AFL Discussion 2009

[David]

Watts and Naitanui are going to take a lot longer than any number 1 and 2 draft picks in history to become players.

[maccatak11]

That is one of the worst statements ever made on this forum.

Naitnui has been out for the first half of this year due to injury, but has played a lot of senior football in WA. Are you forgetting that in only his second game he scored three matchwinning goals for west coast???

Jack Watts was similar to patrick dangerfield in that he forwent full time training to finish off his school studies. That was last year. So cut the guy some slack, he has played a handful of games for the worst team in the league, and it is his first time playing against men.

The fact you are judging these players after 2 and 5 games is just silly.

[David]

I'm not saying they won't be players.. my point is, put up against any other 1st/2nd draft picks, they will take a longer to become players.

I am not saying they aren't any good, at all. It's just a comparison, and a fair one.

And for the record, I'm extremely excited about watching both of them over time.

[AceLosesKing]

Naitnui has been out for the first half of this year due to injury, but has played a lot of senior football in WA. Are you forgetting that in only his second game he scored three matchwinning goals for west coast???

That was AWESOME. Great game. Also, I can agree with Macca, you can't judge him on a few games. Give him a season at least.

And for the record, I'm extremely excited about watching both of them

hee hee

[David]

My point is more so that they are the first and second picks of the draft.

You might think it's early to judge, but after watching every other 1 and 2 pick play after a handful of games, the others seem more aclimatised to the AFL earlier than these two are.

Watts needs to put on a bit of weight and get in touch with the speed of the AFL. Naitanui needs to actually learn the game better. It was ok playing in the WAFL against lesser men, and boys, when he could just leap over them. But in the AFL he's going to have to work harder to find out what to do.

Again, this is NOT putting them down one bit. It's merely an observation, and an observation comparing these top two picks opposed to other twop two picks in the last 15 years.

[Chelsea4thewin]

i sort of see Davids point

the last 5 number 1 picks off the top off my head were

2003 - Cooney
2004 - Deledio
2005 - Murphy
2006 - Gibbs
2007 - Kruezer

all 5 of these u can say came into the AFL season quite easily and had a body to put up with the physical side of the game

Watts however is pretty small and it doesnt look like he will make much of a fuss in his first year, i think he was rushed into the side too early. There was also wayyy too much hype about his debut

[bennymacca]

i think its a fair call dave

compare watts to

# 2000 - Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
# 2001 - Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
# 2002 - Brendon Goddard (St Kilda)
# 2003 - Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs)
# 2004 - Brett Deledio (Richmond)
# 2005 - Marc Murphy (Carlton)
# 2006 - Bryce Gibbs (Carlton)
# 2007 - Matthew Kreuzer (Carlton)

pretty sure EVERY one of them has had a bigger impact in their first year.

that doesn't mean to say he won't be a good player in time though

[David]

Usually, big men take a lot longer to develop so it's natural that these two will take time also.
I think Watts is bottom-aged, so he's 12 months off of some of the later aged players from the draft.
Naitanui is a freak athlete, but doesn't have anywhere near the footy-smarts as the other top ten players. That will come with time though, hence the reason he was picked so high.

Apart from Phil Davis to Adelaide at 10, the other top 10 picks have all played and have considerable impact.

Zeibell and Rich are the most AFL-Ready of the top 10 and it shows in their play, and attack on the ball. Quite mature for young lads.

Hurley will be a star for the Dons. Hartlet looks to have a lot of time when he has the ball. Yarran has fit into the Blues well and done some excellent things. Vickery was given his chance later than expected but has really shown some potential.

Watts will be a very good forward, I have no doubt. Being bottom aged, and having a mountain of "Great white hope" expectation thrown on him means he'll be behind the 8-ball. His body will develop as will his feel for the game. Naitanui was chosen because of the fact he's a freak athlete, and has some decent skills. Once he builds confidence and realises what he can do on the big stage, he'll be bringing a lot of WA people to the footy.

Next year, John Butcher will have similar expectations thrown on him. A similar tall forward to Watts, I'm reasonably sure he'll go one or two, depending on who picks when. In saying that, if Melbourne don't win another game, they might have the first TWO picks maybe.. meaning they'll probably take Tom Scully who will be a star.

Christ, Jack Grimes was a steal. Could have been a top 3 pick if it weren't for injuries. Featured prominently in "The Draft" by Emma Quayle (A great read, btw) as a great kid with leadership skills a-plenty. To fall to 14 (?) and Melbourne get him is a bargain.

[muzzington]

Grimes showed what he's made of yesterday that's for sure.

Naitinui has the skillset, he just seems a little lost on the field right now.

Edit: Also, I just want to say I really don't like Footy Classified. Both Craig Hutchinson and Caroline Wilson are too much for one show.

[maccatak11]

Ok i get your point here, but you might be forgetting that reiwoldt and goddard had very ordinary first seasons, and kruezer was nothing to write home about last year.

The ready made midfielders in cooney, gibbs and murphy are an exception to the rule i think. If you look back longer in the draft and number one picks like drew banfield, clive waterhouse and des headland never became truly top line players, even after a number of years in the AFL.

Also, the priority picks afforded to bottom placed clubs are given at the end of the first round now, not at the start. So unless im mistaken, melbourne will get picks 1 and 16 and 17, not 1,2 and 17. (or am i wrong here)