Shit topic.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 6 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Fergus....
- Thread starter jumpman5
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Shit topic.
Kane McGoodwin
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- May 21, 2001
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Then don't post on it if you have nothing useful to say.
Except he didn't want to be in Adelaide. Wouldn't have mattered whether there was a spot open or not. It was the place he had an issue with, not the club. Even now I'd suggest he'd baulk at a move back there, even if it meant furthering his AFL career.
- Feb 3, 2004
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I would suggest it had more to do with Daddy whispering in his ear that he would get better opportunities at St Kilda.
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It would save a hell of alot of trouble if they mention at the pre-draft interviews that they are not keen on living in Adelaide. Maybe the club would be a little more cautious in Drafting these types
He didn't mention it in pre-draft interviews, in fact he was quoted as saying that he wanted to be a 10 year player for the AFC.
Then we probably would have missed out on Brent Reilly.
If most draftees were honest and up front, they would say 'I'd like to remain in Melbourne/Perth/Brisbane/Broken Hill' or whatever.
It's interesting, isn't it? Imagine the backlash if a kid says that he doesn't want to go to a specific state. He would come across as precious and would be widely maligned, especially when we're talking about a kid who is not in the AFL system at all and in reality should be grateful to get an opportunity anywhere - even if considered a top prospect that will definitely get drafted.
I guess in some cases the kid has no idea if he'll actually like the city. I'll hazard a guess that he had never been to Adelaide before so when he was making all his "ten year" comments he may not have been lying, he may have just not realised that he wouldn't like the city for whatever reason.
The kids are in a tough position pre draft, particularly if they're really homely but it's professional football so they should be up for it. The reality is that many aren't up for it. Every now and then you'll get a Fergus Watts case where there's nothing you can do about it. He just didn't like Adelaide and even though he didn't get much game time here I trust the club did everything to convince him to stay.
On the flip side, you have someone like Ben McKinley from West Coast (originally Vic) who was shattered to be going to Perth. On draft day it was widely reported that either he or his parents cried. Either way, there was definitely tears. Two years on and apparently he loves the place. In two years West Coast has convinced him that they're a good club and that Perth is a good city.
Pre draft I'm sure McKinley would have loved to be able to say he wants to stay in Melbourne, but in the end this one might work out for West Coast so there's two sides of the coin I guess. In fact, pre draft I'm not even sure Fergus would have said he wants to stay in Melbourne - I think he was unaware he wouldn't like Adelaide, just like McKinley wasn't aware he would like Perth.
I don't think you should take much from what the kid says in an interview about living in Adelaide because there are many instances where kids were stoked to be coming to Adelaide and then leave at the first opportunity while others cried themselves to sleep when they got drafted by us because they didn't want to go to Adelaide but ended up staying long term.
Adelaide made that mistake once and the then recruiting manager said never again. Back in one of James Fantasia'a early years as our recruiting manager he was really keen to draft Nick Stevens with our first round pick. Except he changed his mind after visiting Nick Stevens at his home. Nick was hell bent that if he got drafted by us he would be heading back to Melbourne the very day his initial contract expired. He put doubt into the minds of our recruiting staff and we erred on the side of caution. ND day rolls along and we call out Lance Picione's name because he was more than happy to go anywhere. Lance is a son of a military officer or something like that so he was used to moving and living away from home and coming to Adelaide was no issue to him.
The rest as they say is history.
Watts was stoked when we drafted him and went home after 2 years. Kane Johnson and Brent Reilly literally cried and one stuck around for 6-7 years while the other one is still with us and doesn't look like moving yet.
The simple matter of the fact here is that no one knows how these kids will handle it. The kids themselves don't know it until they are thrown into that environment. Only then can you make a real conclusion whether someone is cut out for it or not. I am pretty sure that all of us have made some stupid claims as 17 or 18 year olds that we could never live up to. Its normal at that age.
If the talent and desire is still there and the want to better himself as a professional footballer and live in Adelaide exists.... I would pick him
i see it as a lose-lose situation.. if, as expected, he still remains a dud he'll get delisted.. if, which i doubt, he turns out to be a good player he'll run off back home again for another opportunity at playing in melbourne
Now, now, not everyones as disloyal as Hudson, no wait, Watts did piss off after 1 good match and some media attention, if he hadn't kicked 10 in a game probably still be with us.
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Nope.
More than likely would have got a "Meesen-Like" return for him or the prick would've strolled into the PSD.
Good point, we did very well out of him, apart from the fact that we wasted our pick, so in the end it would have been the same result. Although I just looked at what we missed out on that year after Pfeiffer and noy a lot there to take notice of, I know its only 2 years on, but nothing of note yet.
As for Watts though, I think the media may have made him believe he could make it at AFL level and he wasn't getting a fair shot from the crows, at the time, I thought he should have played in our final against the Saints, all throughout the year we had counted on 4 mediochre tall forwards to win us games in Welsh, Perrie, Mcgregor, and Hentschell, then Bock was injured and Hentschell went to defence to cover, leaving us 1 KPF short to stretch the Saints defence.
- Mar 20, 2004
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AFC/Craig said they only want players who want to play for the club so i cant see any possible way that they would even consider Watts
What if he changed his mind and wanted to play for the AFC now?
- Feb 3, 2004
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Last time he said he wanted to be a 10 year player for us, somehow I don't think we would believe anything that comes out of his mouth.
Fair enough... So it's decided then?? no Watts? time to end this thread i think.
Carlton will grab Fergus wont they? His old man is supposed to be there, they could use him and he can stay with daddy...
