2016 will be a breakout year for...

[AllMyTeamsAreWank 564]

Watts will kick 30+ this year. Will have the attention taken off him and the delivery will be a lot better. He is one of the best set shots in the team and all he needs is his leads honoured. He will have a good year.

Our forward line hasn't been a good hunting ground for mid sized forward for a long time. You get the vibe with Hogan taking the best defender and Garlett taking the small defender, Watts will be able to play his natural game. I have never felt more positive about the bloke. 

Edited February 10, 2016 by AllMyTeamsAreWank

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I keep seeing Mitch Clark in the photos of Hulett (as in what he looks like).

Can the usual types here please not post "I hope he's a more loyal player than Clark" and so on.

 

[DeeZee 7,425]

Kent and Salem will go to another level and star.

Hunt will be the surprise packet of the season, and I suspect that Trengove and Grimes might be very solid contributors this year.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Hoping that Kent and Salem don't reinjure their hammies.

And that Viney doesn't get suspended.

Big seasons from all of them if they manage to avoid these things.

 

 

[tappysquads 618]

How good is it reading articles talking about Tmac, Gawn, Viney and Hogan being amongst the top players in their positions across the league. Nice spine we will have very shortly

[DeeSpencer 25,723]

7 hours ago, AllMyTeamsAreWank said:

Watts will kick 30+ this year. Will have the attention taken off him and the delivery will be a lot better. He is one of the best set shots in the team and all he needs is his leads honoured. He will have a good year.

Our forward line hasn't been a good hunting ground for mid sized forward for a long time. You get the vibe with Hogan taking the best defender and Garlett taking the small defender, Watts will be able to play his natural game. I have never felt more positive about the bloke. 

No matter how quick or fit a guy is it takes really good delivery to take marks on the lead inside 50 these days. So if Watts is playing deep we will need to be moving the ball better.

Also as the designated '3rd tall' he'll have to compete in the air much better than he has and take some contested marks. 

The possibility is there for guys like Watts and Petracca to work together to create mismatches on the mid sized defenders, with Watts using his pace and vision to get free from bigger opponents and Petracca using his size and power to outbody smaller opponents, it's just a matter of it coming together. 

I also think there's no way Watts should ever be used close to goal entirely, his best games are so often when he can float up the ground and get involved in play. He can be designated as the third tall but he's got to use all his tricks to his advantage. He's never going to be a traditional player.

[Damo 3,362]

4 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

No matter how quick or fit a guy is it takes really good delivery to take marks on the lead inside 50 these days. So if Watts is playing deep we will need to be moving the ball better.

Also as the designated '3rd tall' he'll have to compete in the air much better than he has and take some contested marks. 

 

I havent seen any training reports where he has been competing in the air. But I may have missed them.

[Wrecker45 3,378]

Hate to make this about Jack Watts but...

All the training reports in the second half of last season had him doing boxing, wrestling etc... With specialist coaches, away from the main group. I though it worked and towards the end of the season his 1 on 1 competitive work improved from hopeless to o.k. It will never be his strength.

i have Jack Watts and Kent as the real break outs this year.

[Real Talk 6]

Jack Viney to go next level.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,878]

On 11 February 2016 at 4:33 PM, Real Talk said:

Jack Viney to go next level.

Level 7

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Ethan Tremblay

[Willmoy1947 4,099]

13 hours ago, ProDee said:

Yeah, nah...

The following interview confirms what has been discussed over the summer.  Watts will play deeper to goal with a view to actually kicking goals.

35-40 goals must be the aim for a tall forward playing closer to goal.  He needs to impact the scoreboard.  It's his best chance to impact games.

"My whole preseason has been up forward"  "the aim will be to try and kick some goals"

He hasn't trained in the midfield and clearly the club wants some goals out of him, which is how I'll be measuring his output.

 

 

 

Needs a scar, a couple of tatts and a broken nose, then away you go....

[Akum 2,660]

17 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

...

I also think there's no way Watts should ever be used close to goal entirely, his best games are so often when he can float up the ground and get involved in play. He can be designated as the third tall but he's got to use all his tricks to his advantage. He's never going to be a traditional player.

Agree with this, in addition to kicking goals.

You want him to be one of those (like Salem) who's delivering a lot of ball into the forward 50 as well as kicking some decent goals himself. That last ball into F50 is one thing that the team really needs to improve. Hogan et al need to get far more than the usual mere handful of good F50 entries every game.

[dee-luded 2,959]

13 hours ago, willmoy said:

Needs a scar, a couple of tatts and a broken nose, then away you go....

in 10 years time tho... that will be the sign of a career well respected,  & carried out the hard way. doing hard things.

[AllMyTeamsAreWank 564]

18 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

No matter how quick or fit a guy is it takes really good delivery to take marks on the lead inside 50 these days. So if Watts is playing deep we will need to be moving the ball better.

Also as the designated '3rd tall' he'll have to compete in the air much better than he has and take some contested marks. 

The possibility is there for guys like Watts and Petracca to work together to create mismatches on the mid sized defenders, with Watts using his pace and vision to get free from bigger opponents and Petracca using his size and power to outbody smaller opponents, it's just a matter of it coming together. 

I also think there's no way Watts should ever be used close to goal entirely, his best games are so often when he can float up the ground and get involved in play. He can be designated as the third tall but he's got to use all his tricks to his advantage. He's never going to be a traditional player.

 

I think you make a good point regarding Watts playing higher up the ground as his delivery inside 50 last season was his strength. Wasn't he ranked highest in our club for assists or something? 

Having said that, I'd still like to see Watts leading for the ball inside 50. I think a lot of it comes down to confidence and backing yourself. We even saw Garlett lead well and take some good marks inside 50 last season. Even though he couldn't bloody convert them.

 I believe we have the players in the team now to deliver it to Watts on the lead, which means he won't have to do the physical stuff as much as required in previous seasons. Someone with his speed and kicking accuracy should theoretically be a perfect target in the forward line. If the penny doesn't drop this season, I think it's fairly safe to say it never will. 

Edited February 12, 2016 by AllMyTeamsAreWank

[binman 43,137]

On 2/10/2016 at 8:36 AM, ProDee said:

The following interview confirms what has been discussed over the summer.  Watts will play deeper to goal with a view to actually kicking goals.

35-40 goals must be the aim for a tall forward playing closer to goal.  He needs to impact the scoreboard.  It's his best chance to impact games.

"My whole preseason has been up forward"  "the aim will be to try and kick some goals"

He hasn't trained in the midfield and clearly the club wants some goals out of him, which is how I'll be measuring his output.

I'll admit that i'm surprised that, based on Watts's comments the plan appears to be to play him closer to goals as i was sure he would play high half forward wing.

As Watts says the aim will be to kick goals and as such it is only reasonable to judge his output by the number of goals he kicks.

35-40 goals as a  KPI is not unreasonable, though for me feels a little high as Hogan was our leading goals kicker last year with 41 and no doubt will be again this year (and for the rest of his career) but i would be rapt if he could kick 60. There will also be Kent, Gartlett and Petraaca looking for their cut of goals. Also how many goals Watts might/should snag will be influenced by how many wins we get and even more importantly if we play a more attacking  game (which seems likely).

So i reckon my KPI would be 30-35 goals.  Either way what is interesting, particularly in light of our bet, is that if the aim is to kick goals then he is likely to be dropped if he doesn't.

Whilst i would prefer him up the ground it is possible that playing deeper will help him by making the coaching staff's expectations crystal clear in terms of what he needs to do to be picked each week - kick goals. This could help free up his thinking and keeps things nice and simple.

Also i get frustrated that Watts doesn't back himself more often and have a ping at goals, rather than give it off. Making goals the key aim might see him go for goals more often and given how good a kick he is that can only be a good thing.

 

Edited February 12, 2016 by binman

[Gator 17,383]

53 minutes ago, binman said:

So i reckon my KPI would be 30-35 goals.  Either way what is interesting, particularly in light of our bet, is that if the aim is to kick goals then he is likely to be dropped if he doesn't.

 

I'll be delighted if I lose the bet and he kicks 30.

[binman 43,137]

31 minutes ago, ProDee said:

I'll be delighted if I lose the bet and he kicks 30.

So will i. And not only because of the bet. If he can get 30 goals (which if he plays 22 games should be more than possible), Hoges can kick 60, Garlett can get 25 and Kent and Petraaca can both get 15-20 we should be pushing the top 10.  

Edited February 12, 2016 by binman

[Gator 17,383]

1 minute ago, binman said:

So will i. And not only because of the bet. If he can get 30 goals (which if he plays 22 games should be more than possible), Hoges can kick 60, Garlett can get 25 and Kent and Petraaca can both get 15-20 we should be pushing the top 10.  

It's worth noting that Watts played as a forward in the match sim, which endorses his recent comments.

[AllMyTeamsAreWank 564]

1 minute ago, ProDee said:

It's worth noting that Watts played as a forward in the match sim, which endorses his recent comments.

Can anyone repeat how he performed? 

[binman 43,137]

23 minutes ago, ProDee said:

It's worth noting that Watts played as a forward in the match sim, which endorses his recent comments.

Did he kick any goals?

[junk 342]

Many players in 2015 showed potential at times and some broke down. Kent was good until he was injured,Frost showed potential,White was useful,Harmes surprise some.O-Mac was serviceable. The person I would say that will have a break out year is HUNT providing he has an injury free season.How is anyone going to determine who is going to have a break out season. Perhaps the parimeter could be if player does not finish in the Dees top ten at the end of 2015 and then finishes in the top 3 in 2016. Just a thought!!!!

[In Harmes Way 7,796]

My key worry is twofold - we need to significantly improve on our inside 50 count in games, and we need a strong marking option inside 50 to better convert these additional opportunities. Hoges and Watts need to work together closely on getting kicks up the ground, as they both play this style of game and we don't want to over deplete the forward line; just create more space for the key marking option.

[monoccular 17,432]

On 4 February 2016 at 3:14 PM, Melb16 said:

It's got to be Jack Viney doesn't it.

I may be wrong but not sure he's had a full pre season yet but seems this one he hasn't missed a session.

Dont see anything holding him back this year!

The umpires and/or MRP?

Aparently the AFL have decided that "tackling too hard" will not be tolerated.  And of course, being undefined, test cases will be set up using players from the 'lesser teams'.  Can't see them testing it out on any of their 'special clubs'.

[What 18,810]

On 10/02/2016 at 8:36 AM, ProDee said:

 

The following interview confirms what has been discussed over the summer.  Watts will play deeper to goal with a view to actually kicking goals.

 

 

About time too. 

[Little Richard 6,265]

Jack Viney is going to tear the comp to bits this year. If you don't have him in your supercoach/dreamteam squad, get him now.

If he stays fit, Kent should become a serious force.

Maxy Gawn to end the year being rated in the top 3 ruck man in the competition.

Lumumba to make up for a disappointing 2015 and provide some (still) much needed run penetration off half back.