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

[flinchfree]

It's not the fans I'm worried about. They have little/no influence on the game. The issue is the commentators are clearly holding him (and all Hawthorn smalls for that matter) to a far higher standard, such that every high free kick is apparently a duck/stage/"put some mayo on it", etc. The media, and then opposition fans follow, then the umpires (who themselves are probably football fans, maybe even watch games other than their own) will develop unconscious bias against him. (Even worse, when the umpire coach uses real-life examples focusing on Moore, Ginnivan, Watson - even Bruest - we get a conscious bias too.

It's a vicious circle, and he's already well into it's spin.

It's probably too late to want fair umpiring, but if he wants to avoid being actively persecuted for it he needs to stop all methods of drawing free kicks now. (His favourite appears to be to lean into the tackler - which generates a high infringement and should be a free kick every time. When he combines that move with the other tactics (the elbow raise; the bent knee/footslip; and then throwing his head back and legs out on impact) he is already exaggerating every contact - giving the commentators 'evidence' of the mayo.

Or he could continue to play football according to the current rules of the game and make the umpires make decisions that they have to live with.
Every incorrectly paid or not paid free kick gets accountability within the umpiring fraternity and individual umpires that don't pay the right ones are dropped or coached into making the right calls.
So maybe, we let the game itself prove itself out and just keep playing?
I don't remember Geelong suffering any debilitating umpiring bias for Duckwood?
I don't remember the throw Dogs having correct handballs incorrectly adjudicated?

Think this is all a little self hate on here, a little cringe because we're worried what the outside world might think or say.
**** that.

 

[peetoo]

Have to see the irony in players being stopped from correct handball when so many handballs are iffy anyway.

 

[Manila_Hawk]

I thought that he played it very well yesterday.

Just attacked the ball and got rewarded.

 

[threesixpio]

I thought that he played it very well yesterday.

Just attacked the ball and got rewarded.

He is a mini bull isn’t he? He must be pound for pound dense as they come

 

[daniel23]

One thing I never knew he had prior to us taking him was his work rate and intent to tackle, it's off the charts for a 1st year player.

 

[Buzz Hawk]

Be great if he and Calsher can nab a rising star nom sometime over the next few weeks.

 

[extractasam]

Or he could continue to play football according to the current rules of the game and make the umpires make decisions that they have to live with.
Every incorrectly paid or not paid free kick gets accountability within the umpiring fraternity and individual umpires that don't pay the right ones are dropped or coached into making the right calls.
So maybe, we let the game itself prove itself out and just keep playing?
I don't remember Geelong suffering any debilitating umpiring bias for Duckwood?
I don't remember the throw Dogs having correct handballs incorrectly adjudicated?

Think this is all a little self hate on here, a little cringe because we're worried what the outside world might think or say.
**** that.

100% I think we’ve all lived through too many Selwood high frees to really give a fk what anyone thinks. Until they change the rules so be it. If they do then we’ve just gotta live with it. Surprises me how untrained so many clubs are for it though

 

[Mitchell Madness]

One thing I never knew he had prior to us taking him was his work rate and intent to tackle, it's off the charts for a 1st year player.

He's definitely not the front runner I thought he was.
Highlights showed him continually behind the play in the under 18s, looked like he was getting cheapies.
Seeing him live though shows its workrate

 

[themessiah34]

Just scraping the surface.

projectdingey was right.

Stays injury free and will be the best small forward in the game. He’s The Messiah.

I still remember him taking the piss at Caulfield as a Year 11. Smallest kid on the field and would kick five every week.

Averaged 3.5 goals a game at national champs.

So glad we took him over Duursma, Curtin and Sanders. Will be five times better than any of them.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Just scraping the surface.

projectdingey was right.

Stays injury free and will be the best small forward in the game. He’s The Messiah.

I still remember him taking the piss at Caulfield as a Year 11. Smallest kid on the field and would kick five every week.

Averaged 3.5 goals a game at national champs.

So glad we took him over Duursma, Curtin and Sanders. Will be five times better than any of them.

I would like a disclaimer here. This is not my alternate account lol. I don't have one.

 

[eldorado]

Just scraping the surface.

projectdingey was right.

Stays injury free and will be the best small forward in the game. He’s The Messiah.

I still remember him taking the piss at Caulfield as a Year 11. Smallest kid on the field and would kick five every week.

Averaged 3.5 goals a game at national champs.

So glad we took him over Duursma, Curtin and Sanders. Will be five times better than any of them.

We're glad to have you, Nick!

 

[Tall Tales and True]

I don't wish to seem mean, but Harley aside - w some minor reservations of late - how could we possibly pick anyone else at the draft but the Wizard?

(The marketing dept. would have mutinied, for a start.)

On SM-S916B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Billyc]

I thought that he played it very well yesterday.

Just attacked the ball and got rewarded.

Yes he will get a heap of them because of the way he attacks the ball and his size. What he doesn’t need to do so is milk them or he will be tarred with the same brush Ginnivan and Wingard have been and will miss the free kicks he deserves. The ones yesterday were just good attack on the ball and his small size

 

[Noel Gallagher]

Kid is way better then I originally thought. Makes a mockery of his height through his elite skills. Has added insane tacking pressure to his repertoire. No issues with his kicking distance either. Finally found a worthy heir to the small forward throne vacated by a Cyril

 

[satan1]

Couple of beautiful field kicks as well. Will be a menace at the centre bounce on occasion in the future.

Like Poppy and Cyril had a baby.

 

[HawthornHawk]

I reckon his mark is going a bit under the radar, was a beauty

 

[lethalselbow]

Wizard goal on different radio stations.

https://fb.watch/tjiZcddSgB/

 

[Kenyan]

He's a natural footballer - the free he drew for front on contact was very clever.

 

[Changa10]

His routine change is noticeable. Much more more direct and patient. No flicking the ball around.

Watched him closely in the warm up. He was very deliberate in his practice set shots to run straight and follow through the kick straight. He’s clearly working at this, so his rewards will come.

He is a real pest on field too. Gets under the oppo’s skin. I love it.

 

[hawk for 37]

Has broken grown men’s brains in half a season. Just a mention of his name with my workmates and the sneer on their faces is immediate.
He will be tormenting opposition supporters for 10 years or more.
Just wait until he starts kicking bags.
The Wiz and Ginni show will fascinating viewing and will drive people crazy.

It’s gonna be great.

 

[Sixpence]

projectdingey was right.

Who?

 

[Goatie]

His defensive pressure is incredible. It’s like he is being shot out of a canon.
The goals will come, we have a special player on our hands.

 

[Mitch75]

On impact alone so far, he’s the best player from last year’s draft, other than Harley Reid. Better than Walter, McKercher, Sanders and Duursma

 

[HawthornHawk]

On impact alone so far, he’s the best player from last year’s draft, other than Harley Reid. Better than Walter, McKercher, Sanders and Duursma

There's footage of him destroying Sanders at centre bounces last year.

McKercher has looked fantastic at times but outside of him i'd agree with you

 

[earthworms]

Are other players that are watson's height (pickett, daniels etc) usually caught high as well?