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It’s highly amusing that there are supporters on here who believe and expect that after 9 years, Watts still needs to be spoon fed. As supporters we’re only able to see and hear snippets of how hard players are willing to work to get the best out of themselves. I’ve never once heard anything positive about Watts’ professionalism or work ethic on the track, unless that’s been on the back of sub-par performances in that area. And considering we have a really young and highly impressionable core group, I can similarly see the risks involved in keeping a 9 year player who prefers social events to being an elite AFL footballer. Watts has lacked and still lacks one of the most important attributes to play at the level. ‘Urgency’. And that applies across his training, rehab, weights and game day performances. The emotional supporters who reason that Watts should stay based on his ‘loyalty’ over the years are similarly toxic and don’t help the club in any way in that regard. Goodwin is trying to create an elite culture and environment at this club. Which is something that will breed success in all facets. Trying to implement that sort of an environment means there’ll be some cut-throat decisions that won’t always be popular with fan-boy supporters. Goodwin understands that, he was an AFL club captain who reached the ultimate and was part of an enormously successful club. He understands better than all of us what that looks like. Sometimes I imagine what our club would look like if it were run by some supporters on here. They’d be happy to keep their fan-boy players like Sylvia, Watts, Frawley etc yet be wondering why on earth we weren’t getting any closer to winning a flag.

Watts won't be the difference between winning or losing a premiership. He's clearly a poor trainer. Pressure wins premierships, and Watts has never been good at pressure acts. That's how an ordinary side like Richmond won it. Pressure, pressure, pressure that's what it's all about and Watts doesn't do it.

I'm not sure why people are so concerned with what we might potentially pay Jake. Todd Viney and his list management team plan for every conceivable senario years out from it eventuating.This will not be a panicked, spur of the moment decision.

It's not up for debate hes coming deal done move on spoke to my man today regarding Hogan. Was told he's not part of the untradeables but only leaving for absolute top dollar. His management are adamant he's happy in Melbourne and that he'll remain a Dee for quite some time.

I am a twenty year member of the Melbourne Football club and have been as passionate and patient as anybody. However I am absoulutely disgusted with Goodwin and the Club for telling Jack to explore his options. Jack Watts is an integral part of this club. We are horribly short of 195cm plus skillfull players. I believe jack to be very important to our future. Just take a look at the club promotions on the website and elsewhere. Jack is upfront in everything. If he goes then we stand to lose membership, sponsorship and supporters. This will split the club mark my words. In fact I will be reassessing my involvement. I have always believed Jack Watts was a very important part of our next premiership, which I am starting to think is now a very long way away. Goodwin has concerned me as the season has gone on and he is close to losing me totally. If Watts goes then Goodwin will struggle to see his contract out. This is going to set the Melbourne Football club back a long way. It saddens me to say this but that's the situation we face now. I was very down today watching the grand final knowing that when we start to get to a position of possibly challenging for the flag , we start to trade the players most likely to get us there.

Serves Adelaide right. I always thought it was the wrong thing to do when the slacked off in Round 23. Karma.

It shouldn’t be deliberate when the opposition can actually grab the ball before it goes out

Townsend tagged Lever (interview with Townsend at the end of the game). An intercepting defender was tagged by their forward line. Our defenders don't get tagged. Just sayin'

g o s t o r m !

The premiership was there for the taking this season, the most even ever. Richmond took their chances, which is more than can be said for our club. They deserve the flag.

It took a few weeks but this could be the karma for throwing the round 23 game.

I have seen enough worth every cent

I'm happy with it. He sets standards and what he wants a player to put in. The crows have zero top 10 picks and they are in a Grand Final. They've built that on club culture which trumps talent every day of the week.

I don't get comments like yours, you're just making up [censored] now so you can have a dig at Watts via a made up scenario.

Watts would be a weak link in the last 2 premiership teams. May have got away with playing in a side like the Hawks 3peat in an Isaac Smith type role but when you're a side that relies on every single player playing with frenetic pressure (as we do) he is a weak link. Interesting trade period coming up but I have faith in Viney, Taylor, Goodwin and the rest of the FD.

Houli deserves that medal.

Walkers speech as pathetic as the Crows performance

If you watch today's game and think we should keep Watts, you're out of your damn mind. A downhill skier, "cherry on top". Elite skills are negotiable. They can be taught. He lacks the ability to apply non-negotiables. TRADE.

Surely holding on Betts there

"noisy right wing conservative do-gooders" ????

I trust Goodwin on this (moreso than anyone who's been involved in the MFC for a long time). Here's a guy who's been involved in succesful football clubs. He knows what it takes to win. He would have seen, like the rest of us, that JW has a nice ability to hit the scoreboard (which is very important for us because we haven't scored freely for many years). He would know that JW has been a nice servant of the football club and by all accounts is a great bloke. He would also be as aware as anybody else in the industry that the MFC is still not a respected footall club, and like it or not it is because when push comes to shove our playing group still doesn't seem to have the desire to do the shoving. All I've ever wanted from the MFC is to know I'm going to get 100% effort from the players 100% of the time. I still don't feel we are nearly there and if this move helps us close that gap then bring it on. I reckon we sit about equal with GWS at the moment in terms of willingness for a fight. Goodwin wants to change this and i for one believe in what he's trying to do.

Tigers zone defence was incredible today They play three talls (Astbury, Rance and Grimes) plus their run and gun thru Ellis and Houli - but it’s the way their whole midfield rolls in the contest is unreal - Crows couldn’t get it past the wing at one stage If we’re playing a zone defence with O Mac, Frost and Lever plus run and gun thru Hunt, Hibberd and Jetta, it’ll be interesting to see how the rolling zone works for us next year I seriously think Lever will contribute enormously to our side as part of a zonal defensive structure

I said after last Fridays prelim, the winner will come from the GWS/Richmond game and today backed the tigers over 39.5... Adelaides game plan was never going to stack up on Grand final day and agaisnt Richmonds manic pressure. Crows rely on easy ball and perfect transition footy, not what grand finals are about... Which is why I'm glad Goodwin is instilling a contested & hard edged brand of footy for us because that's whats wins grand finals

I was shattered when the Bulldogs won. I was absolutely shattered when the Tigers won. I swear the Tigers aren't that good and just had a year where absolutely everything went right.

Richmond really missed Brett Deledio, and the Bulldogs really missed Ryan Griffen. Not. Both were captains. Both teams won the flag immediately after they left. We will not miss Watts.

This thread has me reminiscing about the Travis Johnstone thread all those years ago. 'He's our best kick, the most talented player on our list' they said. 'He's popular amongst our group, it'll destroy the fabric of the club' they said. 'He'll carve it up at his new club. We'll regret ever trading him' they said. 'This is a rookie coach looking to make a statement unaware he's making a huge mistake' they said. Who knows I might even have been one of 'them'. We all think we know what's best for club and player but the ones closest to the decision having to be made are the ones we are forced to trust, they too are the ones that will live with the decision and its consequences. I support the direction the club is taking. We've been crying out for someone to take the club by the scruff of the neck and give it a shake. We've asked much of Watts since being drafted and he still falls short of what we know he is capable of. Does that remind you of any other former number one draft picks?

Give me a spell. What a load of tripe. You're basing his importance on our club promos? How does losing a player, who has had 1 good year in 9, set the club back? You say that you are a 20 year member, but I'm curious to know how long you've been following the club? In the 45 years that I've been following the club, the only player that we let go that set back the club was James McDonald. But the club was tanking at the time, so you could understand the logic.

Houli was robbed

And look at last year with the Dogs. Not the most skilled team, but the hungriest. We can be there next year, but there has to be 22 guys that want it more than anything. Could we say that with our best 22?

This is what you can do with 22 players that are RELENTLESS. Run. Tackle. Pressure. There is simply no more room in the game for those that dont want it 100%. Well done Richmond. Showed a lot of heart.

Adelaide from 1/4 time on played stupid. Then kept playing stupid. Then played stupid some more.

I’m glad we didn’t win the flag. Hird giving the NS medal to Oliver is a deal breaker.

Watts would be a eaten alive out there today, trade NOW!

Watching Richmond today just reminds me how important it is for every player on the ground to pressure the opposition

Watts should not be traded. Popular clubman. Loves the Dees. Loyal through tough times. 6’5 forward. Agile. Skilled. Averages 1.7 goals 6 marks 16 disposals 3 tackles. Kicked the winner v Pies in QB game.

He's also a much better forward and ball user than Castagna Butler Townsend & Lambert but it takes many parts to make a forward line function. All 22 have to play their role. I'll wait and see the outcome as the next year to 2 progresses over jumping to conclusions based on the player or pick we get. We can have outcomes where all involved can come out positive. I wish Jack well whatever the outcome but the club moving forward is priority for me

Never been close to a bnf in 9 years, let alone all Australian. Not in the leadership group. Rocks up in poor shape for pre-season training. Has been dropped to Casey by both Roos and Goodwin. Really poor comeback after his hamstring, especially in terms of intensity. A known party boy. Cant understand the criticism of Goodwin, McCartney and Jones for being sick of him. I only hope we get a decent trade.

Once upon a time there was this thing called humour and people had a sense of it!! Relax-the AFP are on the way to your house and you can explain it to them.

Surely he's off to St Kilda?

Bulldogs must think last place gets the better draft picks.

Umpires ensuring the Tigers are staying in touch. Very reminiscent of last year.

Martin is unreal.....takes 3 players then wins and gives off to the loose man.....what I would give to have him at the Dees..

Nah, it's been initiated by the club. Wattsy wants to stay.

No it's not. This is more like Fevola and Carey getting kicked out of their respective clubs, because talent isn't the be all and end all. They had off-field issues that impacted their teammates. How did they fair at their new clubs?

You can have all the talent in the world which is great, but if you're not going to buy into the new culture then [censored] off. No matter how good you are. We are trying to build a "bloods" like culture here to get us out of this rot of years gone by. If people sit back and think about it, Jack Watts doesn't or never will bring that buy in. Sad, because he's a nice guy but we need to move forward and cop it on the chin. I wish him all the best. Someone else will kick the goals and Goodwin will work out a plan. Harmes, Hannan have shown more and ANB. After Roos left I'd bet he thought the heat was off and he could just go back into cruise control, rocked up unfit and below standards plus I also bet he didn't prepare properly with his hamstring, hence taking so long to recover. Unfortunately Jack will end his career and wish he'd given more. He's had 9 years and still has the same issues. Time to let go of the fan boy.

Agree. At some point (if he continues) he will go from potential to pretender He is not dissimilar to Colin Sylvia from a football perspective Both had super talent and were high draft picks Both promised a lot Both seemed to have good patches leading up to new contract negotiations Both didn't put in the hard yards to get the most out of their careers

Back to old ways? The 2016 JW was still there for 2017 until his hamstring injury. I'd still rate his 2017 season over his 2015, 2014, 2013, etc etc.

I'll say something that may seem unkind but read it in context. If Hogan were to seek a trade home this year, after signing a new contract and then having the year from hell, in which the MFC have supported him 100%, I would regard him as an ungrateful person who I would then care little about. HOWEVER, that is not the case and he is going nowhere. He apparently loves the club and his team mates and he continues to have my full support in both his recovery and his football career, with the Dees.

I hate this club. I watched afl360 for the first time since r23 last night, I’ve watched the finals a little but not really taking much note, more it’s been on. This club has killed my love.

Wattsy to stay Hogan to stay Lever to be in red and blue next year Premiership shot in 2018