Jack Watts
- Thread starter Bunk Moreland
- Start date
- Tagged users None
- Thread starter
- #278
Nope. He's no good. Just doesn't attack the contest.
If he'd been a rookie lister he would have lasted one year.
- Mar 2, 2015
- 19,073
- 34,300
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
That's just confidence really. Melbourne never really allowed him a chance to build his confidence. They threw him in there at CHF on the Queen's Birthday round vs Collingwood when he was just a wet-behind-the ears Brighton Grammar schoolboy. The experienced Magpie defenders laughed in his face and beat up on him that day while 65,000 people watched him get humiliated.
Watts was the classic case of being thrown to the wolves too soon. At any normal, properly-run football club, he would've been held back for 2-3 years until he was ready for the big time. Maybe given a taste in the NAB Cup and then made to learn the caper in the VFL and serve his apprenticeship. His coaches threw him to the wolves like he was another Buddy Franklin, Matthew Pavlich or Wayne Carey. Big mistake.
Melbourne proved themselves to be basket case under their previous regimes. Many people blame their poor recruiting, but I don't buy that. I think they've been poor at developing their talent and they've mismanaged the careers of their young players.
I don't believe any kid taken in the first 20 picks of the National draft is simply "no good". They had the raw talent to be taken early. If they don't succeed, then it must come down to other developmental factors: injuries, confidence, laziness, bad attitude.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #280
It's just a good illustration of how pure talent gets you nowhere in the AFL.
It's an incredibly contested game. That's how it is at its core. He just doesn't have it. He has zero appetite for the contest.
I could understand if his development was stunted a bit, but it's not that. He's simply not a footballer.
Banker
Club Legend
- May 17, 2014
- 2,906
- 1,931
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
Watts has been ruined by melb. Never a no1 draft pick and received unfair media criticism.
At best he was a 10-20 pick. Some players are mentally weak and he is just that. With melbs poor culture and media on his back the guy is broke. Probably never reach a decent level of potential.
At best he was a 10-20 pick. Some players are mentally weak and he is just that. With melbs poor culture and media on his back the guy is broke. Probably never reach a decent level of potential.
bugalugs213
Premiership Player
- Sep 24, 2011
- 3,038
- 3,611
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
He was never made to earn his spot so he thinks he can rock up each week half assed and half hearted and get another game next week.
That has yet to change.
That has yet to change.
The crowd jeered every time he marked the ball today. Mind you they were all uncontested marks.
He made some good contests today but seeing Fyfe rip us up, I wonder if Watts was *supposed* be the kind of player he is.
He will never arrive. He's a talented footballer, but an average AFL player.
Would he contribute in a Freo, a Hawthorn or a Geelong? Would they accept his kind of...carelessness?
Today wasn't even bad. He just didn't do anything.
He made some good contests today but seeing Fyfe rip us up, I wonder if Watts was *supposed* be the kind of player he is.
He will never arrive. He's a talented footballer, but an average AFL player.
Would he contribute in a Freo, a Hawthorn or a Geelong? Would they accept his kind of...carelessness?
Today wasn't even bad. He just didn't do anything.
You may be just overanalysing it, maybe he just isn't very good at footy.
They should have tried to offload him to some foolish club like Carlton whilst he still had some sort of currency. I honestly wouldn't take him at Fremantle even if he came for free.
Or Freo shouldve taken him in the Colin Sylvia/ douchebag Gumbleton era.
Maybe a good fit down at St Kilda? You could trade for him like traded out of the first round of the draft to pick up gun forward Tom Lee.
- Oct 14, 2006
- 23,967
- 17,498
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
Watts should retire for his own emotional health.
Seems a very sensitive young man who really doesn't want to play footy.
For some reason I reckon he'd be much happier in retail. Just chit chatting without any care all day ...
Seems a very sensitive young man who really doesn't want to play footy.
For some reason I reckon he'd be much happier in retail. Just chit chatting without any care all day ...
- Mar 2, 2015
- 19,073
- 34,300
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
But I've seen him play a couple of great games in the past.
Head and shoulders better than everyone else on the field.
- Oct 14, 2006
- 23,967
- 17,498
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
He's just carefree and gentle.
How on Earth he became a number one draft pick is a credit to him, but bizarre ...
I don't actually see a guy who likes football playing. Could be wrong but that's what he portrays.
Yeh or maybe this year we'll trade pick 1, that works out well....
Bluelegs
Celebrating what we're good at
I don't buy this whole idea "It's Melbourne's fault because they played him on Queens Birthday as a skinny kid." It was a stupid move yes, but it's been SIX YEARS! Jack has had plenty of time to grow up as a footballer and a person. It doesn't take much to put in an effort, to show hunger for the footy, he doesn't, he produces one good game for every ten poor games, he just floats around the ground waiting for the ball to come to him. There is no way that is how he has been instructed to play football. Jacks problem is that he's either scared or lazy but either way he doesn't have the attitude that warrants him a place on an AFL list. Jack is responsible for his own performance, you simply can't excuse the performances he gives now. The club has gotten more out of every single player on the list the past couple of years.
- Thread starter
- #297
Yep let's stop this s**t. Watts problem is he simply doesn't compete. That's not Melbourne's fault.
Send him to Hawthorn, if Clarko can't turn him into a tough as nails footballer then he can enjoy being the person that hands out the oranges at quarter time and half time.
Nah he was a douchebag too
- May 5, 2006
- 62,726
- 70,017
- AFL Club
- West Coast
Was Queen's Birthday 2009 that big a deal?
Zac 'the hack' Dawson played his 4th game on Anthony Rocca who kicked 8. He's never had the pick 1 scrutiny, but if anything is going to destroy your confidence as a young tall it's being thrown to the wolves by your coach and monstered by a big key forward in his prime.
Dawson has gone on to play nearly 150 games and has held a spot in the 22 of St Kilda then Fremantle for the last 6 years, playing in 4 Grand Finals. He's alright, he does his job well and is a good foot solider - but if you polled people on their best 50, 100, 200 etc. players I doubt he'd feature.
Jack Watts should for example be able to play Zac Dawson's role at St Kilda/Freo, but I don't reckon he could - he just doesn't have the hunger for the contest. People like to do the 'LOL Melbourne - he'd be great in a better environment' thing but he's played under Bailey, Neeld and now Paul Roos and is still being criticised for the same things as 5 years ago.
Zac 'the hack' Dawson played his 4th game on Anthony Rocca who kicked 8. He's never had the pick 1 scrutiny, but if anything is going to destroy your confidence as a young tall it's being thrown to the wolves by your coach and monstered by a big key forward in his prime.
Dawson has gone on to play nearly 150 games and has held a spot in the 22 of St Kilda then Fremantle for the last 6 years, playing in 4 Grand Finals. He's alright, he does his job well and is a good foot solider - but if you polled people on their best 50, 100, 200 etc. players I doubt he'd feature.
Jack Watts should for example be able to play Zac Dawson's role at St Kilda/Freo, but I don't reckon he could - he just doesn't have the hunger for the contest. People like to do the 'LOL Melbourne - he'd be great in a better environment' thing but he's played under Bailey, Neeld and now Paul Roos and is still being criticised for the same things as 5 years ago.
Similar threads
