The Jack Watts Problem

Not sure what the protocol is for this, but I actually wrote something for once - considering I'm studying journalism you'd think that I'd do it more often.

If you've got time, check it out, would appreciate some feedback.

http://sportsreligious.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/the-jack-watts-problem/

 

Good article. Doesn't get deep into Jack Watts' style and the issue with it but that'd be boring to discuss.

 

But I'm going to go into it in case one person finds it interesting to discuss.

The guy was picked out of schoolboy footy. Not colts, not TAC - school boy. Everyone seemed to know it was a bit strange yet it was so well supported at the time. He'd not had experience in an elite sporting environment before, and all of a sudden he was the most hyped kid in the country. It's blindingly obvious he's overawed and insecure; it's a reason I think each draftee should be interviewed by a psychologist during the draft camp - players and clubs have to be tailor made and designed to gel and be cohesive. As bad as it sounds for a club like Melbourne, Watts would be a better player if Melbourne had taken him at pick 15. But not even that, he wasn't integrated into the system well for someone with his obvious shyness. He really should have received the tom liberatore treatment. He shouldn't have debuted in his first season either. Both the media exposure and early debut wrecked his mindset, in my opinion. Melbourne have no culture. Someone like Watts would have fit in so, so, so much better at a club like Fremantle, Geelong or even Port Adelaide due to the bunch of lads they had at the time. Leaders need to not only lead on the field and make sure everyone's head's in the game - but they need to mentor and protect the young guys who are well out of their depth. Really, only James McDonald was ever going to be the type to help Wattsy out.

Regarding his game though - I still think he'll be a brilliant player. All Australian one day - I'm just not sure where his role is. People are forgetting that he strung together a fucking awesome trot last year; he showed what he could do. Up until 14 days ago, Watts looked primed to be awesome this year too: back end of last year good, pre season fantastic and he looked in shape. I think he's just not with it, but more so, he's a touch player. Probably the biggest one in the competition; he's at his best when he can read the game, the ball and especially the pace. It's fucking impossible for him to read the game when his team have no structure. As the loose man he has to fill the hole and work out where to position himself to best effect the play. What'd happen is that he'd do that and Melbourne would gaff up and it'd be irrelevant what he'd done, or even worse, a Melbourne player cut into the hole and put him off. The structure is gone, and playing a loose man without structure is like trying to stick a grape through your retina - futile. Both games have been unevenly paced games - it's changed throughout the game; so just when he gets into it he has to adjust, but even worse, they've not been afl paced games. They're not what he's used to. He's got no touch or control over these games.

I still think his career lies forward. He'll be a very good swingman in defence but forward is where his skills are primed to. I'd have him on a half forward flank, literally flanking the ball. He'd provide a lead up option up the field, when the ball is on the wing he'd cut across contests using his defensive skills to intercept (as he's brilliant at it) but also use his brilliant speed to effect the contests in the middle of the field. Ground ball? from the HFF Watts would be providing the outside option from the side (running behind) the contest, ready to receive and use his good boot to send it inside 50. That's what he should be doing - and when he's ready... yeah, he can go inside 50 and be more of a CHF. I think he's got it in him but what he needs is

- Structure
- Proper fucking coaching
- To have exactly how to utilise his talents highlighted and trained to him. he doesn't know what to do or where his role is now, he needs to know that he's to provide the outside option to every ground ball, he's to be told that he has to enforce the defence and organise it so he can play his role, if he is in fact in defence
- A work rate drilled into him.
- Confidence.

 

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!!

 

I just thought I'd bump this thread now.

As, at a guess, Jack's biggest defender on the site I'm beginning to realise that perhaps my faith was misguided. I still hope he'll come good. I really want him to come good, but I'm not sure I believe he'll come good.

He's just the most pea-hearted football player since Cale Morton. His game on Saturday night was quite possibly the worst individual performance all year, and certainly one of the top 10 I've ever seen. It was disgraceful. I've mentioned a few times this year how if watching the game on TV you can always see Watts jogging at half speed across the bottom/top of screen. Away from the ball but close enough to make an attempt to impact it but no real desire to. And that's so much the case right now. He doesn't run unless he's leading and even then, nope. He just jogs. He's got absolutely no work rate and even with Roos as coach he can't develop one. He hides from the contest and clearly has no desire to even risk contact. Watts with the heart of a Jake Spencer would be elite. It's all mental with him, all mental.

And it's getting so bad that I don't think it can be fixed. I genuinely think Watts may just be broken. And it's really quite sad, but it's looking to be true. He's getting worse as a footballer each year. In the structure Roos is trying to get them to play you've got to defend. You've got to run hard and apply pressure and I've never seen a footballer apply such little pressure. He's a pea-hearted and lazy pissant of a footballer.

Needs to go to Casey. Doesn't matter how many uncontested touches he gets he shouldn't ever be recalled unless he can get 15 contested touches or 3-5 hard ball gets in consecutive games. That or kicking 5-6 goals. Just needs to learn how to actually work hard. Being contracted to 2016 just sucks.

That's my serve. I hope he comes good but fuck he's an abysmal footballer right now.

 

The problem with Griffiths is that the forwards are retards. The bloke can kick the ball 60 metres easily off one step and for some reason every time he does the forwards expect it to go 50 metres and run under it. They just need to time their runs better/stay back knowing it's Griffiths as he'll use his leg at every opportunity.