Toast Stop looking, we've found one!

[Knight Ryders]

Elite midfielder that is.

We've been crying out for an elite midfielder and you would have to say on this years form, Watson is an elite midfielder.

He still has some weakenesses in his game, but the things he does well, he does very, very well.

He never looks rushed, distributes the ball well from stoppages and is surely up there with Mitchell/Judd as one of the best extractors in the game.

Jobe, I hope you are feeling the man love!

 

[Macca18]

He has to be the next captain of EFC.

Did anybody else catch his interview after the game? He put 100% heart & soul into that game and he was the player on the ground that I could not of been happier for.

 

[the fairytales complete]

spot on. He still makes some mistakes by foot but Judd makes plenty of them too. His work in close today was equal to anything i have seen from anyone else this year and he has been doing it all year. Well done Watson. You are a gun.

 

[Knight Ryders]

I was hugely impressed with him after he was on AFL Gameday and On The Couch.

I'd be happy if we made him captain next year and Lloydy played on and just concentrated on his footy.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I know it's far too early to call this, but Ricky Dyson showed a flash of something today.

There's only a couple of players I feel more confident with when the ball is in their hands. One of those is Fletch, and then blokes like Lloyd, Monfries, Hurley, Ryder and Neagle fall into the same sort of category as Dyson.

 

[Godzke]

He's not elite. He's a gun, but he needs another season like this (and a little more polish on his finish) before he's elite.

A step in the right direction.

 

[james_omahoney]

Watson's having a pretty big year I reckon.

 

[Torchy]

very good player, but not elite. Delivery still needs polishing

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I know it's far too early to call this, but Ricky Dyson showed a flash of something today.

There's only a couple of players I feel more confident with when the ball is in their hands. One of those is Fletch, and then blokes like Lloyd, Monfries, Hurley, Ryder and Neagle fall into the same sort of category as Dyson.

dude, good point. It's quite unbelievable how much that guy has come on this year. I remember one stage when he gathered & I actually relaxed, I have all confidence him now. Remarkable.

Having said that, let me say this: Watson is elite

 

[horj89]

He really did stand up today and was best on ground by far. I also agree that he should be the next captain of the club.

 

[bacon buster]

he will look even better in future as our team gets better as well.

then he will credit he deserves. he showed today he'd have no problems with finals like pressure/speed.

 

[Knight Ryders]

very good player, but not elite. Delivery still needs polishing

Just interested, what classifies a player as elite? Everyone in their right mind would consider Riewoldt elite because of his marking, leading, leadership, work rate and game changing abilities. In saying that, his kicking is far from elite.

Watson has great poise under pressure, wins a multitude of contested ball, elite clearance player (this is the key one), good leadership, game changing abilities and generally disposes of the ball well under pressure. He is prone to have a few shocker kicks, but as his pass to Monfries in the 2nd quarter showed, he can hit targets when required.

Elite all day in my mind.

 

[Kong]

Watson's having a pretty big year I reckon.

Geez, you'd loved to have called that pre-season.

 

[Spikey]

Geez, you'd loved to have called that pre-season.

I picked him in my DT if that counts?

 

[Darealrath]

If elite is top 10 player in the competition then he isn't (we really need to define elite once and for all).

But there is no one better in close than Jobe, and his use of the footy is underrated.

 

[Tambu]

He's not elite. He's an absolute gun though.

 

[Kong]

very good player, but not elite. Delivery still needs polishing

I'll agree with that, and add 'development of defensive pressure' needed.

Otherwise, not far from being in the top echelon of midfielders.

 

[silk]

37 possies, 8 tackles, a goal... Match winner!!!

 

[Boiled Geezer]

Just interested, what classifies a player as elite? Everyone in their right mind would consider Riewoldt elite because of his marking, leading, leadership, work rate and game changing abilities. In saying that, his kicking is far from elite.

Watson has great poise under pressure, wins a multitude of contested ball, elite clearance player (this is the key one), good leadership, game changing abilities and generally disposes of the ball well under pressure. He is prone to have a few shocker kicks, but as his pass to Monfries in the 2nd quarter showed, he can hit targets when required.

Elite all day in my mind.

Hit the nail with this post. Add to this his work rate is amazing. Constant second, third, forth... efforts until he finally wins the ball and gets it out and moving. Even when supposedly struggling with injury he looks the goods!

My critism isn't his kickng, or even on the man himself, it's that it's taken until this season for supporters from our own club to get on board and behind him. Obviously the expectations on him were massive, but to think his impact would be as much as his fathers at a young age is just plain unfair. Not pointing the finger at anyone here, but some rubbish I've heard from fellow supporters has made my ears burn.

With an uninerupted season and a more experienced team around him, the sky is the limmit!

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

He's elite. Elite does not necessarily mean that one is exceptional at every skill. Elite is the ability to change the course of a match at will.

 

[Zagg]

Smashed us in both games we played against you this year. If he plays that well every week he'd definitely be elite.

 

[Knight Ryders]

He's elite. Elite does not necessarily mean that one is exceptional at every skill. Elite is the ability to change the course of a match at will.

 

[Pevers-Legend]

I'll agree with that, and add 'development of defensive pressure' needed.

Otherwise, not far from being in the top echelon of midfielders.

Don't understand this. His defensive pressure is top notch. His tackling in the packs is the best at Essendon.

Yes he lacks a yard but he chases and runs hard.

He is a freak in traffic - best in the business at the moment. He can weave through traffic like it is the middle of the day on a rural road.

 

[Godzke]

I picked him in my DT if that counts?

same

 

[Kong]

Don't understand this. His defensive pressure is top notch. His tackling in the packs is the best at Essendon.

Yes he lacks a yard but he chases and runs hard.

It's not a lack of work ethic, as that would be a stupid thing to say.

It's that in games such as against Geelong, his opponent in Ling, killed him going the other way. Ling was containing Watson while getting his own ball, and was often seen running down the wing unmanned.

Again I'll reiterate that this is not a slight on Watson's work ethic or commitment to the team; perhaps maybe his inability to run out a full game going both ways.

You could also argue that this reflects more on the guys surrounding him such as Stanton, Prismall and McVeigh, and their habitual inability to 'run both ways'. In a better team, which I think we'll be as soon as next year, you would hope these flaws in the game are less noticeable.

He is a freak in traffic - best in the business at the moment. He can weave through traffic like it is the middle of the day on a rural road.

Agreed. Seems to have the most time I've seen anybody posess on a football field since, well, no I won't say it..