprised him.

Really talked us up and said it was the first time ever Cloke has played this well.

It's hard to get excited by losses, but really it was a good performance against a top 4 side, especially considering Tommy Mac had a very rare poor outing.

JW....again. Wowee.

Let's talk about how we're going to develop Ben Newton, who has no regard for his opponent.

Yes, not sure what's going on with Newton. Early in the season he seemed like a great pickup - last few matches, he hasn't really contributed much. Not sure what his contract situation is, perhaps give him another season, but for what he's currently offering, I'm just about ready to pass his guernsey to ANB.

In terms of management and spots opening up, we're missing Trengove and Petracca. OK, maybe Trengove is done, but whatever their place in the order or things, it leaves us 2 mids down (as opposed to two forwards or whatever), which then pushes the Newtons and Matt Jones's forward a couple of places in the queue.

Hope Viney is OK for next week. 6 day turnaround isn't going to help a bad corkie.

Talked to a Pies supporter this morning who said he thought we played well and that Watts particularly really surprised him.

Really talked us up and said it was the first time ever Cloke has played this well.

It's hard to get excited by losses, but really it was a good performance against a top 4 side, especially considering Tommy Mac had a very rare poor outing.

If only the spud Cloke turned up that day. He would've missed that one directly in front, no questions.

If only the spud Cloke turned up that day. He would've missed that one directly in front, no questions.

He normally kicks 1.6.

Ffs, we were stiff.

Let's stop with the excuses for Watts. He shat himself as usual and didn't want to dive and take it on the chest because he didn't know if someone could be behind him and clean him up.

What a laugh. First prize for the most ridiculous anti-Watts comment of the year.

I'd have thought diving forward away from the guys behind you would be more likely to avoid being clobbered than what he did.

Yes, not sure what's going on with Newton. Early in the season he seemed like a great pickup - last few matches, he hasn't really contributed much. Not sure what his contract situation is, perhaps give him another season, but for what he's currently offering, I'm just about ready to pass his guernsey to ANB.

In terms of management and spots opening up, we're missing Trengove and Petracca. OK, maybe Trengove is done, but whatever their place in the order or things, it leaves us 2 mids down (as opposed to two forwards or whatever), which then pushes the Newtons and Matt Jones's forward a couple of places in the queue.

Hope Viney is OK for next week. 6 day turnaround isn't going to help a bad corkie.

How long was he on the Adelaide list for?

I agree, started like a champ, but has really fallen away...

He normally kicks 1.6.

Ffs, we were stiff.

Cant shake the same feeling today. We got Cloke on one of his rare "on" days. The horrible out on the full decision in the 2nd quarter that came of McDonalds Knee...Goal. The horrible decision against Dunn to Cloke in the 3rd? Goal. Fitzys mess....Goal. Lumumba letting elliot run around him from a free....Goal. Dunns kick out ...Goal. Watts missing the mark 2 goal turn around. Howe missing his shot on goal in the last. So many things hurt us and hey made us pay for all of them. I feel happy at how we competed and the toughness with which we did so. I can see somethiing building ...but at the same time Im hurting we lost as we so could have pulled that off.

What a laugh. First prize for the most ridiculous anti-Watts comment of the year.

I'd have thought diving forward away from the guys behind you would be more likely to avoid being clobbered than what he did.

Big call - there's been some narrative bordering hysteria over a period of time.

It's close, though....

He normally kicks 1.6.

Ffs, we were stiff.

No we weren't jr.

over the 120 minutes they played better and kicked a higher score.

That means they deserved the win we did not.

I've said it before and I'll no doubt say it again, but Jack Watts makes himself difficult to defend. That dropped mark in the goal square was a total killer. And it wasn't just a poor skill error from someone senior enough to do better... where was the desperation? Worst play of the day.

Fitzy's scoop says hi.

No we weren't jr.

over the 120 minutes they played better and kicked a higher score.

That means they deserved the win we did not.

GRM have a look at the replay.......theres a band of sun, not very wide but right where JW was at that moment you can sort of see him lose sight on the ball as he looks back to track it. In all reality how do you know where to dive etc if youve lost it , even for that blink of a second. He puts his hand to where he thinks it might be just doesnt get any purchase this time

not really the best image but you can see the sun in this vid grab, it becomes harder to look into ( I imagine a sec later). Makes more sense in the video

I think you have slayed that one bb.

All haters have disappeared.

Aside from the occasional goal Newton has been extremely underwhelming. Does not get enough ball, does not defend or man up and spends a lot of time jogging between contests. I would want him to have an extended stay at Casey with some serious form before he comes back in rather than continually in and out.

Then don't say we were stiff we were not.

We made a number of bad errors and lost the game nothing stiff about it.

We would have been stiff if we had a decison go against us in the last couple of minutes and lost by less than a goal.

Why do you want to deign the facts ?