The guy is a frontrunner, and I mean that in the nicest possible way - teams need them. And he can be damaging, the same way that Sylvia could be damaging, but these types of players require others to get them the footy and they require certain conditions for optimal use.

Watts is getting better because the team is getting better and he will do some damage for us but it is when we are winning clearances and hard footy and getting him the ball and getting space in the forward line for him to kick to that he will be his most potent.

Agree with the first half but not with the second half. I think his improvement is because he made up his mind that being the "distributor" & relying on others to get it out to him isn't ever going to work with this side. He's going to have to go in & get it himself.

Jack has had a pretty up and down year, but for the most part I think we can say it was a step forward. There's something about his mistakes though that just look so horrible, I can't explain it but for some reason when he stuffs up it always looks like a benny hill skit.

Watts was clearly not right on the weekend. That turnover from the kick out was just one of those things... all I could do was laugh.

He'll bounce back next week, so long as he's over the illness.

Luke Hodge .... Jack Watts.....these two names should never be compared in any way.

I know I go on about it Rjay, but surely I'm not the only one who hated his game yesterday, seriously it must of happened 3 or 4 times where he kicked it to the opposition and he hand balled it to Brayshaw who got wrapped up straight away....you just don't do that.

I don't suppose you saw Dane Swan kick straight to the man on his mark (Buckley, I think) who then took off and resulted in a goal to Carlton....These thing happen.....I don't normally go to JW threads as the sheep just keep following each other. ALL AFL players make mistakes other wise there would be nil all draws....Can we please change the record

I don't think there has been a more maligned player than Jack.

Watts the name of this thread, Stu ?

Perhaps if it was Nathan Jones or Bernie Vince or Jeff Garlett the same observations would have been made.

I know you're not the sharpest intellect wandering these forums, but it's unsurprising that in a thread called 'Jack Watts' some would vent their spleen at a truly horrible performance. You would have known this before you opened it, so when you decry what you knew would be the case it makes you look like a goose. Again.

Ohhhhh gotcha, so because it's a Jack Watts thread we're forbidden from mentioning any other player at all.

Makes sense.

Watts the name of this thread, Stu ?

Perhaps if it was Nathan Jones or Bernie Vince or Jeff Garlett the same observations would have been made.

I know you're not the sharpest intellect wandering these forums, but it's unsurprising that in a thread called 'Jack Watts' some would vent their spleen at a truly horrible performance. You would have known this before you opened it, so when you decry what you knew would be the case it makes you look like a goose. Again.

Just fixed this post for you, this is the Jack Watts thread after all.

I agree. But in his 7th year, a year in which he decided to drop himself, it's fair to say he's been an underwhelming top 10 pick in the extreme.

That said, I see what everyone else sees and his last 8 weeks have been beyond what I expected. I have a firm grasp of reality when it comes to Watts and can only hope he's now set a bench mark for the rest of his career.

I see him in the roaming Goddard "trouble shooting" role.

Fixed this post too.

I saw more of a Nick Riewoldt type. I saw someone who could impact the scoreboard. I was wrong.

Btw, there's been a comment or two about how long it can take for players to come on, which is true, but don't forget that the best key forwards the game has ever seen have virtually all been either very very good by the age of 21/22 or out and out stars.

People will mention Hawkins as the example of a slow burn, but they are few and far between and he's a rung below the greats anyway.

Oh and this one. You're welcome.

see stuie is still spitting the dummy

see stuie is still spitting the dummy

Geez mate, didn't you see the new rules about this thread?

I have zero doubt Tiptoes was asked to greatly improve his effort in contests and for me it's the major reason he's improved. And I agree that he'll improve as the team does.

Agree with the first half but not with the second half. I think his improvement is because he made up his mind that being the "distributor" & relying on others to get it out to him isn't ever going to work with this side. He's going to have to go in & get it himself.

He is not relying on hard footy to get his touches and impact games - he is not actively avoiding hard footy like he had accustomed himself to previously, and that is great - but his best footy he has played has been on the back of others getting him the footy and then him doing his stuff.

He is not relying on hard footy to get his touches and impact games - he is not actively avoiding hard footy like he had accustomed himself to previously, and that is great - but his best footy he has played has been on the back of others getting him the footy and then him doing his stuff.

I reckon some of the "hard ball" has given him tonnes of confidence and helped propel all aspects of his game.

There's no doubt that some of his improvement is linked to our improving midfield. The fact that we now have a number of ball winners in Jones, Vince, Brayshaw, Viney and Vandenberg etc to get it out to him makes Jack's job a lot easier.

He really is in the perfect role to compliment his admirable attributes at the moment.

I have zero doubt Tiptoes was asked to greatly improve his effort in contests and for me it's the major reason he's improved. And I agree that he'll improve as the team does.

It's a shame you ruined your post by calling him "Tiptoes" and therefore declaring your bias.

But there you go.

I reckon some of the "hard ball" has given him tonnes of confidence and helped propel all aspects of his game.

No doubt, but where he got the confidence to get those "hard balls" I don't know.

I would say the neeld years caused him to be irate, & to get his back up... the first step to fighting back, or getting out if your a loser.

maybe just maybe the criticism of him then, got into his soul & got him angry, & started him to fire up slowly.

........ enter the 'good cop', with the soft but firm approach, who then coerced the better side of this newly born man out of himself ?????

Neeld caused other players to become irate - but hardly Watts.

Either way, it had an influential and lasting negative effect.

It's a shame you ruined your post by calling him "Tiptoes" and therefore declaring your bias.

But there you go.

I never said I was perfect

I never said I was perfect

So close!

Neeld caused other players to become irate - but hardly Watts.

Either way, it had an influential and lasting negative effect.

...... the clubs list needed a lit bomb under it, to shake it up, & push it out of its comfort zone. to change the culture so its fresh; for the young kids entering the building.

The carriers of the club FLU had to be removed, & the club isolated from the carriers.... with the old culture being in the club for so long, even much loved players had to be jettisoned, to remove the inFLUence away from the newbies. the older players would not understand what it was they were carrying wrongly. that is how it hangs around.

admittedly it was very uncomfortable during that time, but real DEEP change is painful, very painful.

he gave a cleaner canvas for Roosy to decide its worth giving it a go.... otherwise it would have been Roosy, having to do the stuff the supporters would get they're backs up over... not the sort of job Roosy would start off with.

now Roosy has a situation he can work with, & keep the sheep in the herd not panicking, mostly... as the rest of the job is carried out. he will finish end of next with this list in fantastic shape, ready for the next coach to take forward.

Just on Jack's apparent illness, after reading the VFL player review it seems as if a few of them were sick during the week. Might have been a virus going around.

your're the most negative [censored] on this site, your namesake Lumumba had a lot worse day than Watts and don't think he was crook!!

Get over it .

Yes, it must hurt these anti Watts posters when he puts in great games. On to him like a ton of bricks when he has an off day. Sad that they call themselves 'supporters'. It is always Jack's fault.

Just read back and not one comment from Henrietta Lumbago following Jack's brilliant game against Collingwood. He can't give praise when it is earned. Obviously dejected that Watts can play good footy.

TBH Bobby I was on a decent bender following the Collingwood match as I was still on my AL from work...

I haven't seen anyone for the year in any team kick the ball into the man on the mark from a behind kick in....but don't worry Jack has managed to do it...that's why we drafted him.

We judge the team and players week by week, if you don't like what is said then bring up something positive about Wattsies game on the weekend...don't just defend Watts with "someone else also had a bad game ...blah blah blah"

You don't have anything factual to defend Jack with,, he was putrid on e weekend...and I will continue to believe that until proven otherwise......

This forum is not just designed for people to support Watts, we can hate him on here also if we want to...

I never said I was perfect

So close!

Awwww it's just like the good ol' days

To put his improvement down to the improvement of the team is misguided IMO. I think there are clear improvements in his game since he game back from his self dropping.

His composure in traffic and while being tackled has been his big improvement this year, rather than the things he has always done well, like his disposal. And I think that is down to confidence and teaching, rather than simply us being a better team.