Far more impact on very few games. Would rather take Watts, who has now strung about 7 excellent performances together in a row. Although I don't watch a lot of WC football.
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Jack Watts will finish his career known as a very high quality player at LEAST.
- Thread starter PumpyChowdown
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Far more impact on very few games. Would rather take Watts, who has now strung about 7 excellent performances together in a row. Although I don't watch a lot of WC football.
While I definitely agree with the OP of this thread I have no idea why the Dees are floating him around half back just so he can get some cheap ball. If hes to be a gun key forward he needs to play there. Whether it works or not.
Tulip
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Yeah true.
Watts played forward for atleast a half though yesterday. I suppose they'll phase him into it and try Morton in the HB role
GordonGecko
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This.
The test for a KPF who already possesses fantastic footskills and a turn of pace is not on the half back flank, it is across the forward lines.
Watts needs to assert himself with his back to goal.
Be that lead up target that demands the football. Crash a pack and take 2 or 3 defenders with him.
Jason Cloke played the loose man role well, until he was manned up.
Watts needs to play more time forward if that's where the Dee's see him playing the majority of his career, even if it's as a third tall role to begin with.
If the move is to boost his confidence by getting the ball in his hands, so be it, he has proven he can find the football when loose, the real test comes when he is made a focal point.
Thus far he hasnt delivered.
I don't agree that you should put a player in a position and say develop there or else. If a player is developing skill and confidence somewhere else, why not let that process continue? Once he's learnt all the aspects of that role, try him somewhere else. Eventually he may end up being the key forward we want, but in the meantime he is better off learning more about the game where he is. Don't forget that playing in the backline will teach him things about forwards too. Also, he is still developing his body - which is something he will need as a key forward. That's precisely the reason why he isn't quite ready to play forward. He would get smashed by a power fullback. He's gaining strength, skill and confidence. Once that is built in, he will be able to monster those fullbacks that currently would smash him.
I don't think he should stay on the backline all year, mind you. He could probably move to the wing pretty soon, then onto the forward line.
ThePuppetMaster
Yay
He played three quarters in the forwardline yesterday, he is tracking fine.
It shows, because you don't know what you're talking about. It boggles my mind how you can say 'on very few games' and then admit that you don't watch a lot of WC football. Do you realise how ridiculous that is?
ThePuppetMaster
Yay
It seems like you are trying to make it sound that NN consistently has a high impact on games.
This is not true, he has played some great games in his career no doubt, but he is still a work in progress (as is Watts)
No doubt. And I'm not being anti-Watts here. I like Watts and think he's going to be pretty good. But NN's consistency has been very, very good for a ruckman his age.
2nd hand info isn't always the best info to go by.
Definitely not, which is why I suggested that even I'm not compeletely certain about that, seeing as it wasn't my own opinion.
But anyway, enough of that. Can I just suggest that maybe Naitanui has it easier find an impact as he spends more time in the guts of it? As Watts has played up the ground and behind the ball he's had more of an impact too. It's still way too early to judge and compare these too until they really start excelling in the roles their clubs given.
At any rate I'm sick of the Watts v Naitanui debate, especially between Melbourne supporters and West Coast supporters. West Coast definitely don't need another forward, or even a KPF as they have Darling, Kennedy, Lynch, LeCras and others. We probably don't need a ruckman as Stef Martin is really flying along now, Max Gawn looked promising on Friday and Jack Fitzpatrick could be anything. Both clubs should be extremely happy with what they got, they don't need the other so I don't see any reason why we have to be comparing the two to gauge how good they are. Completely different players.
But anyway, enough of that. Can I just suggest that maybe Naitanui has it easier find an impact as he spends more time in the guts of it? As Watts has played up the ground and behind the ball he's had more of an impact too. It's still way too early to judge and compare these too until they really start excelling in the roles their clubs given.
At any rate I'm sick of the Watts v Naitanui debate, especially between Melbourne supporters and West Coast supporters. West Coast definitely don't need another forward, or even a KPF as they have Darling, Kennedy, Lynch, LeCras and others. We probably don't need a ruckman as Stef Martin is really flying along now, Max Gawn looked promising on Friday and Jack Fitzpatrick could be anything. Both clubs should be extremely happy with what they got, they don't need the other so I don't see any reason why we have to be comparing the two to gauge how good they are. Completely different players.
ThePuppetMaster
Yay
No doubt, the transition to an AFL ruck is a hard one for young players and NN has done it better than most 21 year old rucks (almost all)
Fair enough.
Yeah, agreed. Wasn't my intention to make this one of those 'no watts sucks! no natanui sucks!' debates, and fortunately we haven't gone there. Wish the best for both of them, will be good seeing them both in their mid twenties with genuine experience under their belts.
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This is really Jack Watts second season. In reality, 2009 he did very little preseason.
Took some nice grabs on friday, liked seeing him chest out the essendon player and take a grab. He is improving with every week and noticeably. Can't wait to see him towards the end of the year.
Took some nice grabs on friday, liked seeing him chest out the essendon player and take a grab. He is improving with every week and noticeably. Can't wait to see him towards the end of the year.
Oh Tayteridge
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Jesus Christ you lot lose your shit whenever he does anything. Hardingham was pushing back from a 5m gap in front of him, and I think it's fair to say that 90% of the time, regardless of player, that mark would have been taken. Lid it.
For me, Watts hasn't shown enough tenacity to indicate that he will be a good player. No doubt he has the natural ability, and Melbourne had no choice but to take him at number 1, but he needs to be more assertive and less tentative. He is very, very tentative at this stage.
That's not to say that he won't make it; no doubt he's improving. You can't make a black or white call on him at this stage, there's too many variables to consider.
ThePuppetMaster
Yay
EFA.
He is improving rapidly, I hope he gets a chance to play from the goal square and not just that roaming CHF role.
ThePuppetMaster
Yay
I would say he has barely been tentative at all this year, you clearly haven't watched much of him.. or if you have not with an open mind.
Does his hangar over Lovett Murray look like something a tentative player would do?
Sure what Watts did in the goal square would be regulation for most KPF's worth their salt, but it was still good to see him do the right thing, and do it well.
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Really, we shouldn't make any definitive calls on anyone from the 2008 draft class until around 2014/2015. That's when most of them will be entering their prime as footballers.
CowboyFromHell
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So in one paragraph you say he hasn't shown the tenacity to indicate he will be a good player , then in the next you say we can't make a call on him yet as there are too many variables to consider...
I totally disagree with the first part, but agree with the last. He showed plenty of tenacity on Friday night, didn't shirk a contest and worked hard all night. That's all you can ask for.
Player comparison - the HFF equivalent of Brendon Goddard?
Goddard started slightly quicker but built up to his elite level. Perhaps Watts will follow a similar path.
Goddard started slightly quicker but built up to his elite level. Perhaps Watts will follow a similar path.
Really couldn't care what all the doubters think, most Melbourne supporters watch him play with a close eye every week and we're very pleased with his progress over the past 7 weeks. He has a terrific skill set, particularly for a tall, his endeavour and intensity is improving each week, and his agility is very good. At just 20 years old, I don't expect him to be able to hold down CHF or FF for 22 weeks. He spends some time up forward, he spends some time floating up and down the wings, and he spends some time playing loose in the backline. His confidence and impact is rising each week, that's all that matters to me. When he's 22-23, then we can maybe expect to see him play regularly as a key forward.
youre forgetting the flog who wrote that hasnt watched a second of a melbourne match this year
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