2014 is the year of the Watts

All this this arguing about how Melbourne stuffed up the selection of Watts and I feel like I never see anyone make the one salient point that Jack Watts was the CONSENSUS number one pick. Almost everybody in the know considered him the best prospect in the draft. People talk about how the Demons should have taken Naitanui, but I distinctly remember most saying he was a 50-50 prospect, someone who could be anything but was raw as they come. Remember his first season? It was as comical as it was exciting! very few people truly believed he would be this good because he lacked fundamentals and awareness. And @clayts might want to pay attention to more than just his team. Naitanui was All-Australian just recently remember? saying only only Hill and Sidebottom have done better than Watts is ludicrously ill-informed. Naitanui is the clear standout from that class, a talent and marketing dream who is only surpassed by Buddy Franklin.

Exactly. Watts was pretty much unanimously touted as the number 1 pick. I'd say all the eastern states club would have taken him if they had the chance. And i still think he has plenty of time to actually play like a number 1 draft pick anyway. Out of that draft, I would say only Stephen Hill and Sidebottom have done anything 'better' than Watts overall anyway. And that is probably more related to the environment they have been playing in, Hill more recently admittedly. You could mount an argument for Yarran and Hurley but really, what exactly have either of those players done that is significant? Also, all 4 of those players have been surrounded by way more talent than Watts has. Put him in the Pies/Freo/Blues/Bombers sides and he'd be a gun straight away. Same goes for quite a few of the dees players, which is why now that they have strengthened their midfield, I expect them to improve markedly.

Agree. Kicking 60 goals from 70 odd games when you have been played out of position on Half Back for the majority of the game, or worse, as a swing man (in reverse, as in going down back to rescue the side) is remarkably good. NOT 'not that great.' Watts is nowhere near Melbourne's worst player. In fact he'd be top 5 or 6, which is why he was used by more than two coaches, as someone to go down back to ensure that when the dees came out of defence, they had someone who could actually hit a target and make a good decision. So he had to also learn a new position in a side that gave away record numbers of inside 50s. Anyone who has played in the demons' defence over the last 5 or 6 years, much less a 20-22 year old deserves a medal. In fact, it still amazes me the heroics of the likes of Frawley, Watts, Rivers (when he was there), Garland et al that the dees didn't get flogged by 100 in pretty much every game they played over the last few years. Some of the most underrated players going around considering the sheer number of defensive work they had to get through.

He's kicked 60 goals?? Remarkable given that guys like Peter Matera and John Worsfold, 2 Eagles hall of famers didnt even make their debut until aged 22. Watts is going OK.. I think most of these guys are thrown in at the deep end too early. crickey, a lot of guys dont pysically mature till they are 21-22.

I assume this is a comment on the lack of robust coaching Melbourne have suffered? Their stats are pretty similar but one has benefitted from outstanding development coaches and the other from a tanking culture. I guess Jack Watt's stats would be better if he had been placed at another club. The players are just the end result of what happens behind the scenes and I think that's your point.

Melbourne recruited Watts to be a Nick Riewoldt type, and this didn't eventuate. Next year, with Hogan, Clark and Dawes, he doesn't need to be. Set free in the midfield, I think he will be a star. And Strummer, I know for a fact (I have family members in the middle of the 2008 draft) that Watts would have been the number one selection whichever club had the pick. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Unless, of course, you have compelling evidence that other teams wouldnt have picked him.....

Ian, this is disappointing from you unless I am reading your comments in the wrong context. What exactly is the problem? All I can see is that Watts isn't living up to #1 draft pick. Did he ask to be #1 draft pick? No. A bunch of people and clubs figured he was at that time. Now that it is clear he should not have been chosen ahead of many other players, AFL supporters and the media label it a "problem". Personally, I think it is their problem, not Watts's.

To give people perspective on the size of the problem, here is this years Jack Watts versus GWS's Tomlinson - and remember, we're spotting two years and fifty games to Jack Watts. Adam Tomlinson Name Jack Watts GWS Giants Team Melbourne Demons Forward Position Defender, Forward 26 Career Games 73 Oakleigh Chargers Origin Sandringham Dragons August 10, 1993 Date of Birth March 26, 1991 20yr 3mth Age 22yr 7mth 193cm Height 196cm 89kg Weight 88kg 2011 National Draft Last Drafted In 2008 National Draft Round 1, Pick #9 Last Draft Position Round 1, Pick #1 GWS Giants Last Drafted By Melbourne Demons 2013 Stats for Season 2013 17 Games 18 10.5 Kicks Per Game 8.7 5.2 Handballs Per Game 6.1 15.8 Disposals Per Game 14.8 7.5 Marks Per Game 5.3 0.3 Goals Per Game 1.2 0.4 Behinds Per Game 0.7 1.6 Tackles Per Game 1.6 1.3 Hitouts Per Game 0.6 2.1 Inside 50s Per Game 1.4 0.2 Goal Assists Per Game 0.4 0.6 Frees For Per Game 0.4 0.4 Frees Against Per Game 0.8 4.5 Contested Possessions Per Game 5.1 11.4 Uncontested Possessions Per Game 9.6 11.2 Effective Disposals Per Game 11.4 70.9% Effective Disposals % Per Game 77% 1.8 Clangers Per Game 1.7 0.4 Contested Marks Per Game 0.6 0.4 Marks Inside 50 Per Game 1.2 0.4 Clearances Per Game 0.4 1.5 Rebound 50s Per Game 1.8 1.7 One Percenters Per Game 1.7 0.4 Bounces Per Game 0.4 89.0 Time On Ground % Per Game 91.5 http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?tid1=25&pid1=3647&tid2=12&pid2=3107&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S

This time for sure!

Francis, I think your problem and the media's problem is with that opening line "In the 2008 AFL Draft, Melbourne Selected Jack Watts to be the number one overall pick". The fact is, they got it wrong. Watts can play at AFL level, no doubt about it. However, he should not have been the No.1 draft pick in 2008. If you and the media can let this go, we can all move on (and I'm sure Watts would appreciate it as well). If you keep hanging onto it, thinking that somehow him being #1 draft pick MUST mean there is brilliance hidden just under the surface waiting to emerge, Watts will continue to fall short of your hopes and expectations. All the above aside, this article could really be written about any young 20 year old 'still raw' that will hopefully be a gun player one day.

Apparently Roos is going to putt Watts on a wing.

If Watts has an outstanding season it will re-enforce Roos' reputation as a genius coach. Or maybe it will just re-enforce the perception that Melbourne have wasted the last three years.