Bombertalk

As everyone is aware, Jobe Watson came second in our B and F this year. Whilst everyone is singing his praises about what a great season he has had and how hard he has worked, and to be fair to Jobe, he has, I think this is major cause for concern.

Firstly, I cannot think of any teams that, given the chance, would start Watson in their midfield. In fact, he wouldn't be close to getting a game for any of the top eight teams. This effectively puts Watson outside the top 40 midfielders in the AFL, and definitely outside the top 100 players in the league. Travis Johnson, for example, starts on the bench for Melbourne. Realistically, he is not going to poll a single vote in the Brownlow medal.

The fact, then, that he was second in our club B and F is most worrying. What does this say about the other players at our club and where their form is at? With the aging of our key players that have held up the club over the past 4-5 years (Hird, Lucas, Fletcher, Lloyd etc) I think we have a number of dark years ahead of us before we start seeing the light!

Why so pessimistic, Gringo?

Whilst I'm not one of the naive ones that thinks we just need a slightly better run with injuries and we'll be back amongst the premierships in no time, I do think we should improve over the next 2-3 years.

I think your being bit harsh on Jobe, before making a comment, let's give the "kid" another year before we start commenting on his game.

This post makes no sense. This was Watson's first full year without injury. He got out onto the park 21 times from memory, and has proved that he has improved 10 fold. Give him another year or two before you put him up against other midfielders.

I think our midfield is slowly coming along, although I think we need to find a player who can really break a game open besides Hird. Stants, JJ, Pev, Campo, Dyson etc are all reasonable solid, but not real game breakers. I think Dyson has the capacity though.You can't compare Jonstone to Watson either. One is a receiver, and one is in and under and gets the ball for himself.

Also, most teams have a deficiency. West Coast for example - best midfield in the comp, but forward line is average, and can go missing when it reall counts.

what a load of rubbish. Jobe has had a great year and improved dramatically. He still needs to improve his foot skills but he should his ability to get the ball out of the middle. He doesnt need more pace we have that in other players. If Jobe can get the ball out to our runners then our midfield will be working well.
To say no other team in the top eight would give him a game is just an utter joke. If we put him on the market, every team ould approach us.
I would be interested to know how you justify such ridiculous comments.
By the way he is no star after 1 very good year but he was definately worthy of runner up in the Crichton.

2 posts on this forum gringo and both of them bagging Watson. What's your problem with him?

He has done well this season so credit should be given.

Jobe has the best hands in the AFL and would have to be in the top 5 for reading the game.

His endurance improved out of sight this year and he now runs out a game no problem.

He would already be one of the best in and under midfielders in the game and as soon as his kicking comes good he will be a top class midfielder in the league.

I have no doubt he will be the next Scotty West. Rackin up the possies and setting up the play.

Well said Dazman. Gringo I don't think you understand the role Jobe plays. He is there to get firsts hands on the ball and feed it out. He was top 5 in the league for first touches and thats without a dominant tap ruckman.

As others have said it was his first year and he did very well. He was the reason for a few of our comebacks. He did very very well, and will become a vital player for us. No point having players like Dyson and Stanton on the outside if there is no one to get the ball to them.

What a ridiculous post, gringo. Jobe is going to be a great player for us, the new Misiti, and he will be our midfield leader in a few seasons.

He's not perfect (but apart from Judd, how many players are) and he certainly needs to work on his foot skills, but come on. When JJ was struggling at the start of the year, Jobe was the only Essendon player who looked like gettting a clearance. And he was doing it without a dominant ruckman.

The midfield has runners. Guys like Stants, Dyson, Lovett, Winder and Dempsey will be hitting their straps a midfileders soon, which gives the side plenty of pace. With JJ getting nearer to the end of a great career, who's going to be the one at the bottom of the pack, feeding out handballs (much like Misiti, West, Ratten etc).

He can find the pill, which is the hard part. The skills will come.

We have a young side that will get better with time. Watson will be a big part of that.

Ha ha ha:

Jobe has the best hands in the AFL and would have to be in the top 5 for reading the game.

His endurance improved out of sight this year and he now runs out a game no problem.

He would already be one of the best in and under midfielders in the game and as soon as his kicking comes good he will be a top class midfielder in the league.

Wow. How blessed we are. A midfielder that can run out a game! Awesome.

Watson has got good hands, but so does just above every other midfielder in the business. It stands out more with Jobe 'cos his foot skills are ghastly and it's all he does when he gets the ball.

I'm not sure if you've noticed but the days of "in and under" midfielders have all but vanished. The midfields of all the final four teams this year are made up of fast, hard running, skillful players.

Even Misti, as good as servant as he was of the club, was getting dropped out of the side ten years ago when he was in his prime. He was simply too slow! The games has become a lot quicker since the mid-late 90s.

gringo wrote:Ha ha ha:

Jobe has the best hands in the AFL and would have to be in the top 5 for reading the game.

His endurance improved out of sight this year and he now runs out a game no problem.

He would already be one of the best in and under midfielders in the game and as soon as his kicking comes good he will be a top class midfielder in the league.

Wow. How blessed we are. A midfielder that can run out a game! Awesome.

Watson has got good hands, but so does just above every other midfielder in the business. It stands out more with Jobe 'cos his foot skills are ghastly and it's all he does when he gets the ball.

I'm not sure if you've noticed but the days of "in and under" midfielders have all but vanished. The midfields of all the final four teams this year are made up of fast, hard running, skillful players.

Even Misti, as good as servant as he was of the club, was getting dropped out of the side ten years ago when he was in his prime. He was simply too slow! The games has become a lot quicker since the mid-late 90s.

Fremantle Midfield - Josh Carr, Peter Bell, Troy Cook

Which of these three are fast, hard running and skillful?

There is ALWAYS room for a good in and under player who can get the ball out to the fast, hard running players a la Scotty West (one of the favourites for the brownlow)

Misiti got dropped because he got fat and lazy...once he dropped the weight he was a regular player until the last year of his career.

The best midfields are all about balance - they have the perfect combination of speed, skills, strength and hardness. Jobe is crucial to the strength of our midfield - his size doesnt allow him to be the best runner in the midfield but it does knock blokes off the ball - thats why he is so good at extracting the ball out of a pack.

In an under midfielders will never vanish - that aspect of the game will always be there. Jobe's body has undergone alot of changes since he was drafted - not many people know he grew 11cm in that time. Musculature takes a lot longer than a couple of years to get used to that sort of growth so I honestly think his speed and skills will improve.

Anyone who had Jobe in their dreamteams this year would know just how valuable he has been for the Bombers this year. It's sad you're taking pot shots at one of the few regular performers we had in our ranks this season Gringo... You're way off.

Gringo quit eating the worms out of the Tequila bottles. The only thing anyone agrees with you about is that his foot skills need to improve. Other than that im beginning to wonder if you watch any games. All top eight sides have in and under players Kerr, Carr, Kirk, Goodwin etc every team needs to be able to get the ball out of a pack and without these players the runners would never get the ball.

your a know all f*** all Gringo!! Good work!! LOL

Oh by the way in and under players stats are generally dominated by handballs as no room in packs for effective kicks instead a precise handball to a running player

Pretty harsh post for a guy who has played his first full season & has been rewarded for his efforts.
Watson is a important cog in our midfield engine dont worry about that.

gringo wrote: Travis Johnson, for example, starts on the bench for Melbourne. Realistically, he is not going to poll a single vote in the Brownlow medal.

What makes you think Travis Johnstone starts on the bench for Melbourne? Sure he may of done it a couple of times this season but he is recognised as being one of the best if not the best Melbourne midfielder.

Watson is on and off the bench all game, so what does that make him?

Johnstone only really started there in games where there would be anticipated busts up at the start, to avoid any physical damage to him.