Ron Burgundy

This is where Jason Taylor excels. Every other recruiter, I expect, would've selected Parish. He continually makes very astute selections. It's remarkable how quickly he's turned around our list, which was seemingly a basket case only a few years ago.

There's not enough of this type of behaviour anymore.

"Remarkably the Hawks will now enter their clash against the Bombers without any of Hodge, Sam Mitchell or Jordan Lewis, the last two of whom were sensationally traded to West Coast and Melbourne respectively in October. The last time Hawthorn played without any of the three was round 10, 2002. "

Yep, I agree. If Steven gets off the chain, I'd hate to think Goodwin will steadfastly stick to the game plan and that he'll adjust it to deal with what's happening on the field in the moment i.e. he'll put Viney, Vince or Bugg on him with instructions just to shut him down completely and back our other mids to win the ball and spread sans Viney, Vince or Bugg. Surely the new game plan is not so inflexible that it can't accommodate one midfielder in a tagging role. Viney and Vince have also proven that they can win their own ball even in a tagging role.

Who are the biggest kicks in the competition?

Really good post. Don't disagree with any of your analysis, other than I think Watts season last year was bloody good (better than a B) and I think we have a very valuable player on our hands, who might (now) be worthy of pick one in that draft.

Surely it's more relevant to compare Watts to other players in his draft, rather than Watts to other number one picks in different drafts. A comparison to players in other drafts just illustrates the difference in quality of each draft. That he was the number one pick in a poor draft doesn't mean that he wasn't the best player in that year - it just means it may have been a tres ordinaire draft in that particular year. As an aside, I've always thought Hurley, not Nik Nat, was the player we probably should've selected.

Exactly. All Watts did was nominate for the draft. That he got selected with pick one wasn't his decision. The level of scrutiny that he has attracted since is quite ridiculous.

In an earlier post you listed a number of really good, household name, 'premiership' players, all of whom were top 10 draft picks. I can't recall how many players you listed, but I think it was about 10. I seem to recall that Chris Judd was the elder statesman of the group, in that he was selected by the Weagles at pick 3 in the 2001 draft. Judd's draft included, there have been 16 drafts in that timeframe. That's 160 'top ten' players being brought into the system. Confirmation bias aside, there's no way Jack Watts has been a dud when compared to all 160 draft picks. Sure, there have been some players who've been sensational, but the majority have not. They're probably fixing light bulbs in your pool room these days. I reckon Watts will play 200 games for this club. He might very well also walk away one day with a premiership medallion and a Norm Smith medal around his neck. That may not happen, obviously - but there's no way he's been a dud selection. Your hopes for him, whatever they are, are just that - 'hopes'. Plainly he hasn't delivered on them for you, but he's a quality player and a 'value add' to the team nonetheless.

Whilst Goodwin says our 'fearless' brand of football is intended to stack up in finals, ironically, I think it will also ensure that we regularly win the previously 'winnable' home and away games against lesser sides that we have traditionally lost.

I like Hawthorn now. They gifted us Jordan Lewis. And he is exactly what this team needed. We will play finals this season as a result. I reckon we'll own Hawthorn this year.

7th. We'll be much better than last season, and more consistently better. Some other teams should slide a little too.

Matty Lloyd! Not sure I hate him anymore.

Poor bloke can't take a trick.

Bloody. Hell. I can't recall us ever attracting such a comment in the media. This has to be a first. Cameron Mooney is also not afraid to compliment the MFC, but 'this is amazing.'

Roos petitioned heavily to renew Watts' contract, so it would seem that your personal bias doesn't accord with the reality on this one. Roos may have seen room for improvement/further development in Watts, but clearly he didn't have the same level of frustration in him that Neeld did.

That may be the case. Interesting to note though that he's had several contract renewals/extensions during his time at this club, under various different regimes and head coaches, the most recent of which was under the Roos/PJ/Mahoney/T Viney/Jason Taylor regime. Despite the fact that many of us here may not know the difference between the goal square and the pie stand outside the ground, I put my trust in the fact that these guys know how to rate a player (particularly one on our own list) - and, plainly, they rate Jack Watts. And this is not Jack Watts the 17 year old kid with potential - rather, it is Jack Watts, the mature bodied, experienced AFL player. Didn't Roos say words to the effect at the B&F last year - 'when the game was in the balance, I was always relieved to see the ball in the hands of none other than Jack Watts'. This isn't hyberbole. It's fact. Hard, cold, inconvenient fact. That said, I share your lack of enthusiasm with Watts' apparent drop in performance at training this pre-season.

This is really disappointing to read. That said, I still reckon Jack Watts has a good season ahead of him. And not at Casey.

Great assessment LT - in particular I share your views on Melksham and Bugg. Two very underrated players here.

DD36 - I cannot agree with you that Watts has been a huge disappointment for this club. Firstly, no one can seriously contend that any player on the list should be selected each week even if their form, ability or attitude wouldn't warrant it. Watts, like everyone else, should have to earn his selection. No one here is disappointed with Goodwin for enforcing elite standards; some here are just slightly dismayed with the club's 'communications' about in the circumstances. Watts has remained absolutely loyal to this club for the whole of his career to date, and I will be very surprised if he doesn't play out his entire career at the MFC. In fact, I expect he'll play well over 200 games for the club. He is super popular with the players and staff. He is a sublime disposer of the ball. He reads the play well. His marking is fantastic. He has X factor. So much so, last year we won games off his own boot. He finished in the top 5 in the B&F. And I expect he will have another really good season this year, and will be a very important/influential player for us. To suggest that he's been a huge disappointment for the club is therefore plainly unfair. We've had a stack of 'huge disappointment' first round picks over the last decade, but Jack Watts is simply not one of them.

I reckon Watts and Tyson (if fit) should and will come into the round 1 side. I had thought Pedersen had Weideman covered (at this point in time) but I'm now starting to have my doubts. Gawn will ruck sans Spencer. We need the run and spread and Spencer depletes this. Kent will always be in the mix because he adds a lot IMO but his preseason seems to have been very interrupted and he may have to wait a bit longer for his call up. Jetta is an interesting one. I'd considered him to be one of the leading small defenders in the competition over the past couple of seasons, but our game plan seems to have evolved this preseason in a way that may mean he hasn't got the all of the attrubutes that Goodwin requires in his back six. He's possibly no longer best 22. Stretch will be one of the first players written down on the team sheet each week. Such a neat and tidy player who always takes the right option and executes it perfectly. Petracca. Geez I'm glad St Kilda picked McCartin.

I hate Carlton.

Exactly what I was about to type - he's a 'little ripper' this kid. Recruiting Lewis, Hibberd and Melksham now allows several of our players to play roles they are probably naturally more suited to. In the case of Salem, I think that's in the midfield regularly floating forward. He's a smart player and his disposal is elite. Bodes super well for the future.

On that basis, I suppose 3rd in the B&F in a middle rung side is fairly average too. Even though that dude dominated the competition and was named the All Australian ruckman.

Fork 'em, Watts had a very good season last year, not an average one. Even the biggest Watts' critics accept that.