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Topic: Watson-Positional switch paying off (Read 23881 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #1 –
I've said it all season. Watson showed more last season in two stints up forward than he did for his remaining time down back. I honestly thought we would try an turn him into a CHF this season, but no, until now.

A forward set up of Casboult deep and Watson high has serious merit.

1. Watson is an outstanding kick for length and when given time accuracy.
2. Watson made his name in juniors not as a true key defender but a floating tall where he could use his best skill, kicking to set up attack. So he has learned to read the play more than negate his man, which is a natural forward tendency.
3. Watson has clean hands, he's no Levi when it comes to marking, but he's good enough. That play where he snuck around behind Levi marked on the lead was very good, just didn't have the confidence to kick the goal.
4. As a high CHF he would draw the opposition backman out past 50 as Watson can kick it from there which he demonstrated last season. This would give Menzel a bit more room to operate in, or get Levi some more one on one's closer to goal.

If we play Watson as a forward for the rest of the season, and he shows promise, it could drive up his trade value. Would the Bulldogs/Saints be interested enough to give up a second rounder for him if he does well?

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Raydan on
I've said it all season. Watson showed more last season in two stints up forward than he did for his remaining time down back. I honestly thought we would try an turn him into a CHF this season, but no, until now.

A forward set up of Casboult deep and Watson high has serious merit.

1. Watson is an outstanding kick for length and when given time accuracy.
2. Watson made his name in juniors not as a true key defender but a floating tall where he could use his best skill, kicking to set up attack. So he has learned to read the play more than negate his man, which is a natural forward tendency.
3. Watson has clean hands, he's no Levi when it comes to marking, but he's good enough. That play where he snuck around behind Levi marked on the lead was very good, just didn't have the confidence to kick the goal.
4. As a high CHF he would draw the opposition backman out past 50 as Watson can kick it from there which he demonstrated last season. This would give Menzel a bit more room to operate in, or get Levi some more one on one's closer to goal.

If we play Watson as a forward for the rest of the season, and he shows promise, it could drive up his trade value. Would the Bulldogs/Saints be interested enough to give up a second rounder for him if he does well?

I think this idea should be trialled - nice work Raydan.

Make it happen Mick.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #3 –
@Raydan

If Watson shows anything as a forward we should keep him for next year and forget about trading him - unless it was as part of a deal for somebody we really want.
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #4 –
I posted Watson to the forwardline last year and this year. Good to see him finally getting a go there at VFL level because as a backman he aint up to it at VFL or AFL level.

Watson kicked 5 at one stage in his draft year as a HFF, so not as a CHF but rather as a 3rd type tall.

Happy for him to play this role with Casboult and Henderson there too.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #5 –
Quote from: TheSheik on
I've had a long rethink on this guy and have come up with an alternative option for us to try.

Some people think he should be persisted with and given that we have nothing to lose this season, let's trial him as a FF.

Yes, you read that right, as a FF !!

Casboult is being given every opportunity to succeed and his size ideally suits the CHF role as well as giving him some additional space to run into up the ground.

Watson is 195cm & 101kg, he is a decent-sized lad, he showed that can take the ball on the lead and we know he has a huge booming kick on him. Plonk him in the goal-square and tell him to lead straight up the ground, the mids will deliver it lace-out on his chest.

He is bereft of confidence right now and there is nothing worse than playing a key role in defence when you're second guessing yourself.

Give him the remainder of the season as a forward and see how he goes, if it doesn't work then we are no worse off than we are right now. If he ends up succeeding, then we have just solved another of our bigger issues.
"The Other Teams Can Rot In Hell"

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #6 –
Quote from: TheSheik on
Quote from: TheSheik on
I've had a long rethink on this guy and have come up with an alternative option for us to try.

Some people think he should be persisted with and given that we have nothing to lose this season, let's trial him as a FF.

Yes, you read that right, as a FF !!

Casboult is being given every opportunity to succeed and his size ideally suits the CHF role as well as giving him some additional space to run into up the ground.

Watson is 195cm & 101kg, he is a decent-sized lad, he showed that can take the ball on the lead and we know he has a huge booming kick on him. Plonk him in the goal-square and tell him to lead straight up the ground, the mids will deliver it lace-out on his chest.

He is bereft of confidence right now and there is nothing worse than playing a key role in defence when you're second guessing yourself.

Give him the remainder of the season as a forward and see how he goes, if it doesn't work then we are no worse off than we are right now. If he ends up succeeding, then we have just solved another of our bigger issues.

That's where the whole theory could break down!
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #7 –
Dud....trade bait, you have to chase, tackle and do the 1% ers to be a good forward...Watson cant even do that as a backman.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #8 –
He needs to be given a chance. He has shown he is not the answer at CHB. If he is to remain on our list, he has be able to play somewhere. If he doesn't make it as a forward, the next step is elsewhere.
Live Long and Prosper!

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #9 –
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on
Dud....trade bait, you have to chase, tackle and do the 1% ers to be a good forward...Watson cant even do that as a backman.

Exactly.
We ve already spent time and patience grooming Levi through many years of spudtastic football.
Do we have to do the same with this guy ?
My last memory of him as a forward was his miss from right  in front against Hawthorn that stuffed up the momentum we d built up to that point of the game.
Rookie position at best next year.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #10 –
Trade watson.....
Whatever you can get....

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #11 –
The value of playing blokes such as Watson and Lucas is that it enables the regulars to have physical repair and recovery. I don't expect any of these guys to do a McLean and turn their career's around. There's no harm in giving them a final shot, game results mean squat, and if they do show something its a benefit.
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect.”

― Mark Twain

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #12 –
I don't reckon that Watson is worth 5 cents.

BUT I thought the same about Gordon Collis in 1963. Collis was our Centre-Half Forward that year. In 1964 he was switched to Centre half back and won the Brownlow Medal from Ken Fraser the Essendon CHF who was hot favourite that year to win.

Who knows, maybe Watson can do another Collis by switching from a back to a forward. But he does have limitations, no right foot, and like Rowe, panics under pressure.

It's worth a try, especially now that Waite is gone.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #13 –
Quote from: bignic on
I don't reckon that Watson is worth 5 cents.

BUT I thought the same about Gordon Collis in 1963. Collis was our Centre-Half Forward that year. In 1964 he was switched to Centre half back and won the Brownlow Medal from Ken Fraser the Essendon CHF who was hot favourite that year to win.

Who knows, maybe Watson can do another Collis by switching from a back to a forward. But he does have limitations, no right foot, and like Rowe, panics under pressure.

It's worth a try, especially now that Waite is gone.

I'm too young to remember Collis, but when Earl Spalding first came across from Melbourne in 1992, I thought he was the biggest waste of space. Couldn't kick straight to save himself.
While he didn't reach superstar status, he became a pretty handy player for us, particularly between the period of about 1994-96.

Re: Watson-Positional switch paying off

Reply #14 –
Quote from: bignic on
Who knows, maybe Watson can do another Collis by switching from a back to a forward. But he does have limitations, no right foot, and like Rowe, panics under pressure.

It's worth a try, especially now that Waite is gone.

It's not new, he has been tried before, I'd like to know who he was up against before we pump up his tyres as a potential forward. However, given his size and marking ability opposition cannot sit a non-gorilla on him. The only potential damaging match up would be a Gibson type and there are not too many of those. Watson is at least as mobile as Cloke if he can develop some mongrel!

But as far as trading I have a concern, given the Laidler disaster I have no confidence left in the MM lead MC to make correct decisions at all! They are too prejudiced with this idea that players need to flexible.
The Force Awakens!