KFC SuperFooty TV: Jack Watts reveals the pressure of being the No.1 draft pick in episode 2

Jack Watts says life would have been easier if he was recruited in the rookie draft in a revealing new episode of KFC SuperFooty TV. WATCH HERE

Former Melbourne and Port Adelaide star Jack Watts has opened up about the pressure of being the No.1 draft pick.

Watts’ name was read out first on draft day in 2008 and he admits he carried a burden of expectation for the rest of his 174-game AFL career

Watts retired at the end of last season and this year is co-hosting the new KFC SuperFooty TV show every week exclusively on heraldsun.com.au.

WATCH EPISODE 2 OF KFC SUPERFOOTY TV IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

“I think I carried a slight burden to be honest,” Watts said.

“I think they’re getting a bit better at handling it

“What I found the hard thing is when you’re pick 1 whatever you do — if you do something really well and you become an absolute gun like (Luke) Hodge or Nick Riewoldt, that’s sort of expected because you’re pick 1, but it’s pretty hard to be that good and be one of those players.

“If you don’t quite get to that level, then it’s a disappointment.

“It’s just hard to impress. If you’re pick 10 or 15 or 20 and you play pretty good footy everyone’s saying, ‘How good is this, what a steal’.”

Members of the 2008 draft class (from left) Daniel Rich, Michael Hurley, David Zaharakis, Tom Lynch, Jack Watts, Nic Naitanui, Ty Vickery, Sam Blease, Jackson Trengove and Hamish Hartlett, Picture: Michael Klein

Quizzed by host Michael Warner if he would have rather been taken later in the draft, Watts laughed: “Send me to pick 73 the rookie draft, I would have loved that.”

Also on the agenda for today’s show were the new medical sub and man on the mark rule and Eddie McGuire taking on Port Adelaide’s prison bars jumper, plus Mick and Jack give their tips for every game in Round 2.

Watch KFC SuperFooty TV every Tuesday at heraldsun.com.au.