Even when he’s in the stands minding his own business, Jack Watts cannot seem to avoid controversy.

The man who has become the unfortunate symbol of Melbourne’s woeful start to this AFL season was in the news again on Saturday for the wrong reasons.

After being a high-profile omission for the 94-point loss to West Coast, Watts was an emergency player at the MCG.

Some commentators were critical, saying he should have been released to regain some form in the VFL.

Their affiliates the Casey Scorpions were also playing on Saturday.

But coach Mark Neeld said a player in the senior team – understood to be either Mark Jamar or Mitch Clark – was close to not playing.

“We certainly had one of our taller types … under an injury cloud,” Neeld said.

“He needed to have a run around this morning and then try to get through the warm-up.

“It would have been disastrous for the football club had that player not got through the warm-up and Jack Watts was in Ballarat.”

Fans booed Watts off the field when he was subbed out of last weekend’s horror loss to Essendon.

Neeld is confident Watts will lose little by not playing this weekend.

“We feel missing one VFL game for Jack Watts is not going to be a massive issue,” he said.

“He’s done all the training, he’s played a number of games.”