Player Watch #18: Wil 'Shotgun' Dawson - Extends to end of 2026

[SpiderBurton22]

He'll take Dixon to the cleaners next week

 

[Rampaging roos]

Youngest player in the comp...he did ok first up.. they've been red hot. And the supply they got mainly from our apple turnovers was enormous..he will be fine... hopefully first of many..

 

[William Caresser]

Baptism of fire mainly because there's such little pressure/defence up the ground. Essendon only had 46 turnovers - must be close to the record if it's not.

He'll be a good player for us for years.

 

[CBSlogger]

Name me one 200cm player to play at 18 and look the part.

I'll wait.

I was focussing on his mobility and intent today, and for that player type / age, I thought he was pretty impressive.

I see a long future.

 

[Roosurgence]

He’s not ready, but give him another crack.

Marshall is soft as shit so send him to Marshall and let Charlie take Dixon.

 

[Masked Avenger]

He’s not ready, but give him another crack.

Marshall is soft as s**t so send him to Marshall and let Charlie take Dixon.

A moot point when we have senior guys that have never been ready.

He stays in.

 

[wazza03]

He won’t be dropped. Port have 4 talls up forward so he stays in. Competed well and has a bright future.


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[Northwards]

Name me one 200cm player to play at 18 and look the part.

I'll wait.

I was focussing on his mobility and intent today, and for that player type / age, I thought he was pretty impressive.

I see a long future.

Jesse Hogan the only one I can remember (might be 195cm, but still was ready)

I agree, thought under the circumstances he was fine. I don’t think Chom, or Corr would’ve made much of a difference. All his delivery was silver service. Their mids are quality kicks if given space.

 

[justroyal]

He spoilt in our defence.
He is more than ready.

 

[amaz199]

give him a few more games.

 

[Moti]

Was good. Completed hard, mainly got beaten on silver service.

Have one here


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[Kangaroos4eva]

Leave him there for the rest of the year. He belongs.

 

[Devil Fish]

Thought it was poor by Clarko today leaving Will on Wright for as long as he did.

 

[Devil Fish]

Was good. Completed hard, mainly got beaten on silver service.

Have one here


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Come on Moti. He wasn't "good". Far from it if you're being honest. He was thrown up against a bigger stronger opponent who had silver platter service. He tried, but he was comprehensively beaten.

Sure, he may end up being a great defender for us, but come on man.

 

[Karanicolas]

Our defensive structure looked better with him in, so I would continue to play him. You can't blame him or anyone else in our defence when our forwards / midfielders let them switch so easily for uncontested transitions in their F50s.

 

[muttley45]

Did better in his debut than Daniel Curtin did in his, only a low bar, 1 kick and subbed out, but stat's are stat's

 

[billnats]

Name me one 200cm player to play at 18 and look the part.

I'll wait.

I was focussing on his mobility and intent today, and for that player type / age, I thought he was pretty impressive.

I see a long future.

Also good foot skills

 

[Moti]

Come on Moti. He wasn't "good". Far from it if you're being honest. He was thrown up against a bigger stronger opponent who had silver platter service. He tried, but he was comprehensively beaten.

Sure, he may end up being a great defender for us, but come on man.

You don’t think so? I thought he competed well and interrupted a number of contests. But it is also relative. If he played like that at game 100 then sure, we have an issue, but it was a good performance for an 18 year old on a genuinely good mature player who gets bloody good service. He was better than Chom


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[wazza03]

Matching him up on Wright was a real head scratcher. Comben should’ve been on Wright and Dawson on Jones.
I think Clarko got that one terribly wrong but I guess it’s good for his development.


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[ferball]

Matching him up on Wright was a real head scratcher. Comben should’ve been on Wright and Dawson on Jones.
I think Clarko got that one terribly wrong but I guess it’s good for his development.


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Of course it is. He would have learned heaps today.

 

[Devil Fish]

Of course it is. He would have learned heaps today.

Or had his confidence shattered? One of the 2.

 

[Kciza]

Was much more physical than I was expecting

 

[ferball]

Or had his confidence shattered? One of the 2.

After today, no way. If he's that mentally soft he won't make it anyway.

 

[wazza03]

What’s more character building?
Playing on a guy who’s a lot bigger than you and having 3-4 goals kicked on you or playing on a kid as soft as a marshmallow and dominating?


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[blackshadow]

Talk about a baptism of fire, even though outclassed today he competed very well.
Needs to stay in as every game will be a real learning experience for him. Very excited for what the Shotgun will develop into in a couple more years.