Southern league: Jack Watts to play with Bentleigh

A SFNL club fighting to avoid relegation has picked up a former AFL Demon and Power star.

Jack Watts playing for Melbourne. Pic: Wayne Ludbey

Jack Watts is back in the red and blue, a Demon once again.

Melbourne’s No 1 national draft selection has joined Bentleigh Demons in Southern league and will play his first game on Saturday when Bentleigh faces East Malvern in a crunch bottom-of-the-ladder game.

The 1-9 Demons are desperate to avoid relegation and stay up in Division 1.

They’re hoping Watts’ experience will help their cause.

“We’d expect Jack to play as many games as he possibly can to help us out,” Bentleigh coach Peter Pirera said.

“We know he’s fit, obviously match conditioning could be an issue…but he’ll play.

“It’s just a matter of in what capacity and how much.

“He played a few games last year (for Old Brighton Grammarians) but when you haven’t had match conditioning it’s a bit different. We’ll see how it goes.’’

Bentleigh coach Peter Pirera. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Watts’s last AFL game was with Port Adelaide in 2019 — he announced his retirement at the end of 2020 — and Bentleigh will use him as a key forward as he builds his fitness.

“He can pinch hit anywhere, he’s happy to do that,’’ Pirera said.

“He’s a utility, obviously we want to nurture him the best we can, but there’s probably a good chance he’ll go forward.

“But if we need him on a wing or on the footy or whatever we can use him because he’s a big lad.’’

Watts has friends at Bentleigh.

“He knows a few of the older boys who used to play here,” Pirera said.

“He’s got a neighbour who is associated with Bentleigh as well, lives a couple of doors down from him.

“We’ve been talking to him for a while, it wasn’t a snap decision.

“We sort of had to talk him into it a bit but he’s ready and raring to go so long as his body can handle it.”

Bentleigh’s Bailey Thomas.

Jack Firns.

Bentleigh has been hit hard by injuries this season but Pirera said his side had shown “glimpses of brilliance’’.

“We played probably the best brand of footy we’ve played all year against St Paul’s McKinnon (last Saturday) and we were with them for the best part of three quarters,’’ Pirera said.

“Even against Cranbourne the week before we were 14 points down at three quarter time.

“It’s just hard getting four quarters together, they show glimpses of brilliance and stuff but we just haven’t got the experienced heads.

“That’s what we need.’’

Pirera said it was imperative that Bentleigh stay in the top division.

“That’s the number one priority for our club because with our junior program in place, we’ve got two under 19 sides that barely lose a game, in fact, they pretty much haven’t lost a game for a few years,’’ he said.

“That’s why we’re playing so many of these kids, we’ve got such a bright future. Going to second division isn’t on the cards for us.

“We expect to win some games in the back half of the year, there’s no doubt about that.

“If we string four quarters together then we’ll create a few upsets there’s no doubt about that.’’