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

[swaeney]

After the break, we could be looking at Corr/Dawson/Dawson and Larkey/Comben combinations.

Not a chance. Who is going to play on the Hawkins, McKays and the Waterman’s type forwards?

I think Chom will be there until Logue is back at least.

 

[Kanga Glory]

Gives Wil now a hands on what is required to be a good AFL player. Should be a catalyst for long hours in the gym. Once he has the strength to match his opponents then his natural aggression will have him winning one on ones.
Everyone has to start somewhere, most importantly he now has seen it first hand

 

[Fart Cummings]

Love big Will! one of my favs

 

[Jesslc]

Great height, good athletic profile, good kick. He’ll develop nicely.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Great height, good athletic profile, good kick. He’ll develop nicely.

Maybe it’s the pace of the game. Maybe it’s his reaction speed.
Maybe it’s that he is 18 and played two games.

But I’m not quite seeing the athleticism to stick to his direct opponent. I think his defensive traits look good when he is there when he is with his man, but at present he is 2-3 strides off the pace.

 

[MinistryOfMajak]

Looks to be a fair bit to work with here.

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[Themanbun]

Maybe it’s the pace of the game. Maybe it’s his reaction speed.
Maybe it’s that he is 18 and played two games.

But I’m not quite seeing the athleticism to stick to his direct opponent. I think his defensive traits look good when he is there when he is with his man, but at present he is 2-3 strides off the pace.

I noticed it too but hard to call this early. Could just be defensive craft at this point in reading when and where the forward will put the hammer down.

 

[Masked Avenger]

We're a weary mob.

He'll be a killer.

 

[Harris 10]

Maybe it’s the pace of the game. Maybe it’s his reaction speed.
Maybe it’s that he is 18 and played two games.

But I’m not quite seeing the athleticism to stick to his direct opponent. I think his defensive traits look good when he is there when he is with his man, but at present he is 2-3 strides off the pace.

2 or 3 strides off the pace at present has exceeded where he was expected to be.
2026 and beyond we’ll have a very different player.

 

[Devil Fish]

Also a good reminder that leaving him on Wright when we were still in the contest was madness.

Strange by Clarko. Particularly as he gave Wright maximum coaches votes…..
Maybe we’re tanking???? Just 6 months too late.

 

[Devil Fish]

After the break, we could be looking at Corr/Dawson/Dawson and Larkey/Comben combinations.

Mouth-watering

 

[Jesslc]

Maybe it’s the pace of the game. Maybe it’s his reaction speed.
Maybe it’s that he is 18 and played two games.

But I’m not quite seeing the athleticism to stick to his direct opponent. I think his defensive traits look good when he is there when he is with his man, but at present he is 2-3 strides off the pace.

Its that he’s 18. Judge the athleticism on a 200cm 18 year old level.

 

[Midas]

The kid is a jet. CHB from next year on is set in concrete.

Another Summer, get the games into him and we have a big big piece in place.

Reads the game, super competitive, happy to peel off to support.

He’s got the goods.

 

[ferball]

Its that he’s 18. Judge the athleticism on a 200cm 18 year old level.

Two weeks younger and he'd be playing in the nationals and noobermensch would be making one of those top quality videos about him.

The kid is a find and a half.

 

[Passmore]

Two weeks younger and he'd be playing in the nationals and noobermensch would be making one of those top quality videos about him.

The kid is a find and a half.

You couldn't really ask for anymore from a KPD as young as him.

He got outsmarted a couple of times by experienced players and he also got burnt by team mates not defending space a couple of times.

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[ferball]

You couldn't really ask for anymore from a KPD as young as him.

He got outsmarted a couple of times by experienced players and he also got burnt by team mates not defending space a couple of times.

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He's donme very well considering. He would be learning heaps from this. What I've seen of him in the VFL he copes with that level easily. This is more challenging but he seems up for it.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

The kid is a jet. CHB from next year on is set in concrete.

Another Summer, get the games into him and we have a big big piece in place.

Reads the game, super competitive, happy to peel off to support.

He’s got the goods.

Jet is a bit premature. His 2 opponents so far have kicked 10 goals and received 17 out of 20 coaches votes, however you can see he has the raw tools to become a good player.

 

[ferball]

Jet is a bit premature. His 2 opponents so far have kicked 10 goals and received 17 out of 20 coaches votes, however you can see he has the raw tools to become a good player.

Yeah I agree but I wouldn't be expecting more from a kid who was two weeks too old to be playing Coates League footy.

This isn't like Sheeze, Kerch or Daicos - Wil is competing against big-bodied, mature forwards. Its more about what he can learn from this early exposure to those players than expecting him to hold them goalless (or even win many contests) at this point.

 

[Chadwiko]

Huge upside and looks like will become a player.

Is clearly not quite ready for AFL footy yet, in my humble opinion though.

 

[Midas]

Jet is a bit premature. His 2 opponents so far have kicked 10 goals and received 17 out of 20 coaches votes, however you can see he has the raw tools to become a good player.

I’ll stand by it, will be in the best 6 key defenders over the next ten years.

Bookmark it.

 

[Jimmac31]

After the break, we could be looking at Corr/Dawson/Dawson and Larkey/Comben combinations.

Add Logue a few of weeks after that.

Available talls Corr, Logue, Comben, KDawson, WDawson, Pink, Nuyon, Xerri, Free, Larkey, Maley, Sellars + hopefully a mature MSD KPF.

Surely we find 6-7 talls to compete each game from that list.

 

[Mixed Results]

He has the height and speed to play the position at an elite level, and in a couple years will have the strength.

The attitude and work ethic he brings is up there with Sheezel among the best we've seen in the past decade. I'm really excited to see what he develops into.

 

[ferball]

I’ll stand by it, will be in the best 6 key defenders over the next ten years.

Bookmark it.

He certainly has that potential and he's been thrown into the fire probably a bit before he should have been. If he can cope and gets a good run at footy he will have a great career.

 

[Jesslc]

He has the height and speed to play the position at an elite level, and in a couple years will have the strength.

The attitude and work ethic he brings is up there with Sheezel among the best we've seen in the past decade. I'm really excited to see what he develops into.

Wheres this been said?

About work ethic.

 

[koshari]

Wheres this been said?

About work ethic.

in quoted post