Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn : Nick 'the Wizard' Watson! Rising star Nom!

[Alite]

Really hope he can model his game on Papley! See a lot of similar traits and if he can be as damaging with stints in the middle then even better!

The wiz is similar but more than Papley. Watson does not need to model his game on anyone.

As far as I know, no-one has ever quelled Watson.

He dominates games.
Harley Reid is the number 1 but Finn will stop him. Round 16 and goodnight Harley.
No-one will stop Nick Watson.

 

[peetoo]

Wanted to see him greet noodle

 

[Colloquy]

I’ll say this again, Watson’s lack of height is an advantage in the world of bigger players.
He plays low to the ground and fast through the contest… and will be poorly tackled.
20 fairly gained goals right there! Put on his separation from his defender… another 20 goals.
and the pickup from a pack… another 15 goals.
and his own marks… another 10.

OK I am over reaching. but it is possible.

The Wiz scored more goals in the lower comp than any other player.

Every time he was in the area of a game, he made suff happen. Twomey called him the Wizard for a reason. He always makes something amazing happen.

Jeff Farmer the other Wizard was about the same height from memory and the things he could do I know he played for Melbourne and Fremantle in the 90’s but if he turns into a player like him we would be very happy.

He would turn nothing into something very easy used to always play well against us also.

 

[Billyc]

Jeff Farmer the other Wizard was about the same height from memory and the things he could do I know he played for Melbourne and Fremantle in the 90’s but if he turns into a player like him we would be very happy.

He would turn nothing into something very easy used to always play well against us also.

Farmer was one of the most exciting players of all time at Melbourne. A shame for the game he lost his way after moving west.

 

[SSSSSS]

The part I liked the most about Watson is his tackling.

No sticking one noodle arm BS. He is 100% commitment and goes for the full body. Wraps them up like an anaconda.

 

[Topiary]

The part I liked the most about Watson is his tackling.

No sticking one noodle arm BS. He is 100% commitment and goes for the full body. Wraps them up like an anaconda.

I trust this very important defensive action will become a trademark.

 

[HawthornHawk]

The part I liked the most about Watson is his tackling.

No sticking one noodle arm BS. He is 100% commitment and goes for the full body. Wraps them up like an anaconda.

Tackling technique is great, we'll need him use it a hell of a lot more of it than he did at the champs this year though

 

[Billyc]

Tackling technique is great, we'll need him use it a hell of a lot more of it than he did at the champs this year though

Every draftee will have areas to work on. As a small forward, defensive pressure and tackling will be part of Watson’s role. If he has the technique down and he definitely has the speed and agility, then it all just comes down to mindset and work ethic. That is easily developed

 

[SSSSSS]

Tackling technique is great, we'll need him use it a hell of a lot more of it than he did at the champs this year though

True enough but if he's averaging 3.5 goals a game like he did in the champs I could overlook it!

 

[HawthornHawk]

Every draftee will have areas to work on. As a small forward, defensive pressure and tackling will be part of Watson’s role. If he has the technique down and he definitely has the speed and agility, then it all just comes down to mindset and work ethic. That is easily developed

I hope you're right, on tape when he wraps guys up his application and tenacity is incredible. If he can become close to a 4 tackle a game player we'll be laughing

 

[Mojo]

Speaking to a couple boys at Sandy who played against Watson in the Coates League. They said he's the most arrogant flog.

Exactly what we need!

 

[Judd2Sewell]

The Wiz said he is a Collingwood fan whilst he was wearing our jumper. Where is the outrage!

 

[HoldingThe Ball]

Something I think no-one has touched on with Watson - he registered the quickest deceleration of all the players drafted.

His ability to stop before his opponent will give him that extra yard in the forward 50.

It's also a massive strain on the knee and hip joints so I doubt he will ever drop any muscle mass from his legs.

What does this say about Sam Butlers chances this year though? He will need a massive year to stay on the list.


I just hope we temper expectations.

He didn't call himself the Wiz - others did.

He didn't draft himself at 5 - we did.

All those memes ect

I hope Hawthorn fans (and I think we will) give Nick the time he needs to adjust to AFL level.

There will be many more 5 possession / zero goal games next year than 20 possession / 3 goal games.

And that's ok.

He is a 12+ year investment, so lets all give him time, and not expect miracles in Rd #1

Welcome Nick. We believe in you.

 

[Holy Rioli]

The Wiz said he is a Collingwood fan whilst he was wearing our jumper. Where is the outrage!

At the same time the kid couldn't have been more wrapped to be picked up by us. Dermie and Mitch Lewis were the same, Gunners was Essendon through and through and now these guys are mad Hawks. Will be the same for Wiz.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

At the same time the kid couldn't have been more wrapped to be picked up by us. Dermie and Mitch Lewis were the same, Gunners was Essendon through and through and now these guys are mad Hawks. Will be the same for Wiz.

I should have put "faux" in my post somewhere

 

[Stranglers]

Wanted to see him greet noodle

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Doesn’t that depend on where you work?

I work from home - no need to even wear pants really.

 

[Bee Dee 63]

Something I think no-one has touched on with Watson - he registered the quickest deceleration of all the players drafted.

His ability to stop before his opponent will give him that extra yard in the forward 50.

It's also a massive strain on the knee and hip joints so I doubt he will ever drop any muscle mass from his legs.

What does this say about Sam Butlers chances this year though? He will need a massive year to stay on the list.


I just hope we temper expectations.

He didn't call himself the Wiz - others did.

He didn't draft himself at 5 - we did.

All those memes ect

I hope Hawthorn fans (and I think we will) give Nick the time he needs to adjust to AFL level.

There will be many more 5 possession / zero goal games next year than 20 possession / 3 goal games.

And that's ok.

He is a 12+ year investment, so lets all give him time, and not expect miracles in Rd #1

Welcome Nick. We believe in you.

I was a fence sitter regarding us drafting the Wiz.
I was hoping for Duursma.
I'm warming more and more to the selection.
This kid is CONFIDENT!!

I watched a Youtube video recently of him and Harley Reid going head-to-head with goal kicking drills in the forward line.
He called it before they started, that he would beat Harley, and he did.
There were some contested one on one plays in the video against some other kid from WA.

The Wiz thrashed him, made him look silly in fact.
His reaction time was so much quicker, and you could see how smart he was in a football sense.
Created separation and got to the best position, irrespective of where the ball was kicked.

This video goes for 20 minutes but it's a good watch.



He is equally confident about playing round 1.

I'm now excited and wouldn't swap him for Duursma.

 

[CHUBBSS]

The wiz is similar but more than Papley. Watson does not need to model his game on anyone.

As far as I know, no-one has ever quelled Watson.

He dominates games.
Harley Reid is the number 1 but Finn will stop him. Round 16 and goodnight Harley.
No-one will stop Nick Watson.

We just picked up the bloke that would stop him (Bodie)

 

[Bee Dee 63]

We just picked up the bloke that would stop him (Bodie)

Yes, he did stop him.
He got moved onto Harley after the first quarter in the Vic V SA game where Harley had kicked 3 goals in the first 30 minutes.

 

[naysayer]

Not usually, unless you are Cyril.
It's a high bar.

We got him now and I'm very happy to have another elite talent.
We have probably added +80 goals to the team this trade/draft period.

We have a lot of options in the forward line

 

[triple treat]

Farmer was one of the most exciting players of all time at Melbourne. A shame for the game he lost his way after moving west.

He was still pretty good at Freo!

 

[naysayer]

 

[Holy Rioli]

I was a fence sitter regarding us drafting the Wiz.
I was hoping for Duursma.
I'm warming more and more to the selection.
This kid is CONFIDENT!!

I watched a Youtube video recently of him and Harley Reid going head-to-head with goal kicking drills in the forward line.
He called it before they started, that he would beat Harley, and he did.
There were some contested one on one plays in the video against some other kid from WA.

The Wiz thrashed him, made him look silly in fact.
His reaction time was so much quicker, and you could see how smart he was in a football sense.
Created separation and got to the best position, irrespective of where the ball was kicked.

This video goes for 20 minutes but it's a good watch.



He is equally confident about playing round 1.

I'm now excited and wouldn't swap him for Duursma.

Slightly off topic but I watched the one he did with Schoenmaker and yeah the kid is a bully, can see how there are huge concerns over his personality and if he can fit in at AFL level.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Farmer was one of the most exciting players of all time at Melbourne. A shame for the game he lost his way after moving west.

Nah. Whilst nothing matched his 2000 season, it's just that Freo is "off broadway" that creates that perception, especially back in the day (when coverage was more limited). Farmer had 3 seasons in his career of 50+ goals - and two of them were at Fremantle.

He got more of the ball at Freo and upped his tackling considerably. His goal average was a little higher at Melbourne but not enough to suggest he lost his way at Freo (2.2. vs 1.71).

It was really that 2000 season where he was absolutely ridiculous (76 goals, that crazy game he kicked 9 in a half standing on heads, kicked 8 in a Prelim, 7 against us, etc) that set the bar of expectation for him through the proverbial roof (he kicked 7+ goals 6 times in his career and 5 of those times were all in 2000). The thing is, none of his other 6 years at Melbourne came close to matching that crazy year he had.