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

[lyger]

Had the equal most contested marks for our team today.

Crazy.

I loved the contested mark he took on the wing in the third, against Weitering I think?

Great leap timed to perfection, very strong hands and kept the ball shielded with his body.

And then took off to pinpoint Moore, who set up a goal.

Fantastic goal assist assist.

 

[daniel23]

Besides both having ridiculous reaction times , He's a completely different player to cyril . Cyril was so agile and light on his feet . Watson is pure power, his first 10 metres are insane .

 

[KermitJagger]

Cyril's soft tissue troubles limited him in certain aspects of the game (ie. playing more time in the middle and up the ground). If Watson is fortunate enough to avoid having those types of issues then I could see him getting there.

I posted something similar a while ago here, if Watson can stay fit I think he's every chance to end with a more individually productive career. I don't know that he'll ever hit the peak Cyril could as a player and that's purely down to efficiency. Cyril may well be the best F50 ball user I've ever seen, if his hamstrings allowed him to play midfield I truly believe he'd have been a top 3 all time Hawk.

 

[Brishawk]

Besides both having ridiculous reaction times , He's a completely different player to cyril . Cyril was so agile and light on his feet . Watson is pure power, his first 10 metres are insane .

Yeah without wanting to undersell watson, he plays more like poppy. I expect that to be more obvious as watson ages and gets stronger. Poopy loved a big mark and to tackle hard and was a little bull.

 

[Stranglers]

Yeah without wanting to undersell watson, he plays more like poppy. I expect that to be more obvious as watson ages and gets stronger. Poopy loved a big mark and to tackle hard and was a little bull.

I've got no problem if that turns out to be the case. I always absolutely loved watching Poppy play.

 

[bigmaxi]

Yeah without wanting to undersell watson, he plays more like poppy. I expect that to be more obvious as watson ages and gets stronger. Poopy loved a big mark and to tackle hard and was a little bull.

Thanks for this Brishawk, a little tear remembering just how good he was. Watson will be feared as much.

 

[VandoHawk]

Yeah without wanting to undersell watson, he plays more like poppy. I expect that to be more obvious as watson ages and gets stronger. Poopy loved a big mark and to tackle hard and was a little bull.

I miss Poppy

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Besides both having ridiculous reaction times , He's a completely different player to cyril . Cyril was so agile and light on his feet . Watson is pure power, his first 10 metres are insane .

Not really completely different, and I might cop it but I think Watson is a better athlete overall. He is unbelievable. Rapidly explosive and powerful, light on his feet with his agility and leap. Top speed and his tank is pretty good aswell, already. The one thing he has too is his ability to stop at a dime from sprinting, his de-acceleration is off the charts.

 

[I got the outside word]

I think the Wizard could be the best from his draft. Everything about him is so fast and clever. I remember watching him earlier in the season going for a mark, he realised he was out of position and immediately changed his decision to draw a free kick for front on contact (I think?). All happened in about 1 second. I’m sitting here trying to list all the things he does that are just ridiculous but I don’t have time.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Yeah without wanting to undersell watson, he plays more like poppy. I expect that to be more obvious as watson ages and gets stronger. Poopy loved a big mark and to tackle hard and was a little bull.

I always thought Poppy was the shortest CHF in history but I think we now have a new candidate for that title in the Wiz

I really like to watch the Wiz play when I go to watch a live game. He's great fun to watch as he just absolutely fizzes around the ground and has no fear at all.

 

[RCAB]

Not really completely different, and I might cop it but I think Watson is a better athlete overall. He is unbelievable. Rapidly explosive and powerful, light on his feet with his agility and leap. Top speed and his tank is pretty good aswell, already. The one thing he has too is his ability to stop at a dime from sprinting, his de-acceleration is off the charts.

Watson was the best two-sided player in his draft, and probably the first reason why Sammy wanted him at the club.

 

[hawkman]

Thought that was his best game so far on the weekend and he did it without hitting the scoreboard himself

 

[TheFourPillars]

Watson was the best two-sided player in his draft, and probably the first reason why Sammy wanted him at the club.

The players and the coach got to see him up close for two pre seasons. It was the most informed decision on a drafted player for a long time. I watched him over two pre seasons and given our draft pick the only team that would have stopped us from drafting him was nth

 

[HedgeFund]

Thought that was his best game so far on the weekend and he did it without hitting the scoreboard himself

Yep - he played better because he was notably selfless in his approach.

 

[Rich]

Watson was the best two-sided player in his draft, and probably the first reason why Sammy wanted him at the club.

The left foot F50 entry on the run at full speed to Chol to take his specky was superb.
Don’t think the defenders expected the length on the kick and were caught off guard

 

[KermitJagger]

Not really completely different, and I might cop it but I think Watson is a better athlete overall. He is unbelievable. Rapidly explosive and powerful, light on his feet with his agility and leap. Top speed and his tank is pretty good aswell, already. The one thing he has too is his ability to stop at a dime from sprinting, his de-acceleration is off the charts.

I get why you'd say it, and I mean no offense by this but you were what... 13ish when Cyril retired? There's a lot of recency bias here.

Cyril came into the league when draftees were considerably less professional than they are now and in 2008 still managed a full season earning a goal of the year nomination, mark of the year nomination, caught Gary Ablett Jr and Scott Pendlebury cold holding the ball in consecutive weeks (pretty much unheard of for both of those guys) before going on to play a key role in a flag team. Led the league for tackles amongst forwards, league 5th for Goal Assists, pretty sure he was up there for I50s too.

Cyril's entire brand was his ability to stop at a dime, jump high, always land on his feet and take off like a rocket - if Watson is a better athlete on those fronts I do not see it. Better endurance, sure, something Cyril never really had and couldn't really develop without getting Hamstring injuries but otherwise it's a pretty big stretch.

Even watching both guys their instincts are almost completely different. Bris has the right of it, he seems much more like a higher level Puopolo type of player to me.

 

[KermitJagger]

Things in this video like completely wrapping up a 25 year old 193cm, 93kg Nathan Bock

Nathan Bock

Age

41

Ht

193cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.0

1star

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4.0

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HB

2.0

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M

2.7

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1.0

3star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

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4.0

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.7

4star

as an 18 year old. Kicking a miracle goal from the boundary with a 194cm, 105kg Matthew Richardson

Matthew Richardson

Age

49

Ht

195cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

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Last 5

D

14.0

4star

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10.9

4star

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3.1

3star

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8.0

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0.5

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No current season stats available

D

15.0

4star

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9.2

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5.8

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7.8

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0.8

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hanging off him.

I love young Watson and I know this is the Watson thread but I feel like it's much better to celebrate him without comparing him to such a high benchmark.

 

[moginie]

Things in this video like completely wrapping up a 25 year old 193cm, 93kg Nathan Bock as an 18 year old. Kicking a miracle goal from the boundary with a 194cm, 105kg Matthew Richardson hanging off him.

I love young Watson and I know this is the Watson thread but I feel like it's much better to celebrate him without comparing him to such a high benchmark.

Gee I miss Cyril.

 

[Hawkas1988]

Duursma will be a good player I'm sure but I'm so so glad North chose Zane and left Watson for us.

Going to be a fun 15 or so years watching this little champ run around for us.

Sent from my SM-S916B using Tapatalk

 

[TheFourPillars]

Things in this video like completely wrapping up a 25 year old 193cm, 93kg Nathan Bock as an 18 year old. Kicking a miracle goal from the boundary with a 194cm, 105kg Matthew Richardson hanging off him.

I love young Watson and I know this is the Watson thread but I feel like it's much better to celebrate him without comparing him to such a high benchmark.

Agree I have said this before there is only one Cyril let's just leave it at that and leave any comparisons with him behind

 

[Iceman!]

Things in this video like completely wrapping up a 25 year old 193cm, 93kg Nathan Bock

Nathan Bock

Age

41

Ht

193cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.0

1star

K

4.0

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.7

4star

as an 18 year old. Kicking a miracle goal from the boundary with a 194cm, 105kg Matthew Richardson

Matthew Richardson

Age

49

Ht

195cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

10.9

4star

HB

3.1

3star

M

8.0

5star

T

0.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

15.0

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

5.8

4star

M

7.8

5star

T

0.8

3star

hanging off him.

I love young Watson and I know this is the Watson thread but I feel like it's much better to celebrate him without comparing him to such a high benchmark.

100% right i think we all love to get caught up in the new generation and feel like they will be better/are better but year 1 Cyril is light years ahead of Watson and that is in no way a slight on him. The level of class and poise Cyril had is matched by almost no one, his speed and agility the same, his defensive pressure he is 1 of 1.

Watson is going to be incredible for us but some really need to pump the brakes.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I get why you'd say it, and I mean no offense by this but you were what... 13ish when Cyril retired? There's a lot of recency bias here.

Cyril came into the league when draftees were considerably less professional than they are now and in 2008 still managed a full season earning a goal of the year nomination, mark of the year nomination, caught Gary Ablett Jr and Scott Pendlebury cold holding the ball in consecutive weeks (pretty much unheard of for both of those guys) before going on to play a key role in a flag team. Led the league for tackles amongst forwards, league 5th for Goal Assists, pretty sure he was up there for I50s too.

Cyril's entire brand was his ability to stop at a dime, jump high, always land on his feet and take off like a rocket - if Watson is a better athlete on those fronts I do not see it. Better endurance, sure, something Cyril never really had and couldn't really develop without getting Hamstring injuries but otherwise it's a pretty big stretch.

Even watching both guys their instincts are almost completely different. Bris has the right of it, he seems much more like a higher level Puopolo type of player to me.

When Cyril retired I was 13-14. But being an absolute nuffie I’d watched a lot of footy at that stage, been obsessed. But also rewatching a lot of footy, both now and then.

He definitely isn’t a completely opposite player to Cyril as suggested but he ain’t similar either, he’s a mix of Puopolo and Cyril in terms of different qualities, but not exactly like one or the other.

His ability to stop on a dime was recorded as one of the best ever, his agility and sprint stuff similarly elite recordings. Watching him you can see has the power but he is still very light on his feet as shown by his ability to spring up and down very quickly.

My belief is as a pure athlete he’s better, but it doesn’t really matter as both are incredible athletic specimens.

The thing Watson hasn’t shown was Cyril’s just incredible selflessness and smarts, his ability to always make the most of a touch was second to none, whether an incredible goal, or a an absolute dime of a pass to set his team up, all whilst playing in super successful teams.

The other thing is the aura around his presence on field, defensively and offensively which was built over time.

Can definitely understand your perspective and also the part of the game changing from when Cyril was drafted to now.

 

[grumbleguts]

Probably the only player in history to have the kid presenting the premiership medallion having to bend down to put it on his neck.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Not really completely different, and I might cop it but I think Watson is a better athlete overall. He is unbelievable. Rapidly explosive and powerful, light on his feet with his agility and leap. Top speed and his tank is pretty good aswell, already. The one thing he has too is his ability to stop at a dime from sprinting, his de-acceleration is off the charts.

Rioli was definitely stronger, quicker, more explosive and a better athlete in general. He was a very rare mix of those traits.

Edit: I didn't want to bring up the age thing as it could come across as condescending, when that's not my intention. But I see KermitJagger had addressed this too.

Physiclly Rioli could do things that no one else could, especially before his hammies had an impact. I'm not sure how you could really argue otherwise given you'd have been only a few years old when Rioli was drafted. Take it from those who were lucky enough to watch him every week.

Puopolo is a better comparison, albeit Watson is more skilful and had more "x-factor." I'd say Watson is a rich man's Puopolo.

 

[The Chad and I]

Yeah without wanting to undersell watson, he plays more like poppy. I expect that to be more obvious as watson ages and gets stronger. Poopy loved a big mark and to tackle hard and was a little bull.

Puopolo's skills were very underrated, probably overshadowed by his work ethic, and well, Cyril.

He was an extremely polished user of the ball, despite having a kicking style that looked a bit stiff.
Some of his goals are right up there with the best of that era, and he was creative with goal assists too.

Pop with flair and a bit more fluency in his movement/skills is close to the mark, but he will always be compared to Cyril IMO.