5 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Lol he is not going to dictate terms. Once a club makes it known to a player he's not part of future plans you'd have to be an idiot to say "fine but if you trade me I'll only go to a top 4 club". That's without even co siderig the top 4 changes year on year. We're Richmond a top 4 side last year?

Of course he is going to dictate terms. What is rhe point of a contract otherwise. Can you give one example of a player uner contract being traded against their will?

By top 4 i mean teams in the premiership window, which i have noted previously.

Players still under contract onlty get traded when both parties benefit. That includes when a player wants to break a contract - like gibbs. 

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

It among many suggestions has some plausibility.

I could see 

Out #10 Watts  3rd rnd pick

In Lever  Adel 2nd rnd pick

A bit of give and get both ways. Thats called trading.

Both sides must have serious doubts about his future at MFC. 

With the on-going negative commentary and speculation, Jack and his team must be thinking that he would be better off elsewhere....if the price is right. 

On the other side, the club must be thinking that the time is right to move him on.....if the trade is right. 

Another season of negative publicity would not be good for either party and would devalue his worth from a contractural and trading perspective. 

My guess is that the mind state of both sides and the lack of a clear statement of commitment from Jack and the club suggest he will move on. 

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

@robbiefrom13 et al.

Ive had, possibly like yourself, a nagging feeling there's an "in"  crowd, a clique still at Melb. This would explain a lot. You wont be alone in observing Watts being ignored or "bussed"  . The Dees have a long history of 'jocks' . Where other clubs seek success Melbourne are masters of self destruction. 

Its not necessarily in the realm of fantasy that some lesser talented but better workers are just jealous of highly skilled cruisers. Its a normal human condition..

It might well prove beneficial for Watts to move on., provided we better the list in doing so.

Whilst we're on this subject of "Bussing" players i firmly believe we'll never win a Premiership with Jones as capt ( i await the incoming )

I understand the point you're making and I agree with it up to a point.

But I think Watts also generates a fair amount of positivity around the place (like Gawn, Petracca and I reckon Jones). In those weeks when they've just had a bad loss and it seems they're up against it and the tasks ahead of them look insurmountable, Watts would be one of the main initiators of getting alongside everybody, lifting the mood, getting the team to believe in each other again. While the more intense members of the squad are in their own little bubble, smashing out the reps at the gym, working themselves into a hard ball of determination, it would be the likes of Watts & Gawn who are able to detach from it a bit and bring the squad into a better frame of mind.

See, that's the upside of a supposed "lack of intensity". Because the reality is that you need a mix of both. If everyone has to be intense all the time, it can really suck the morale out of the club. We've already been through this once in recent memory and we ended up in a very bad place indeed. 

And you can't equate "intensity" with "commitment". I agree that Watts would be on the lower end of the list as far as "intensity" is concerned, but his "commitment" during his time at the club would be right up at the top. And in every single game, his "commitment" would also be right at the top, even if he doesn't contribute hugely to the team's "intensity". 

Which, by the way, is why it's ridiculous to hold him (and Salem) responsible for the team's lack of intensity in the NM2 and GWS games, because he doesn't contribute hugely to it anyway. If the team's intensity is down, it's because the usual "intensity" guys didn't bring it. Watts & Salem bring the finesse, the coolness under pressure, the delivery & execution, and if one or both of them goes, we will be sorely lacking in these areas where all the "intensity" in the world will be of no use whatsoever.

And I still can't escape the feeling that Watts's lack of "intensity" is being used as a fig-leaf to cover a number of other deficiencies that showed up in the last 8 or 9 rounds or so, when our average score dropped from 102 points a game to 79 points.

I don't think Watts is a "fringe" guy around the cub; I think he's a "heart and soul" guy. And if the club really is nudging Watts out the door, I think we'll be the worse for it.

It's an interesting dynamic.  Watts and Jones both survivors of "that" era..there really only being they and Tmac and Gawn

Watts and Jones... water and oil.  So different and yet we need elements of both bring to the game.

In reality I only care that something is done....no care or condition as to how really.  If a player can kick a lazy 6..whats the down side etc.  Not that Jack has but  it's the notion that a less than manic at the ball effort that can get results is somehow to be berated.

There are players for all their efforts fail to effect games.  Jack isnt really one of them. Much maligned imho

So much hyperbole for such a simple question.

Reminds me of the SSM debate.

Shouldn't be blaming the Skipper or coaching staff for throwing Watts under a bus. The media do that by asking loaded questions all of the time regards Watts and Jones et al do the best they can in answering them. Options are:

1) Jack had a great year (untruth)

2) Jack a poor year (untruth)

3) The type of answer Jones gave (truth)

I'm a huge Watts supporter, but I think he is 90% gone few details to work out. 

3 minutes ago, DaveyDee said:

I'm a huge Watts supporter, but I think he is 90% gone few details to work out. 

Where to double D? 

6 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Where to double D? 

To the Dogs for Jake Stringer if he has anything to do with it.

16 minutes ago, McQueen said:

Shouldn't be blaming the Skipper or coaching staff for throwing Watts under a bus. The media do that by asking loaded questions all of the time regards Watts and Jones et al do the best they can in answering them. Options are:

1) Jack had a great year (untruth)

2) Jack a poor year (untruth)

3) The type of answer Jones gave (truth)

3) ? 

Im a little tired of captains who can take half a game to get going ans coaches who repeat mistakes lampooning people.

Watts is far from deserving a pass, however those dishing it out aren't perfection either.

 

19 hours ago, homsar said:

Trade him for Stringer. 

You must be joking Stringer is exactly the type of player we do not want anywhere near the club period!

I can just see it now we trade Watts he plays a blinder against us and Demonland goes into a meltdown!

Paleease. We want to trade a Silky smooth ball user, Proven "Crunch" goal scorer and versatile footballer for ????

Nup the more I think about it the more we need to work with him to get him to the footballing status that assists in our finals quest!

18 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Where to double D? 

The Lever & Balich deals are welcome to MFC. Watts deals will be predicated on his manager getting the right offer for his client - PC is very confident he can do that. 

I reluctantly agree bb  hard honest toiler with few skills and he is usually the one who starts the handball ring a rosie under pressure

Not nearly good enough 

 

I only caught a bit of that trade radio vcast the other day. Remember Dodoro smirking..regailing his coffee with stringer..things afoot there possibly.

I don't recall Connors saying much about Watts

Anyone able to expand ?

Cheers

16 minutes ago, picket fence said:

You must be joking Stringer is exactly the type of player we do not want anywhere near the club period!

I can just see it now we trade Watts he plays a blinder against us and Demonland goes into a meltdown!

Paleease. We want to trade a Silky smooth ball user, Proven "Crunch" goal scorer and versatile footballer for ????

Nup the more I think about it the more we need to work with him to get him to the footballing status that assists in our finals quest!

As Red said, you too, probably RPFC concurring ; we ought take whats good and better it. We should.

I posted months ago somewhere about Jack, possibly around his time of banishment that it wouldn't surprise me (then ) if Jack winds up elsewhere in 2018. It would surprise me even less now.

Not my preference but can't help but get that nagging intuition that a card's been marked.

36 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

To the Dogs for Jake Stringer if he has anything to do with it.

Could we, could we? do a 'Cam Pederson', on Jake?

As I have said and sorry I cannot elaborate, I believe there are significant reasons why Stringer to Melb would be a terrible occurance/ decision! Im confident the club will adopt a hands of policy with this player!

 

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

As I have said and sorry I cannot elaborate, I believe there are significant reasons why Stringer to Melb would be a terrible occurance/ decision! Im confident the club will adopt a hands of policy with this player!

 

You cannot elaborate on your own individual beliefs?

Awesome.

Mystery!

Suspense!

Someone hand me a fkn weiner before I die!

21 hours ago, Bobby McKenzie said:

Looking at the results of the survey I would say that nearly 70% of us want Jack to stay. Case of the noisy MINORITY I would reckon.

What percent of that 70% are afraid of change and scared to let go? How many are deluded that Watts can still become a star? How many are blinded by the fact he was pick 1 and still value him that highly?

The noisy minority are correct in this poll.  

 

2 hours ago, Petraccattack said:

What percent of that 70% are afraid of change and scared to let go? How many are deluded that Watts can still become a star? How many are blinded by the fact he was pick 1 and still value him that highly?

The noisy minority are correct in this poll.  

 

How many have changed their minds, & not their votes, on that Demonland poll?

I want Jack to stay, play with us in September and kick the winning goal in a final. But I am a romantic and I am beginning to believe Jack needs to start over. I don't know what you think you know about Stringer, Picket - it is hard to have a conversation with you about it when you're not actually saying why he can't come here. Stringer is an absolute beast and if he can improve his training and recovery will be unstoppable. Imagine him and Petracca rotating through the centre square and goal square. 

Yeah,  polls can be a bit iffy. ha ha

How about this one? ... (398 yea,  23 nay - go figure)

POLL: Do you want Mark Neeld to remain coach in 2013?

 

10 minutes ago, Macca said:

Yeah,  polls can be a bit iffy. ha ha

How about this one? ... (398 yea,  23 nay - go figure)

POLL: Do you want Mark Neeld to remain coach in 2013?

 

There you go @Bobby McKenzie

A great example of why to ignore polls on here, and how the majority isnt always right.

5 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

There you go @Bobby McKenzie

A great example of why to ignore polls on here, and how the majority isnt always right.

Reading that thread is absolute comedy gold.  But hey, there's nothing wrong with laughing at ourselves.  There should be more of it.

The comments about Roos especially - oy vey.