I've said it before, PJ could be the best thing that this club has ever had.

As though my adoration for the man wasn't already at ridiculous levels, I then had to to listen to PJ absolutely destroy Caro.

What a champion. Starting to really love the club too. You can hear it.

  On 01/08/2015 at 07:19, hogans_heroes said:

I wonder how much f this has to to with Brencan McCartney working closely with him.

Hes a brand new player since he was dropped for the Hawks game

very likely the'whisperer' is doing his magic

As i thought when we snared him, the getting of Macca would prove inspirational.

Im impresses by Jacks improvement. Hope its from this style he cements his next 100

Interesting that this morning, Goodwin openly said that they've been working with Watts on his contested possession skills. Instead of hiding the fact that Watts has been soft at the contest and the perceived stigma attached to that, the coaches are treating it like any other skill of the game. Long overdue IMO.

A specific snippet of the PJ interview that I really enjoyed was when he was discussing Paul Roos role at the Club beyond his tenure as senior coach. He made the passing comment that neither of them liked to leave a job unfinished. Great!

  On 01/08/2015 at 15:56, dee-luded said:

so It seems that you do not think that the pressure applied to him & made him make a conscious decision, one way or the other, to get tougher on himself or to remain as soft as hew was before..

..... some people like you it seems, think someone can open a magic box of fairy dust in front of the fairy's, & then all will become, well, like magic, & we all travel on merrily.

others prefer to try to push for an outcome, one way, or the other way...... this time, it looks like the best possible outcome, thus far.

.. anyhow, don't let your softness, grieve you when it comes to full contact sport, as I'm sure you don't do?

I don't think anything that the supporter group has done has helped Watts play consistent football. Our coaching staff and probably his own mental strength and want to improve has brought about his improvement. But also the pretty important factors of developing confidence and strength in his body.

The boos from members of the crowd and the boot being stuck in by multiple supporters would have not contributed in the slightest to his last 2 months of football.

  On 01/08/2015 at 07:16, Deestroy All said:

I want to see those bursts of speed more though!

This.

the player he reminds me has always been justin westhoff - he's tall and agile, a good reader of the play, not really a fan of the 'tough stuff' which leads to a lot of opprobrium from fans, and when you need someone to push back and play the 'quarter back' role, he's the man for the job.

Watching the replay I was reminded of a combination of

Michael O'Loughlin

Trent Cotchin

Stevey J

Now... package this up with continued development and confidence and I reckon we will all be rejoicing at a player who, although took time, tantalised and sometimes appeared disinterested may well turn out to be a true No 1

A heck of a lot to like about his last 5 weeks and his "Taking the game on" yesterday!!

Can we make a list of all the past 'haters'.

We dont need any Jacky come lately types here.

Careful Biff to distinguish between disappointed and hating

  On 01/08/2015 at 17:06, Chook said:

I think it’s Bernie Vince. I see a lot of Bernie Vince in Jack Watts’ current playing style, and Jack obviously holds Bernie in high esteem (see his recent 3AW interview).

Could be. They seemed to get on really well, don't they? I did hear that 3AW interview and I saw two of their celebrations together too.

  On 02/08/2015 at 02:45, mo64 said:

Interesting that this morning, Goodwin openly said that they've been working with Watts on his contested possession skills. Instead of hiding the fact that Watts has been soft at the contest and the perceived stigma attached to that, the coaches are treating it like any other skill of the game. Long overdue IMO.

I think it helps that he's now attacking the contest and looking to lay tackles. I'm not convinced Goody would have come out and said that earlier in the year.

Have always rated Watts incredibly highly.

He's a massive asset to this club, on and off the field.

Would have been better if he'd nailed that goal on Saturday.

Point of the year!

  On 02/08/2015 at 12:09, Ron Burgundy said:

Have always rated Watts incredibly highly.

He's a massive asset to this club, on and off the field.

He's been a diabolical dud. To rate him "incredibly highly" is utterly nonsensical.

Thankfully, it looks like he'll reach his potential, which is so far from his draft selection it's not funny. Nonetheless, we're grateful for small mercies.

He's a mistake. But he's a mistake that's becoming a valuable entity as we move forward.

I've always loved Jack and championed him on here, defending him from the peasant hordes that make up Demonland.

Nah, not really.

I've been a big critic over his career, though at first I was hopeful. Now however, I am really pleased that Jack is coming on the way he should be, after years of glimpses. I'm not only happy that we have another really good player in the making, but I'm happy for Jack too. He deserves to be pleased with himself so far and I hope he continues on this trajectory.

i have spent a lot of the past few years defending, hoping desperately that he'd 'make it'.

he's still quite a way off it. getting better all the time tho.

  On 04/08/2015 at 12:39, Akum said:

Would have been better if he'd nailed that goal on Saturday.

Point of the year!

Yep it would have brought the house down if he had of. Interesting to hear the joyous, ironic cheers from the Collingwood crowd when he missed.

Has there been a more maligned AFL player over the past six years? Everyone has got stuck into him; the media, opposition supporters, his own supporters and, by memory, even his own coach (Neeld) had a shot.

Just before he signed his last contract I thought he would be well within his rights to leave. You could not blame him for seeking out a new start where the spotlight on him may have been less intense. To his credit he has hung in there with us. With the amount of poo he has copped without self-destructing is a credit to his mental toughness

Jack was very good last weekend and was recognised in the coaches award. We can see how he is evolving and how good development is helping him. You can only imagine what player he may be now if he had of been at one of the well run and resourced clubs from the beginning.

Perhaps games like last weekend are his ceiling but it isn't hard to believe that he will get a fair bit better. If Jack can consistently get hold of the ball 25-30 times a week he will single handedly make us a far better team

.

I have been watching a few of our games over the last week or so and the measured way in which Jack has been playing has been great. He is developing into one of those players that seems to have a lot of time with the ball in his hands. He uses his burst of speed well. Not sure that we need to see it more often. He is using it well and at the right times. The step up in speed catches the opposition on the wrong foot.

Have watched a bit of Toumpas' game as well and he will develop over the next couple of years into a good player. The coaches will get into him and I think he has great basic skills to work on.

  On 02/08/2015 at 04:25, Mad_Melbourne said:

I don't think anything that the supporter group has done has helped Watts play consistent football. Our coaching staff and probably his own mental strength and want to improve has brought about his improvement. But also the pretty important factors of developing confidence and strength in his body.

The boos from members of the crowd and the boot being stuck in by multiple supporters would have not contributed in the slightest to his last 2 months of football.

you don't think that the supporters wanting a more physical Melbourne team, has helped the administration & the coaches to see that we really want our club & its players to fly the flag loud & proud; & that the coaches should work towards this.

I think Jack & the whole list, felt the desire of the supporters, that we want a hard tough team full of ruggedness... of that I am certain... & the supporters have the power to make & to break players.

& the supporters will show what it is they want from the game; & what they don't, thru booing, jeering, cheering, & from non attendance...

  On 01/08/2015 at 14:58, Mad_Melbourne said:

I feel like the majority of supporters did not stick thick in the slightest and most had wanted the club to cut all ties.

He has shown over the last 2 months that he has vastly improved his output and I for one am glad we have a player of his potential and calibre in our best 22.

I think you would find that the supporters wanted an ultimatum for jack, fire up, or f-o. I think it got to that point. It was reaching it mid last year, in Roosy's first season, with even Dawes y showing how to run, & chase.

it doesn't take confidence to chase. it doesn't take confidence to show some intent. it requires the desire to do so.

the supporters will tell you that they stuck fat for probably 3 + years, & then after still no intent showing, were really ready to give up on Jack, & to make a call to trade, for sure, & I was right there...

to Jacks credit & the hard work I've no doubt, of the assistant coaches, JW is starting to show what the supporters were hoping for after about the 3rd season from him... & its not before time. thats for sure.

the query over Jack, is still not answered... just starting to show something, that is all.. he has a long way to go. & he could go backwards as well. as he improves, he will be tested physically, & those times will show what he's made of. ????

I backed him as a kid - he looked out of his league, but kids take time right?

Then after a couple of years I went to warm on him. He was no longer a kid, but he seemed scared of his own shadow and made stupid mistakes all the time.

After that he went down back and looked like a gem for a bunch of games. Hello? Is this the kid we were hoping for?

Then he went cold. very cold. And I'll admit that I would have smiled if we got anything under the first 30 for him in return

But...

In the last 6 or so weeks he looks like the player that we hoped for - slick, fast, strong and committed to the win.

Hmm.

I need to see more of it before I'm 100% sold, but I'm sitting on a comfortable 99% right now. His straight line run from the FP to set up Vince on the weekend was great. He looked so much bigger and stronger than any of his opponents, and he knew it. That gave me more joy that even his 'best point of the decade' run gave.

I hope he builds on this because when he does those things it is as good as any other star in the game, and like an iceberg I get the feeling that 9/10ths of his true talent is still hidden.

Oh, and to that [censored] Collingwood fan that wanted to punch me back a couple of years ago. I was right. He isn't the worst #1 pick ever. Josh 'What is a football' Fraser still holds the title.

The boo's that he got against the pies were pretty loud. Isn't that "bullying"?