Farewell Jack Watts

[Axis of Bob 10,156]

1 minute ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Lever in Watts out for pick 31. And losing first round pick for Lever. Yeah, we did extremely well Not. Explain how we did extremely well please.

Our club currently has Jake Lever and doesn't have Jack Watts. 

I think that is extremely good.

[ThreeOneSix 953]

[censored] decision but life goes on. We aren't the first football club to mishandle a trade period, and we won't be the last. Best we can do is learn and hope its a once off. Good luck to Watts aswell, Port should be up there next year.

[Skuit 9,109]

2 minutes ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

I have written to the club condemning Goodwin's actions. I'm not a bit ashamed and why should I be?

Bobby - I was posting in regards to reading supporters rubbishing the club in a twitter post welcoming Harley Balic to the MFC - a young man looking for a fresh start with our club. People are lauding Jack Watts' class but are themselves failing to display anything of the sort.

I don't claim to understand it, but it's your prerogative if you so choose to write privately to the club about your feelings. Although, I'm still staggered by the stance of some of our older members who have been for so long starved of success when the MFC are attempting to alter a culture of mediocrity from the past.

Maybe they've gone about it wrong - anyone is entitled to that opinion. But it's fair to say that whatever we have been doing for the past fifty years hasn't worked. I would rather us to be bald and burn in flames than continue to fizzle out in irrelevance. Again, just an opinion. 

[Sir Why You Little 34,405]

25 minutes ago, brendan said:

Watts today said “footy is not my life”

says it all really and that’s fine if he wants to think that, but the club needs 100% buy in and if you can’t do that then go else where fairly simple philosophy 

Where did you hear this said? I would like to find it

he won’t last a month at Alberton with those words..

[Bobby McKenzie 2,167]

4 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Bobby - I was posting in regards to reading supporters rubbishing the club in a twitter post welcoming Harley Balic to the MFC - a young man looking for a fresh start with our club. People are lauding Jack Watts' class but are themselves failing to display anything of the sort.

I don't claim to understand it, but it's your prerogative if you so choose to write privately to the club about your feelings. Although, I'm still staggered by the stance of some of our older members who have been for so long starved of success when the MFC are attempting to alter a culture of mediocrity from the past.

Maybe they've gone about it wrong - anyone is entitled to that opinion. But it's fair to say that whatever we have been doing for the past fifty years hasn't worked. I would rather us to be bald and burn in flames than continue to fizzle out in irrelevance. Again, just an opinion. 

Thanks for that Skuit. Well said. My worry is that we have lost a finisher and class when we lack these attributes. Not too optimistic re the future. We win the ball against all sides but don't utilise that advantage. I guess time will tell on this huge gamble.

[Skuit 9,109]

3 minutes ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Thanks for that Skuit. Well said. My worry is that we have lost a finisher and class when we lack these attributes. Not too optimistic re the future. We win the ball against all sides but don't utilise that advantage. I guess time will tell on this huge gamble.

This is all true. Except that I don't personally agree that it's a huge gamble. We have amazing young talent still developing and have brought in more over the trade period. If Oliver continues to improve at the rate he has then his contribution alone will outweigh any losses in this perceived gamble. Hopefully we can unearth some more classy users along the way, but I think there are many good reasons to be optimistic for our near future. Go Dees! 

[Dr. Gonzo 22,390]

1 hour ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Not WE wanted him out just YOU Rogue and the other members of the Minority group. I and a very large majority did not.

The minority group included the Football Department of the Melbourne Football Club so unfortunately your "majority" of 300 people (of a club with 42000 members) lose out 

[picket fence 15,040]

I dunno why but I have a sense of,

1 We failed Jack Watts big time re his development!

2 I'm actually gonna miss his picture on the face of Demonland

3 I still STILL believe we are much poorer for not having him on our list!

And this from a poster that is tired of our lack of success and is scathing when its my time to go and say it like it is !!!

Gee, I wonder what Norm Smith might have done with Jack Watts!??

Edited October 18, 2017 by picket fence

[brendan 3,380]

45 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Where did you hear this said? I would like to find it

he won’t last a month at Alberton with those words..

Herald Sun Website I seen it but he said it on 3aw 

Edited October 18, 2017 by brendan

[pinkshark 935]

Can someone point me in the direction of JW's statement please.  

A friend today likened this scenario to an inexperienced teacher clashing heads with a student.  With experience the teacher knows how to handle the student and would almost certainly deal with things differently.  Like everyone on here I love my Dees, but Goodwin has actually failed us in this instance.  Over a seeming 6/7 weeks he has decided he can't deal with Jack Watt's football talent because he, in his own pathetic, vague words 'is in a rut'.  Ridiculous. 

 

Watts will be a star in Port Adelaide.  He'll play every game.  He'll kick 35+ goals. They'll make the Granny.  There you go. 

 

ps yes i'm happy we got lever and Balic (whoever the hell he is)but thats what I expect.  To sign players.  I don't expect us to be giving away a very good one.  

 

 

[Bobby McKenzie 2,167]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The minority group included the Football Department of the Melbourne Football Club so unfortunately your "majority" of 300 people (of a club with 42000 members) lose out 

You are surely joking a Doc. So you really reckon that the results of posters opinion would be different if you received a vote from 42000 members? Are you suggesting that the majority wanted Jack to go? I have quite a few mates who are MFC members and only one wanted him to go. Small sample but telling. 

[picket fence 15,040]

5 minutes ago, pinkshark said:

Can someone point me in the direction of JW's statement please.  

A friend today likened this scenario to an inexperienced teacher clashing heads with a student.  With experience the teacher knows how to handle the student and would almost certainly deal with things differently.  Like everyone on here I love my Dees, but Goodwin has actually failed us in this instance.  Over a seeming 6/7 weeks he has decided he can't deal with Jack Watt's football talent because he, in his own pathetic, vague words 'is in a rut'.  Ridiculous. 

 

Watts will be a star in Port Adelaide.  He'll play every game.  He'll kick 35+ goals. They'll make the Granny.  There you go. 

 

ps yes i'm happy we got lever and Balic (whoever the hell he is)but thats what I expect.  To sign players.  I don't expect us to be giving away a very good one.  

 

 

Yep and watch the purge of MFC that will Plunge the club into Crisis!

[brendan 3,380]

FOOTY IS NOT MY LIFE: WATTS

Jack Watts says he could see his exit from Melbourne coming. 

The former No.1 draft pick believes an article posted on the club’s website quoting captain Nathan Jones about Watts’ performance was a warning sign. 

“If your own club is putting that up on its website, it makes it pretty difficult, doesn’t it?” he said on 3AW. 

“(There were) a few little warning signs. It is probably for the best for both parties to move on.

“It was not just one thing that you can put your finger on and say ‘that’s why’. I think it was a bit to do with my style of play and a bit to do with certain perceptions, a bit to do with that fact that I am one of the very few still around from those dark days. 

“I think they want to move on from that a little bit which I can understand ... At the end of the day, you move on and make the best of the situation."

Watts was traded to Port Adelaide for pick 31 yesterday. 

Before joining his new teammates he will spend a week in Montreal. 

"It (footy) is not my life,” Watts said. 

“Being a good person, treating people with respect and trying to be a kind, (welcoming) person is more important - I guess it hasn’t helped me much in the football industry. 

“I am pretty proud of how I have held myself, going through what I have and looking at the support I have received over the past few weeks I can see how many people I’ve had an effect on and that makes me pretty proud."

[spirit of norm smith 12,829]

69% of Demonland survey participants wanted him to stay. I would imagine the less passionate non demonlanders would have wanted Jack to stay.  Definite majority wanted him to stay.

 Sad day but history will judge the results.  

We all want MFC to succeed and Jack will always be a Demon man. Go Dees in 2018. 

Edited October 18, 2017 by spirit of norm smith
X

[Skuit 9,109]

12 minutes ago, picket fence said:

I dunno why but I have a sense of,

1 We failed Jack Watts big time re his development!

2 I'm actually gonna miss his picture on the face of Demonland

3 I still STILL believe we are much poorer for not having him on our list!

And this from a poster that is tired of our lack of success and is scathing when its my time to go and say it like it is !!!

Gee, I wonder what Norm Smith might have done with Jack Watts!??

Oddly circumspect and sentimental from you Picket . . .

2 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Yep and watch the purge of MFC that will Plunge the club into Crisis!

Oh, wait. That's the Picket we all LOVE!!!!!!!

[jnrmac 18,913]

1 hour ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

I have written to the club condemning Goodwin's actions. I'm not a bit ashamed and why should I be?

Because you are carrying on like a 12yo. Or maybe you are 12 years old.

[Axis of Bob 10,156]

9 minutes ago, pinkshark said:

A friend today likened this scenario to an inexperienced teacher clashing heads with a student.  With experience the teacher knows how to handle the student and would almost certainly deal with things differently.  Like everyone on here I love my Dees, but Goodwin has actually failed us in this instance.  Over a seeming 6/7 weeks he has decided he can't deal with Jack Watt's football talent because he, in his own pathetic, vague words 'is in a rut'.  Ridiculous.

I'd liken it more to a school 'asking a student to leave'. 

They both agree and then the school writes a nice letter of recommendation for the student.

But, despite the coy public chats, the reason is obvious to both parties.

[demoniac 1,243]

36 minutes ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Thanks for that Skuit. Well said. My worry is that we have lost a finisher and class when we lack these attributes. Not too optimistic re the future. We win the ball against all sides but don't utilise that advantage. I guess time will tell on this huge gamble.

I've never been more optimistic. We have the best list we've had in my 40+ years supporting the Dees. Like our best 22 and our depth. I really value Lever. 195cm, elite intercept mark and spoiler. Marks, spoils with arms at full straight extension, ie in the American sporting vernacular, he plays long. He is also a competitor. Watch his Crows 50 game milestone highlight package, love the play where he stands under a high ball at centre half back, wears the contact from Gunston, gets up and tackles Langford, winning the free for holding the ball. His team mates in defence will love playing with him, the way he relieves pressure on them with an intercept mark, a strong tackle, or coming in third up to spoil their man if they are out of position.

We've seen how the footy industry values Jack. At 26, and with 153 games under his belt, only 2 clubs were interested in obtaining his services, and the Cats were lukewarm. The trade for Pick 31 is under the market value you'd expect for a player of his natural talent. But it is his market value. His situation is comparable to Daniel Menzel who kicked 40 goals in 18 games this season but received no offers in free agency, and will most likely have to accept a one year contract with a pay cut from Geelong. Both Watts and Menzel are skillful with ball in hand. In an onfield context its what they do when they don't have the ball that impacts on demand for their services.

[Mazer Rackham 14,968]

12 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Gee, I wonder what Norm Smith might have done with Jack Watts!??

Torn strips off him?

Norm isn't around to ask but maybe there is a clue in this story ....

Anyone remember David Cordner?

Melbourne royalty. Part of "the" Cordner family. Tall, skilled, showed enormous promise, etc. Nearly drove Barassi mad.

"He looks like a professional but he thinks like an amateur" he would say (or something very close to that).

Spent hours in one on one skills sessions trying to get him to mark at arms length, to protect the ball from spoils, and trying to get some mongrel into him.

The experiment went for a few seasons and finally an underperforming DC was shipped off to the Swans where he played only a handful of games and that was the end of that.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,167]

1 minute ago, demoniac said:

I've never been more optimistic. We have the best list we've had in my 40+ years supporting the Dees. Like our best 22 and our depth. I really value Lever. 195cm, elite intercept mark and spoiler. Marks, spoils with arms at full straight extension, ie in the American sporting vernacular, he plays long. He is also a competitor. Watch his Crows 50 game milestone highlight package, love the play where he stands under a high ball at centre half back, wears the contact from Gunston, gets up and tackles Langford, winning the free for holding the ball. His team mates in defence will love playing with him, the way he relieves pressure on them with an intercept mark, a strong tackle, or coming in third up to spoil their man if they are out of position.

We've seen how the footy industry values Jack. At 26, and with 153 games under his belt, only 2 clubs were interested in obtaining his services, and the Cats were lukewarm. The trade for Pick 31 is under the market value you'd expect for a player of his natural talent. But it is his market value. His situation is comparable to Daniel Menzel who kicked 40 goals in 18 games this season but received no offers in free agency, and will most likely have to accept a one year contract with a pay cut from Geelong. Both Watts and Menzel are skillful with ball in hand. In an onfield context its what they do when they don't have the ball that impacts on demand for their services.

i commend your optimism.

[Skuit 9,109]

6 minutes ago, brendan said:

"It (footy) is not my life,” Watts said. 

“Being a good person, treating people with respect and trying to be a kind, (welcoming) person is more important - I guess it hasn’t helped me much in the football industry. 

“I am pretty proud of how I have held myself, going through what I have and looking at the support I have received over the past few weeks I can see how many people I’ve had an effect on and that makes me pretty proud."

In a nut-shell. But as I've maintained while critisising Jack in the past, I don't consider his particular on-field traits as a mental weakness or personality flaw. In his own way, he's probably more well-rounded than the majority of footy-players, supporters, and the general public. But an admirable philosophy on life-work balance doesn't win flags. Potentially deranged individuals like Jack Viney win flags.  

[demon-4-life 467]

I just want to highlight players that were around before the Roos era who were traded/delisted etc and the outcomes of them since leaving the club.  

2013
Delisted - Tynan, Sellar, Davis, Gillies, Couch, Magner, Stark, Taggert - None playing

2014
Traded - Mitch Clark - Retired, no impact
Delisted - Blease, Strauss, Westrup, Nicholson, Clisby, Georgiou, Tapscott - None Playing

2015
Traded - Jeremy Howe - ok, Toumpas - no impact, Fitzpatrick - no impact
Delisted - Bail, Mckenzie, Riley, Michie - None Playing

2016
Traded - Dunn - ok
Delisted - Grimes, Jones, Terlich, Dawes, Michie, Newton - None Playing

2017
....

I would argue of every single trade or delisting has been 100% spot on.  I see Jeremy Howe being the only one that would be in our best 30 players now.  

Am I concerned about Watts leaving and it coming back to bite us?  Not one little bit.  100% trust in this administration.  Could it have been handled better?  Probably.  In my experience, relationship break ups are hard and there are often things said and done that could be done better.  No different here.  But, rest assured, this is better for the MFC.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,167]

5 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Because you are carrying on like a 12yo. Or maybe you are 12 years old.

With a childish comment like that you must be an 8 year old.

[Leoncelli_36 2,264]

12 hours ago, Roger Bonnici said:

Jack Watts is gone why don't we close this post and give the guy some respect. I have followed Melbourne for 55 years and been a member for 38 consecutive years, my heart once beat true for the red and blue now the only game I will attend in 2018, wherever it will be  Melbourne vs Port Adelaide I will wear my red and blue attire barrack like hell on earth for Jack Watts hope he kicks a bag then I'll walk away. Oh, also hope this is the beginning of the end for Goodwin that I would like to see 

What a peanut

[Lucifers Hero 36,973]

Visited the Port website to see the other side of the coin.

Here is his interview:  http://embeds.audioboom.com/publishing/playlist/v4?bg_fill_col=%23ecefef&boo_content_type=list&data_for_content_type=%2F%2Faudioboom.com%2Fapi%2Fusers%2F2268911%2Faudio_clips&image_option=small&link_color=%2358d1eb&player_theme=light&src=%2F%2Faudioboom.com%2Fapi%2Fusers%2F2268911%2Faudio_clips#Jack Watts joins the FIVEaa Sports Show - Tuesday, 17 October, 2017

He refused to take the bait and criticise Mahoney for his truthful but ungracious comments about Jack, made after the trade was completed. 

Interestingly of the 5 coaches that Mahoney says Jack 'has been through' 4 were inexperienced rookies.  I reckon the experienced Hinkley, like Roos will get the best from Jack. 

It sounds like the move to Adelaide is made easier as his girlfriend lives in Canada.

The interviewers sound rapt to have Jack at Port.  Its worthwhile listening to to get the other side.  Jack is enthusiastic, honest, gracious and classy.