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I think Watts is terrific, just great, the best. I think he has been training well, better than anyone, Goodwin doesn't know, he tells lies, all lies. Goodwin tells so many lies he makes Hillary look honest, so dishonest, not like Watts, Watts is honest, hes more honest than anyone, almost more honest than me. Now it seems some people have been saying some bad things about Watts, all lies, fake, fake news. The forums get all the facts, not the fake facts, the real ones, they take these facts and make fake news, all fake, even Demonland had a topic about Watts that wasn't about Watts, see fake, liars at Demonland, how can you have a topic about Watts without it being about Watts, that is what these forums do, all lies, alternative facts.....disgusting.

You don't know how good this post is.

Good post Lord T. The club is not at all obliged to explain anything about inner workings of the team to the football world and we're better off keeping them in the dark. In 63 years of watching footy, I've never seen a single player from any team put under the microscope and publicly flogged anywhere near as much and unfairly as Jack Watts has been from day one ! It's been emotional abuse and Jack's admirable handling of it doesn't mean any of us know that it hasn't hurt him deeply and hurt his playing. Many here assume it's water off a ducks back to Jack, but we don't really know that. Roos handled Jack well (kind/supportive) and got results. Even if Jack came back run down, drunk, stoned, with several hookers on the go and told Goodwin to shove it when confronted (none of which probably happened) I think they should have publicly said: "We're resting Jack for a few games to try some new players out." No drama. Privately they should have told him the truth and worked to remedy whatever problem they perceived. Keep the opposition guessing.

where's the 'don't care, as long as we win' option?

It's just strange. The guy hasn't played a game since last year. He had a good year, kicked roughly 40 goals, was probably our best forward overall for the season, and yet somehow the club has taken away any positivity from that hard work and success and we're left with all this media negativity and these threads amongst supporters. I think they've managed the situation poorly, regardless of the outcome now, so whatever's happens happens I guess. Ugh.

Congratulations to Jasmine for a terrific game and her well deserved nomination http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-02-28/grierson-nabs-a-rising-star-nomination Our second rising star nominee!

So basically we are to discuss whether Jack Watts should play in Round 1 without discussing Jack Watts... Over to you Demonlanders.

He's just a very clever footballer. A case in point was his little knock on in the first term that allowed Salem to kick a goal - it was only a small thing, but purely instinctive and showed that his footy IQ is very high. Alongside Petracca he has the biggest ceiling of the youngsters on the list, and if he keeps working hard to improve then the sky is the limit.

She's been great across the half-back line. I'm surprised that she's only played in defence in the last 3 games, because she just seems to have an instinct for it. She knows when to run, when to kick short & when to go long, and her disposal is great. She's also great at working her way through tight situations, especially for someone so young who hasn't played for all that long. We seem to have a great crop of young potential-10-year-plus players who have all taken it up several notches in just a few games. Grierson in defence, Mithen on the ball and Mifsud in attack have been the standouts, but I also liked the contributions from Berry & Kemp. We knew that our established players were likely to do well, and except for the Brisbane game, they have. But to me it's the vastly improved contribution from these young players that make the team really worth watching.

Totally agree. To me it looks like she's got about 50% better with every game in the AFLW, although she's apparently played for a number of years. Maybe it's just a matter of confidence - she looks like at some stage a game or two back, she's just realised that she's capable of being not just a good solid contributor, but an "out & out star". In my book, anyone who can improve so much in mid-career is something special. Her disposal by hand or foot is very very good, she plays so direct, and her tackling is ferocious (I reckon she got a couple of harsh decisions in the last quarter for two very hard but fair tackles). If she keeps up to the standard of her performance against Carlton, she's in the Daisy league. And of course she "bleeds red & blue".

surely wrecker, hurting(destabilising/sniping) your party in public is an act of blatant disloyalty which abbott promised not to do before the elections if he want's to change party platforms/directions he can do it within the internal party frameworks he has only done himself and his party a dis-service in the eyes of the public where he is just seen as a vindictive trouble maker and someone who can't keep his word and yes again, your bias is blinding your judgement

such a pleasure to read a thread that's not about jack watts.

I think they have managed the situation quite perfectly. On ya Goody.

Maybe the problem is that he gets a lot of goals In St Kilda but not necessarily against. He's one of our best 5 players. Pre-season is a place to have a look at the best trainers. It's a mild warning shot to JW-nothing more. He will play for sure.

actually they wouldn't issue me a visa. When I applied Prince Leonard told me they had a "turn back the goats" policy...alas...

Well I'm just really relieved that "this isn't another thread about Jack Watts. "

The Melbourne AFL Women's team is coming to Sydney to play GWS this Friday night. A win over GWS will keep us in contention for the Grand Final. The women are winning by playing contested football, moving the ball quickly, creating space to attack the goals and tackling ferociously. Talk about a Demon tackler - Daisy Pearce is the top tackler in the AFLW. And we have a special opportunity to meet and hear from our Captain, Daisy in Sydney this Thursday 2nd March 2017 - 6.30 to 8.30 pm. Don't miss out. Book now to meet Daisy at our NSW Demons evening in Sydney. https://www.trybooking.com/OSSR More details : www.nswdemons.com

Petracca has a higher ceiling but Oliver is more consistently good.

A loss in Round 1 will anger me, but if it's a loss with Riewoldt let off the chain, anger won't begin to describe my sentiments. Put Frost, T Mac AND Buggy on him if that's what it takes.

you obviously don't watch Kennedy closely who is the master of keeping the ball alive in tights positions and releasing it to his teams advantage. His first hal in the grand final was as good as you will ever see. Clarry will be doing well to reach that level.

Bump. The effect on the local Womens and Girls leagues up here in Canberra is double the amount of players at training then at the same point last year...

Ditto the Saints and McCartin.

5 minutes in I forgot it was a clash strip... I supose thats a good sign.

What cereal does Jack Watts have for breaksfast? I've always thought of him as a Nutri-grain guy. thoughts?

I notice Viney does though. I assume the AFLPA put it in his contract. He's already a danger to the rest of the league, without a muzzle he might accidentally kill someone.

I'll bite - exactly how would you handle it ? He has obviously in some shape or form not met a standard or standards. You would still play him in the practice matches ? We have 40 plus players on our list who have apparently done the right thing and one that hasn't and the club has handled it poorly ? What message does it send to the rest of the group if you play him in the practice matches if he hasn't kept his end of the bargain ? So I'll repeat the question. How would have handled it ?

You would think the club would enforce it. Non- negotiable as an OH&S issue.

Prior to Goodwin, the last Ginger coach we had was Norm Smith.

I've noticed recently that a lot of players don't seem to wear mouthguards these days. Crazy.

Mouthguard ?

Do you hold every other player to the same standard? How many tackles and pressure acts have you counted from Hogan so far? If Watts is part of our best side in round 1 then he plays - and surely nobody is arguing that he isn't.

It's not a Jack Watts thread, it's an alternative JW thread...

He has a fair bit of Cripps about him. More skilful though. He's a hugely exciting prospect. Once he develops a tank, look out.

Watched the replay with my son last night and we were impressed with Joel Smiths mighty leap - no mark. We called his father Air Smith, for obvious reasons. My son says "Fresh Air has a great leap". New nickname perhaps?

340 VND

I've had enough. I'm moving. Just got my passport...

Remember dropping the first 3 in 2006. The 3rd loss was a home game at Carara part of the ground access issues at the G due the the Commonwealth Games. In the 2nd half of the Adelaide loss we showed signs of turning the corner. I remember we went on a very good run till we travelled to Meth Coast and lost. We were a good side that year but not quite up there with the Swans and Meth Coast. If you give me a 5 & 1 with the only loss being to the Saints I'm taking it

Calling them journalists does a disservice to all genuine journalists. The greats of the past must turn in their graves. They are paid to write stories and have no concern about their sources or the accuracy of the information. They are inept and lazy. Just think about it. If they were good journos would they be footy scribes. Like seagulls scrabbling for a feed.

King has been put back onto the LTI list with a view to a slow and steady rehab, so I believe Smith now has a clean shot at round 1, if he can keep his form for full games through the pre-season. This is all so complicated, how do we fit everyone in?! hee hee haw haw

Well you better speak to him about improving it then? Tom is a very good defender and defensively, he is up there with the best in the competition when on song.. But I'd argue that due to our thin key-position back stocks, nobody is putting pressure on him for when he has down games and when he kills us with his poor disposal/decision making. Which is the reason why it's almost 'universally expected' on demonland that he just has scratchy foot skills and as some have said, "he is what he is". (A vague line). Supporters now accept that Tom possesses this weakness simply because we have nobody threatening his position in the side. That is the simple fact of the matter. But I guarantee that if we had better established key position depth and quality, Tom wouldn't necessarily be a lock for CHB every week if his kicking and decision making continued to let him down.

but you need to factor in if Spencer is having very little influence on the game and reducing our run Gawn got fwd a fair but last year in his first full season, and is fitter again so I'd expect 30 goals from him with only one ruck Spencer cannot play fwd at all and has poor skills so IMO it is very unlikely he will play in round one. might get a go tactically against a few team perhaps

I think he will reach that level. But I see the similarities also. I see similarities in their ability to hold their feet, and to get the ball out of congestion effectively. I agree with you. But also, I think Oliver has more athleticism than Kennedy. Oliver is more explosive, and he is cleaner inside of the contest - which is quite a feat because Kennedy is one of the best contested players in the league. Oliver is that clean. Hopefully he keeps trending upwards, and one day reaches the heights of Kennedy. Because as you know, there is more to just being a great contested player. There also has to be an outside game. Oliver appears to be developing an outside game now. He is ahead of Kennedy - and many others - at the same point (early) in their careers.

you're excused dazzle. you're not getting paid to post

At Casey?

I see Tyson as more in the Kennedy mould, a real bullocking mid who can get the ball out or lock it down when need be and also get on the end of a goal from time to time. Oliver to me finds the cracks that Kennedy doesn't or can't, he has that so called 'x' factor. Where Kennedy would lock it down Oliver finds a way to get it moving to our advantage. If he keeps up the hard work he will be something very special.

our colours. that's Melbourne not some team in a white jumper. love it

Looks like the Melbourne Football Club SWYL abides

I get a generic cut + paste response everytime I email the club, so this seems a more likely place to get a decent answer.