Jack Watts

[Tex200]

Thanks for your contribution

Crows are going at him, so we obviously see a role/benefit.

Will be a matter if he wants to come and leave Melbourne (the city) I guess

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Pity he has a heart the size of a pea.

He does. That' wasn't the question though.

 

[Demonheart]

Crows are going at him, so we obviously see a role/benefit.

Will be a matter if he wants to come and leave Melbourne (the city) I guess

He's still a good player, that's why other clubs are interested in him. I hope he stays, especially now that we have the right environment to help his development

 

[Demonheart]

Thanks for yours.

You're welcome

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I reckon this guy cops a bum wrap. He struggles a bit at Melbourne because he is the focus of unfair attention both on and off the park. In a more developed team where he is not the central focus he'd be a super player. Guys of his size with the skill set that he has do not grow on trees.

At a club like Hawthorn he'd thrive.

 

[Sprout]

I reckon this guy cops a bum wrap. He struggles a bit at Melbourne because he is the focus of unfair attention both on and off the park. In a more developed team where he is not the central focus he'd be a super player. Guys of his size with the skill set that he has do not grow on trees.

At a club like Hawthorn he'd thrive.

Perhaps, but don't underestimate his lack of physicality. He gets outbodied by blokes half his size. Regularly.

He simply can not or will not keep his feet. I can't recall a player who goes to ground as often as Watts.

For every significant pro, there is a significnant con. That's the frustration.

I'm remaining patient, but it wears thinner with each year.

 

[Scotty_222]

Crows are going at him, so we obviously see a role/benefit.

Will be a matter if he wants to come and leave Melbourne (the city) I guess

tambling all over again

 

[checkraiseulite]

I don't see in what world Schoenmakers is a better athlete than Watts... Watts' athleticism is part of the reason he went number 1 to begin with.

How has that athleticism come on since he was drafted?

Schoenmakers has more size than watts, and I'm fairly sure would be quicker too.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

How has that athleticism come on since he was drafted?

Schoenmakers has more size than watts, and I'm fairly sure would be quicker too.

Watts ran the second fastest 20m sprint at his and Schoenmakers' combine, and one of the best in combine records. Even though he doesn't translate to in his play I highly doubt Schoenmakers is quicker.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

Watts ran the second fastest 20m sprint at his and Schoenmakers' combine, and one of the best in combine records. Even though he doesn't translate to in his play I highly doubt Schoenmakers is quicker.

He doesn't back himself in enough. He still has the speed, you can see it when he sees a wide open lane to run through.. if he would take the game on more and use it to try and burst through tackles it'd improve his game immensely.

 

[Iva Bigun]

A new start could be good for both parties but I always hate to see someone a club has invested so much in move on. Not an easy decision for him or the MFC

 

[SterlingArcher]

My preference is to keep him

Good discussion.

 

[SterlingArcher]

I reckon this guy cops a bum wrap. He struggles a bit at Melbourne because he is the focus of unfair attention both on and off the park. In a more developed team where he is not the central focus he'd be a super player. Guys of his size with the skill set that he has do not grow on trees.

At a club like Hawthorn he'd thrive.

He is not one bit the central focus at Melbourne though. He cops some unwanted attention on Bigfooty, and casual followers have a laugh about it, but he gets a media dressing-down no more than other players.
It's such a myth to put all this blame on Melbourne for not protecting Watts enough. In a more developed team he'd probably be dropped for guys like Sewell who aren't water. Guys of his size with the skill set do not grow on trees yes, but guys of his size usually are more willing to put their body on the line and only hit the ground when they have taken a mark or the ball has been thumped away.

Having said that, he's still worth persisting with, and Melbourne would be silly to give up now and give him up for some dud late 30's-40's pick, just to put years of development into that player etc. But let's not pretend Melbourne is keeping Jack down. Jack is keeping Jack down.

 

[LeverPuller]

He is not one bit the central focus at Melbourne though. He cops some unwanted attention on Bigfooty, and casual followers have a laugh about it, but he gets a media dressing-down no more than other players.
It's such a myth to put all this blame on Melbourne for not protecting Watts enough. In a more developed team he'd probably be dropped for guys like Sewell who aren't water. Guys of his size with the skill set do not grow on trees yes, but guys of his size usually are more willing to put their body on the line and only hit the ground when they have taken a mark or the ball has been thumped away.

Having said that, he's still worth persisting with, and Melbourne would be silly to give up now and give him up for some dud late 30's-40's pick, just to put years of development into that player etc. But let's not pretend Melbourne is keeping Jack down. Jack is keeping Jack down.

Except he is.

He has been the face to whip for all and sundry for eight years.

Any time he plays well he never gets praise, and every contest he is involved in is torn apart with a fine tooth comb.

He's handled it with aplomb, but sometimes I feel sorry for him.

 

[Tex200]

Is he still on the table?

 

[Demonheart]

Good discussion.

What's the point of discussing picks when I want him to stay and I think the club will keep him?

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

He is not one bit the central focus at Melbourne though. He cops some unwanted attention on Bigfooty, and casual followers have a laugh about it, but he gets a media dressing-down no more than other players.
It's such a myth to put all this blame on Melbourne for not protecting Watts enough. In a more developed team he'd probably be dropped for guys like Sewell who aren't water. Guys of his size with the skill set do not grow on trees yes, but guys of his size usually are more willing to put their body on the line and only hit the ground when they have taken a mark or the ball has been thumped away.

Having said that, he's still worth persisting with, and Melbourne would be silly to give up now and give him up for some dud late 30's-40's pick, just to put years of development into that player etc. But let's not pretend Melbourne is keeping Jack down. Jack is keeping Jack down.

Sorry mate, let me clarify. I don't believe for one second he is treated differently than any other player internally by the club. Not at all. I think due to him being a number one draft pick and clearly a player with both size and decent skills he is getting a better opponent most weeks than a player of his relative youth would in a better team. And I don't know that it has helped his development, which again is not Melbourne's fault. At Hawthorn for example, Watts would have been afforded a year or two to hone his game at Box Hill but Melbourne was forced to throw him in the deep end. Now many players thrive under these circumstance but I feel that Watts is one of those players who needed to be given some time and space to learn his craft.

I didn't mean to have a dip at the club at all and apologise that it my comments may have come across in that fashion.

 

[Theo X]

watts is a smart footballer. he will do something every 3 or 4 games that will remind you why he is/was so highly rated.

schoenmakers has some good attributes and is a better athlete but does not have the innate football smarts that watts does.

i like schoenmakers and hope he makes it as an afl player; i just don't think he'll do it at hawthorn.

i think both players would benefit from a fresh start.

Are you kidding me? Have a look at the draft combine results from 2008.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

How has that athleticism come on since he was drafted?

Schoenmakers has more size than watts, and I'm fairly sure would be quicker too.

Schoey definitely has more size - but Watts has him in every other athletic category, jump, speed, acceleration, agility.

There are some things you get genetically, and Watts had all those to a very high level as an 18 year old and continues to have those.

As for Watts, I don't think moving to another club is his go - he certainly doesn't want to move, I'll tell you that.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

He doesn't back himself in enough. He still has the speed, you can see it when he sees a wide open lane to run through.. if he would take the game on more and use it to try and burst through tackles it'd improve his game immensely.

Agree, unfortunately that's not a natural reaction for a tall player - he definitely uses his speed leading for the ball but agree he needs to use it more in general play.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Agree, unfortunately that's not a natural reaction for a tall player - he definitely uses his speed leading for the ball but agree he needs to use it more in general play.

What's his tank like?

Could he be a big wingman like Richo late in his career.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

What's his tank like?

Could he be a big wingman like Richo late in his career.

Apparently almost exactly the same as Goodes' tank (according to Roos) - I think that's the plan for him, wing/mid/forward.

 

[Go the Biff]

I'd rather keep him. We have a team that is screaming out for players who can use the ball. It seems senseless to me to rid ourselves of one of the very few we have that can kick.

I'd like to see our coaching staff earn their money & coach him to use his talent effectively. Not just ship him out because they won't back themselves

If he was pick 10 rather than pick 1, 95% of Jack Watts threads would not exist.

 

[gutsroy]

How has that athleticism come on since he was drafted?

Schoenmakers has more size than watts, and I'm fairly sure would be quicker too.

I think Watts is the superior athlete and decision maker with the ball, as an outsider looking in, it's more the lack of physicality in the contest that frustrates.

 

[Dogman54]

I think Watts is the superior athlete and decision maker with the ball, as an outsider looking in, it's more the lack of physicality in the contest that frustrates.

Let him run !!!!!