Riewoldt Watts article

[saintsrox]

Good article on Nick and Jack on WWOS.com.au by GT

Watts and Riewoldt - a bit of history repeating? 5/12/2008 1:37:00 PM.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the AFL’s number one draft choice, Jack Watts, over the weekend. Talk about déjà vu. What made the feeling even more compelling was that the figure he reminded me of so much, Nick Riewoldt, was in the same place.

I return home from delivering my youngest to a party, and when I look outside there are two number one draft choices hovering – both seemingly separated by respect. Jack in the pool with his mate, and Nick doing what Nick does best – king of the kids.

I am not certain you could meet two more well-adjusted, focussed, considerate and wonderful human beings. Is this the path to greatness?

It is something I will never get tired of doing – watching and observing how young people interact and associate. Nick the confident, blond, good-looking athlete with a body resembling a world class swimmer. Jack the tall, innocent colt with arms and legs flailing everywhere, seemingly out of control. That is until he picks up a kids’ footy or starts bouncing a basketball as though it is an extension of his limbs. Svelte, harmonious movements – he has a glide about him – even though he’s somewhat bow-legged at initial impressions.

They both stalk each other; one knowing he is currently out of his depth, the other remembering his time as a skinny, shy, focussed young man walking into the Saints in 2001. Eight seasons and four club Best and Fairest awards later, he is a giant of the game and has the expectation of his starved club on his broad shoulders.

Jack asks discreetly about Nick when he first started. He has admiration and dreams in his eyes. I reply that he didn’t look too different to himself. I immediately cast my mind back to a training session at Monash University, which is probably my first real memory of Nick. Time has eaten away at the detail, but I can still remember a skinny, white-haired young man with focus written all over his face, competing as hard as he could in the 1km time trials under the watchful eye of Malcolm Blight. I’m sure Dean Bailey will have the same excited smirk on his face as Blighty did when he sees his charge going through his paces. Some people have just got what it takes and you get sucked along in their slipstream.

Jack smacks me out of my nostalgic dream with the words, “He wasn’t this skinny was he?â€

[james rose]

fantastic article!

A really good read- I felt like I was in the room

[saintbrat]

paints good pictured- pity there aren't photos

[jays]

what a great read thanks

[bobmurray]

Too bad Grant disappeared up his own arse....

he may still be coach if he'd stayed true to his original edict....

[Lennon]

Too bad Grant disappeared up his own arse....

he may still be coach if he'd stayed true to his original edict....

Christ.



Great article, really enjoyed it.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

gt's articles are opinion pieces... they are from a viewpoint of a person who has been there done that in the industry and they at times offer page long writings on the most abstract issues...in this instance the roo/watts relationship and how much gt see's in a young watts

good read

[duckduckduckgoose]

great read thanks for the post

[bobmurray]

Too bad Grant disappeared up his own arse....

he may still be coach if he'd stayed true to his original edict....

Christ.

Don't get too carried away,GT's only a flawed human,there will be no
resurrection where GT and StKilda are concerned....

[Teflon]

Too bad Grant disappeared up his own arse....

he may still be coach if he'd stayed true to his original edict....

Christ.

Don't get too carried away,GT's only a flawed human,there will be no
resurrection where GT and StKilda are concerned....

and thank f@rk for that.

seriously, its a great read.

sadly, it smacks of a man who ikes to be seen as "kingdaddy" of the kids and who absolutely needs to remind everyone that he STILL has close ties with a superstar AFL footballer in Riewoldt (and is therefore relevant and worth listening to...) AND possibly an inkling into his next victim in Watts.

Regardless, hope they enjoyed swimming in Rod's pool.....must be great living in a house in Brighton that you stooged your once best friend out of a million bucks for...........

Thank the lord we NOW have a coach whose main focus aint himself but the actual football the club plays....

[Saints Premiers 2008]

Too bad Grant disappeared up his own arse....

he may still be coach if he'd stayed true to his original edict....

Christ.

Don't get too carried away,GT's only a flawed human,there will be no
resurrection where GT and StKilda are concerned....

and thank f@rk for that.

seriously, its a great read.

sadly, it smacks of a man who ikes to be seen as "kingdaddy" of the kids and who absolutely needs to remind everyone that he STILL has close ties with a superstar AFL footballer in Riewoldt (and is therefore relevant and worth listening to...) AND possibly an inkling into his next victim in Watts.

Regardless, hope they enjoyed swimming in Rod's pool.....must be great living in a house in Brighton that you stooged your once best friend out of a million bucks for...........

Thank the lord we NOW have a coach whose main focus aint himself but the actual football the club plays....

bingo..there is no doubting that ross the boss is the asshole this club needs to move from chreche to the big school...with the big boys

[HarveysDeciple]

Good to see a nice article and a good thread resorting to the usual vitriol and smart arse comments....

ah well.

[Teflon]

Good to see a nice article and a good thread resorting to the usual vitriol and smart arse comments....

ah well.

Its an opinion on the article - not a smart @ss comment...... thats a more apt description of your own poor mans attempt to hijack a thread simply cause it doesnt conform to your own "I love GT" rules.

Why not try contributing AN OPINION on the article (which is the subject of the thread) as opposed to one on other forum members views??

Ive always thought a mods role was to stem baiting and mud slinging on the site......not incite it.

[stinger]

Good to see a nice article and a good thread resorting to the usual vitriol and smart arse comments....

ah well.

what would you expect...once grant's name is mentioned......some pple won't move on......

[HarveysDeciple]

Good to see a nice article and a good thread resorting to the usual vitriol and smart arse comments....

ah well.

Its an opinion on the article - not a smart @ss comment...... thats a more apt description of your own poor mans attempt to hijack a thread simply cause it doesnt conform to your own "I love GT" rules.

Why not try contributing AN OPINION on the article (which is the subject of the thread) as opposed to one on other forum members views??

Ive always thought a mods role was to stem baiting and mud slinging on the site......not incite it.

just read my post.....looks like an oppinion on the thread.....something more then allowed from a mod I would think......but let me know if it passes

[joffaboy]

Boring article. Didn't like it at all.

Not a reflection on the author as I usually enjoy his articles.

Please leave the personal stuff out of it. just because it is Thomas, doesn't make it that you have to make it about him.

Talk about the subject.

[HarveysDeciple]

Boring article. Didn't like it at all.

Not a reflection on the author as I usually enjoy his articles.

Please leave the personal stuff out of it. just because it is Thomas, doesn't make it that you have to make it about him.

Talk about the subject.

exactly....and that's my point, some people can't resist...they preach to me about posting on topic when there eyes simply light up at another chance to pot GT.

[Cro]

Boring article. Didn't like it at all.

I agree, i wasn't going to read it until I read everyone saying it was a good read.

So Watts is a lot like Riewoldt was 8 years ago, I didn't need an article filled with "I had an AFL superstar at my house!" to tell me that.

[Teflon]

Good to see a nice article and a good thread resorting to the usual vitriol and smart arse comments....

ah well.

what would you expect...once grant's name is mentioned......some pple won't move on......

Trust me....the whole place wishes youd move on...

[Teflon]

Boring article. Didn't like it at all.

I agree, i wasn't going to read it until I read everyone saying it was a good read.

So Watts is a lot like Riewoldt was 8 years ago, I didn't need an article filled with "I had an AFL superstar at my house!" to tell me that.

Spot on Cro....it is nothing more than GT marketing material 101......"2 young bulls circle each other in my kitchen... while I scream to the world - Ive still got it...." blah blah..blah...


but careful if you voice that as an opinion....you'll have GT's personal "mody-guard" after you declaring your opinion a "smart @ss" comment while his own is full of virtue......

As for any suggestion about any response mentioning GT as personal the facts are its an article writtent by Grant Thomas - whether we like it or not as a total topic/subject/thread thats as relevant as the article itself and people will have an opinion on it.

I respect anyones right to have an opposing view on the article to mine - I dont attack them for it - good luck to them.....and I certainly wont go round labelling them a "smart @ss" while hiding under the cover of a moderator...supposedly interested in upholding the sites rules on what is and isnt good posting.....

[Cro]

Exactly, if GT writes a good article I will say so, if he writes rubbish (which we have here) I will say so. If you like it, that's great. People will always read and take it in differently.

Some people have to get over GT, he's gone, and I think now we are better for it.

[Lennon]

Exactly, if GT writes a good article I will say so, if he writes rubbish (which we have here) I will say so. If you like it, that's great. People will always read and take it in differently.

Some people have to get over GT, he's gone, and I think now we are better for it.

Er, dude?

Take a look at which people made the article about the author rather than the contents.

Jesus Christ, and you tell other people to "get over" GT?

[Joffa Burns]

and Nick doing what Nick does best – king of the kids.

I thought playing footy was what Nick does best

The article - nothing but Fluff, but let's face facts at this time of the year the papers etc are full of footy fluff. What else is there to write about.

We are resigned to 4 months of <insert name> is training the house down.

<insert name> is going to make the best of the opportunity at his new club after being given a lifeline.

<insert name> is finally fully fit after the penny has dropped and he understands what AFL footy is all about.

Is the article GT grandstanding about his connections - maybe, probably but who gives a hairy rats @rse about fatboy Thomas or what he has to say?

[stevos2009]

rooey is a sook

[Ralphy]

Dont feed the troll guys, cant we ip ban this guy.