I blame Jack Watts for the state of this thread. 

1 minute ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I blame Jack Watts for the state of this thread. 

Hopefully we can say the same thing during the euphoria of embarking on our first finals series for a long time 

The word is Jack Watts has been disciplined for talking with spectators over the fence during work hours, instead of focussing on football. It's all Saty's fault.

3 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I blame Jack Watts for the state of this thread. 

I'm blaming Lewis...spreading all that unsociable footy rubbish 

 

 

About 3-4 kgs too much around the belly and chin.

Steve_F C.I.P. (Certified Illegitimate Porker)

 

 

 

 

I don't really understand why people are attacking ProDee for this, he had the exact same thoughts as a lot of people I'm sure. As they say where there is smoke there is fire. As a big defender of Jack it is pretty disappointing to hear that he hasn't reached the goals set in the preseason and that is unacceptable for this stage in his career. Jack has an extreme amount of talent and I hope he reaches the heights that I think he is capable of. People asking for the club to release which goals he didn't set are insane, what would they gain by doing that? By releasing that it would put even more unfair pressure on Jack. I hope he is in the team by round 1 but if he isn't picked you have to just trust the new coach.

This is a place we have wanted to be in for a long time. For years, blokes were gifted games because they were the 'future' or because the list was in such a bad way, we had no other option. The future is now and the options are plentiful. Jack had 3 years of a coach who was incredibly fair to him (which isn't a code word for lax) but one who wouldn't avoid the hard calls. Now said coach is gone and a new kid is on the block, did Jack think he could fall back into old habits? I hope Goody has now disabused him of this notion.

If I recall correctly, Roosy dropped Jack at the end of 2015. From memory, that was the boot up the arze that got him to finally have a decent season in 2016. Hopefully, this will be the case again but it's getting a bit tiring that Jack needs to be beaten with a figurative stick to stay focused.

Personally I have no problems with the way this has been handled by the club. I do not think I need to know the circumstances surrounding the situation. From what has been said, Jack's performance has not been up to scratch and he is not going to be selected until it is. End of story. 

How he responds and the outcome will be interesting.

On 20/02/2017 at 10:09 PM, america de cali said:

Looks like he fresh back from a stint working on the Burma Railroad.

Hardly call him fat. Looked pretty fit to me. Maybe we could have some similar poses from his detractors?

There are few players that can garner such a massive amount of attention for doing very little. Watts is most definitely one of them, almost yearly there is a large thread usually at this time of year devoted to what sort of condition/mental state he's in and whether he will have a good year. Thankfully last it was a very good one. 

I was a bit sceptical on this initial rumour but there does seem to be something to it given certain comments. He's still definitely best 22, and he does stuff that very few at our club can do, but it sounds like Goody and co have placed certain KPI's that the players have to meet and he's failed to do that. It seems only fair that those who have get first crack at playing, the only question mark I'd place on the way they've handled it is to do with Watts himself. He's shown at times to not respond well to bringing him down, and I know the players shouldn't be mollycoddled but Roos said himself that at times he had to be an amateur psychologist at times so I just wonder whether this is the best way to motivate him.

Anyway, now I'm just throwing my own speculation in there. I expect Watts will be in the final JLT and with any luck he will kick 4 goals, have 25 possies, 5 assists, 10 contested marks, well you get the point.

I just hope Goodwin has not became a hard asss overnight, if he was everyone's friend one day and a hard asss the next day that could back fire, I hope am   wrong.  st. Kilda at bogee ground and bogee side Carlton, then a reborn dockers , could be 0/3 and a neeld all over again, Neeld lost the players before first game,  Goodwin might lose  them after 3 games,  then that would be the end for me I will give up following them. 

I have no problem with how this has been handled.

The underlying issue is that if Jack Watts farts it makes the back page of the paper. So do you treat him differently out of fear of it becoming a headline ? Do you set different rules for him ? What message does it send to the rest of the group if you pick a player that apparently hasn't met his KPI's because you don't want it to become a story ?

Where is the outrage over Jack Trengove not getting a practice game ? He has worked his butt off and not put a foot wrong. Bottom line for JT is there are others ahead of him on the list and he may have to prove himself at Casey to get a game. But there is no 450 post thread because there is no  media obsession with Trengove.  

So if the football dep't have deemed Watts has not been working hard enough or whatever it is that sees him not picked then the footy department should take whatever action it deems necessary without fearing that it is going to make news.

16 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

It's poor management of him either way by the club. Past history shows he does not respond well to the hard approach but rather a supportive one. To take the approach that does not work with him, and then let the media run wild laying into him, is poor management by the club.

If Jack isn't doing what they asked, then that's disappointing by him. But it's also disappointing the way the club has handled this situation.

It's not poor management at all. They're setting standards. This isn't about Watts it's about the MFC. I'm sure other players wouldn't be happy seeing him get a game ahead of them if he's been training as has been speculated.

I blame Demonland for putting him on the banner. Clearly he wasn't ready and the mods have put too much pressure on him.

Maybe Jack cracked it because they are taking the ruck duties off him and he had a few choice words about it to Goody?

Maybe Jack was told to shave his sideburns and he didn't do it.

Goody could be jealous of Jack's strikingly good looks and wants to show him that looks aren't everything if you have the power.

All heresay and speculation, how there can be 18 pages on this crap really shows that preseason goes for way too long.

I will start to worry when the season proper starts and Jack isn't out there, until then, enjoy your fantasy land

4 hours ago, don't make me angry said:

I just hope Goodwin has not became a hard asss overnight, if he was everyone's friend one day and a hard asss the next day that could back fire, I hope am   wrong.  st. Kilda at bogee ground and bogee side Carlton, then a reborn dockers , could be 0/3 and a neeld all over again, Neeld lost the players before first game,  Goodwin might lose  them after 3 games,  then that would be the end for me I will give up following them. 

Its 1 player ffs.. The players have a huge glowing endorsement of Goody and they will play for him. How about we start actually pointing the finger at players and not coaches for once.

Goodwin has built the ship to sail on an exciting journey. Your either apart of it you get left behind. Time to pull your socks up Jack!

And the comparisons to Mark Neeld is pathetic and embarrassing. Neeld had no people skills and lost the players the moment he carried on like a terry tough nut at the best and fairest night. 

Goodwin will be a successful coach for us.

8 hours ago, Rafiki said:

I don't really understand why people are attacking ProDee for this, he had the exact same thoughts as a lot of people I'm sure. As they say where there is smoke there is fire. As a big defender of Jack it is pretty disappointing to hear that he hasn't reached the goals set in the preseason and that is unacceptable for this stage in his career. Jack has an extreme amount of talent and I hope he reaches the heights that I think he is capable of. People asking for the club to release which goals he didn't set are insane, what would they gain by doing that? By releasing that it would put even more unfair pressure on Jack. I hope he is in the team by round 1 but if he isn't picked you have to just trust the new coach.

I appreciate the sentiments, however, it's not lost on me that if you conduct yourself like I historically have then you open yourself up to scrutiny and in part bring it upon yourself.

5 hours ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Hardly call him fat. Looked pretty fit to me. Maybe we could have some similar poses from his detractors?

Jack Watts not meeting training standards may have nothing to do with skin folds, beep tests or his general level of fitness. It could come down to his attitude on the training track. He might not be switched on 100% at all times. And I was semi serious when I was talking about players chatting to supporters over the fence before, during or after training sessions. It's the players work time, so it should be frowned upon.

 

 

 

 

I do find the argument that the club has acted unprofessionally puzzling.

I think those making that argument need to ask themselves a question.  Do you think the club understood that when they decided not to play Watts for two weeks that it would create media interest ? ( it is a rhetorical question but the answer is self evident). 

Therefore you can understand the stance the footy department is taking ( as they should). The club will manage its players in the way it sees fit and the media are free to write whatever they like. 

Despite the views expressed in this thread, and the clear substance to the underlying 'rumour', I still reckon Watts will play in round 1 against the Saints and will, most likely, have a good game.

 

To me Watts is just another footballer on the list ... I never had the same expectations of Jack because I don't believe in the draft like many choose to do.  He's just not that good a player nor is he a failure either.

Judging a player according to his draft pick number is a no win situation for a top end pick ... he's supposed to be 'great' and if he isn't, there's hell to pay.

Jack was a 16/17 year old 'prospect' playing schoolboy footy when the no.1 pick was bestowed on him ... and we did that, not Jack himself.  He just joins a long long list of top end end draft picks who didn't turn out to be champion footballers. 

The issue is the system itself.

 

 

9 hours ago, steve_f said:

 

 

 

Mystery solved. Watts won't get a game until he stops relying on this bloke to help him jump.

I think the approach taken is worth the risk.  Jack had a great season last year and played a pivotal role in many of the great team performances.  But he cannot afford to stagnate in his development.  Should the teams perfoance continue to improve and and result in winning more games, opposition teams will be putting more work into our key players and Watts will be high on that list, so I suspect that he really needs to improve, just to maintain his level of output.  

But I'm hoping that he can improve significantly again to go from good to great.  He has the weapons, last year he showed more desire, but if he can step his level of physicality and competitivness up again, then he could be in for an awesome year.  I don't think Goody being a hard ass should nessasrily crush Watts - he is a big boy now and provided the relationship and respect between Goody and Watts is strong (big difference to Neeld here), then I think that Watts will recognize the reasons for what Goody is pushing, take it on board and accept it as a challenge to rise to the next level again.

After some good improvement last year that has given many optimisim and hope for a truly competitive MFC again, the worst thing which could happen is that individuals and the club sits back and think that it has arrived.  We haven't arrived until we finally get another trophy in the cabinet (or four of them like Jordan!!).  Not settling for mediocrity anymore is a great sign IMHO.

5 hours ago, don't make me angry said:

I just hope Goodwin has not became a hard asss overnight, if he was everyone's friend one day and a hard asss the next day that could back fire, I hope am   wrong.  st. Kilda at bogee ground and bogee side Carlton, then a reborn dockers , could be 0/3 and a neeld all over again, Neeld lost the players before first game,  Goodwin might lose  them after 3 games,  then that would be the end for me I will give up following them. 

WTF - you've gone way too early mate. Neeld?!

40 minutes ago, Macca said:

To me Watts is just another footballer on the list ... I never had the same expectations of Jack because I don't believe in the draft like many choose to do.  He's just not that good a player nor is he a failure either.

Judging a player according to his draft pick number is a no win situation for a top end pick ... he's supposed to be 'great' and if he isn't, there's hell to pay.

Jack was a 16/17 year old 'prospect' playing schoolboy footy when the no.1 pick was bestowed on him ... and we did that, not Jack himself.  He just joins a long long list of top end end draft picks who didn't turn out to be champion footballers. 

The issue is the system itself.

 

 

Macca, I agree with everything you've said except the last line. The issue is the (over)reaction of (some) supporters to what the system itself produces.

4 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Macca, I agree with everything you've said except the last line. The issue is the (over)reaction of (some) supporters to what the system itself produces.

Yeah,  you're right.  I worded that last bit wrong.

I'm happy to keep the system we have (drafting) but we should recognise it's flaws.  And not just from a MFC point of view. 

However,  I do believe that all the clubs might end up with zones/academies in the future which would by default, make drafting less important.