Player Watch #29: Will Phillips - tags N.Daicos vs Collingwood - subbed off at 3/4 time??

[Ligma]

Will will be digging in and dishing it off Colby

 

[Garibaldi82]

Not just because of his height, but very similar profile and skillset as Caleb Daniel

35

Caleb Daniel

Age

28

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

. Wonder if he can play a similar role in the back 1/3 of the ground. Just a thought

 

[zoomba23]

Not just because of his height, but very similar profile and skillset as Caleb Daniel. Wonder if he can play a similar role in the back 1/3 of the ground. Just a thought

Nah. William is an inside mid. Nothing else

 

[Garibaldi82]

Nah. William is an inside mid. Nothing else

That's the concern

 

[ferball]

Not just because of his height, but very similar profile and skillset as Caleb Daniel. Wonder if he can play a similar role in the back 1/3 of the ground. Just a thought

He's four or five inches taller than Daniel.

 

[ferball]

He's also taller than Schimma and Schwatta, less than an inch shorter than Blight and the same height as Keith Greig.

 

[Event Horizon]

Of course I'd like him to succeed, given we used pick 3 on him. Great bloke, professional, team player, etc. But I just don't think he has enough tools to be best 22.
He doesn't have pace, doesn't have height, gets bumped off the ball, kicking lacks penetration, not a goal kicking mid..
If all he can provide on field is tackling and short distance give offs, then he's quite limited as a footballer.

Unfortunately that’s how I see it as well. And when you’re limited to contested ball and short give offs you have to be absolutely elite at it (a la Cunnington) which up to this point Phillips doesn’t seem to be


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[Samsquanch]

Unfortunately that’s how I see it as well. And when you’re limited to contested ball and short give offs you have to be absolutely elite at it (a la Cunnington) which up to this point Phillips doesn’t seem to be


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Maybe that's because he hasn't had a lot of talent around him (I take your point about Cunners though). I'm hoping that the outside guys can make some better use of positioning to turn a flash handball out of the guts into some time and space where they can carry the ball and find a target inside 50.

 

[JGreezy]

It was a bit of a no contest game, but 26 touches, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50's, 9 score involvements, 426 meters gained from 69% game time is noting to sneeze at. At times during that game he looked super sharp around the contest too, like he did at U/18 level.

He just needs to get fitter, stronger, faster.

I think that a big reason for him looking good in that game was our setup and actually having outside mids.

Phillips needs guys who can receive the ball. He usually gets it from in under and all of our mids are standing on top of him, trying to win it off him, rather than being targets.

He also gets it open play and nobody is running by to receive.

 

[Recently retired]

I think that a big reason for him looking good in that game was our setup and actually having outside mids.

Phillips needs guys who can receive the ball. He usually gets it from in under and all of our mids are standing on top of him, trying to win it off him, rather than being targets.

Spot on. He averaged 20.8 disposals in his final 10 games last season, including 12.6 handballs (along with 4.9 tackles and 4.3 clearances). He's a guy who impacts at the coalface and distributes the ball very quickly. Because he often only has possession for a millisecond his work can go unnoticed, but the better the receivers are around him the more valuable he is to the side.

If he can build on the second half of 2023 and average 20+ possessions for the full season next year he will be on right on track and our growing band of running players will be all the better for it.

 

[kangatragic]

Looking forward to seeing WP dishing those handballs out to Colby Mc in the coming years. Think that there gonna make a great combination

 

[LB2Snake]

He's also taller than Schimma and Schwatta, less than an inch shorter than Blight and the same height as Keith Greig.

Geez that's amazing......Greig and Blight seem so much bigger. Show's you how much the size of players have changed

 

[ferball]

Geez that's amazing......Greig and Blight seem so much bigger. Show's you how much the size of players have changed

I know, its a bit crazy. Its just one of things I sussed out over the last few years and it blows me away a bit. Wiphi is 1.80cm, but whenever I see those off season insta photos he always looks a little taller. Not so much on field. Colby is the same height as Will. Warlord is the same height as Blighty!!! And GAj.

Sheeze is the same height as GAj's dad.

 

[My Left Foote]

Unfortunately that’s how I see it as well. And when you’re limited to contested ball and short give offs you have to be absolutely elite at it (a la Cunnington) which up to this point Phillips doesn’t seem to be


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You're comparing Cunnington at the end of his career to Will 3 years in. Cunners was far from elite at the end of his third year of AFL. In fact Will is only tracking slightly behind Cunners.

 

[The Dingrel]

Spot on. He averaged 20.8 disposals in his final 10 games last season, including 12.6 handballs (along with 4.9 tackles and 4.3 clearances). He's a guy who impacts at the coalface and distributes the ball very quickly. Because he often only has possession for a millisecond his work can go unnoticed, but the better the receivers are around him the more valuable he is to the side.

If he can build on the second half of 2023 and average 20+ possessions for the full season next year he will be on right on track and our growing band of running players will be all the better for it.

This was one of the first things I noticed about Will in his debut season, how quick and clean he is by hand. I personally think he's tracking very nicely for all the setbacks he's had, I'm confident we will see a big step forward in consistency and numbers this season.

 

[AnEmptyChair]

There's something so ****ing weird about seeing people saying we should give up on Will and Powelly while hyping Colby and Zane, when Will and Tom were in exactly that position 3 years ago

You don't rebuild by tossing away high picks 3 years into the system and replacing them with other high picks, before tossing them away etc ad infinitum

 

[Moti]

There's something so ******* weird about seeing people saying we should give up on Will and Powelly while hyping Colby and Zane, when Will and Tom were in exactly that position 3 years ago

You don't rebuild by tossing away high picks 3 years into the system and replacing them with other high picks, before tossing them away etc ad infinitum

I think most are not saying we should give up on them but that in the three years they have been at the club competition for spots has increased and I would say that the style of football has also changed. It doesn't mean that they won't succeed but their ability to be best 22 looks more difficult.

 

[Ischenko]

Love how McKercher who is yet to play an AFL game is already ahead of Will.

 

[The acurate one]

Love how McKercher who is yet to play an AFL game is already ahead of Will.

Well if they sprinted for any distance, he'd be ahead of Will. So though would half of BF. One more year under contract, will be interesting.

 

[ferball]

Well if they sprinted for any distance, he'd be ahead of Will. So though would half of BF. One more year under contract, will be interesting.

Will has run 100m in under 11.5 seconds. I know of two people on this board who have done that and i'm one of them.

 

[Ligma]

Will has run 100m in under 11.5 seconds. I know of two people on this board who have done that and i'm one of them.

Carlos Herrrnandez ?

 

[Bobby B]

Will looked excellent at training today _ a stand out! Looked quick, didn’t fumble and his kicking was accurate. Hopefully a sign that he is up an running for the season.


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[shinboner magic]

It’s hi time for Will this off season - has to make inroads.
Especially as mids will be taken at the top end of the draft in ‘24.

 

[DuckYeah]

Spot on. He averaged 20.8 disposals in his final 10 games last season, including 12.6 handballs (along with 4.9 tackles and 4.3 clearances). He's a guy who impacts at the coalface and distributes the ball very quickly. Because he often only has possession for a millisecond his work can go unnoticed, but the better the receivers are around him the more valuable he is to the side.

If he can build on the second half of 2023 and average 20+ possessions for the full season next year he will be on right on track and our growing band of running players will be all the better for it.

He will, for the first time in since his under 16 years, have a full uninterrupted year and pre season. I cant wait to get up everyone who doubts this kid.

 

[DuckYeah]

You're comparing Cunnington at the end of his career to Will 3 years in. Cunners was far from elite at the end of his third year of AFL. In fact Will is only tracking slightly behind Cunners.
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Phillips was impacted by everything during his first years. Kid will thrive.