Farewell Jack Watts

[Wilson7 2,670]

5 minutes ago, Redleg said:

I wonder if this is just a rocket up his a-se and we are not trading him, but rather sending a message.

He did travel interstate to meet another club, this goes beyond scare tactics i think Redleg

[loges 6,767]

1 hour ago, Leoncelli_36 said:

So potentially, we could lose two contracted players in watts and hogan for a bag of peanuts and a can of coke. Terrific. What is going on.with Goodwin and the FD 

I'll bet my left knacka Hogan isn't going anywhere

[Key Deefender 143]

Correct me if I'm wrong - but if Watts has a contract and he wants to stay, the club has to keep him and can't trade him against his will.

Having said that he may decide to move on rather than stay under a coach who doesn't want him.

For all the speculation and with absolutely no insight, I can't help but feel this is reverse psychology being used to try and stoke his fire although I know some will argue that there is no fire left to stoke.

He would not be the first AFL player to be on the brink and then stay.

He still may be of greater value to us than what we can get for him and as the best ball user and decision maker with ball in hand in the team, I hope he stays.

 

 

 

[grazman 7,436]

3 minutes ago, Abe said:

This sounds like a Simon Goodwin driven decision. 

I hope he gets it right because if he doesn't it's on him

Which is what leaders do. Coaches rarely get the opportunity to pass the blame anyway.  

I'd be worried if there was a chorus of approval in deciding to trade him, but it sounds like Goodwin knows what he wants from his list.  If everyone around the club thought Jack should be traded, then in all likelihood he probably has little trade currency anyway.

Too many supporters baulk at trades based on what the player may do at his new club, but the decision to trade a player should be solely based on the metrics at hand and improving the list/culture and not on what 'might' happen.  Colin Sylvia 'might' have fulfilled his potential at Fremantle after teasing Melbourne supporters for so long and on that basis should have been offered another contract - but then again maybe the club was happy for him to walk and get the compensation. 

 

 

 

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

35 minutes ago, Redleg said:

While I would like Jack to stay, if you told me we were getting Danger, Martin, Cotchin or Selwood, we would all be screaming in delight.

Therefore we would be happy to move him on, as long as we did well out of the deal.

Most have said we are happy with the current FD.

So, shouldn't we accept that the FD know what they are doing and just hope that they get a good deal, before we burn the joint down?

But we aint getting players anywhere near these guys in talent. Talk of pick 20 is not very exciting in exchange for a player of his talent. Or even third round pick from Freo as someone suggested. I will lose faith in the FD if he is traded for an ordinary run of the mill player.

4 minutes ago, wheaters31 said:

On SEN they mentioned Geelong are interested in Watts, along with Collingwood, West Coast and Port.

I can see Geelong using him to fill the role of Menzel. They seemed to be targeting Stringer for that but he seems to be off to Essendon. I can see them diverting their attention to Watts after that. Now pick 20 from the Cats would be a perfect price for Watts IMO. He'll also like taking over the no. 4 at the cattery following Mackie's departure too. 

 

[grazman 7,436]

8 minutes ago, Key Deefender said:

For all the speculation and with absolutely no insight, I can't help but feel this is reverse psychology being used to try and stoke his fire although I know some will argue that there is no fire left to stoke.

Yeah, nah.  There's a slim chance he might not get traded, but it will be more about what the club wants in return and about what potential suitors might offer.

Goodwin is building a list on competitiveness and that is a non-negotiable.  We all love Jack Watts for what he can do in terms of disposal and decision making, but he simply isn't a competitor in the mould of a Viney, Hogan, Oliver, Petracca etc.

I don't blame him he was drafted without much football behind him at all and plays the game very much like a basketballer and not like a footballer.   While I'll miss his elite kicking, I won't be screaming at him to keep his feet in a contest.

Edited September 28, 2017 by grazman

[Willmoy1947 4,089]

Last night i put on my Priest's garb and decided to hear confessions at the annual "Grand Final confession for free event".

Every Media soothsayer turned up there, in a lather, and said that they had been spreading untruths about Melbourne Players because they hate their supporter so much, and how they are always spreading rumors about them on their bloody D'land site. 

I said, my son, that will be a hundred dollars in the hypocrite box and go forth............

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

Why would Port want Jack anyway. Don't they practice tough unrelenting pressure all the time?

[grazman 7,436]

7 minutes ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Why would Port want Jack anyway. Don't they practice tough unrelenting pressure all the time?

Because their disposal is even worse than ours!

[Ted Lasso 19,518]

30 minutes ago, grazman said:

Which is what leaders do. Coaches rarely get the opportunity to pass the blame anyway.  

I'd be worried if there was a chorus of approval in deciding to trade him, but it sounds like Goodwin knows what he wants from his list.  If everyone around the club thought Jack should be traded, then in all likelihood he probably has little trade currency anyway.

Too many supporters baulk at trades based on what the player may do at his new club, but the decision to trade a player should be solely based on the metrics at hand and improving the list/culture and not on what 'might' happen.  Colin Sylvia 'might' have fulfilled his potential at Fremantle after teasing Melbourne supporters for so long and on that basis should have been offered another contract - but then again maybe the club was happy for him to walk and get the compensation. 

 

 

 

The thing is Graz, what would port or any other club realistically offer us that's going to be better than jack? it needs to be a net win for the club. 

[DaveyDee 421]

quite a humorous thread this is turning out to be

[rpfc 28,433]

The most ironic thing about all this?

If Jack Watts was at another club, he would be the exact type of skillset we would try to get at a bargain price.

'I could get him back to 2016 form' Goodwin would tell himself...

[Cheap Seats 3,310]

Or he could do nothing special like his 8 years at Melbourne.

 

[Ted Lasso 19,518]

4 minutes ago, rpfc said:

The most ironic thing about all this?

If Jack Watts was at another club, he would be the exact type of skillset we would try to get at a bargain price.

'I could get him back to 2016 form' Goodwin would tell himself...

A team that is screaming out for skills, footy smarts and a bit of outside flair looking at trading one of the only players who has those qualities seems odd unless the deal is good value. It's hard to judge until we see what's out in front of us 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,219]

1 hour ago, rpfc said:

Hypotheticals are fun!

He would have been in a finals winning MFC team. Winning that game changes everything.

Nothing to do with hypotheticals. Just pointing out that Watts would likely be out the door regardless of the last games result against the Pies. His card was marked before that.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,241]

Just saw a report and interview on 7. 

No doubt in my mind that he's gone.

It's just a question of what the details are.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,177]

Watts is a 9th year talented yet flakey flanker who we chose not to play this year  on two seperate occasions due to lack of buy in on required effort and ethic on and off the field. How some can show such hysteria at our want to move him on have obviously forgotten what it felt like missing out in the last round. Any player who is not 100% buying in to do everything necessary on and off the field can get out in my opinion and Watts is the poster boy for it. I am sure what we get (likely a second round pick) people will say is unders but it is right based on his career output and likely output moving forward. The best we can hope for is many clubs decide he is the answer to drive up his value. I will hold to see the overall picture of ins and outs before I hold a view on whether we have improved our list and chance to take the next step and more importantly the ones after it to make it to the last game in September. 

[Lucifers Hero 39,818]

3 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Just saw a report and interview on 7. 

No doubt in my mind that he's gone.

It's just a question of what the details are.

Who was the interview with Bbo and what was said.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,241]

Not sure of the reporter but Jack had visited PA's facilities he said it was a "tough" industry and we'll see what happens over "the next couple of weeks".

[Dee tention 616]

6 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Just saw a report and interview on 7. 

No doubt in my mind that he's gone.

It's just a question of what the details are.

Interview with who? Watts?

[Bitter but optimistic 22,241]

Just now, Dee tention said:

Interview with who? Watts?

See above. It was at Adelaide airport.

[Micksdemons 131]

I'm actually very upset that jack Watts is I this position - loves the club who failed him - we have a Johnny come lately coaching group who failed us ( supporters ) again this year and are removing one our most loyal talented players who they can't coach well enough to get his best ( Roos says keep him ) and I would rather sack about 40 others including some coaches before Jack - he was in our best in the last game - tucked in Gawns absence and is our best kick into 50 and for goal - I won't what they want for him but it will need to be a massive player to equal our loss - sick of bad decisions - platinum member who has already rejoined for next year bu wish I hadn't . Upset to say the least. George on the outer a comment would be appropriate thanks ! 

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

1 hour ago, loges said:

I'll bet my left knacka Hogan isn't going anywhere

If he was, the Watts news wouldn't even rate a mention.

[Gorgoroth 12,955]

Ox on Sen said he referred to us as "they"

[At the break of Gawn 4,460]

From Paul Roos: 

You can't always harp on people's weaknesses. That's the problem that certainly existed before I got to Melbourne," he said.

"Every player has got weaknesses. Wattsy responded when you talk about his positiives – he's an elite kick, he's an elite decision maker, he's a very good player.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2017/09/28/roos-and-schwarz-urge-dees-to-re-think-watts-trade-plans/

So... the guy who taught Goodwin how to coach, who rebuilt this club, and extracted the best year out of Watts is telling him not to trade him. Hmm, I know who I'd listen to.

Edited September 28, 2017 by At the break of Gawn