Delisted #17 Will Gould

[Kennedy Parker]

Will Gould

Player Profile
A hard-running key defender departed South Australian club Glenelg for the Sydney Swans at the 2019 AFL Draft, joining the club via pick 26. Will Gould averaged 21.5 disposals, 4.5 marks and 7.2 rebound 50s per match as South Australia’s captain in the 2019 AFL Under-18 Championships, a glowing campaign resulting in back-to-back All Australian selection. He also averaged 19.7 possessions, 5.2 marks and 6.5 rebound 50s per match for Glenelg in 2019, while he recorded a match-high eight rebound 50s in his side’s SANFL Grand Final victory over Port Adelaide.

Will Gould

17

Will Gould

Age

23

Ht

191cm

Wt

97kg

Pos.

Def

No player stats available

DOB: 14 January 2001
DRAFT: 2019
RECRUITED FROM: Glenelg (SANFL)

Will Gould | AFL

Follow Will Gould's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Any update on Will Gould?

Its been a long time but in the earlier rounds a reporter asked the question to Longmire and he said he is a long way away from playing senior level words were to the effect "he is learning his craft"

 

[caesar88]

So hard to know what to make of Gould, because it's difficult to know what the club actually wants/expects of him by this point, a year and a half into his time as a Swan.

On the one hand, he appealed to us as the big Man-child who played against men in the SANFL, captained his U18s side in the championships, and was primed for early senior footy because of it. On the other hand, he slid in the draft because of his poor showing at the combine and the questions over his fitness, which in essence put him further behind the pack as far as being AFL-ready.

So it's hard to know if the club would be content with where Gould is at, if they expected him to be a long-term project player who would take time to get his fitness and game awareness up to standard; or if they would be concerned with where Gould is at, if they expected him to be able to have more of an immediate impact as that bullocking kid who looked so ready for the big leagues as a junior but is currently some ways off it.

 

[Crust]

Yes I think the problem with man child kids is that is what makes them good at junior level - they use their size and strength so they are not required to learn their craft. Perhaps that is where Gould is at the moment.

 

[S120]

I wonder if shifting Blakey into defence in the reserves puts Gould further behind the 8-ball to get a senior game - presumably Blakey's best chance of a place in the seniors any time soon is as a defender unless they change his position again.

 

[BloodySwan]

Defenders take time. The strength you need to be strong at SNFL level is not the same as AFL level. From a lot of the reports he's not been performing poorly in the VFL, wouldn't be shocked if we offer him 2 years

 

[kelpie_X]

Still all quiet on the western front with this guy. Much more established players are finding it hard to get a game, so not looking good for his place at the club given he's off contract at year's end.

Yep. Time to **** him off

 

[RUNVS]

I know this might not be a popular opinion but I would give him a game or two in the seniors even if he is no where near ready. It will be a good experience for him because either he will stand up and surprise us all or he will see himself how much harder he needs to work to make it.

 

[dosser]

I know this might not be a popular opinion but I would give him a game or two in the seniors even if he is no where near ready. It will be a good experience for him because either he will stand up and surprise us all or he will see himself how much harder he needs to work to make it.

You are right.

It's not a popular opinion.

It actually disrespects all of those players who work so hard to get a debut.

 

[caesar88]

Defenders take time. The strength you need to be strong at SNFL level is not the same as AFL level. From a lot of the reports he's not been performing poorly in the VFL, wouldn't be shocked if we offer him 2 years

Agreed. I posted this during the pre-season to try and rationalise why Gould isn't yet higher up the pecking order:

I don't get the urgency around Gould, nor the shock that he hasn't come close to debuting yet. History shows that Horse - who, given his outstanding track record at developing defenders, is the ultimate voice of authority here - does not expose young defenders to the elite level until they are absolutely ready.

I think AJ was the last defender to play senior footy within a year of being drafted, taken in 2010 and debuting by round 3 the following year. Since then, it's been:

- Harry Marsh (drafted in 2012, didn't debut until 2016)
- Matthew Dick (drafted in 2012, didn't play a game)
- Dane Rampe (who wasn't even drafted until the age of 23)
- Aliir Aliir (drafted in 2013, didn't debut until 2016)
- Abe Davis (drafted in 2014, didn't play a game)
- Lewis Melican (drafted in 2014, didn't debut until 2017)
- Jack Maibaum (drafted in 2016, didn't play a game)
- Toby Pink (drafted in 2016, didn't play a game)
- Durak Tucker (drafted in 2018, didn't play a game.)

So since AJ, that's five defenders we've drafted who didn't end up playing a game for us, and of the four who did end up debuting, the average age they ended up debuting at was 22. Gould just turned 20. I trust Gould's ability, I trust Horse's experience in this area, and I trust the process. Would love it if he could debut this year. Not concerned if he doesn't.

However that was me really just guessing Horse's approach. Like I said we don't really know what the club would've been hoping for/expecting of Gould a year and a half on from being drafted, so I can only assume that Gould is following the long but patient trajectory that all the above defenders had to take.

 

[RUNVS]

You are right.

It's not a popular opinion.

It actually disrespects all of those players who work so hard to get a debut.

Robert Murphy suggested something similar a week or two ago with JUH and he is someone whose opinion I respect.

 

[Kapers]

Agreed. I posted this during the pre-season to try and rationalise why Gould isn't yet higher up the pecking order:



However that was me really just guessing Horse's approach. Like I said we don't really know what the club would've been hoping for/expecting of Gould a year and a half on from being drafted, so I can only assume that Gould is following the long but patient trajectory that all the above defenders had to take.

I think most people's issues are around the fact, and you stated this earlier, we don't know what his benchmarks are in the reserves. We don't know if he's performing well compared to what the swans expect of him, or if he's underperforming.

It's a similar situation with Ling, we see him playing in a certain way and have no way to understand if they are being coached to play like that, or if they are somehow failing to develop.

 

[BarneyBent]

You are right.

It's not a popular opinion.

It actually disrespects all of those players who work so hard to get a debut.

Seems to have worked alright for Amartey so far.

Seriously, these guys are professionals, and this is a game. Sometimes, development supersedes meritocracy when it comes to taking a long term view on building a list. That's normal and expected, there won't be a player on the list who a) isn't aware of it and b) hasn't benefited from it early on in their own career.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I have yet to see or read anything about the young fella that gives cause for optimism.

 

[DASwan]

I have yet to see or read anything about the young fella that gives cause for optimism.

You watch any of his games and he is not fit enough yet for multiple efforts in defence let alone at AFL level - he will get there and hope it is with us

 

[WillHayward]

We have a decent track record of developing players.

 

[WillHayward]

Rampe couldn't get a game until he was 22yo.
So id be giving Will a one year extension.

 

[RUNVS]

Rampe couldn't get a game until he was 22yo.
So id be giving Will a one year extension.

It is an interesting sliding doors moment as Rampe only got his shot when Johnston blew out his knee in a 2013 preseason game.

 

[SwansProudly]

 

[rustycrate]

When you think of how Mitchell was treated by leaving him in the Magoos. This sounds promising!

 

[Bloods86]

When you think of how Mitchell was treated by leaving him in the Magoos. This sounds promising!

IDK, having watched most ressies games this year, I feel like there's daylight between Mitchell's reserves form vs Gould's. Gould has done some good things, contests, spoils, rebounds and other defendery tasks, but you don't sit there constantly going "oh wow, there he is again doing <insert good thing>". Unlike Mitchell who was racking up 40-64 touches each week and eviscerating the door down into the senior team (where he then got 2 full seasons before leaving).

If the club's happy with how he's performing that's great, maybe there's indicators/roles we don't necessarily understand.

 

[rustycrate]

IDK, having watched most ressies games this year, I feel like there's daylight between Mitchell's reserves form vs Gould's. Gould has done some good things, contests, spoils, rebounds and other defendery tasks, but you don't sit there constantly going "oh wow, there he is again doing <insert good thing>". Unlike Mitchell who was racking up 40-64 touches each week and eviscerating the door down into the senior team (where he then got 2 full seasons before leaving).

If the club's happy with how he's performing that's great, maybe there's indicators/roles we don't necessarily understand.

But that is a mid vs Defender stats wise. I'm not pushing a barrow, I just like lots on here hope he is not a bust.

 

[Bloods86]

But that is a mid vs Defender stats wise. I'm not pushing a barrow, I just like lots on here hope he is not a bust.

All good. Yeah obviously I wasn't saying Gould needs to rack up the disposals. I said the things we'd expect of him. My point was that Mitchell was dominant, in our reserves bests, whereas I don't think you can say the same for Gould so far.

In any case, we're on the same page as far as wanting him to succeed. I'm not panicking like others might if a player in their first year of reserves footy with us is taking some time, and it's pleasing to hear the club is valuing his progress.

 

[zyzzbruh]

He'll be fine we've always been super patient when developing defenders. Rampe wouldn't have gotten a go when he did if it weren't for injuries and retirements. Aliir took an eternity to make it into the side. Maibaum was another one who was slowly marinating and was on the right path before his injury. From what i've seen of Gould he may not be setting games alight but he definitely does have an air of confidence and assurity about him, and can play on men. He will become a reliable defender.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see Gould only once this year, if that. He'll get a handful of games next year and am very confident he'll start cementing his spot the following year. Whether he becomes an extravagant defender or not is irrelevant, he's basically the only young defensive prospect we've got. It's pretty much a shoe in, unless you pluck some others out of thin air.

 

[SeanM]

I think we will be patient with Gould and continue to develop him. I am not sure what the alternative is.

If we go to the draft for a young defender, he will also take a while to develop. Otherwise we could look at unwanted defenders at other clubs. But that can also be hit and miss.

 

[zyzzbruh]

In you come son. Be our saviour.

I think he'll start off slow but he will become a McGovern type.