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We won't get Zak Jones for him, so I will stop thinking about it... But if we did get Zak Jones for him that would be good. But not thinking about it at all...

I didn't see that and neither did the stats, but happy to disagree.

Or Hannan. But that is an ethos thing; an attitude to play with the frenzy that won the Tigers a flag. I am more concerned with getting an outside replacement for JW with skills.

Completely agree that JW has overpowered everything at the club - I would add the first couple years of Roos as an interlude. However, your 'investment bias' is coming through with the mention of the '6'5 KPF we were expecting.' I realised a few years ago that that was never going to happen, and a role player was all I was expecting - which is what made 2016 and the first half of this season a realisation. I do hope that the club gets what it wants out of this decision - whether that be a new fervour of professionalism, a message headed on commitment, or simply an asset to flip into something that helps us on a way to our flag.

Partly. I would have loved it if the club directed the LG, Goodwin and Mahoney to say everytime Watts' name was brought up after a bad game - 'Jack? He will have his game assessed on Monday like any player. Today, our most important players were (insert negative adjective here) and our midfield didn't execute when it mattered. We let the fascination with Watts be a happy distraction from real questions on why we started like we did in Rd 23 and why we lost to Freo and why we lost to Haw and NM twice. As for the post-season - I reckon they could have named, in addition to Watts, the 4 blokes who were pinpointed as being unprofessional during the season and a couple others I know struggle to take their career as seriously as they should.

Concerning. All that travel can't be good for his back...

I think it is quite obvious they are not keen on him to stay. They are pushing him to meet with any team that will meet with him and facilitate a trade. It is impossible to know if someone has 'pulled their finger out' in the off season. The fact that Watts was confused at the negative assessment from Goodwin and the FD that some on here have taken that he 'just doesn't get it' would not be correct in the reverse if he said all the right things in the last few weeks. And that leads to the 'tough love and care' for Watts from Goodwin and Mahoney - it is a hypothetical we will never really know what affect this 'wake up call' will have on the bloke. My main issue is a lack clarity (what does Goodwin's 'stuck in a rut' mean exactly, and Mahoney talking about 'performance' when I think he meant preparation''), and the isolation of Jack on the Crusade of Commitment and Professionalism.

Absolutely. It would be beyond 'crazy'. It would indeed be the crazy version crazy - 'craxy'...

So this Fyfe-Hogan meeting is to give each other the keys to their respective houses? The football version of The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz? Footy needs to be more original...

Fyfe recently signed on for 4 or 5 years with Freo.

Finally emerged as a dependable mid that also spent time forward of the footy. Neat skills and a very smart player - gets in the right spots. There is a lesson for you kids (and big kids) out there; irrational confidence is healthy - 2017 became the year he was able to do all the things he thought he could do all along...

They should give him a licence to do that into the 50 more - I would bet Garlett would get to the footy first.

That is definitely true. There are some so invested in Jack being 'the reason' we are where we are that they can barely admit he plays a good game. That Dr.D that Ethan dissected so well before would be one such individual. There are a few 'investing' themselves in Oscar's failure too, and now there will be more.

Thank you for that, now I understand what you and I, presume, @Stretch Johnson were saying. You are essentially saying that whatever Watts does or however his replacement performs has no bearing on whether the decision to move Jack on was the right one. As a person who loves a semantic argument, I couldn't agree more. However, as someone who lives in reality, I can say that you will yourselves be caught up in threads dedicated to doing what you have stipulated cannot be done - query the merits of the decision. You better have that link ready, for the next 3/4 years? You should use Sticky Notes or OneNote - for easy access!

Classy.

I read a social experiment that had those that paid to see a movie, rate it higher than those that didn't have to pay - the investment made the person wedded to the movie more and made it desirable to make it worth that investment. In this case, I don't think it is the investment of the first pick in the draft, but the emotional investment of this bloke from 1) the thousands of starved and desperate Dees fans wanting so badly to believe that he will help deliver them back to finals and hopefully a flag, 2) that he could one day be that elusive 'star,' and 3) that he is such a ripping bloke...

I can't comment on D. But the club controls C and they are keen to move him, they will accept a deal perhaps below what his 'market' is.

Worth explaining. What would affect the merits of this decision?

He won't be 'gone' yet I wouldn't think but for all intents and purposes... He will be essentially saying goodbye from what Connors has said.

Lever has already publicly said he is willing to 'go into the draft' if the Crows stonewall. I have never heard a player be so frank about going into the draft - so he is obviously aware that the Cows are the ones playing funny buggers.

Thinking of the Bluey and moving past this, now moot, debate - I was wondering what kind of speech I would make as a coach to that group and with that platform. Jack will the there of course, and there will be those bidding him farewell and there will be those still smarting from the end of the season. The message from Goodwin and Mahoney has been that Watts is being moved on for a lack of commitment and preparation to being a professional footy player. The merits of that message are not for debate here - that is the message. So when it comes to Goodwin's speech he doesn't need to make an overt statement about that, and it would also be overtly 'on the nose' to make any more references to it with Jack in the room. If I was Goodwin, I would go a different route and try to thread a needle on a message of thanking Jack for his service, and making a point to the players that remain that they are officially out of excuses: '...and that was my thoughts on this season. Which brings me to tonight, tomorrow, the summer, and the future; to the sometimes brutal honesty we deliver each other, the tough decisions we make, the effort we put in when no-one is watching and the reward we get for that in the future. We will be saying goodbye to a few Demons tonight; (naming all delisted Demons)... and the incredibly loyal Demon Jack Watts. A few words on this impressive young man; Jack will soon start a new chapter in his career and all of us in this room want to see you succeed and want you to know how thankful the Melbourne footy club is for your contributions to the club over the past 9 years. Jack put up with a lot over his time at this great club. A few years ago, when the club was not-so-great, Jack was placed on an unreachable pedestal. He was lauded as the saviour of a club that one player could never save. When things didn't go well, the first and last Demon that was criticised and dissected was number 4. He unfairly drew the attention of a rabid media and a disappointed and angry fanbase over most of the ills of the club. This has struck me the most since becoming head coach was the amount of attention afforded to the tall, blonde role playing flanker with the killer right boot... Moving forward into the future without Jack, my message to the players, footy department, and admin that remain is that we won't have that convenient distraction anymore, the scapegoat to all our problems won't have that burden - we will all have to shoulder that burden ourselves. There will be a renewed focus for this club on those that deserve such inspection and attention - starting with me, Peter, Glen, the Leadership Group, and our on-field performances will no longer be seen through the lens of 'Jack Watts and the Melbourne Football Club' - we will all now share that burden. I hope you are all willing to work hard this off season so that you are ready for that bright light of inspection come next season...(pause for effect, and I would look at a couple of players in the eyes) Thanks Jack, and we all wish you the best in your next chapter.' That's the kind of address I would make...

Became our only 'creator' and teams shut him down and us in the second half of the year. Really good player though, has trouble hitting spot up kicks but with Hogan up the ground next year will have more room to work with.

This deal will be dissected and judged by fans and media - and, as you allude, one of the arguments will be the effect on the Demons' culture and professionalism once he leaves. So you actually agree with me...

I hope most don't agree. We always eat each other alive when ever there is something that divides the club. If you want the club to be mature then shouldn't we mirror that? It isn't mature to react by 'microwaving your membership' or threaten to leave the club, but equally it isn't mature to tell those that feel aggrieved to 'eff off' and that their club doesn't want them. We are too small a club to be so petty. There is a line in the sand for you.