Player Watch Pick #23 (2019) - Dylan Williams

[Ford Fairlane]

I was thinking the same. He looked more muscular in his U18 year. Duursma’s the same, even Drew. Sausage arms aplenty on our list.

A bit off topic soz, but you look at the builds on Melbourne's players and wonder how we both had the same fitness coach.

Dylan plays an anaerobic strength based game close to goal so build his strength. He's never going to be a mid or run out of sight on a dark night.

 

[robbo1981]

Think we got A bit cute because we had the first pick of night 2.
Sure we got an extra 2nd rounder out of it but Dev Robertson was screaming pick me.

 

[Long live PAFC]

Nah he was the right pick on the night - highly regarded but injury interrupted season. Some saw him as a top 10 pick.

I’m not sure it’s fair to criticise our development - at least, not entirely.

Unless there is something we don’t know, it seems very much on Dylan’s shoulders. He has Robbie gray

9

Robbie Gray

Age

36

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

9.8

4star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.4

5star

D

13.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

10.4

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

as a model - he should follow him everywhere, and Boak as an example of the hard work required. Also plenty of second chancers who are desperate for an opportunity, so he should understand the stakes.

 

[Mikey13G]

I half jokingly, and half seriously have said we need to send him to California with Boak to one of those sprint track club's (was thinking of Joe Douglas' Santa Monica Track Club who had Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell, Mike Marsh, Joe DeLoach, Steve Lewis, Kevin Young all Olympic sprinting gold medalists, plus a few others I've missed) to turn him from more Carl Williams into more Carl Lewis.

Fitness and speed is an issue, but I reckon his actual running cadence is a big issue. He has a very inefficient running style.

He should personally employ a sprint coach to teach him how to run properly. If he can't change his running cadence, I think he has no hope of making it.

There's a famous saying- You can't teach speed! A lot of NFL hopefuls will go to training camps with former sprinters like Michael Johnson, but it's only to improve their 40 yard time, which gets measured for the combine. Technique there will help you shave anywhere from a few hundredths to a few tenths of a second. I doubt it would have much carryover to the actual football field though.

I'm currently reading a book from Sam Mitchell who has always been compared to Greg Williams because he was a footballer not an athlete. This is what he had to say about training:

I also came to the realisation that we had never trained hard enough at Hawthorn. What we did under Schwabby and 'Bab' Babijczuk was 60% technique and 40% hard work. Under Clarko, it became 90% hard work and 10% technique. I stopped trying to make changes to running technique and concentrated purely on running to get fitter. I found a few mechanisms to help me- when I was fatigued, I would sometimes lean back too much, so I made sure I just leant foward when I was tired. It was all about learning to train harder and smarter for the future.

Personally I think Dylan just needs to work on getting stronger in the gym and a better power to weight ratio, which will help him naturally increase his acceleration. That and just getting fitter in general. Unfortunately he's had a few injury interrupted pre-seasons and missed a whole season of games because of Covid and there's no substitute for match fitness.

31 goals last season in the SANFL. Let's see what he can do this year. He's contracted until the end of 2023.

 

[RossFC]

3 goals and a terrific mark in the SANFL this week.

 

[ROBBBO]

Lads been playing decent footy for a while now. Cannot be far away. And I get the can't play with Robbie Gray

9

Robbie Gray

Age

36

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

9.8

4star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.4

5star

D

13.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

10.4

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

argument. Think it's just about time for Williams to step up plying his craft to AFL

 

[Enviable Tradition]

Lads been playing decent footy for a while now. Cannot be far away. And I get the can't play with Robbie Gray argument. Think it's just about time for Williams to step up plying his craft to AFL

He's definitely building.

I feel like he might be one more big preseason away from a breakout.

 

[jac147]

Just finished watching the Port v Glenelg highlights. I reckon Williams in if Georgie is to be rested. Dylan’s always dangerous in that high forward zone. He’s the obvious Robbie replacement!

 

[agmsy]

Lads been playing decent footy for a while now. Cannot be far away. And I get the can't play with Robbie Gray argument. Think it's just about time for Williams to step up plying his craft to AFL

The big question for anyone who's following Williams' form in the SANFL is "What is he showing now that makes you think he's better prepared for a stint in the AFL than the technically-gifted-but-treacle-slow player we saw against Sydney last year?"

There's plenty of players with the strength and smarts a good AFL player needs, but some just never find that extra gear or build the tank they need. Hopefully not the case for Williams, but I don't reckon he'll ever play consistently good AFL footy without them.

 

[Mikey13G]

The big question for anyone who's following Williams' form in the SANFL is "What is he showing now that makes you think he's better prepared for a stint in the AFL than the technically-gifted-but-treacle-slow player we saw against Sydney last year?"

There's plenty of players with the strength and smarts a good AFL player needs, but some just never find that extra gear or build the tank they need. Hopefully not the case for Williams, but I don't reckon he'll ever play consistently good AFL footy without them.

He played one game against Sydney in wet conditions up against Dane Rampe. I'd much rather see Williams given a go than McEntee and Mayes this season if Robbie or MG are unavailable.

 

[PJ Power]

He’s still a deep, stay-at-home forward and not much else, but I absolutely agree that he’s the most like for like replacement if Robbie misses again this year. For me, any time one of the tall forwards miss, then Lord (or Dixon when he’s ready) is the better fit.

 

[AFC AFeederClub]

He’s still a deep, state-at-home forward and not much else, but I absolutely agree that he’s the most like for like replacement if Robbie misses again this year. For me, any time one of the tall forwards miss, then Lord (or Dixon when he’s ready) is the better fit.

if williams still hasnt got the tank then i think you coach him accordingly. You make him an unaccountable goal kicking machine, you have him playing the selfish role of goal kicker and judge him accordingly. Coaches with half a brain can do this, but im not sure Ken can. He would rather lose by 2 goals with Williams laying 7 tackles than win with Williams kicking 3 or 4 goals. Im not sure Williams will make it but at least give him a decent run that will show you either way.

 

[AFC AFeederClub]

The big question for anyone who's following Williams' form in the SANFL is "What is he showing now that makes you think he's better prepared for a stint in the AFL than the technically-gifted-but-treacle-slow player we saw against Sydney last year?"

There's plenty of players with the strength and smarts a good AFL player needs, but some just never find that extra gear or build the tank they need. Hopefully not the case for Williams, but I don't reckon he'll ever play consistently good AFL footy without them.

smarts will out-do speed in most instances, Robbie Gray shows you that. Darren Jarman was the biggest plodder going around who could runs rings around opposition defences

 

[ROBBBO]

smarts will out-do speed in most instances, Robbie Gray shows you that. Darren Jarman was the biggest plodder going around who could runs rings around opposition defences

Yes reckon confidence is the biggest thing for a forward in that role. Lad has plenty. Needs AFL time now

 

[RossFC]

Ken made a comment about Williams in the presser today.

He said his role in the SANFL (which is pretty much a medium forward parked at full forward like Robbie Gray

9

Robbie Gray

Age

36

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

9.8

4star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.4

5star

D

13.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

10.4

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

) is different to the one that he'd have to play at AFL level.

To me that says Gray and Williams can't play in the same team.

 

[PatientMental]

Ken made a comment about Williams in the presser today.

He said his role in the SANFL (which is pretty much a medium forward parked at full forward like Robbie Gray) is different to the one that he'd have to play at AFL level.

To me that says Gray and Williams can't play in the same team.

So we are developing him in the wrong spot.

Classic hinks.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

Ken made a comment about Williams in the presser today.

He said his role in the SANFL (which is pretty much a medium forward parked at full forward like Robbie Gray) is different to the one that he'd have to play at AFL level.

To me that says Gray and Williams can't play in the same team.

Goddammit, I cannot stand this man.

 

[RossFC]

So we are developing him in the wrong spot.

Classic hinks.

I think he's developing in the right position, the aim should be for him to get fitter and take Robbies spot at some point.

He just can't play alongside him, we'd lose too much on the defensive side.

 

[PatientMental]

I think he's developing in the right position, the aim should be for him to get fitter and take Robbies spot at some point.

He just can't play alongside him, we'd lose too much on the defensive side.

Yet we already played a side full of captain can't chases this season.

 

[RossFC]

 

[Mikey13G]

Leading Player Stats - SANFL

sanfl.com.au

12 goals for Williams so far this season from 6 games.

 

[PatientMental]

Did lol after he kicked that 2nd goal he ran off the field

To be replaced by Dixon.

 

[Shaucob_Burjan]

Are fitness issues still there

 

[RossFC]

Are fitness issues still there

Yep.

 

[JimmyBC]

His x-factor outweighs his issues I'd treat it like waiting for a tall to develop it could pay off greatly in the end.