Nic Nat V Jack: Demons’ lost chance

Roar Rookie

By Tommix, 21 Feb 2010 Tom Dimanis is a Roar Rookie

Tagged:: AFL, AFL draft, Jack Watts, Melbourne Demons, Nic Naitanui, West Coast Eagles

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Nick Naitanui of the Eagles tackled by Brendon Lade of Port during the AFL Round 16 match between Port Adelaide Power and the West Coast Eagles at AAMI Stadium.

Ask any of the hierarchy at the Melbourne Football Club whether they made the right choice between Jack Watts and Nic Naitanui and they will be sure to give you the same, predictable, party-line answer: Yes, selecting Jack Watts was indeed the right decision.

Inject said hierarchy with a dose of truth serum and I’m sure they’d all give you the reverse answer: No, we should’ve selected Nic Naitanui as our number one choice.

Many football experts applauded Melbourne for their number one selection back in the 2008 AFL Draft. After all, Watts won the Larke Medal and All-Australian selection representing Vic Metro, and he had an impressive showing at the draft camp. He had champion written all over him.

Naitanui also performed well at the draft camp and won All-Australian selection in 2007 and 2008. Although possessing incredible athletic ability for a tall, Melbourne decided against selecting him due to a perceived lack of skill.

Many comments around the footy world were made that he lacked a ‘football brain’ and couldn’t read the play. However, his athleticism was enough to convince the West Coast Eagles football department to select him at number two.

Both clubs announced after the draft that their selections were ‘project players’. At his stage it seems that Naitanui is ahead of schedule and Watts is behind.

In his debut year in 2009, Naitanui showed glimpses of his talent, particularly his last quarter effort against Hawthorn where he kicked three majors and won the game. Eagles fans were salivating and the buzz began to hummer.

During that game Hawks enforcer Campbell Brown tried to rough him up but the young ruckman didn’t back down. Brown was heard to remark that it was like ‘pushing up against a tree’. It showed that Naitanui was at least physically able to play in the big time.

Watts on the other hand made his premature debut against Collingwood on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday. Melbourne needed ‘bums on seats’ after AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou threatened to take away their future participation in the fixture, so they decided the best way to attract a crowd was to parade their number one draft pick.

The young forward was soon found out. He was a skinny lost kid playing against an army of men. He just wasn’t ready. This was highlighted by the memorable gang tackle laid on him by a group of Magpie enforcers. Welcome to the AFL, son.

He didn’t play many more games for the rest of the season and was heavily criticised by many, including AFL legend Leigh Matthews who mentioned that he saw nothing in Watts to warrant his number one selection.

Last week Naitanui had his breakout game against the Bombers in the opening NAB Cup fixture. 18 touches, 8 tackles, 4 goals – a best-on-ground performance. Nic Naitanui had arrived.

Many people would say that it’s early days, but he showed enough brilliance to suggest that he is going to be a superstar.

His latest performance has forced John Worsfold to openly admit that he and his lieutenants have been forced to rethink on how best to utilise him this year.

Whilst Naitanui is being geared up for big things by his coach, by contrast Melbourne football manager Chris Connolly publicly declared that Watts is a ‘four-year player’, and is still three years off reaching his potential.

And unfortunately for Watts, his current struggle with a back injury means he won’t get a chance to display his progression in the Demons’ first NAB Cup hitout. It also seems unlikely he’ll be able to pull up for round 1 of the season proper.

Another reason Melbourne will be kicking themselves is Naitanui is a marketing dream. The Melbourne marketing department would have loved to have him printed on their posters.

So far Naitanui is in front, but it will be interesting to see how both careers pan out. With time Jack Watts is sure to become a very good player.

But will he be a superstar?

I leave Melbourne fans with one thought: Imagine Nic Naitanui rucking to Tom Scully and Jack Trengove …

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The Crowd Says (10) | Page 1 of Comments

Nick said | February 21st 2010 @ 8:14am | Report comment

I don’t think this analysis is fair. It’s all too easy to look at decisions in retrospect and say Melbourne made the wrong choice. While it’s evident now that Naitanui will be a good player it wasn’t so clear beforehand, Watts will still be a very good player when he develops. I think Melbourne are doing the right thing, building a good team that will be competitive in a few years.

It looks to me like Melbourne have a healthy separation between their football and marketing departments. It would be a mistake to get players simply because of their short term marketing value, what good has it honestly done Richmond?

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ren said | February 21st 2010 @ 10:23am | Report comment

physically natanui was far more mature- he had already been playing ones down at swans whilst watts had only played schoolboys. big difference right there. give it another couple of years

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Sven man said | February 21st 2010 @ 12:38pm | Report comment

I think these comparisons are, at the moment, completely unfair. I’m a West Coast supporter so i’m thrilled Nic’s playing for us, but he is at the moment far more developed physically than Watts, who like you mentioned is still just a kid. As for your last sentence, I’m sure Demons supporters are more likely imagining about Scully and Trengove delivering to Watts in 4-5 years time.

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bever fever said | February 21st 2010 @ 12:54pm | Report comment

Being a Dockers fan i must admit i am a bit jealous of Nic Tap It To Me, but the WCE have a tremendous drafting record so i dips me lid.

Nic Tap It To Me will ensure that the WCE membership waiting list stays very healthy.

I would also say his drafting will enable Australian football to tap into some of the local pacific island talent that has historically gone to RU or RL.

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Stan Morris said | February 21st 2010 @ 3:54pm | Report comment

Tommix,

Nick is a WA boy and I think Melbourne may have been worried about the homesick factor. No point developing him as a player and then losing him to his home state

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- Dogz R Barkn said | February 22nd 2010 @ 8:55am | Report comment
  
  That’s a really good point.
  
  Both Melbourne and WCE have two excellent prospects here, the main difference is that Nic will probably do more for WCE off the field (in terms of publicity) than Watts will do for Melbourne.
  
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Chris K said | February 21st 2010 @ 9:32pm | Report comment

Jack Watts probably would have done well at any other club

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Michael DiFabrizio said | February 22nd 2010 @ 8:50am | Report comment

Not a bad article but it’s simply too early to judge. Give Watts time and he might surprise a few people

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Lu said | February 22nd 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment

Hindsight is a Bee-yacth and then you marry one.. There will always be these debates through history..

In 1984, should the Portland Trailblazers have picked up a skinny kid called Micheal Jordan instead of an already developed Sam Bowie?

Should Simon Black had been picked up before the 30 other players in the 97 Draft?

Joel Selwood at 7 in 06?

Lance Franklin at 5 in 05?

Hodge and Ball before the Juddster in 01?

It’s always gamble..

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Pauly Walnuts said | February 22nd 2010 @ 8:27pm | Report comment

Absolute waffle. Where’s the reference to their ages. Watts (26.03.91) is a year younger than Nick Nat (04.05.90). They are both key position players, and obviously Watts is a year behind (physically) than Nick Nat. That’s it. Too early for comparisons. Watts was the best player in the draft, that was clear as day at the time of the draft, every club not in WA would have picked him at number 1 if they had the chance.

In any case, if Nat was playing last season would the Dees have been able to pick both Scully and Trengove. I’m not sure.

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