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Its so funny that a player like Jack had such an impact on me and the supporters. For me, he is up there with Jeff Farmer as my favourite Demon ever. Played in constantly bad teams under bad coaches and bad regimes.. yet smiled his way through it, was always polite and positive and when your kids love a player like you do, then you know the impact he has had. Wish him nothing but the best, a class act on and off the field.

Loved the magic you showed. Some memories and that unforgettable goal - forever my favourite moment of your career. Hard not to tear up seeing that again.? All the best. Thanks for some great memories and your love of the dees.

Both Dangerfield and Bont named at half forwards.. Dangerfield = 11 goals Bont = 11 goals. Meanwhile true forward specialists players in Papley and Butler miss out... Papley = 26 goals. Butler = 27 goals. Worst AA side ever!

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a player to succeed as much as this guy.

Posts like this say a lot more about you than him.

Can't you just wish the bloke all the best in his retirement? Why do you feel the need to pat yourself on the back about your feelings on the trade? Disgraceful post. You should be embarrassed.

No matter how you look at it, there's a bit of history in Max's accomplishment tonight. With four selections now under his belt, Max Gawn has overtaken his numbersake, Jimmy Stynes, as the most AA selected player in MFC history.

4 x All Australian for Max

I exchanged texts with one of the players this morning. I asked him about Clayton and he said it was crap and he asked me where I'd heard the rumour. (He hasn't tuned into any footy related media since Sunday.) When told it was Sam McLure who started the rumour, he said that Sam loves a headline and not to read anything into it.(He then inserted a Pinocchio emoji which I thought looked exactly like Sam.)

This mail is wrong. Term's had been agreed on a contract for 2021 with Harley subject to the finalisation of list numbers not dropping below 36 (Unlikely).

While I totally understand everyone’s emotions on the issue, and I would be devastated to lose any of our top players, some people need to take a few breaths. Every player on every team would be thinking about staying or leaving their own clubs multiple times. Leaving a ooor club for success, leaving for more money, more opportunities, family, friends, unhappy with the coach, club etc. There are so many reasons. But, they would also know leaving would not guarantee anything, other than the money. I don’t see Oliver leaving now, possibly in another 2-3 years if things don’t turn around, but not now. I think he and the other top end see our list potential, and from my source, the younger group love playing together. Getting rid of Goodwin might be a solution for some of you, but I would be waiting for one more year if I was in charge. I would give him the chance of another full and hopefully proper season to do something, with some different helpers and Burgess. Only change I would make would be if someone like Clarkson, and probably only Clarkson became available. Other choices of a new young coach or Ross Lyon do nothing for me, and I would think wouldn’t do much for the players who some people think are not happy and want to leave (after a statement from a bottom feeding media type)

This year has changed our world and changed our perspectives on many things. I have been following Melbourne for a long time. As you get older and reflect on your football supporting life, you remember the highlights. Many would probably say what highlights, Melbourne has not been successful as a club, they haven't won a premiership since I began supporting them. Believe me, as time goes on, and especially this year, when so many enjoyments have been taken away or lost, it's the great moments you witnessed, together with fellow fans around you at the ground, that you treasure. Jack's goal that QB game was one of those moments. My view was the same as you see on the TV clip, only us fans were all on our feet screaming when he took that run down the wing. We all knew he was going to kick the goal. The noise was deafening. It was like being at a Beatles concert. No one could hear each other. We were lost in the moment of elation and awe. For a while the outside world took a back seat. We need moments like those more than ever. Best wishes and good health to you Jack. Thanks for the memories.

I had a very small brush with depression earlier this year for the first time in my life. As a result I have a new appreciation of the problem and how it distorts your thinking. Saying “just get on with life “ is easy to say but not so easy to do. I read somewhere that he had been told that week that his father had a very serious disease. Who knows what his ghosts are but I would give him one last chance if it is possible.

It's hard to think of a more polarising player in the modern era, and I'll never forget the 2017 B & F when large sections of the room booed when Jack's departure was mentioned. My favourite version of the different calls of QB 2017 is from 3AW - Tim Lane nails the drama of the occasion, and I love how you can see and hear the crowd rise in expectation as the ball travels down the southern wing.

Would love him to remain with the club, looking at Jack last night, his speech showed how much of a toll this season has taken on him personally. He let slip that he and his wife almost left the hub to return home cos the stress of being new parents away from any family assistance was incredibly difficult. So any form of elation or lack thereof is acceptable to me. The club has talked about being ruthless recently, but equally important, our club needs to recognise a culture and embedding it in. Happy with Gawn as captain, we want Viney staying, May showed how much he wanted to repay the faith to the club from last year, it's clicked with Petracca this year, and I think Jones getting one more year even as a significant milestone to defining the culture for this club. I am not saying gift him 300 games, but another year to work his [censored] off and to the milestone on merit!!! ... lets be ruthless, but lets recognise the fabric of club and learn from what is important to the club. The Viney name means a lot to me as a supporter of this club.

Agreed. And hopefully people can show appreciation and respect and the naysayers leave their criticisms on their keyboards. Not the time.

how do I know? ASK THEM!!! Coaching change this late will cause EXACT uncertainty players fear, but next year if the call is warranted and club makes it early it’ll be what it is, needed. But he’s not done for just yet as I envisage as players do another Burgo PS & 2-3 needs players coming in will have them purring early 2021 We have VINEY alone linked but only cus he’s out of contract and ALL players in that pos would do same Ayer what he’s been through but he will re sign assuming club wants him too which they do and we ALL know why, but his b&f finish alone will reaffirm to him his value. The fact you can say PETRACCA let alone Clarrie is linked to trade rumours after what’s “linked” them is absolutely the most overblown zephyr of a call I’ve seen in a while. Petracca rumour oh my lord give me strength!!! Clarrie said last week to 2 coterie members he can’t WAIT to see what the off season brings and that he & others think a Burgess pre season (para phrasing obv) #2 that actually Elsa into the season without 9 wk interruption and 20 min Q’s might alone be the catalyst we need to break into top 4. Some words re hoping we land a fwd but that Jackson & Weid will be a great pairing as they were b4 Jacko’s injury. So settle on the OMG ALL 3 want out hysteria and total crap... cus it’s just that, crap!

You go and spend 12 weeks locked up with your work mates and your boss. And your bosses boss. And all the support staff whose jobs it is to micromamage every aspect of your life. No escape, no break. And then at the final hurdle, the group of you screw it up and ruin all 12 weeks of work. They lost a game. For you it might be blow the tender or the sale or the project fails. Then, less then 24 hours after it is officially blown, on the day before you can finally leave the hub, you are forced together into a camp kitchen for a partipation award ceremony. You've failed, your opponents are playing next week, these awards are kinda nice but they don't matter. It's possibly held during the day, in polo shirts, like some weird school assembly. You're each given a glass of yellowglen (no one was drinking beer) and you toast the winner like it's his wddding. Normally the bnf is a few weeks after the season. Players have processed. They've had time apart, they get together to celebrate the year. This wasn't that. It's not a party, it's not a celebration, it's the end of the hub. Don't read into it.

I really hope @pinksharkdoesn't respond to that. You are just trying to create a platform to continue to denigrate Jack. You didn't value him fine. But let others that did show their love, respect and appreciation. No needs to explain how they feel.

Should still be a Demon, so to should Sam Frost!

Thanks for the memories Jack. I was one of a vast majority that didn't want you to go. What a class footballer and bloke you were. Your kicking skills, oh so sublime. How can I forget a bullet like pass over 55 metres to Dom Tyson for a match winning goal? Your gut run to score that QB goal against Collingwood of course will remain a highlight from all of your thousands of fans. Perfect revenge for their rough stuff in his first game. 'Pick on a skinny kid Collingwood.' You were the ultimate team man. Who was the first to run in and congratulate a goal or great tackle etc? Your enthusiasm after a Demon goal was so uplifting. Enjoy your retirement Jack and please let us see you in Melbourne colours at the G next year.

Spot on Titan. And also Nudge. Totally agree with your comments. A few random related thoughts: The culture in footy is never make excuses and blame injuries or external factors such as draws etc for poor results. Be that as it may there is no denying we got shafted this year by the AFL in terms of where and when we had to play (no coincidence this was highlighted in the video montage at the sart of the bluey or again by Goody in his speech) You don't reckon the players would have royally [censored] off about that? I do. It is bulltish we had to go to Cairns. We play those two game at Metricon or the Gabba and we make finals. Of that i have no doubt. I'm no making excuses, but with the players, all hubbed together and having no space to think or get outside calming voices, it is easy to imagine angst building and thoughts like the Pies would never get treated like that being verbalized In any year that the team doesn't meet expectations there is going to be a level of discontent In any year, even successful ones, there will be a group of players angry or frustrated with how they have been treated - maybe feel they have been played out of position, didn't get games they felt they should have, other players selected ahead of them, annoyed at the coach for whatever reason (eg thinking he is playing favorites) etc etc That sort of end of season angst has no doubt been the case since 1859, but these days is amplified and made public by social media and the gossip fueled media that feeds off scuttlebutt How best for a player these days to make their angst known? - strategically leak it (perhaps by their player manager) to a family member, friend or associate you know is a total gossip and won't be able to resist telling someone And having done so, that info will find its way to a footy form where a poster will not be able to resist sharing the tidbit - perhaps to grind an axe, perhaps because of an agenda (eg they hate the coach) or most likely they just like sharing gossip (nothing wrong with that - who doesn't like gossip?) This stuff happens every year, and will do so forever - it happened last year with trac for instance and he signed a new 2 year contract. Go figure

That goal sends shivers down my spine and will always be one of my favourite MFC memories. Unfortunately he was under extreme pressure right from the start, thanks to a poorly run organisation, a rabid media and us fans who wanted so much out of him. His resilience throughout it all was so impressive and he still managed to build a 178 game career, something most only dream of. Ironically he's exactly the kind of player we could use right now. All the very best to you in the next chapter of your life Wattsy. Forever a Dee

As I said the other day, we should be putting a 4 year contract extension to Clarry this off season and putting a similar deal in front of Trac too.

I love Max Gawn. I think he's an absolutely brilliant ruckman and a terrific ambassador for the club. But he shouldn't have been in the squad for this season, let alone the final 22. He really needs to "do a Luke Beveridge" and donate that jacket to Steven May.

It feels good to have a power house midfielder in Christian Petracca selected as an All Australian 2020 . One of many to come l hope.

On the other hand, if they were up and about many would whinge that they're "not hurting enough" after that season

If we get him he won't kick 60 goals a year, but he will be dangerous under the long ball because he's 200cm tall and reasonably strong. That makes our whole forward line work better and requires the opposition play their best defender on him. You can build a forward line around that.

I did.. clearly remember watching that game and the pure elation at the goal! Was very upset when he was let go, emailed the club, complained to anyone that would listen. Was one of my favourite players, admittedly I was perhaps always blinded by his glimpses and potential. Sad way to end his career, as his game/s before the leg break looked like he was playing well. All the best Jack!

From memory, this happened last year around exit interview time. Rumours of players wanting out. None of which eventuated. Sometimes I think the issue is as simple as a player expressing disappointment about something in an exit interview which then get spread as a rumour and mutates slightly ("Petracca was upset we didn't make finals" becomes "Petracca's upset at Goodwin that we didn't make finals", for example). I usually take the view that where there's smoke there's fire, but nothing came of any of this last year so I am sceptical of these "X wants out" rumours.

To be fair to @Lord Nev he actually mentioned it to me earlier today, so prior to Footy Classified...

Didn't think it was worth mentioning tbh. I messaged it to another Demonland poster a few hours ago though actually.

Gawn in the team is just silly. Stoked for Petracca, he and May should have been our only players in there.

Dr D, just like all the other JW threads this has turned into merde, bump one of them (that are not locked), this thread was about wishing a bloke good luck and farewell, show some class.

His best was as good as it gets. His worst was as bad as it gets. Much of the ordinary games in the middle he was serviceable like most other AFL players. At a club with a horrible history of stuffing up really good young footballers, this one stands out. Unforgiveable by MFC footy department at the time to play him in that QB game, when he should have spent at least 12 months (probably longer) developing. The fact he got 178 games is testament to his natural ability, resilience and perseverance. My best memory is of him having a bounce along the southern wing, and then out of nowhere lets go a 45 degree, 45 metre pass to space for Trengove to mark and goal at the Punt Rd end. Only Yze, Trav Johnstone and Watts coud kick like this. He was so frustrating to watch when going for the ball, but with ball in hand I could relax and watch with confidence in his precision. Isn't it strange that we could use a player with exactly his skill set right now!

If someone puts a good offer to us, I'd be happy for us to consider it. I have no issue with Jackson being our back up ruckman. He can play forward when Gawn plays and if we need a different number 1 ruck, we can shift Jackson into that role. In saying all this, it's all about the offer. I'm absolutely 100% against letting Preuss go with two years to run on his contract for a third round pick. We have all the power in any deal. If someone wants him, make it impossible for us to refuse.

It’s not about what a player is worth in the general sense, or what’s fair. It’s about what a player is worth to the club they’re going to. Preuss is worth more to GWS, than to other clubs for example, so there’d be more substantial an offer from the Giants.

Loved Jack Watts. We all have a friend like him, with that Gatsby-like ability to seemingly float through life regardless of the dramas surrounding. Something tells me that he will move on to the next phase of his life with comparative ease. And if that involves Octoberfest, bloody good luck to him.

Jack Watts. A name many of us will always remember. He was to be our saviour. So much pressure on a kid. He just wanted to play footy. He was always fantastic on supporter days. I remember one year at Luna Park. We chatted to Jack for a few minutes. He really engages with the kids. Gave up his time and a million photos with families and all supporters. Even after all the players had left. The kids loved him. More than half the kids in 2009-10 had the number 4 on their back. He never got the development to take him to the top, and survived through some horrible years. Stayed loyal. Resisted free agency. I think Paul Roos was the coach be needed. Not a Neeld or a Goodwin. His goal on Queens Birthday 2017 will be remembered. 152 games as a Demon. He will always be welcome back as a Demon.

You mean the way he tackled Shuey almost around his waist before Shuey flat out cheated?

Forgot a special mention to Michael Hibberd. It's been a tough year for him, losing his brother. He has shown strength and fortitude.

I'm Pretty sure my daughter could say Jack Watts before mum or dad. Best of luck Jack.

Loved him, one of my favourites. Sublime skill base that was never fully exploited.

I’m very uneasy with this growing sentiment that none of the media can be trusted. I suspect the majority of people who spruik such an opinion were on very poor diets (tabloids, A Current Affair etc) and were never that interested in quality journalism to begin with. Widespread-condemnation of an entire profession (and a profession that a cohesive society relies heavily on) is an extremely irrational and dangerous practice. What next? Doctors are out to kill us? Edit: Apologies. For a moment there I forgot that there already are many “interesting” people in the world who do believe that doctors are trying to kill us.

Jesus I hope this isn't true. 27, dodgy feet, can't play team first footy.... 5 years? Let us hope the club isn't that stupid and learnt from their idiotic Harmes deal.

Surely these two have some kind of deal to stick together...

Could just be they’ve botched a huge opportunity to play finals, despite working their arses off, and that disappointment is only 3 days old

Yeah fair enough @Lord Nev. I know it might not be worth mentioning Nev at the time but just bloody get it on here would ya! ? that's the juicy stuff that we crave for! Well i do .. lol Good get.