Gator

Not too many players surprise you over the journey.

Not crazy at all. You fit the stereotypical Demon supporter perfectly.

If I've already acknowledged it I've already acknowledged it. What am i missing here... Btw, the club had too. They dropped him twice and tried to off-load him last trade period. Look mate, I just call it as I see it. I don't profess to be a clairvoyant. If he plays crap I say he played crap. If he's been a monumental dud for 7 years I say he's been a monumental dud for 7 years. If he has a really good pre-season and kicks goals I say he's had a really good preseason and that he's doing what's required (hence my 40 goal speculation). If he's taken his game to a completely new level in 2016 then I say he's taken his game to a new level in 2016. It's called saying it as it is. I haven't made any revelations. I haven't said anything that anyone with half a clue wouldn't have said. It's the peanuts of this world that make every excuse under the sun for him and have given him pass marks when he's been deplorable (you know - "he's an excellent finisher" - said in a whiny voice) that ought to apologise for speaking crap for 7 years. But when he's finally doing what I've said he hasn't been doing it's supposedly me that has got it wrong. Work that one out. Actually, don't bother.

Thanks, Fan/Baghdad.

Anything Stu decides to enter degenerates. Why he's tolerated is beyond me.

Treloar hasn't had an A-grade year, but he's unquestionably a very talented young A-grader in the making. He doesn't work hard enough defensively, but is a ball magnet, who reads the play very well and kicks goals from the midfield. While numbers of possessions in themselves don't define a player it's a handy skillset to get your hands on the footy. Lord knows we've lacked ball magnets over the years. I prefer Treloar as a talent. He averages more disposals and has kicked double the amount of goals from virtually the same number of games. I value goal-kicking mids and think Treloar will continue to increase this metric. I dispute Prestia is a better kick.

Yeah mate, and Hogan isn't a permanent forward, because he goes back too. No more wasting time with you.

As I thought.

Nah mate. You have to do better than that. Does anyone understand footy in here ?

No, he is a permanent forward. The fact that he drifts back at crucial stages or at the end of a quarter doesn't change this. It's called modern footy. Rest assured, he's a permanent forward in 2016. Even more to the point, be thankful he's finally playing his best role. Not only don't you seem to recognise this, you even want to deny it. And clearly enunciate to me where I've been wrong about this player. Remember, put some effort into it or you'll come up short.

If you didn't potshot from the sidelines with your gifs and inane comments you wouldn't know how to participate on the internet. It's little wonder your lightweight views get held to account.

Another non-thinker. Clearly a B&F result is a litmus test, as is goals kicked for a permanent forward (i.e. Watts role this year). There's a reason Jeremy Howe is a failed forward and plays down back. He doesn't impact the scoreboard. Some of you have been posting here for a decade, but haven't grown an inch in that time.

Aren't you busy replying to Nasher telling how mean he is ?

Naturally, you'll be expecting an angry barrage now from Stu ? You know, being so unfair on Watts. Nah, didn't think so. Stu's back in his box. As for higher standard than other players ? I don't believe so. I take into account talent levels. Simon Godfrey was a scrubber, but I admired the fact he achieved the best he could. Having said that, calls for him to be dropped would have been met with outcry by some at the time. That's the way Demonland rolls.

That's just waffle from a well-known lightweight. You haven't addressed one aspect of what you're disagreeing with. As I said, you've been hogtied by your own incompetence. As I said preseason, goals per game was a worthwhile parameter for his new role. Naturally you scoffed, because you lacked vision. He had to impact the scoreboard and he has. You couldn't see it coming, which is why you call it a "stringy" objective. That's how dopes defend their earlier lack of insight. And thanks, I'm going to have a wonderful day.

I'm excited that he's reached a level I'd given up on. It's not a level I would have been excited by 8 years ago, but I'm excited now because i thought he was finished. And he would have been finished. The club tried to off-load him last trade period and couldn't. He was dropped twice in his 7th season. I'll be happy if he continues this current output for the remainder of his career. The excitement levels may wane, but I'll be satisfied. How others think I'm being harsh calling this current output as a new standard and that he mustn't regress is really unfathomable to me. Do you disagree ?

Good comeback, Stu. You've been hogtied and thrown on a spit. Better luck next time.

You're thick as two bricks, Stu. For me, Watts is now playing at a standard that he must not fall from. In his 8th year he's reached a minimum standard for hist experience and talent levels; and it's a set standard he's set for himself, the club and any logical person (not you). In other words, a logical person wouldn't want his output to be less next year, which, of course, makes 2016 a "standard". Others (like you) clearly think he must be over-achieving, because you don't want to define his 2016 output as his "minimum standard". You think such expectations would be unfair. So, if you're not happy for this year to be considered a minimum, if such expectations are too lofty, then the only conclusion is that you're OK if he regresses from here. You must think there's some level of over-achieving if you don't want to draw the line under his 2016. Extraordinary really, but that's your level of footy acumen, Stu, and I suspect it permeates your life in general. No need to keep responding though, I'll need crayons to make it any clearer.

What did I get wrong ?

I agree. In that first quarter I thought "here we go, it's going to be one of those games", but he didn't let his start define him. As for some others who agree with Dopey... How any of you think that Watts is over achieving is beyond me. How any of you think that Watts' output this year should not ne considered the new standard is staggering. He now understands what it takes at AFL level, but some of you don't expect this level to be the standard as we move forward. He and the club have waited 8 years for this level output but some of you don't think it should be a minimum standard. Some of you think that would be unfair. Extraordinary. And another excellent post Binman.

His impact and disposal is presently way off A-grade. I've been watching closely. Injury certainly hasn't helped, but excuses don't alter reality.

Perhaps if you revisit the post you responded to you'll see I simply said that I'm still underwhelmed by them as players. And that they'll probably not run out on GF day when we get there. For some reason you then felt the need to state the bleeding obvious. We all know that role players get a medal sound their neck. It's my view that these two probably won't get that opportunity. Let's hope that you, me and fanboy above find out.

And neither of those two are A-graders.

You're a dope, Stu. Of course he's playing better than I thought he would. Have a look at my avatar. But once he had a terrific preseason, once he said that he was going to play permanent forward (this year) and once he acknowledged he needed to kick more goals it was reasonable to set scoreboard impact as one of the first measuring sticks. I thought he could and should kick 40 goals in this new role. You're a dope and naturally scoffed. You have no vision or footy cred. Jack Gunston is a very good player. He's a better player than Watts. I don't expect Watts to kick 50+ goals (would be great if he did), but playing the Gunston role 40 goals was reasonable. And he should do it to cap off a good year. In 4 completed years at Hawthorn Gunston has averaged over 2 goals per game in every one. The last 2 years he's kicked over 50. He'll do it again this year. Do you think Gunston has a goal/output target for the year, or is that too "stringy" for you. Why you and others set the bar so low is beyond me. He's having his first good year in 8 and dopes like you think it's wonderful and not a minimum required standard. Now that he's worked out what AFL footy is about it should be the standard. And I have zero doubt that it's a standard for him, his coaches and teammates. Or do you think they'll be happy with less ?