The hype surrounding Melbourne’s number one draft pick Jack Watts is justified. He was selected by a club struggling to win games and, along with a number of other youngsters at the Demons, he represents the future for his team’s supporters.
Watts, 18, is also a key forward and, in three to four years, he could be something special. A star of the competition.
In three to four years. Not now.
It’s one thing to be excited, but it is quite another to have unnecessary expectations and pile pressure on young players.
Watts is two games in to what will, without doubt, be a long career. He has already shown that he can kick the ball with confidence and purpose – a skill that many more experienced players still struggle with.
Yet the focus on the Year 12 student has been incredible.
Four-time premiership coach Leigh Matthews is well-respected in the AFL world for obvious reasons. He said in commentary during the Essendon-Melbourne clash that Watts had yet to display a standout skill that would make him the pick of the kids in last year’s draft.
Matthews is well-qualified, but he not in the inner-sanctum at Melbourne and there is the small fact that Watts is in the teething process of his career.
Then there is the ridiculous view, from some quarters, that the Demons would have been better-off if they had selected West Coast’s Nick Naitanui, who has played only one game.
But does his form based on one match guarantee he will have a better career than Watts?
That’s drawing a long bow.
Key forwards, notoriously, take time to develop. Watts’ numbers in his early games compare favourably to some well-known players, including Nick Reiwoldt, Jonathon Brown and Brendan Fevola.
Not one of that famous trifecta kicked a goal in their first two matches. Watts, at this stage, has two majors to his name.
So, why do people from outside the club expect him to play match-winning football from the start? Why the fuss?
Very few players make an impact from the start, and perhaps Watts is a victim of the stunning debut seasons produced by the likes of Daniel Rich, Andy Otten and Jack Ziebell (out injured for the rest of the season).
For the record, Watts had nine possessions against the Bombers in his last match, and kicked two goals – respectable numbers for a youngster.
Watts is also completing his final year of high school, which is a stressful time for anybody. Football is not his first priority this year, and whether the Demons need to play him or not is an argument for another day.
But the critics need to take a deep breath and give this young, and enormously gifted, kid some time to develop.
It will be interesting to see where Watts is in three years. My tip is he will be playing a starring role for Melbourne.
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