23 minutes ago, A F said:

Got nothing to do with the blunders. I don't care if Jack makes the occasional error by foot, because it's pretty rare. I do care if he doesn't bring the required intensity. He didn't IMO. I'm sorry.

No, I was genuinely disappointed with his intensity. I don't sit here bagging Watts every week.

We must have been watching a different game. Jacks' intensity was terrific. There was one contest in the middle of the ground that he perhaps could have got low and b lined a rather than try and flick the ball out basketball style (which by the way he is great at) but apart from that i he did not squib one contest and his intensity was terrific..

He tackled well (which he has donee all year - compare his tackling stats to say Kent, went when it was his turn, banged bodies in the ruck (something some don't seem to give him much credit for on DL) and flew for marks really aggressively, something Goody was clear they wanted him to improve. There was no better example than the somewhat lucky free kick in front of goal he got in the third. He earned that free because he put his  body on the line.

Many commentators had Watts as our best. And that's because he was good in all aspects of the game not just silky outside skills. 

Oh and reading back through this thread i just saw he got 6 coaches vote. There is no way Goody gives a fella vote who doesn't show the required intensity. No way.

 

Jack Watts

Not putting in ?

Not sure if serious  

10 minutes ago, binman said:

We must have been watching a different game. Jacks' intensity was terrific. There was one contest in the middle of the ground that he perhaps could have got low and b lined a rather than try and flick the ball out basketball style (which by the way he is great at) but apart from that i he did not squib one contest and his intensity was terrific..

He tackled well (which he has donee all year - compare his tackling stats to say Kent, went when it was his turn, banged bodies in the ruck (something some don't seem to give him much credit for on DL) and flew for marks really aggressively, something Goody was clear they wanted him to improve. There was no better example than the somewhat lucky free kick in front of goal he got in the third. He earned that free because he put his  body on the line.

Many commentators had Watts as our best. And that's because he was good in all aspects of the game not just silky outside skills. 

Apparently so, mate. Him trailing in his opponent a couple of times really annoyed me. His first half in particular lacked intensity IMO, but let's agree to disagree. 

I'll take 4 goals any week from him as well, but I felt his stats were misleading.

First time in a long time i can remember going into a match with more experience (just) both overall and at the top end of 100 games or more......

And after some concern about our big man stocks around the ground did the bombers go in way short overall!??  The weight difference is massive at this level also....

 

With the comments on Watts not apparently showing as higher intensity as some on here wouldlike i think its important to remember he again had to play ruck for 50+ % (dont know exact numbers ) game time last week and was stuffed by the end of it. Add to that a short turn around i think he performed pretty well considering he isnt conditioned to play that much time on the ball.

Apologies in advance to posters who already know this... Jack plays smart! Time stands still when he is in traffic, baulking, feinting, backing out and swinging on left or right foot to deliver. You rarely see him tackled. He is elusive and deceptive! He is the best set shot at the football club! He finds ridiculous targets that others have no right to attempt. He runs both ways, helping out in defence, streaming forward from the wing and making multiple leads from the goal square! He is now an extra midfielder disguised as a ruckman... watch his second and third efforts out of the center circle. All of this has been apparent for some time... catch up detractors, Jack attackers... for the cheque books will be flapping violently when his contract renewal or free agency beckon. Then you will count your lucky stars that Jack is loyal!

32 minutes ago, A F said:

Apparently so, mate. Him trailing in his opponent a couple of times really annoyed me. His first half in particular lacked intensity IMO, but let's agree to disagree. 

I'll take 4 goals any week from him as well, but I felt his stats were misleading.

The needle has swung so far in the other direction that you can't even critique elements of Jack's game anymore without a rapid backlash. I was similarly disappointed a week or so ago by some of his efforts when he was in everyone's bests. And if he didn't get that dodgy free in front on the w/e, I would have been rather upset at his effort in that marking contest as well.

9 minutes ago, Skuit said:

The needle has swung so far in the other direction that you can't even critique elements of Jack's game anymore without a rapid backlash. I was similarly disappointed a week or so ago by some of his efforts when he was in everyone's bests. And if he didn't get that dodgy free in front on the w/e, I would have been rather upset at his effort in that marking contest as well.

Yep. At the end of day, this is a discussion forum and most are pretty respectful, but it is a bit like this.

I was amazed at how quiet the place was. Packed to the rafters with Ess flo gs and was dead quiet for most of the game. Front runners.

I'm see what people have been talking about with TMac's game in the second.  He's butchering those kicks and as the commentators said, putting his teammates under unnecessary pressure.  If Joe could kick straight this would have been the end of the game for us. 

Just now, RalphiusMaximus said:

I'm see what people have been talking about with TMac's game in the second.  He's butchering those kicks and as the commentators said, putting his teammates under unnecessary pressure.  If Joe could kick straight this would have been the end of the game for us. 

Very much. 

Tom did much right. No argument.

Tom did some classic Tom stuff. It's there. Deniars deny.

Overall. Its a "plus" effort. Be better if a double plus. Thats the point.

2 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

I was amazed at how quiet the place was. Packed to the rafters with Ess flo gs and was dead quiet for most of the game. Front runners.

I think everyone was waiting for that sport to start where you kick the ball to your teammates.

8 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

I was amazed at how quiet the place was. Packed to the rafters with Ess flo gs and was dead quiet for most of the game. Front runners.

The place was full of Essendon supporters. The Melbourne supporters were minimal in numbers. There was the same quiet when we kicked a goal that we experience in Adelaide or Perth. I was totally surrounded by horrible Essendrug supporters.

7 minutes ago, Skuit said:

I think everyone was waiting for that sport to start where you kick the ball to your teammates.

Was rather bizarre...Cirque de Football !!

Only thing missing Bozo the clown. ...alas.  36 already there 

2 minutes ago, Diamond said:

The place was full of Essendon supporters. The Melbourne supporters were minimal in numbers. There was the same quiet when we kicked a goal that we experience in Adelaide or Perth. I was totally surrounded by horrible Essendrug supporters.

Where i was was about 50/50

Til 10 mins into final qtr lol 

Not sure which one it was, but one of the commentators near the end of the second just predicted that it would all come good in the second half and we'd see free-flowing, high-scoring football.  The man has supernatural powers. 

I have to say that Tyson is playing a much better game than I expected given the comments I've read.  He's finding space and not doing stupid things with the ball.  Should have nailed that set shot, but overall he's playing much better than he has been in other games. 

NICE contested grab by Oliver, then sets up Petracca for an easy goal.  Geez that kid is good. 

22 minutes ago, Skuit said:

I think everyone was waiting for that sport to start where you kick the ball to your teammates.

No mate that got some noise going, drew plenty of groans from both sides.

17 minutes ago, Diamond said:

The place was full of Essendon supporters. The Melbourne supporters were minimal in numbers. There was the same quiet when we kicked a goal that we experience in Adelaide or Perth. I was totally surrounded by horrible Essendrug supporters.

Even before the game, during the stages they were leading... Quiet. 

Now that same bloody umpire has declared that holding the ball in one hand and punching it with the other is not in fact a legal handpass.  At least when a Melbourne player does it.  Pretty sure he's leading the worst on ground stakes. 

38 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

I was amazed at how quiet the place was. Packed to the rafters with Ess flo gs and was dead quiet for most of the game. Front runners.

Watching the replay it felt like there was no atmosphere at the ground. Probably had a lot to do with the standard of play but still.

38 minutes ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

I'm see what people have been talking about with TMac's game in the second.  He's butchering those kicks and as the commentators said, putting his teammates under unnecessary pressure.  If Joe could kick straight this would have been the end of the game for us. 

TMac needs to learn to play smarter. He seems to be a pretty switched on player, seeing opportunities for play and ways to cut through opposition zones. The problem is his skill level isn't up to his footy IQ so when he takes the risky options they often come undone as he can't deliver the footy where he wants. If he started taking smarter options and playing the percentages more he would be AA easily. 

I assume the coaches want him to keep taking the attacking options though as he keeps doing it week in week out 

22 hours ago, Watts Jurrah Dunn? said:

If Joel Smith comes on like we hope, we are going to have 3 very special athletic defenders in Frost, Hunt and Smith.  They will be perfect for aggressive setups and zones with their unbelievable closing speed and leaps.  

Add die Valkerie to that trio.

1 hour ago, Rusty Nails said:

First time in a long time i can remember going into a match with more experience (just) both overall and at the top end of 100 games or more......

And after some concern about our big man stocks around the ground did the bombers go in way short overall!??  The weight difference is massive at this level also....

 

That average height for Essendon can't be right. We've only got 2 players on our list shorter than 177cm (Kennedy and JKH), so it seems ridiculous if that was their average. I'm 177cm exactly and I always feel like a complete dwarf in the presence of AFL footballers.

To be honest it's such an outrageous error that it makes me doubt the veracity of any of it.

48 minutes ago, Skuit said:

The needle has swung so far in the other direction that you can't even critique elements of Jack's game anymore without a rapid backlash. I was similarly disappointed a week or so ago by some of his efforts when he was in everyone's bests. And if he didn't get that dodgy free in front on the w/e, I would have been rather upset at his effort in that marking contest as well.

Yes Jack is Jack and he does make some frustrating blunders at times, dropped chest marks in contests for example but really in his games this year he has delivered in spades, up forward, down back, in the ruck. His kicking and decision making is often elite, however his contesting isn't always but compared to a lot of the mediocre stuff happening around him on game day by us and our opposition means I have given him top votes in the last 2 or 3 games.