THE JACK Watts show took another leap forward on Saturday night against Essendon.

This Friday will mark three years since his highly memorable, yet strangely forgettable debut in the 2009 Queen's Birthday clash against Collingwood.

Since then he's played forward, back and around the middle as successive coaches worked to develop his game.

But it's only in recent weeks that he has taken his game to the next level, leading the competition in intercept marks over the past three weeks and being high up in a number of statistical categories.

His form turned around once he went back to the VFL after round five.

Midway through the second quarter of that VFL game between Casey Scorpions and Geelong, Watts grabbed the ball at half-back.

Off one step he picked out a target in the middle of the ground, breaking the game open with his bullet-like pass. The Scorpions kicked a goal.

The few watching inhaled quickly.

That was what he could do. 

He was playing in the VFL because the previous week Watts had failed to record a tackle playing as a defensive forward against St Kilda's Sam Fisher.

While he had observed at close quarters how one of the game's best defensive spares went about his business his effort lacked intensity.

To many outsiders his career appeared at the crossroads.

But to Mark Neeld the decision to drop him back was purely based on where and how the youngster could best develop.

And when he spoke publicly about Watts after the decision he kept all his options open.

"Jack has scope to play in a number of positions. He's tall enough to play as a key forward, there is no doubting that," Neeld said at the time.

"Can we put some muscle mass on him to enable him to wrestle with those big defenders? Yeah, I think we can. He has also got that athletic ability and agility to play through the midfield, which is hard to match up on so I think he'll spend his career being able to play in a number of positions."

Watts missed two senior games before returning to play across half-back against the Swans.

In the 101-point loss he gained 34 possessions and was the only bright spot in a dark evening for the Demons.

Once again, as often happens, from defeat progress began.

Through the past three rounds Watts has led the competition in intercept possessions, as well as intercept marks, and he is second for rebound 50s.

He might play his 50th game in round 12 in the defensive position he looks suited to play.

And over time he might be able to play the sort of rebound football that first round draft picks, St Kilda's Brendon Goddard and Geelong's Andrew Mackie (a player Essendon champion Tim Watson compared him to weeks ago) have made their names playing.

It's too early to tell but the signs are promising.

He can read the cues of the opposition well, knowing where to position himself for the incoming kick.

He understands when to zone off his opponent and when to tighten up. He has only had one goal kicked on him in three weeks.

For a 196cm player he is very agile and able to create space for himself quickly, providing an option for the lateral kick.

His hands are OK although he needs to improve his marking going back with the ball.

Twice he has spilled marks drifting back with the flight this season.

Most heartening for Demon fans was his battle late in the game with Jobe Watson deep in the Bombers' forward pocket.

He was not perfect, going to ground but he used his strength and pace to delay Watson long enough for support to arrive.

The rushed behind was critical.

Watts would not have managed to do that last season.

And his kicking is just getting better. In the past three weeks he sits 14th in the AFL for effective kicks. Mackie sits ninth. And he is the team's best option when a kick-out is required after a behind.

He has created six score launches. His left foot pass to Jordie McKenzie led to Cale Morton's goal in the second quarter on Saturday night.

It's no coincidence that the Demons have reached 50 inside 50s in the past two weeks with Watts getting better behind the ball.

He plays higher but he reminds me of 2010 All-Australian Ben Reid, who was drafted in the first round as a forward, and then went through a transformation in the VFL in 2009 - with Neeld as the Magpies defensive coach - to emerge as a rebounding defender. 

Of course he has much football to play before he reaches that standard, and the possibilities of where he ends up remain wide.

But right now Watts is responding to what is being asked of him, and the Demons look better because of it.

Stats supplied by Champion Data