Power drop Watts for Dogs clash

NEW club, same problem.

Halfway through his debut season at Port Adelaide, star recruit Jack Watts is out of the side because of form.

The Power dropped the highprofile recruit for tonight’s home clash with the Western Bulldogs.

After nine up-and-down seasons at Melbourne, the 2008 No. 1 draft pick went to the Power to reboot his AFL career.

But after a promising six-goal pre-season game against Adelaide, the key forward has managed only 13 goals in 11 matches.

He went scoreless in Friday’s big win over Richmond, with just 12 disposals and two marks.

“Jack knows his form hasn’t been at the level he would like it to be and he understands the reasons for it,” Power coach Ken Hinkley said. “He needs to go back and play well. If he plays well, he will find a way back in.

“It is not different to any player — that is what Lindsay Thomas has done.”

The move to Alberton is seen as a fresh start for Watts after playing 153 games for the Demons.

Last year, he featured in 16 senior games, missing four because of a hamstring injury and then being dropped for rounds 21 and 22 as the Demons fell agonisingly short of the top eight.

Thomas is also at his second club, joining the Power this season on their rookie list after North Melbourne had delisted him.

Tonight’s match at Adelaide Oval will be the small forward’s second senior game this season.

Watts was dropped for teenager Todd Marshall, who was given compassionate leave in April after his father died.

“Marshall and Watts are not dissimilar as talls,” Hinkley said.

“We were a bit more worried about the extra tall for tomorrow night, but it also is about the balance going forward.

“We still want Jack as part of our side, we brought him here to help us and he will still help us a lot.

“No player is any different — you have to play your role.”

THE future of Western Bulldogs midfielder Liam Picken has become clouded once again as he continues to struggle with concussion symptoms.

The 31-year-old has not played since suffering a heavy head knock in pre-season, but had been progressing toward a return to the field.

He cleared a major hurdle when he ramped up his training and participation around the club a month ago.

The premiership player went through running drills at Whitten Oval yesterday, but coach Luke Beveridge believes it is unlikely he will play again this year.

“At the start of the year I tried to stave off continuing question time around Picko’s plight because we could see that he was going to be out for a long time,” Beveridge said.

“Then as recently as a month ago the news was positive (with) the testing and how he was feeling.

“Every indication was that he was going to be able to come back and play, but I think now I’m back to where we were at the start of the year.”