At the break of Gawn

2011 was pretty decent for a 20 yo. long term prospect and I actually think he was tracking OK under Bailey. Compared to the clubs current development program though it would have been on par with Auskick. I find your rating of Watts' years as almost in a vacuum with no consideration of what was going on at the club. Long term prospect players offer you nothing for the first few years and then eventually hit their straps. Watts was probably fair game to be judged in 2012 but a bloke named Mark Neeld walked into the club and almost destroyed it. The disunity between Watts and Neeld is well known on here which stumped his growth as a player. So if we exclude the Neeld years, you're only really left with 2 disappointing years (2014, 2015) under Roos. Some would even argue those two were more development years for all that he didn't receive when he started at the club.

I love the fact that he did 100 x 100m on Christmas day. Hope he has a really big year.

Hogan only averaged 1.4 in 2016. How many do you think a tall forward who's 196cm is expected to make? They're not all midfielders.

I still think VDB will end up causing more turn overs off his own boot than any pressure acts.

Thanks for that. Watched Goodwin's interview today in AFL tonight and he mentioned that his lack of intensity was also self admitted by Jack. In years gone by they probably would have let it slide, but with so many training the house down, and a hard line approach, it wasn't acceptable this time.

Perhaps all the media attention is also brought on by the fact as to how much the general public is interested in Jack Watts. 3 to 4 active Demonland threads about Jack Watts clearly shows people are somehow fascinated by the enigma that is Jack Watts. Surely if no one was clicking the links to all the herald sun/the age articles then the articles would dry up. I think the media keeps on writing articles and discussing Jack Watts in length, because somewhere out there, people are generally interested in what's happening in the life of Jack Watts. This article is a good case in point. It's been written purely because Jack left the track early today due to him feeling unwell (a cold perhaps?). Surely no other player would receive an article from such an insignificance event during a pre-season - seems to be more what you'd read leading up to GF week. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/melbourne-demons-jack-watts-forced-to-leave-training-early-due-to-illness-20170228-gun52o.html

No Bugg? Also need another tall defender - they have 4 tall forwards and Carisle who can play at both ends

FB: Hibberd T. McDonald Hunt HB: Melksham O.McDonald J. Smith C: Salem Viney Vince HF: Petracca Hogan Lewis FF: Kent Watts Weiderman Foll: Gawn N.Jones Oliver Int: Tyson Stretch Brayshaw Bugg Emergency: Spencer, Jetta , S Frost Key match ups: Hibberd on Membrey, T.Mac on Roo, O.Mac on Bruce, J. Smith on McCartin A few notes: Weids edges out JKH and VDB for mine. Jetta may be underdone for now, Garlett assumed injured Harmes poor skill execution will be too costly at Etihad. ANB squeezed out. Assumes Watts has redeemed himself.

Could get his chance at Casey http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/jack-watts-might-need-to-wait-until-march-19-to-play-a-vfl-practice-game-20170226-gulm59.html

Watts only really has himself to blame if he's failed to do the work on the track. He probably also needs to do the back-up ruckman role again this year. Playing 2 rucks will hurt the midfield rotations too much and I can't see room for Pederson this year if we're going to develop Weids.

A round one win will be huge and probably the biggest indication of all that we are going to have a very big year. Beating the Cats at Etihad would also be nice revenge for the 100pt belting.

Yes. What I got out of it was that this key criteria is 100℅ intensity all the time, and if you don't show that, you're not getting picked. I did like the fact that he said "when Jack does return, we are going to have a very good player on our hands". If Goodwin's plan does work and he can produce a super charged Jack Watts, who's even more damaging then 2016, then he is a genius.

Although I want to feel optimistic about our performances, I can't ignore the fact we won all 3 preseason games last year and it meant sweet FA in the season proper (lost to saints twice, dogs and port in Darwin). These performances feel different, but Saints round 1 still worries me with (especially with how well they play against port in the first half)

VDB has failed to make an impact in both games apart from some junktime goals in the last qtr. Surely has to come out. Liability with his foot skills

Hogan's form is amazing

Well, I understand your sarcasm, but when the club peddles out key criteria and KPI BS, a simple "lacking intensity" would've been nice.

Also saw the interview. Pretty cut and dry now. It's about intensity and Goodwin is not letting Jack fall into his old habits. No more speculation needed.

http://m.afl.com.au/video/2017-02-24/watts-speaks-derby-buildup-dons-tapes Even him speaking is a headline.

Apparently he spoke to channel 9 today so we can hear it from the horse's mouth later today in the news (albeit in restricted mfc media approved language)

Jack's always pretty easy going when anyone speaks to him. I don't think he's going to show too much emotion or give much away. I think the real question is, if this fault was purely a blind spot for him with Goodwin's new methods or the club feels he has dropped a notch by taking it too easy. Either way, he has the feedback and has 4 weeks to rectify it.

Then how is it that everyone who has witnessed him on the track is saying he has been flying and in great nick including journos? Seems like over 30 players have hit this certain criteria except Watts... I think it's back to the original rumor - an attitude problem

Mark Stevens has tweeted Watts expected to be left out again.

This is brilliant!

Perhaps a running KPI required over Christmas... could be anything really

After having watched T Mac's interview, it's clear that there's something he hasn't done that the coaches have asked of him. Perhaps there was something up on the camp etc that he failed to do, or a standard it seems that everyone is asked of that he didn't meet. It's only fair by Goodwin to give the guys (and there's quite a few who can play that half forward role) a chance a head of Jack to prove their worth who did everything that was asked of them. Jack doesn't get a different set of standards just because he is in our top tier of players. I don't think it was a major thing, but, if you're trying to be consistent with your playing group, then it's unfair to put jack ahead of others purely on talent. Let's all hope Jack has now taken that on board (which seems like he has based on the interviews) and can have another good season.