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Senior 4. Jack Watts

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I agree, and I'm all for it because it will bring more bums on seats to the fixture we need to continue to hold. But the club has half tried to cover it up with form selection.
 
Pressure off Watts
http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/78550/default.aspx
MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes says he can't remember a bigger build-up to a first game than that faced by No. 1 draft pick Jack Watts last week.

Watts made his debut in the Queen's Birthday clash with Collingwood on Monday – adding to what Stynes considered a huge occasion for the 18-year-old.

"When I played my first game, no-one knew. It was down at Geelong at Kardinia Park," Stynes told melbournefc.com.au.

"I suppose Jeff White was our biggest recruit in a long time. But with Jack playing now it probably takes a bit of pressure off, because he can now go back and get himself bigger and better and it'll come."

Watts was under intense scrutiny leading up to the match and although he took it in his stride, was confronted with a 66-point loss on the day.

Melbourne trailed by 42 points at quarter time and struggled to have an impact on the contest from there.

"He (Watts) started well and by the end of the game we were getting beaten all over the ground, so it was a hard initiation," Stynes said.

"I think he'll learn a lot from it. He now knows the pace of the game and he knows he's got to keep getting stronger, because he's got a light frame. That'll all come and we've got to remember he's only 18 and still at school.

"We can't put high expectations on him because these things take time to develop. I know the coaching staff will do the right thing by him and they won't push him too hard and they'll take it step by step."
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Watts to go again against Dons
http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/78455/default.aspx
MELBOURNE coach Dean Bailey has confirmed debutant and last year's No.1 draft pick Jack Watts will line up for the Demons in the next round against Essendon at Docklands.

Watts played his first AFL match against Collingwood in the traditional Queen's Birthday clash at the MCG on Monday, finishing with eight disposals.

Bailey said unless anything untoward happens between now and June 19, when Melbourne plays its only Friday night match of the season, Watts would play his second AFL match against the Bombers.

"I wouldn't think that we'd seriously consider dropping him," Bailey said post-match after Melbourne's 66-point loss to the Magpies.

"I think he'll play the next game, unless he gets injured or something else happens in between."

Bailey said Watts showed enough in his first hit-out.

"It's just good that Jack's played a game and … got it out of the way, so he can look forward to his next game," he said.

"He'll learn from today and he'll understand the speed and the pace of the game, as most players do after their first game.

"He was OK, but it was always going to be a tough job for him to come out and play his first game."

Bailey said Watts handled the enormous build-up with aplomb after the Demons announced he would be playing last Wednesday.

"Jack's a pretty level-headed kid, so he's got a game out of the way and two hours under his belt. I'm sure he'll learn from some of things from watching the vision again," he said.

"He's a learner and he's an astute understander of the game, so I'm sure the next game he plays, he'll get a better feel for the game."
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Round: 11 vs Collingwood (Queen's Birthday)

Stats: 8 disposals (3 kicks, 5 handballs) at 88% efficiency, 1 mark, 4 contested possessions and 4 uncontested possessions, 1 free for and 2 inside 50's.

My Thoughts: The long anticipated and most hyped up debut since Chris Judd at Carlton, Jack did nothing to disgrace himself in his first game for the red and blue. Those with any sort of football knowledge didn't expect Jack to dominate the game or anything of the sort. Had quite the entrance into the game when running onto the ground and instantly getting his first possession and proceeding to be crunched by 3 Pies players but also earning himself his first free kick at the top level. Jack did look to be overawed by the events of the day but I didn't feel that he looked intimidated or that he didn't belong out there, he could have easily had 2 or 3 goals if his teammates honoured his leads. Definitely can't wait too see more of him in the coming weeks and years.

Rating/10: 6/10

Does he keep his spot?: He does indeed keep his spot and Bailey has already announced this so that takes a load of Jack's mind no doubt. People may have seen a 6/10 as a bit high for an 8 possession game but it's not just his work with the ball that impressed me but his work without the ball. On several different occasions he got wide open inside our attacking 50 only to be ignored by his teammates, his football smarts have already impressed me because he knows exactly where to go and when to go there. All we need now is his teammates to trust him and for them to give him the ball and I can see him kicking a few goals this year.
 
Jack Watts played an atrocious first round picking up only a few possessions but we cant be to quick to just drop him because of his 1st game performance his, after all David Nietz played possibly an even worse game in his first 5 games and he was almost dropped becuase of it, give Watts a few more weeks then the decision should be made.
 

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we all need to relax, the whole team was horrible monday. I dont know how Jack could have played any better. Was good to get game one out of the way, now bring on the bombers!
 
Round: 12 vs Essendon

Stats: 9 disposals @ 78% efficiency (6 kicks, 3 handballs), 4 marks (all uncontested), 3 frees against, 2 contested possessions and 8 uncontested possessions, 1 inside 50, 2 goals.

My Thoughts: A difficult second game for Jack, he struggled to find the ball early on and didn't end up getting his first possession until late in the second quarter. Kicked his first goal in AFL footy which was great too see and then followed it up later with his second goal. I was listening to Leigh Matthews on Gameday this morning and couldn't help but cringe at Lethal saying Watts looks like a boy playing against men, Lethal you senile old tosspot perhaps that's because he is a boy playing against men. What I again found impressive was Jack's ability to consistently get in the right places, although he did get ignored again quite a bit it was still great too see he knows where to go. He's done extremely well for an 18 year old Key Position Forward who is extremely undersized.

Rating/10: 6/10

Does he keep his spot?: I'd like to hope he does for the trip to the Gabba to take on the Lions. It's a Saturday night game so he doesn't have school the next day although I think the holidays may have started by then, if that's the case I say he should definitely play top level football while we've got him full time and then perhaps we can send him back to Casey until the last few games of the season.
 
Jack is looking good! Disappointing comments from his school coach, perhaps he just wants Jack playing for Brighton. Each game he plays he will get a little bit better, the big improvement will begin next year after he has been locked in a gym with nothing but pure protein to eat for six months. Lethal's comments are also ridiculous, perhaps if he looked at some of his under 18 footage when playing against people his own size he will see why we took him at number one.
 
Perhaps Leigh wants everyone to draft ready made guns like Rich and Zeibell. Sure, they are good players but Watts has a way bigger upside in the long run.
 
Round: 13 vs Brisbane

Stats: 10 disposals (7 kicks, 3 handballs) @ 50% disposal efficiency, 4 marks (1 contested, 3 uncontested), 1 tackle (hallelujah), 6 clangers, 1 free for, 3 frees against and a goal assist.

My Thoughts: Wasn't the prettiest game from Jack, he did make quite a lot of mistakes but there was also some orgasmic things he did (the goal assist where he drew Davey's opponent and then gave the handball off to Flash who kicked the goal). One another thing that caught my eye was if I'm not mistaken young Jack laid his first tackle in AFL football, I don't expect him to be racking up the tackles yet with his current frame but it's good too see him lay at least one. While this wasn't a great game from Jack by any stretch of the imagination, he did things that he hasn't done in his previous games for the Dees (ie lay a tackle). What else I found impressive was that despite being an absolute rake of an 18 year old was that Jack had 7 contested possessions and 4 uncontested possessions, this is something we should be looking at even though Jack isn't setting the world on fire. He's having a red hot go despite being severely disadvantaged by his rakeness.

Rating/10: 5/10

Does he keep his spot?: Yep but regardless of what he does this week I think that should do it for Jack until rounds 21-22 and perhaps round 20. Let him take what he has learnt at AFL level and use it to rip up the VFL and perhaps gain some form of anything that resembles a muscle. I still have no doubts that we have a genuine star on our hands for the future and for those that say we should have taken Naitanui, I will murder you.
 
Dez! said:
Watching Riewoldt today has got me so excited about Jack Watts in the future, if he can do the things Riewoldt can do for St Kilda for us I will love the man forever.

It'll truly be amazing watching him in the coming years.
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I was thinking the exact same thing as I think they're very similar players.
 

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Naturally it would be amazing if Watts turned out to be on par with Reiwoldt, but gee so many things have to go right for that to happen. Reiwoldt has to be in the top 5 players in the comp over a number of years. I'm hoping expectation doesn't weigh Jack down and he is just allowed to become the best he can be, who knows what that is yet.
 
Ghossein said:
What's the chance of him playing round 1? He had a good pre-season?
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50/50 for round one but I wouldn't be upset if he started the year with Casey.

If your asking for DT/SC:

Don't look for him to play every game but maybe 10-15 this year depending on form.
 
Showed some positive signs in his first hit out for 2010 against West Coast. Took a couple of solid lead up marks, and took them well out in front.
 

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Sat May 15 Round 8 2010 Melb v WC

Rating: 5.5/10
Kicks: 7
Handballs: 8
Marks: 5
Tackles: 1
Free Kicks: 0
Efficiency: 87%
Contested possessions: 4
Uncontested Possessions: 11
Clearances: 1
Clangers: 2
Assists: 1
TOG: 85%
Inside 50’s: 2
Opponent: Glass/ Schofield
One Percenters: 1
Rebound 50’s: 0
Goals: 0

DT Score: 53
SC Score: 58

Pros:
- First game back
- Strong marking
- Great ball use

Cons:
- No goals
- Bit unfit


Does he keep his spot?
Yep:thumbsu:


Sat May 22 Round 9 2010 Melb v Port Adelaide

Rating: 7
Kicks: 7
Handballs: 11
Marks: 3
Tackles: 0
Free Kicks: 2
Efficiency: 78%
Contested possessions: 9
Uncontested Possessions: 9
Clearances: 1
Clangers: 4
Assists: 1
TOG: 85%
Inside 50’s: 3
Opponent: Carlile/ Chaplin
One Percenters: 1
Rebound 50’s: 0
Goals: 2

DT Score: 63
SC Score: 76

Pros:
- 2 goals in the first 5 minutes saw me jizz my pants!
- 9 contested posessions
- Again, very clean ball use, sublime

Cons:
-Bit quiet after half time


Does he keep his spot?
Oath
 
Obviously love the kid, but I don't like seeing one tackle for him in two games. Needs to lift his defensive work. Hopefully that'll come.
 
From watching the games I saw alot of occasions where Jack pressured the ball carrier and made them dispose of it quicker than usual, resulting in a turnover/ more pressure downfield. He didn't get to tackle but still made the commitment, so i'm relatively happy.
 
Jack Watts Number 1 Draft Pick = Epic Fail!!
 
troll.jpg


Sshhhhh, everyone be very quiet and the troll will go away...
 
<<<< Rolls Eyes

Troll??

Oh im sorry, silly me, i forgot that your not allowed to have a negative opinion on somebody......
 

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