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

[Heaps of fun]

Wil is only 17 still and really looks it. You'd expect a ton of physical development still to be ahead of him. Unlikely to have finished growing either which is interesting, you wouldn't want him to be much taller to be a key defender.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

Wil Dawson – No.18​

A two-metre prospect from Gippsland, Wil Dawson has taken the locker most recently occupied by Greenwood.

Tom Allison wore No.18 in 106 games from 1963 to 1970, and his son Brett went on to play in 219 games and two premierships, though he set out on his own path in No.33.

The younger Allison often shared a forward line with Wayne Carey, among the most dominant players of his generation given his unparalleled contested marking and ability to get up the ground and find the ball.

With the No.18 on his back, Carey went on to play 272 games, boot 727 goals, captain the club to two premierships and consistently thrill spectators at the Roos’ then-home at the MCG.

FFS. Being North's greatest ever player you'd think North media would know that Carey played 244 games and kicked 671 goals with 18 on his back. The rest were wearing number 2 at some other club.

 

[Liam Boy]

FFS. Being North's greatest ever player you'd think North media would know that Carey played 244 games and kicked 671 goals with 18 on his back. The rest were wearing number 2 at some other club.

You fool, you profess to know, but you do not know. He wore #40 for his 4 games in 1989

 

[hellas_johnny]

nickname daws? you fool everyone knows clarko will sort this out

 

[Makeshift Park]

A chance to get a sneaky run as a third tall at some point this year?

 

[roos_fanatic08]

A chance to get a sneaky run as a third tall at some point this year?

Realistically, nah, physically he is a long way off playing AFL footy. Don’t be surprised if he struggles to adjust to playing VFL for the first 12-18 months

 

[Fart Cummings]

yeah not putting any pressure on the young fella! let Barlow work with him see if he can get a game towards the end of 2025 for our premiership run

 

[Makeshift Park]

Realistically, nah, physically he is a long way off playing AFL footy. Don’t be surprised if he struggles to adjust to playing VFL for the first 12-18 months

You’re probably right.

Didn’t stop Miller Bergman playing 12 games this year though!

 

[BlueandWhiteinmyBlood]

A chance to get a sneaky run as a third tall at some point this year?

Jai singled him out as one that caught his eye on the track taking some clunks across half back.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Jai singled him out as one that caught his eye on the track taking some clunks across half back.

Yeah that’s exactly what raised my curiosity.

IIRC, Wil also said in his promo social vid that it was his goal for the year to get a game.

 

[Kanga Glory]

nickname daws? you fool everyone knows clarko will sort this out

Smokey Dawson

 

[speedy]

Wil is only 17 still and really looks it. You'd expect a ton of physical development still to be ahead of him. Unlikely to have finished growing either which is interesting, you wouldn't want him to be much taller to be a key defender.

Harris Andrews is 202cm, that would do nicely. Hopefully Wil is as good as Harris.

 

[gustaaf]

Wil is only 17 still and really looks it. You'd expect a ton of physical development still to be ahead of him. Unlikely to have finished growing either which is interesting, you wouldn't want him to be much taller to be a key defender.

Chances are that he will grow some more considering he isn't even 18 yet. He had reportedly grown 20cm in the last 18 months to be 200cm, but I noticed on draft night that they already had him as 201cm. Who knows where it is going to stop? He might yet become a ruck, although I hope not. What surprises me is that with his enormous growth spurt that the growing pains didn't hinder him (much?) in his under 18s footy. It'll be interesting to see how he develops. I didn't mind the pick, but I have to say that out of our 5 first rounders, Dawson is the one I'm least sure about. Hopefully he becomes a weapon and Brady can be praised for a visionary pick.

 

[JGreezy]

Wil is only 17 still and really looks it. You'd expect a ton of physical development still to be ahead of him. Unlikely to have finished growing either which is interesting, you wouldn't want him to be much taller to be a key defender.

I think 205ish is fine but if we're talking 208+ then he might lose mobility.

Or maybe he will just be a freak amongst freaks and be a 210cm CHB.

I'm not too worried. We can cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now he's 201cm.

 

[DuckYeah]

Think this will be the plan for him, I wouldn't expect him to play senior footy at all next year. He's gained a fair bit of size & strength the last couple of years but saw him play a bit of footy including a few senior games over the same time frame and he's still got a kid's body. He got hurt a few times, he kept cracking in and doesn't back down but he's still a skinny kid and will need time to get used to consistently playing against big boys.

Has a bit of mongrel in him, a neat kick for a big bloke, clean hands & great below his knees for someone his size but he would've barely played 10 games in his life as a key back between Gipps Power, Vic Country & Leongatha. When playing as a ruck he wasn't a great tap ruck but could win it himself on the ground and really slick getting hands out to mids. He's been thrown between ruck & forward over the last two years and then played back since the champs so needs time to develop his craft still. The chopping & changing of roles is probably why his stats profile seemed a bit all over the shop and didn't look that impressive. Seemed to read the ball well as a back to intercept it but can lose his opponent working up the ground and back which will come with more time in the role and better fitness base.

Still learning and still got to gain size but great potential, his strengths at the moment are things you can't teach some big men and the things he needs to improve are things that will come with experience & coaching which is exciting.

I dont expect him to play senior footy next year. You see the size of that campaigners neck? You think Bucket was a beast… now you see the REAL Gippsland Full Back! What a ****ing monster.

 

[northbergs]

You’re probably right.

Didn’t stop Miller Bergman playing 12 games this year though!

Yes, although in his first 10 minutes in his first season he did ‘break’ his shoulder!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fart Cummings]

I dont expect him to play senior footy next year. You see the size of that campaigners neck? You think Bucket was a beast… now you see the REAL Gippsland Full Back! What a ******* monster.

hes going to be a monster

 

[DuckYeah]

hes going to be a monster

Typical Gippslander. Either whippets or absolute beasts! This guy will chew and eat bucket. FF’s will fear him.. he played at Leongaffa? Born in my region.. not in warragul, what a ****ing steal! AA player.

Btw bucket is a Gull not a dusty. Vastly different breed of warragul

 

[koshari]

Played golf tonight with a bloke that knew his old man and conversely him pretty well, was pretty bullish on him, said how he left leongatha and went to mirboo north because leongather didnt play him where he liked, said he likes to ruck but no slouch as hf or hb. Has decent goal sense as well as he kicked 4 in one game. Said he also didnt mind flying the flag as he started s big mellee in one game.

 

[koshari]

Btw bucket is a Gull not a dusty. Vastly different breed of warragul

Heaps of blokes played for both teams (at least they did in my era), same with neerim sth and ellinbank, less so for other edfl teams.

 

[Psicosis]

 

[Oraaaaazio]

Played golf tonight with a bloke that knew his old man and conversely him pretty well, was pretty bullish on him, said how he left leongatha and went to mirboo north because leongather didnt play him where he liked, said he likes to ruck but no slouch as hf or hb. Has decent goal sense as well as he kicked 4 in one game. Said he also didnt mind flying the flag as he started s big mellee in one game.

Interesting story but not quite right cause he left Mirboo North and played at Leongatha from under 14s until draft

 

[roos_fanatic08]

I don't mind Dan, he is a bit of a goofball.

 

[Mav]

I don't mind Dan, he is a bit of a goofball.

he's great!

 

[ferball]

I don't mind Dan, he is a bit of a goofball.

he's got a weird head. Like he's the third, secretly inbred, Kray twin.