Past Matthew Watson

Remove this Banner Ad

Watson's defensive side should step up a notch once his fitness is up to scratch. Can't really give us more than one or two efforts ATM. Butcher has a year on Watto. I can recall Fev exposing Nathan Brown's lack of agility and speed in 2008. The Magpie stepped up two years later to hold the super athletic Riewoldt in the GF.

No rush.

Left foot is still a delight.
 
TheGeneral said:
Watson's defensive side should step up a notch once his fitness is up to scratch. Can't really give us more than one or two efforts ATM. Butcher has a year on Watto. I can recall Fev exposing Nathan Brown's lack of agility and speed in 2008. The Magpie stepped up two years later to hold the super athletic Riewoldt in the GF.

No rush.

Left foot is still a delight.
Click to expand...

Odd comparison, Butcher is a slow, slow forward. Fevola was lightning on a lead.
 
I was referring to Brown's improved fitness base after he gradually developed the motor to play on Riewoldt. Great improvement from what Fevola did to Brown in his second season. The big boys need more time to get into AFL shape. Watto was the heaviest player at draft camp. FYI, Butcher ran a 2.99 second sprint for 20 metres at draft camp. No slower than Watson. Butcher went on an eighty metre lead against Watson and marked the ball on the wing. Watson's fitness isn't there yet.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Watson warms to the task
Rest assured, Watson feels the supporters’ pain as much as any given the team’s disappointing recent form. He reminds that of all his appearances at either VFL or AFL level through 2012 so far, he’s savored on-field successes in just two contests.

“It’s been pretty frustrating,” he conceded, “but there are still eleven rounds left and anything can happen.

“We had a positive meeting yesterday at which we talked about where we want to be and we changed a few things around....”

Watson obviously hopes to find his niche at centre half-back. The goal for him now is to double last year’s return by fronting up in a minimum six senior matches through to season’s end.
Click to expand...
Watson warms to the task
 
Not sure if I see him ever being a stopper, is a bit too slow. Seems to read the play quite well though and obviously has a great kick.

Looks like he could develop into a very reliable "quarter back" style extra defender which could release Gibbs.
 
Odd preseason for Watto. I loved how he looked in training sessions and was pretty impressed with his NAB Cup work but he's been quietly going about it in the Northern Blues for weeks already now and looks behind Jamo, Hendo, Laids and White.

Here are my thoughts from January...

zeeCFC said:
Watson: Wow, what a change. Ratts couldn't give a rat's about the megahead and all of a sudden he's Mick's personal project and is the main KPP and set kicker in almost every drill. His kicking is a sight to behold, just weights everything so precisely and he was far and away the tidiest kicker today. Mick took him aside for about 10 minutes to work on his marking and was giving him tips on positioning and giving him high balls to mark. Watto's a solid mark but showed today that he can miss time it and maybe not get as high off the ground as others like Casboult, Hampson, Duigan, Walker and White did. He did compete the best of the young defenders in the body contests though I'm itching to see where he takes his game this year.
Click to expand...

Looks considerably more toned to me and has more definition in his legs and arms compared to previous years. Looks much happier with life under Malthouse but I'm sure we all have lingering fears that his at times, obvious misgivings will hinder the side if he is a regular seniors fixture. However if he hits the form he was in during his U18 days and read the play as well as he can, he'll be worth the investment we made in him.

I'm anticipating 5-10 senior games this year for Megahead.

599206_10151488823263334_1682971863_n.jpg
 
How many games does Watson need to play to show he's developing and making progress as a defender?

Someone alleviate my concerns with Watto out of the 22 at the start of his third season. :)

A description of Ben Griffiths sounds similar to Watson.

Hope he forces his way into the side rather than just replacing Jamison or Henderson due to injures.
 
Robinson Kreuzer said:
How many games does Watson need to play to show he's developing and making progress as a defender?

Someone alleviate my concerns with Watto out of the 22 at the start of his third season. :)

A description of Ben Griffiths sounds similar to Watson.

Hope he forces his way into the side rather than just replacing Jamison or Henderson due to injures.
Click to expand...
I love Watto but still have my worries and we may just have to wait and see what happens...He's not as quick as you'd like but his apparent reading of the play looks weak at times, like his one on one contests. Needs to use his big body (bonce) and smarts much, MUCH better to become a player.
 
To be fair on Watto though, we seem to always have quite a few big men who don't use their bodies as well as they could in contests, unless they are bonafide naturals at it like Cas.

I wonder if it's a development issue. Still we shall see and I do have hopes for MegaHead. Certainly shown enough glimpses.
 
Twomey2Betts said:
To be fair on Watto though, we seem to always have quite a few big men who don't use their bodies as well as they could in contests, unless they are bonafide naturals at it like Cas.

I wonder if it's a development issue. Still we shall see and I do have hopes for MegaHead. Certainly shown enough glimpses.
Click to expand...
Yeah spot on...He has had a very good preseason and seems to be improving every year.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Hope his development mirrors that other big unit and first round pick who took his time developing. We could do with Kennedy who is no athlete.

Needs to use his body like Henderson and Kreuzer, but I don't have a problem with his reading of the play. Body type looks a little like a tall mid/flanker. That was the impression I got the first time I saw a photo. That massive head adds a few centimetres to his height. :)
 
Not wanting to look too far ahead... but I think having Watto on the ground will give us more flexibility to swing Hendo forward, and to do this earlier in games.

Maybe another couple of dominant displays in the 2nds against tougher oposition are needed before bringing him into the side. Rather than throwing him to the wolves too early, especially if Waite is closer to returning (LOL!), we can hold off and let him find real confidence and voice.
 
HARKER said:
I don't care whether he spends the year at this level because it really seems to be serving him well.
Click to expand...

I appreciate this comment. I was thinking about Hendo and his forward foray from Monday and wonder if Watson could slip into Jamo's offsider role, allowing Hendo to go forward more often.

It makes our forward line more formidable whilst Watson contributes by taking over a role in a solid defensive line.
 
Seen5 said:
I appreciate this comment. I was thinking about Hendo and his forward foray from Monday and wonder if Watson could slip into Jamo's offsider role, allowing Hendo to go forward more often.

It makes our forward line more formidable whilst Watson contributes by taking over a role in a solid defensive line.
Click to expand...

If the MC believed Henderson to be of greater use to us in the forward line rather than down back, Watson would certainly be the one to replace him in the back half.

It will be interesting to see which way Mick goes on that front, going forward. He has time and time again come to the defense of Hampson and his senior performances, but I wonder if his patience is beginning to wear thin.
 
I'
Jeremias said:
If the MC believed Henderson to be of greater use to us in the forward line rather than down back, Watson would certainly be the one to replace him in the back half.

It will be interesting to see which way Mick goes on that front, going forward. He has time and time again come to the defense of Hampson and his senior performances, but I wonder if his patience is beginning to wear thin.
Click to expand...

I'm still living in hope that what Mick said about Hampson will come true. Some of those marks in the NAB, against Richmond, against Melbourne last week were great - full stretch, no spoiling that. It's just about getting to the right spot and (re)building the confidence to convert. Maybe it's just games and experience.

But, I'm pretty keen on Watson and haven't seen the magoos play this year. It's great to hear there's some good development coming along. If we don't see him is this a suggestion that Mick is taking the long term view? Set us up this year for a real crack next year. Juddy's obviously on board, Watson's part of the future plan? Ultimate success 2014?
 
I've got a bad feeling about this bloke...

Not sure what the coaches thoughts are on him, but I see him as a perfect fit as a 3rd defender like Gibson etc. Would love to see him use that big body to crash some packs and take out a few Jack Reiwoldts. Just have this gut feeling that he wall slip through and end up as a half back for the Hawks or Cats straight away.
 
In my view he's certainly not suited to a 3rd tall defender. At this stage he just does not have the necessary traits to make it in that position.

He is, however, very well suited to the role of a tall defender. Just can't crack a gig at the moment with the Jamison/Henderson partnership working as well as it is.

His time will come, I've seen enough of him to be convinced of that. Just hope it is at Carlton because at some stage something has to give.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top