The tanking dramas are over and there should be nothing on the minds of the Melbourne Football club besides playing football. Let’s talk about Jack Watts.
A former number one draft pick from the 2008 draft, Watts may unfortunately forever be remembered as the guy who was taken before Nic Naitanui.
With Michael Hurley (5th), Daniel Rich (7th), Jack Zeibell (9th), Phil Davis (10th), Steele Sidebottom (11th), Luke Shuey (18th), David Zaharakis (23rd), Jack Redden (25th), Dayne Beams (29th), Daniel Hanneberry (30th) and Rory Sloane (44th) all selected after Watts, Melbourne recruiters have been left red-faced.
As with all top draftees, Watts sadly carries the burden of godly expectations. It’s something he has not lived up to but this is the year he can silence some critics.
He’ll never silence them all though.
Drafted as a key forward prospect under ex-coach Dean Bailey, Watts never looked comfortable in the forward line. Although rarely delivered the ball by a midfield that seldom possessed it, Watts’ three seasons as a key forward delivered a return of 33 goals from 40 games.
Since the arrival of Mark Neeld as coach and Mitch Clark as the new key forward, both in 2012, Watts has had the luxury of playing across half back and on the wing.
Last season, Watts averaged 18.5 disposals per game which was the highest of his career. He also maintained 5.5 marks per game, a slight decrease from 5.6 in 2011 when he played as a forward.
Given the opportunity to read the play in front of him and run with the ball, Watts’ fourth season was his best and justified selection in the first round of the 2008 draft.
It’s unlikely he’ll ever live up to what was first expected of him but the arrival of Mitch Clark in 2011 and Chris Dawes in 2012 have freed Watts up to play the game more naturally.
As a defender, his running lanes have been more decisive and his disposal efficiency has drastically improved.
Prior to Dawes unexpected arrival, a Clark-Watts two pronged attack was fathomable with the potential to be dangerous. Alas, an improved season as a defender and the arrival of Dawes has firmly planted Watts in the backline.
Backline-forwardline swings have been a popular coaching strategy employed by coaches for players unable to meet expectations in the roles they were first recruited for. It could be argued that using Watts as a loose man in defence is a waste of his physical ability.
At 196cm and 91kg, Watts is perfectly sized to play in a key position role. Most of his time in defence has so far been spent playing loose to maximise the use of his disposal efficiency and surprisingly quick speed.
If he’s ever going to be remembered as more than the guy who was selected before Nic Naitanui, Watts needs to become a key defender and shut down the league’s gorillas.
He only needs to look as far as Fremantle’s Luke McPharlin for inspiration.
McPharlin is the guy that Fremantle gave up the 2001 number one draft pick for. They traded the first, 20th and 36th picks to Hawthorn in exchange for McPharlin.
Hawthorn subsequently drafted Luke Hodge, Daniel Elstone and Sam Mitchell with those picks. Ouch.
At Fremantle, McPharlin never become the key forward they had believed he would be. It was probably the worst recruiting decision the history of football until 2009 when McPharlin established himself as one of the game’s best key defenders.
McPharlin was the league’s dominant full back in 2011 and 2012. Last year he was awarded All-Australian honours at the position after being snubbed in 2011.
While game-changing key forwards in the AFL are as rare as controversy-free weeks, the role key defenders play often goes under appreciated. They don’t make headlines, they don’t gather many stats and they receive attention for their bad games more than their good.
The departure of Jared Rivers from Melbourne to Geelong via free agency opens the perfect opportunity for Watts to play one-on-one with the league’s strongest.
It’s unlikely Watts will live up to goal kicking expectation set upon him, but he can take his name off the list of worst number one draft picks by establishing himself as a key defender this year.
simonjzw
Roar Pro
Watts is going to be ok. He's going to settle into a role similar to the role Goddard played at St.Kilda. He's been judged as a key position player but his strengths lie else where. He reads the play well, is an accurate kick, makes smart decisions about where and when to kick the footy and is quite quick for a guy his size. It's a mistake to down play this sweeping role as soft or easy pickings for the lower quality players because it's so vital in today's footy. Every successful club has one or two rebounding defenders fitting this mold that they like to give the ball to to set up play. These players penetrate opposition defensive zones with a combination of run and carry, accurate short passing and penetrating long kicking. Without them their teams struggle. I don't think Watts will ever be a key position player but that doesn't mean he won't be a very good player.
Lroy
Guest
Don't support the Dees, but have seen Watts a few times playing across the half back line. All I can say is he looks like a solid type player who takes a decent overhead grab, and yes, he could get a few kicks on the wing. So what more do you want? The guy got drafted to play AFL and thats what he's doing. Good luck to him. Quinten Lynch used to play full back for West Perth in the WAFL... Woosha took a punt and tried him as a full forward instead, and now thats his spot. Moving guys around to allow players to achieve their full potential is part of a coaches job. If Watts hadnt been a number one draft pick we wouldnt even be reading this story. How about we pretend he was taken at pick 65 and just let the kid go and play footy eh?
JD
Guest
Watts will be fine if he continues his current role. Theres nothing wrong with high profile half back flankers. Luke Hodge won the 2008 grand final playing loose across half back. He even picked up the Norm Smith! Brendan Goddard now makes just under $1million per year playing as a half back flanker. Both are also number 1 draft picks if im not mistaken.
TomC
Roar Guru
Can't say I've seen much from Watts to suggest he can hold down a KPP role. He might have some similar characteristics to McPharlin but the Freo man appears to be physically stronger and more comfortable in one on one marking contests.
TomC
Roar Guru
Yeah I noticed that too. Strange thing to leave out. I mean, clearly Croad was the guy the Dockers gave up the number 1 pick for, rather than McPharlin.
Vince
Guest
In the mcpharlin draft you forgot to mention the main reason why freo traded the no1 pick, that was for Trent croad aswell not just Luke mc. By memory Trent croad was a star of the 2001 season for the hawks..