Watts v Hurley v Naitanui

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

These players are in their 3rd year of football now, so we are starting to get a bit of a read on where they will end up.

Looking back at 3 of the Top 5 picks from the 2008 draft. Which of these players, in Watts, Hurley & Naitanui, would you want playing for your club the next 12 years?

 

[skill1414]

Naitanui > Hurley > Watts

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Naitanui > Hurley > Watts

This... exactly what I was going to post... would love the big Nat at our club.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

This... exactly what I was going to post... would love the big Nat at our club.

I just don't see the fascination in Nic Nat to be honest. Doesn't work hard enough defensively, still lacks some basic awareness and not that good by foot

 

[weagles_fan]

I just don't see the fascination in Nic Nat to be honest. Doesn't work hard enough defensively, still lacks some basic awareness and not that good by foot

Errrr......because so many ruckman run opposition players down don't they?

 

[Bennycoff]

Hurley? Hahaha couldn't even grab a mark or kick a goal against the undersized Hawks. Here was his chance and looked like another overrated Essendon player. Essendon seem to struggle to get the best out of their young talent. Look at Ryder.

 

[Father Jack]

I'm happy enough to stick with the status quo

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Errrr......because so many ruckman run opposition players down don't they?

You would think with his athleticism & speed, and it being his main asset and all, yeah he should.

 

[Demonheart]

Watts is clearly the most skilled, still physically behind the other two still.

Hurley will be ok, but Naitanui's lack of skill is a concern and footy nous is a concern, definitely a 'see ball, get ball' type, which is ok I guess.

 

[southwest bomber]

I just don't see the fascination in Nic Nat to be honest. Doesn't work hard enough defensively, still lacks some basic awareness and not that good by foot

This.

I think Jack Watts is starting to show why he went number 1.

Hurley has definite talent, just needs to start being more consistent.

Naitanui can run and jump... but so can an olympic hurdler. He was drafted so high because he is an extreme athlete who they hoped would learn the game along the way. Lack of football knowledge shows.

In saying all that, I think all 3 will be good football players with possibly only 2 becoming elite players in Watts and Hurley, But I hope Naitanui proves me wrong because if he could learn to play the game he would be unstoppable and a absolute pleasure to watch.

 

[Fitzey]

Watts > Nic Nat > Hurley

 

[Rocky_Star_Pro]

Hurley? Hahaha couldn't even grab a mark or kick a goal against the undersized Hawks. Here was his chance and looked like another overrated Essendon player. Essendon seem to struggle to get the best out of their young talent. Look at Ryder.

Didn't help that the midfield supply was sh*t.

I'm happy with Hurley

 

[Tulip]

I reckon all 3 clubs are happy.

Would vote Watts now off the back of 2 months of consistently improving months of football. Would have said Hurley before. Naita is a freak but with Jamar, Martin and Gawn + more, we are fine

 

[The Falcon Strike]

You would think with his athleticism & speed, and it being his main asset and all, yeah he should.

No his main asset is that he is an elite tap ruckman already - so much so that he has alread pushed 4 times AA ruck Cox out of the ruck at the start of each quarter.

 

[Ambrosia]

Naitanui is a ruckmen and really can't be compared to Watts or Hurley.

Watts is an unbelievable athelete who has the capacity to play in the midfield. Melbourne supporters go on about the class he has but personally don't see how he differs from Hurley in quality of disposal. Hurley has Watts for courage and toughness at the ball.

Hurley can and has turned games on it's head. It seems Watts gets praise for getting more than 15 touches while Hurley gets told how he is stagnating when he playing through injury as a forward in a team that gets done by 85 pts.

 

[fairlight_cmi]

Hurley? Hahaha couldn't even grab a mark or kick a goal against the undersized Hawks. Here was his chance and looked like another overrated Essendon player. Essendon seem to struggle to get the best out of their young talent. Look at Ryder.

hahaha give me a break. We barely kicked the ball his way all match. He looked angry as **** every time he got a sniff of a contest, went hard-in as he always does.

I'm happy with Hurls; but can see Watts becoming a gun.

 

[Kings Army]

Good to see Watts playing decent footy. I would take him just over NicNat. Hurley is too inconsistant - totally disappears from games.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Oh goody, we needed another Judd/Hodge/Ball. Or Hird/Voss/Buckley. I eagerly anticipate this thread reappearing regularly in the next 10 years.

 

[Masto]

All three clubs would be happy. Naitanui is playing as a #1 ruck and is doing very well. Some of his ruckwork has been sublime. At times he has gone forward and been dangerous as well. Jack Watts has started to show something up forward the last few weeks. He doesn't generally draw the #1 defender though and I think there will be still be some doubt until he proves that.

 

[Brewster_]

Oh goody, we needed another Judd/Hodge/Ball. Or Hird/Voss/Buckley. I eagerly anticipate this thread reappearing regularly in the next 10 years.

Exactly. Every time one of these three has a great game, the other two will be crap. Good old super reactive Bigfooty. FWIW all 3 look the goods. I never bought into the Watts bagging, I think he'll be a good player. Would I swap NicNat for him? Absolutely not, but I can understand why Melbourne supporters would say the same about Watts.
Eagles supporters who watch Naitanui every week understand his immense value to the side.
All three clubs would be happy with who they selected IMO.

 

[strategy]

Hurley? Hahaha couldn't even grab a mark or kick a goal against the undersized Hawks. Here was his chance and looked like another overrated Essendon player. Essendon seem to struggle to get the best out of their young talent. Look at Ryder.

A reason for that could be that the fitness coach was sacked / left or whatever the other day .
Many players were over trained in some areas and under done in others so maybe the balance will be rectified . It better be or the kids will be ruined .

 

[BarneyBent]

I'd take Hurley, on the basis of needs rather than overall ability. Swans are set for ruckmen, we need a big guy that can play FF. Watts will be a CHF/HFF. Hurley could be either FF or CHF (or CHB for that matter). So I'll take Hurley.

 

[Scotland]

Naitanui is a prodigious talent. When he's 'on' in the middle he gets his hand to every ruck tap then influences the contest at ground level. He's an amazing impact player already, but it remains to be seen if he will develop the consistency of his predecessor Cox.

Assuming we didn't have Naitanui already I would pick him over the other two as we have Kennedy & Darling and Brown & MacKenzie and our only other ruckman of note is nearing 30 years of age. If we had Ryder and Bellchambers and no young key position players I would probably think differently...

IMO Hurley > Watts as Hurley has shown more at AFL that suggests he will be a very good key position player.

 

[bodazoka]

West Coast, Essendon and Melbourne would not switch any of those players for any other atm.

Melbourne and Essendon both need tall forwards and have a pretty good ruck department. West Coast need someone to replace Cox and have a couple of quality forwards all ready.

as for the better player.. Naita > Hurley > Watts

^^ IMO atm..

 

[The Speaker]

Bolls poard.