Watson signs until the end of 2018

[ism22]

Got an e-mail about this before my son's swimming lesson and figured somebody else would post it. Nope, guess it's up to me.

Great move! I hope he get to play a lot of 1st grade. Just too bad we signed Keary! What happens to your head as a young half when this happens? Hopwfully he's still buzzing all year and put forward a serious claim for a starting spot.

[Spirit of 66]

Got an e-mail about this before my son's swimming lesson and figured somebody else would post it. Nope, guess it's up to me.

Great move! I hope he get to play a lot of 1st grade. Just too bad we signed Keary! What happens to your head as a young half when this happens? Hopwfully he's still buzzing all year and put forward a serious claim for a starting spot.

I think we only signed Keary until the end of 2018 too... So maybe he is only a stop-gap until Watson develops?

[The Axe]

Brilliant news. I enjoy watching him in our team. Excitement machine

[Bigchook]

Got an e-mail about this before my son's swimming lesson and figured somebody else would post it. Nope, guess it's up to me.

Great move! I hope he get to play a lot of 1st grade. Just too bad we signed Keary! What happens to your head as a young half when this happens? Hopwfully he's still buzzing all year and put forward a serious claim for a starting spot.

Keary is light years ahead Watson at this stage. Wouldn't be surprised if Watson spent more time at hooker than 5/8 this year.

[mattyh]

Great news i agree

[Moose]

Keary is light years ahead Watson at this stage. Wouldn't be surprised if Watson spent more time at hooker than 5/8 this year.

yeah i think he'll be coming on for jake off the bench

[The Axe]

Moose, that limits him to 10 mins max.Need at least 20 mins out of Watson

[Bigchook]

Moose, that limits him to 10 mins max.Need at least 20 mins out of Watson

Friend needs to be spelled for 20 minutes a game. We can afford to do it if our teams at full strength. Otherwise defence goes out the window when friends off the field.

[Rooster_6]

Good move by the club, there's a lot of clubs who are desperate for a halves.

I think it's a smart move by Watson too, nothing wrong with developing in First Grade from the bench, it's a great education that some of the best halves have gone through.

[mightyrooster]

Great news. The young man has a lot of potential and is a great ball runner. He just needs to improve his kicking and passing game if he wants to continue playing in the halves. He will be a good bench utility option next year.

[ism22]

Good move by the club, there's a lot of clubs who are desperate for a halves.

I think it's a smart move by Watson too, nothing wrong with developing in First Grade from the bench, it's a great education that some of the best halves have gone through.

Agreed 100%. The 2004 GF had SBW named as #17 and JT named as #18 (both played from the bench). A rigged team, but IMO their bench is what made the difference in a tight game. I'm semi-surprised that nobody has compared Watson to an early-career JT (zippy hole-running indigenous kid with average defence).

Ideally Watson will develop to the point where he's capable of showing either Pearce or Keary the door. IMO Hasting didn't earn the right to do that to Maloney, and we paid for it in 2016.

[mattyh]

Just a random thought how many premierships would the dogs have won if they kept jt and sbw ? Given melbourne and manlys dominance in the following years

[Moose]

Good move by the club, there's a lot of clubs who are desperate for a halves.

I think it's a smart move by Watson too, nothing wrong with developing in First Grade from the bench, it's a great education that some of the best halves have gone through.

I think he realises that there are flaws in his game he needs to work on, and wants to work on them, with a good coach and team this is a good way to do it.

[milanja]

Just a random thought how many premierships would the dogs have won if they kept jt and sbw ? Given melbourne and manlys dominance in the following years

Sonny was there til about 08, but was very injury prone, and let's not forget the salary cap scandal that allowed them to still win the 04 GF while adding talent to their team and not losing talent which they should of like Melbourne and parra did.

[mattyh]

Yea valid points, and i dont think folkes was a great coach....we really shouldve won one of 03 or 04....such a shame