2015 Player Review - # 4 Jack Watts

[Farmer 875]

Against popular belief I hope that Watts stays. He has showed signs of using his speed and skills while playing forward and had some great assists throughout the year. Everyone knows that we need his skills in the team we just need him to get more off it.

I would give him one more year and lose his as a FA next year where the compensation is likely to be higher than trading him for a fringe player or late 2nd round draft pick.

[Farmer 875]

Against popular belief I hope that Watts stays. He has showed signs of using his speed and skills while playing forward and had some great assists throughout the year. Everyone knows that we need his skills in the team we just need him to get more off it.

I would give him one more year and lose his as a FA next year where the compensation is likely to be higher than trading him for a fringe player or late 2nd round draft pick.

I vaguely agree with this. His upside may be higher than the value we would get for trading him

[hardtack 10,514]

I want Jack gone for one very simple reason:

I'll never have to read about should he stay or should he go again on D'Land

I wouldn't be so sure about that... there are posters on here who still manage to exhume the corpses of Morton and Gysberts with monotonous regularity.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,359]

Who's better Bennell or Watts??

Reading the Bennell thread there are comments like "Suns don't want him so he'll come cheap".

And that's different from Watts how?

No one I know that supports other clubs rates him or wants him at their club.

Very interested to see what's he's worth on the open market.

[rpfc 28,263]

relevance to AFL ?

Nada id suspect. Thats no disrespectful Rpfc.. just perspective

AFL is elite. No room for passengers at this level. What you do at yours is up to you.

Football is football. There are role players at AFL level playing in good teams that are not there for their hardness at the footy - they provide other attributes that a team needs.

Mate, I don't care whether you are coaching Eltham U/19s or AFL - the best teams are going to have a hard edge, but they also going to be balanced.

[Ted Lasso 19,311]

I think the best thing for both parties is a change, Jack has attributes that would make him a weapon at a more successful club with a fast outside game style like the dogs or Hawks.

[Radar Detector 1,347]

The idea i find 'cute' is the notion of we MUST keep Jack for he'll surely blossom elsewhere. It's irrelevant to us really. It's about what Jack brings to us.

Its about us. If Jack doesn't ADD to us..then....

Are you fabricating opposing arguments to your own to make your position sound more credible? I recall a number of posters suggesting that trading Jack is only worthwhile if we get something of greater value in return. I recall none espousing your quoted notion above.

[Demonsone 2,036]

Guy has been smashed with that Number 1 pick tag..... But how would he have gone in the 2 finals of the top 4 teams which were played & high intensity????

Bottom line is we need players who can play @ that level.. He has a few mates also... Roos said it well need to improve the list & need to trade something with value to get something....

[beelzebub 23,313]

Are you fabricating opposing arguments to your own to make your position sound more credible? I recall a number of posters suggesting that trading Jack is only worthwhile if we get something of greater value in return. I recall none espousing your quoted notion above.

Was that what I was referring to ? I dont think so..Did you read , actually read what was written ?

Some posters are suggesting we should keep Watts for the reasoning that if he went somewhere else and possibly got better that we would be 'missing out". Its a nonsense argument in reality. We can only judge his value ( to us ) by what he brings to OUR list, not anothers.

Other teams may place an entirely different value. This will be tested I suspect soon at the table

[pitmaster 3,513]

Paul Roos cannot guarantee Jack Watts will be at Melbourne next year

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/paul-roos-cannot-guarantee-jack-watts-will-be-at-melbourne-next-year-20150914-gjmjzc.html#ixzz3llHxztwo
Follow us: @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook

Not really much of a yarn but thought those who didn't see 360 (including me) might want to read it.

Edited September 15, 2015 by pitmaster

[rpfc 28,263]

Was that what I was referring to ? I dont think so..Did you read , actually read what was written ?

Some posters are suggesting we should keep Watts for the reasoning that if he went somewhere else and possibly got better that we would be 'missing out". Its a nonsense argument in reality. We can only judge his value ( to us ) by what he brings to OUR list, not anothers.

Other teams may place an entirely different value. This will be tested I suspect soon at the table

Then respond to that post if you can find it.

[beelzebub 23,313]

Then respond to that post if you can find it.

i have

your crown's slipping btw

[Young Blood 2,586]

Against popular belief I hope that Watts stays. He has showed signs of using his speed and skills while playing forward and had some great assists throughout the year. Everyone knows that we need his skills in the team we just need him to get more off it.

I would give him one more year and lose his as a FA next year where the compensation is likely to be higher than trading him for a fringe player or late 2nd round draft pick.

I agree. Roos always talks about this team having less 'talent' then their opponent. We all know Watts hasn't had a career defined by his talent. His issues have predominately been around his intensity and contested football.

I actually think he improved on a lot of those things this year and can build again on them next year.

We don't have too many players who can do what he does on the wing here.

Ridicule me all you want but I would like to see one more year of Jack Watts at Melbourne Football Club.

[Gator 17,281]

Notwithstanding my thoughts on Watts, was anyone else bemused by Roos' comments on AFL360 ? In my view he handled the question re potentially trading Watts horrendously. Fancy saying everybody is trade bait when we all know that's patent nonsense. Clearly Hogan, Brayshaw, Viney, Petracca, McDonald, Salem and a number of others are off limits. I fully understand the point he was trying to make, but it was unnecessary and one would think that a coach of his experience could have answered that question so much better. I know loyalty is becoming a thing of the past, but at least try and engender a modicum of loyalty within the group and a sense of belonging. Especially when one considers where this club has wallowed.

All he had to say was, "Robbo I'm not going to talk about any individual players or their trade potential. Our list needs to improve and we'll be endeavouring to do that over the trade/draft period, but we won't be discussing individuals". So you can't rule out trading Jack Watts ? "Jack is a required and contracted player of the MFC and we won't be drawn into discussing individuals through this period."

I also appreciate that Roos and the club would have made it clear that they shouldn't listen to what is said in the media through this period, but in my mind it was very poorly handled.

[Slartibartfast 17,190]

Roos has been pretty awful on 360 all year. His gaff re the supporters, his continual reference to the past, his inability to adequately answer Mike Sheehan and the way Bucks has shown him up on numerous occasions suggests to me he should give 360 up next year.

[rpfc 28,263]

i have

your crown's slipping btw

You misread what one poster wrote to argue against a non-existent point that no-one made.

Your cap is firmly on there...

[beelzebub 23,313]

You misread what one poster wrote to argue against a non-existent point that no-one made.

Your cap is firmly on there...

mate you're barking up a tree of you own making.

What i referred to existed..and was addressed.

You're welcome to resolve your confusions however you bloody well like

[jumbo returns 6,740]

I agree. Roos always talks about this team having less 'talent' then their opponent. We all know Watts hasn't had a career defined by his talent. His issues have predominately been around his intensity and contested football.

I actually think he improved on a lot of those things this year and can build again on them next year.

We don't have too many players who can do what he does on the wing here.

Ridicule me all you want but I would like to see one more year of Jack Watts at Melbourne Football Club.

Not from me, and not from the silent majority either.

[grazman 7,407]

Roos has been pretty awful on 360 all year. His gaff re the supporters, his continual reference to the past, his inability to adequately answer Mike Sheehan and the way Bucks has shown him up on numerous occasions suggests to me he should give 360 up next year.

He won't but. His future is in the media not coaching the Melbourne Football Club, we paid a premium to regain some credibility and breathing space and this is part of it. What needs to happen is the club needs to make as transparent as possible the delineation of responsibilities between he and Goodwin for next year. Personally I think Roosy should be given more time to do his media commitments and leave the coaching stuff to Simon.

[Lucifers Hero 39,600]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-16/watts-up-for-the-fight?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News

'..."Watts said his exit interview this week "went very well" and he wants to stick with the Dees..."

Watts, who has played 115 games since he was the top pick in 2008, said he didn't need any more certainty about his position for next season before he heads for an off-season break. "I'm very comfortable. I don't need anything more than what I've got. I'm looking forward to a little break, relax a little bit and get away from it all," he said.

Many reading this will say Jack has had his chances which is true.

But it seems to me that Roos has shifted his focus from valuing 'talent' to wanting "a team of competitors" which is great for us.

I desperately hope Jack is given another chance to show his 'competitive edge'.

[DistrACTION Jackson 8,664]

I genuinely think too much has been made of Roos comment.

Sure if someone comes to us and offers a first round pick for Watts they may consider it, but are they honestly going to ship him off for pick 30 in a weak draft?

The only other option is in a straight swap or bundle for a gun player.

[beelzebub 23,313]

I genuinely think too much has been made of Roos comment.

Sure if someone comes to us and offers a first round pick for Watts they may consider it, but are they honestly going to ship him off for pick 30 in a weak draft?

The only other option is in a straight swap or bundle for a gun player.

I beleiee this is essentially the ONLY path the club is looking at... facilitating a move on on players that dont fit our mould, for one that do Picks may change etc but its not the purpose per se

[Dee Gee 148]

At least Watts has made the point on AFL site that he actually wants to play for Melbourne next year, unlike Howe.

Although he may have addressed his weaknesses in the past, this is the first time Ive heard him state clearly that he stopped going in hard for the contest (arguably he has rarely, if ever, done this in the past) and that this will be his focus to work on during the off season.

Hopefully he stays, I personally like Watts - good or bad, his heart definitely beats true. Just needs to put on a few kgs and go in for the contest - regularly.

[dees189227 12,373]

Look when Watts has the ball he uses it beautifully but the guy is coming up inot his 8th season. Yet he still says there are things he needs to improve on in the off season like contested ball. Yes I know you can always improve but geez Jack come on there are players that have been at our club less than half that time that I rate higher than you.

Opposition teams still bump into you and try to rough you up because they know it will put you off. You are not respected, yet Hogan plays one year and his opponents rave about how tough, strong and its hard to play on him.

Im glad that he said he wants to stay but I also wonder if thats because he's to comfortable and if he went to another club then heaven forbid he may be pushed that little bit harder.

[watchtheeyes 1,417]

I still think Roos likes what Watts can offer, but has now got the same frustration as the rest of us. To me the dropping was a deliberate statement, designed to linger as a thought in the back of Jack's mind until Rd 1 next year.

Of course he'll trade him if the right deal comes along, but it won't be for peanuts.

End of next year however, if he doesn't show up for the contest every single week, well then peanuts is maybe what we'll get.