Jack Watts keeping his chin up as he trains hard to convince Simon Goodwin to play him in final pre-season game

AN ill Jack Watts was forced to leave Melbourne’s community camp, but Jordan Lewis insisted the forward has improved his training standards over the past fortnight.

OUT-of-favour Melbourne forward Jack Watts was forced to leave the club’s community camp in Cranbourne early on Tuesday due to illness, but Demons leadership group member Jordan Lewis insisted the former No.1 draft pick has shown significant improvement in his training standards over the past fortnight.

Watts has been left out of the Demons’ two JLT Community Series matches with coach Simon Goodwin yet to give him an indication whether he will play in the final pre-season match against West Coast next week.

And he was unable to take part in a running session in the second half of training at Casey Fields, bypassing a school visit so he could go home to recover from his sickness.

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Lewis said Watts had upped the ante in the past two weeks as he attempts to win favour again, saying he had taken his demotion in the right manner.

“It’s hard to change a winning side, (but) from what we have seen, he (Watts) has changed his attitude around and started to put his nose down and train really hard,” Lewis said.

“That is what ‘Goody’ (Goodwin) expected of him. He has taken it in the right way. Whether he plays next week or not, I am not sure.”

Jack Watts contests with Jack Viney for the ball during training at Casey Fields in Cranbourne. Picture: Michael Klein

Watts, who turns 26 this month, finished fifth in the club’s best-and-fairest last year, but found himself on the outer for the early part of the pre-season with question marks over his training standards.

His omission came as the club’s new coach made a statement that those who perform on the track will be rewarded with selection in the early part of the JLT matches.

Lewis said: “That’s ‘Goody’’s plan, he wants to reward players who have had good pre-season and put their hands up to play in the JLT (Series). I think we will play another strong side against West Coast and then we will that mix going into Round 1 (against St Kilda).”

Teammate Christian Petracca said Watts was still “a valuable asset for us” and the players expected him to quickly bounce back.

“He knows he has to earn his spot to play, and he knows what he has got to do to play,” Petracca said.

“I can speak for all the boys when I say ... I can’t wait to play with him (again).”

Jack Watts talks with coach Simon Goodwin. Picture: Michael Klein

Watts gets involved in a marking drill. Picture: Michael Klein

While Watts was feeling ill throughout much of Tuesday’s session, spending part of it in goalkicking practice, his teammate Mitch Hannan fared even worse.

Hannan, who was drafted to the Demons as pick 46 from Footscray in the VFL, lost part of his two front teeth after a tackling drill with Pat McKenna went awry.

“He has got to go to the dentist,” Petracca said.

“I am pretty sure Patty McKenna elbowed Mitchy accidentally in a tackling drill. He wouldn’t have done it on purpose. He should have worn a mouthguard.”