Past #35: Declan Watson - won't be offered a new contract - Thanks Dec

[TwentyNine]

Welcome to the club, John.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Some teams don't play with a full deck. We're playing with two Dec's!

Should have kept that doosie up your sleave for the kids at Bridge.

 

[Kimbo]

Should have kept that doosie up your sleave for the kids at Bridge.

Canasta.

 

[Route57]

poor guy is already 20 kilos behind where he needs to be : (

 

[tazaa]

lol imagine we drafted him last year and he took the no.3


ha

 

[giantroo]

Selection No.34 – Declan Watson
Bryce Lewis says: "A key defender who just gets the job done. He reads the play really well, has matched up against some of the better forwards this year and acquitted himself quite capably. He can body and negate but he does come off and reads the play very well. He also gets involved in the play on the way out too."

 

[giantroo]

nmfc.com.au:

Declan Watson - Pick 34

Bryce Lewis Says:

“Declan is a key-defender who has been at the Brisbane Lions Academy.

“He’s got a strong body and he’s highly competitive. He has great ability to play one-on-one, read the ball and intercept and get involved in some offensive ball movement.

“In terms of position (defence) it was a need, but at the same time we haven't jumped over players to reach for Declan. We rated him in that draft range and we were able to pick him up which is fantastic."

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Strong body? Someone is feeding Joyce s**t. He is so skinny.

 

[giantroo]

In Knightmare's power rankings, he had him at #29.

Declan Watson (QLD - Brisbane Academy)


Best position: Key defence

Height, weight: 194cm, 80kg

Recruited from: Aspley

Plays like: Jack Hombsch

Projected draft range: late draf

Rated last month: Unrated

Rationale behind ranking/change of ranking: 
Promising play during AFL Under-18 Championships. Involved in offensive drives out of back half.
Strengths:

- Finds a lot of the ball for a key defender

- Always looks involved and on the move when the ball is in his area

- Provides run in support on forward drives

- Zones off well down back

- Intercept marking

- Reading flight of the ball

- Able to shut down opposition key forwards

- Moves well through traffic

- Good at ground level

- While testing suggests otherwise, movement in games was fine

Weaknesses:

- Weighting on kicks can be hot and cold from game to game

- Good but not dominant one-on-one or as an intercept mark

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

Declan Watson

Key Position Defender | Aspley/Queensland
17/09/98 | 191cm | 83kg

Snapshot:

After a solid year as an anchor in the Queensland and Allies back halves, Declan Watson has put his hand up as a reliable key position option come draft time.

An apt one-on-one defender despite his frame, Watson more than held his own during the championships and was a consistent figure throughout, often matching up against the opposition’s most dangerous key forward.

One of the most unique and exciting parts of Watson’s game is also his ability to use the ball extremely well when coming out of defence. With a cool head and efficient disposal, Watson spared the blushes of his side time and time again, sending them on the counter attack in the same passage of play.

With these attributes, and a decent athletic base, Watson is a great new-age defender who suits the modern game.
As a Brisbane Lions Academy member, it would be hard to s.ee them not matching a bid should another club show interest in later rounds.


Strengths:

• Distribution
• One-on-one work
• Intercept marking

Watson is the kind of defender who seems to float around his defensive half and make it his own. With that in mind and despite his frame, he is rarely beaten in one-on-one situations and is very apt when it comes to cutting off opposition attacks.

With an average of 4-5 marks per game, Watson clearly knows how to make the best of his positioning and has a good footy brain. While a fair portion of those marks are taken as he floats back with the flight or mans free space, Watson is not afraid to engage in a physical contest. His agility for a big man also allows him to get stuck in at ground level, and his contested ball numbers are quite impressive.

His ability to contribute both in the air and ground level helps the most outstanding area of his game – his distribution.Watson is arguably the most efficient player in his position, and was on kick-in duty throughout the National Championships. With a cool head and clean skills by both hand and foot, Watson ensures that an option is always there to be found, and it will undoubtedly be a valued asset to whatever club he ends up at.
By no means is he a total accumulating full back like Scarlett or Lake were, but he can do the same kind of damage if given the opportunity.Fitting the modern game to a tee, Watson also finds himself up the ground and in positions to find targets inside 50, and you wouldn’t mind the ball being in his hands there either.

Considering his slight frame, he may even be a good option as a utility to be used up the ground as he develops a better tank and some body mass. After all, he is still around the same size as Jack Scrimshaw – who is more of a hybrid defender/midfielder.

Improvements:

• Frame
• Decision making

There is not a whole heap that Watson has to improve on, but it is more a matter of ensuring that he works hard to prevent getting found out should some of his strengths aren’t weakened.
It’s a bit of a long-winded statement, but for example, his attack-minded defending is great when he pulls it off, but he leaves the chance for his side to be exposed going the other way if he is either too far forward or giving the ball up in dangerous positions.

More often than not, all credit to him, he makes sure that he puts his team in the best position, but some of that hard work may come undone if he starts to bite off more than he can chew with disposal use and getting involved at ground level.

Another factor that may see Watson be found out at the next level is his frame. He’s solid, but at just over 80kg, he is not exactly a hulking kind of key defender.
The good thing is that size is an easy thing to work on, and he may even grow a few more centimetres as he broadens his shoulders.

Another good thing about Watson is that if all else fails, he has a solid base of basics that all defenders should have, and can easily fit the mould of either a pure one-on-one defender, or use his more obvious strengths to become a dominant floating defender.


Summary:

Overall, Declan Watson is a pretty safe bet as a reliable key defender from this draft after a really consistent year.

With a decent size to build on and outstanding distribution from the back half, Watson could easily fit into an AFL system and even add to a team’s style of play.
Expect him to find his home at the Lions as their first academy selection. He’ll provide a solid defensive option for the future, with no risk of a go-home factor.

 

[koshari]

Intercept defender with shutdown abilities. Could fill a bit of the spud vacency while potentially replacement for loogys spot.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Steele7]

With Tippett gone and Hansen as a F/A next year. Handy to get another KPD. Welcome Watson.

 

[the big lebowski]

I hope he is 194 cm and not 191 cm.

 

[Twinkletoes]

I aim to please...

Are you a Butler ?

Could be a fluffer!

Appreciate the post anyway spotty.

Welcome aboard The Other Dec.

 

[remfan101]

I hope he is 194 cm and not 191 cm.

All of the draft combine heights were a bit dodgy, I reckon he'll be closer to 194 in reality. Certainly doesn't look undersized if anything a bit lumbering for a key back.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Because they didn't want him.

Not correct in any way.

They just couldn't afford him

 

[archereleven]

Better hit the whey powder and weight room. Needs at least 10kg

 

[giantroo]

I hope he is 194 cm and not 191 cm.

Brett Anderson says he was measured at 191 at the combine.

 

[muttley45]

Does this guy (+10kg) have a bit of the Jacob Weiterings about him ?

 

[Roozee]

WellsCompensationPickFan to change his name to WatsonFan. Make it happen Funky Mods!

Are we going to get the legs out of this pick to keep the dream run alive?

 

[giantroo]

WellsCompensationPickFan to change his name to WatsonFan. Make it happen Funky Mods!

Are we going to get the legs out of this pick to keep the dream run alive?

Josh Williams you mean. Could be JWilloFan.

 

[Roozee]

Josh Williams you mean. Could be JWilloFan.

Thanks GR. I did have a quick look but must have got confused with where the pick numbers changed and the compo pick landed.

JWilloFan it is. WilliamsFan is a bit boring and we have more than one now!