Jack Watts getting his revenge on Collingwood
WHAT’S been overlooked from Collingwood’s miserable afternoon against the Demons was the Magpies were again tormented by Jack Watts. Yes, you read that right.
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WHAT has been overlooked from Collingwood’s miserable afternoon against the Demons was the Magpies were again tormented by Jack Watts.
Yes, you read that right.
This is the same player who has been incessantly bashed in the media since he was battered by the Pies in his AFL debut when still a schoolboy seven years ago.
But the roles have reversed and now it’s Watts who is beating up on Collingwood.
Melbourne has won back-to-back games against the Magpies and Watts has been instrumental in both victories.
He kicked four first-half goals and gathered 17 disposals and eight marks in Sunday’s 35-point win, which followed up his 26-disposal performance in Round 18 last year.
In his past three games against Collingwood Watts has averaged 19.7 disposals, two goals, 5.7 score involvements and 95 ranking points, which is up 4.2 disposals, 1.8 goals and 28 ranking points from his previous six against the Pies.
Teammate Max Gawn said Melbourne’s on-field improvement has allowed Watts to showcase his talent.
“It’s good to see Wattsy up and about. People forget that he was a full forward in a team that was getting 20 inside 50s for some games, so he was always going to struggle in those circumstances,” Gawn said on SEN on Monday.
“Now that the midfield and the backline are starting to get it right and moving the ball a little bit better, Wattsy’s starting to get on the end of it as well. He’s taken a few contested marks and he’s becoming the player we want him to be.”
On Sunday it wasn’t just the goals Watts kicked, it was how and when they were scored that counted and helped rip the match away from Collingwood.
He set the tone of the afternoon with the game’s first goal from a dribble kick, then got the Dees off to the perfect start in the second quarter when he converted a set shot from 50m.
Watts threaded another goal from the boundary after the Magpies started to wrestle some momentum back with consecutive goals, and when Adam Treloar sparked another Collingwood fightback he bobbed up again for his fourth major just before halftime.
Playing deeper in attack this season Watts has kicked nine goals from the opening four rounds and his career seems to finally be taking off.
Even Demons coach Paul Roos admitted the club had got caught up in the external criticism of Watts but added the 25-year-old was “starting to become a really good player”.
“We were always confident that he’s got talent and when he plays the way we want him to play he’s an effective player,” Roos said post-match.
“It’s four weeks in and we hope he continues to play like that because he’s really important to us and crucial to us when he does.”
FROM TORMENTED TO TORMENTOR
Jack Watts v Collingwood
Career stats
Source: Champion Data
Originally published as Jack Watts getting his revenge on Collingwood
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