Shane Watson, you're a star

[Top_Cat]

It's only in response to the hype he gets from commentators, former players, etc. Stripped-back, he's a decent bat (who is getting better all the time) and good in the field but he's well short of the mark as an all-rounder. I've advocated for a long time that if he's to get a Test run, it should be as a batting all-rounder who doesn't bowl that much, perhaps a decent 5th.

Anyway, with a batting line-up of;

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds

with Kat in the wings in the form of his life and Hodge ahead of him (just and he's rapidly closing the gap), he's not going to get a look-in for a while unless he's picked as a bowling allrounder which, in my opinion, would be folly. Should be given a long run in ODI's now, though.

 

[pasag]

The amount of hype Watson receives on this forum is ridiculous. Sure he's a good player, but I can see why so many people dislike him. It seems whenever he turns in a good performance there are 10 people lining up with comments like "I love you Watto", or "**** you Watto hatters" etc. Starting to get pretty tired of it TBH, which is a shame as I don't mind Watson as a cricketer.

 

[pasag]

Seriously though, stupidest call. No one is saying that he's greater than Keith Miller or Imran Khan, but the love comes from enduring years of stupid comments about how crap he is from people who should know better. So when he gets his first international hundrered, like today, or is the MOTS in a tournament featuring many international stars in formats that he was written off in not long ago, there is going to be a high level of celebration in the Watson camp. It's hardly 'hype' at all.

 

[duffer]

To this day I still can't figure out why he's such a polarising character in people's minds. Sure some of his over-celebrating can make him come off as a tool but that really shouldn't be enough to form such strong hatred that a lot of people have for him. Personally don't mind him and rate him pretty highly as a batting prospect.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah I think the "Watson love" is mainly a response to the fact that he is so polarising and so many people hate him. A lot of that has to do with the fact that he was a project player IMO, as well as personality issues.

Anyway I love watching him play, was an absolute pleasure of an innings last night, and I've been a fan of his as a prospect for a number of years so I've enjoyed his good performances over the last couple of seasons for that reason.

 

[Perm]

Seriously though, stupidest call. No one is saying that he's greater than Keith Miller or Imran Khan, but the love comes from enduring years of stupid comments about how crap he is from people who should know better. So when he gets his first international hundrered, like today, or is the MOTS in a tournament featuring many international stars in formats that he was written off in not long ago, there is going to be a high level of celebration in the Watson camp. It's hardly 'hype' at all.

For a start, was the rolleyes necessary? I feel I was making a perfectly valid point, and would've thought you would respond to it a little better than that pasag.

Secondly, I like Watson. I think he's got plenty of potential and is definitely going to be a good player for Australia. I just don't see the need for constant celebrations every time he does well, even if some people have written him off in the past. You think that as fans of his, you'd be happy to let his performances speak for themselves, but instead you seem to want to gloat when he does do well. It strikes me as OTT is all.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah I think the "Watson love" is mainly a response to the fact that he is so polarising and so many people hate him. A lot of that has to do with the fact that he was a project player IMO, as well as personality issues.

See, I'm not entirely sure of that. I don't recall anyone complaining about too much stuff he's actually said, per se, because I don't think he's been in the press all that much for a player so hyped as he's been. I reckon the hate is more simple than that; every good or bad commentator has said he's the next whoever and, for many reasons, he hasn't shown that. Couple that with a rep as someone who's been physically fragile and it comes across that he's soft. I've heard plenty through the traps about him personally but, eh, difficult characters are a part of any elite team, especially the Aussie team, and they've handled it with many others so I don't think that's unduly impacted on his success or otherwise.

If anything, the commentators have dug his grave; anyone so talked-up who doesn't live up to it after 6 years is going to suffer at the hands of the public. Sucks for him because he has the capability to be a pretty good Test player if he can stay on the park.

 

[pasag]

For a start, was the rolleyes necessary? I feel I was making a perfectly valid point, and would've thought you would respond to it a little better than that pasag.

Secondly, I like Watson. I think he's got plenty of potential and is definitely going to be a good player for Australia. I just don't see the need for constant celebrations every time he does well, even if some people have written him off in the past. You think that as fans of his, you'd be happy to let his performances speak for themselves, but instead you seem to want to gloat when he does do well. It strikes me as OTT is all.

Yes the roll eyes is a necessary tool when defending the great one. I'm sorry it has to come to that

And it may be childish and it may be petty, but my God we deserve it for the years of enduring the irrational hate, the constant arguing that the guy does not have a future in the Australian team (which btw was typically from fellow Australian fans). So when that guy continues to prove us right with a performance like that of todays, there will be an outpouring of love. I wouldn't think it's that OTT at all after all the hard yards we've put in.

 

[amokk1]

Just logged in to state that the current Australian ODI side is looking very good. Gotta luv the players Aussies keep churning out!!!

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

What a bloke.

 

[morgieb]

In a team like Australia, where guys like David Hussey having a first class average of 56 don't make their international debut till the age of 29, Shane Watson made his debut at the age of 21. The selectors must have spotted something special in him to give him a break at such a young age.

Hats off to the Player of the Tournament, very well played by him, he has developed a cult following not only in India but the whole world must have stood up and took notice of the stuff that he is made of.

Huss didn't make his FC debut 'till he was 25 tho.

 

[morgieb]

 

[Johnners]

Wattttttoooooooooo

 

[Nate]

Secondly, I like Watson. I think he's got plenty of potential and is definitely going to be a good player for Australia. I just don't see the need for constant celebrations every time he does well, even if some people have written him off in the past. You think that as fans of his, you'd be happy to let his performances speak for themselves, but instead you seem to want to gloat when he does do well. It strikes me as OTT is all.

WATTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[four_or_six]

Definitely a gold star performance from Watto Good to see him making the most of his opportunity.

As an England fan it's hard to see why he gets such a hard time from Aussie fans - we'd think he was great over here, the results he's had! Also seems like a totally nice bloke when he's interviewed.

 

[Johnners]

WATTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

AWTA

 

[morgieb]

Watto, what a gun.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

The amount of hype Watson receives on this forum is ridiculous. Sure he's a good player, but I can see why so many people dislike him. It seems whenever he turns in a good performance there are 10 people lining up with comments like "I love you Watto", or "**** you Watto hatters" etc. Starting to get pretty tired of it TBH, which is a shame as I don't mind Watson as a cricketer.

I was thinking about this last night. I don't think it's "hype", more rabid fanboyism. Back in like, 2005 and 2006, it was pretty much just me and f00ler arguing the Watson case, mainly on the back of domestic performances for Tasmania and Hampshire (iirc). PEWS was obv. a member but only posted non-sensical rubbish in OT from what I can remember. Since then others have joined, Gelman, Clapham etc

It's comes across as hype because of the polarising effect he has. You either think he's a great cricketer or you think he's trash, there really isn't many in the middle (especially in Australia). We've been arguing the case for so long that the "hype" when he performs well is more relief than anything else. It's not gloating and it's not overstating his abilities, it's pretty much pure joy at his success.

 

[pasag]

PEWS was obv. a member but only posted non-sensical rubbish in OT from what I can remember.

 

[Richard]

f00ler