JACK Watts and Melbourne are stuck in a rut, having gone through a cycle that "hasn't changed", Demons coach Simon Goodwin says.

Meanwhile, NAB AFL Trade Radio reported on Monday that Sydney was interested in the 26-year-old.

The forward has fallen out of favour, a little over a year after signing a contract that saw him contracted until the end of 2019. 

Since being drafted at No.1 in 2008, Watts has lined up in 153 matches and booted 143 goals.

Goodwin told Melbourne radio station RSN on Monday not much had changed with Watts, despite having a career-best season in 2016 and finishing fifth in the club championship.

"This is obviously a situation where it's been going on for a long period of time. We're eight or nine years into a career and there's been a similar lot of expectation and a lot of pressure has been placed on both the Melbourne footy club and Jack over a long period of time," Watts said.

"That's cycle's continued, it hasn't changed, and I guess you've got to continue to assess where you are as a footy club, and I guess where Jack's at as well."

He was under pressure to line up in the round one team after not being selected in the opening two pre-season games and was dropped from the side late in the season.

Being a contracted player, Watts would need to agree to a trade if the Demons want him to leave.