Player Watch #29: Will Phillips [Part II] - Extends to End of 2025

[The Nostradamus]

Whilst Jy had a poor year, and his disposal seems worse than ever, he has his excuses and credits in the bank. He was also BOG in one of our only wins. I think next year it is likely that as Colby moves into the middle Jy will spend less time there. We should be looking to use him as our tagger when we need one, and sometimes as a defensive forward on the best rebound defenders. He should be well suited to these roles with his fitness and hardness, exactly like Will wasn't.

I expect jy to be high half forward role next year

Wilphil to take his mid spot

Colby to a wing

 

[zoomba23]

If i had a choice between keeping Phillips and keeping Simpkin in 2025 it would be Phillips.
Simpkin gets it more but he plays more (TOG) and also is expected to be a ball winner.
I know who I trust more with the ball in hand (whether disposing by hand or foot) and it's definitely not Simpkin. He is not just slow in terms of leg speed but decision making as well which creates us issues.

He might be better than Phillips now but he's not getting any better and has struggled considerably over the past few years.

He used to be quicker. And used to pull out the agility tricks on a regular basis. There's a player in there, but I reckon it's been shrouded in brain fog. And maybe a lack of confidence. There's no way this is just your average drop-off. Much more at play, and worth sticking with until he either improves or medically retires

If he walks the rather unlikely tightrope of doing neither of those things, that's when we talk about wrapping up his time with the club voluntarily

 

[ferball]

Dunno, Duck wants to fire him to the moon I think.

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Not just him either. Other posters have also wanted him traded out.

 

[ChopChopDigDig]

Will's ToG would be a lot higher if his fitness base was up to scratch though, you can't really use that as an argument for him, especially when he doesn't really have the capability to play anywhere else. For all of Jy's faults, he's an aerobic beast and an elite trainer which allows him to get to a lot of contests.

Will is purely a centre square mid who doesn't have the running capacity to be one and gets the footy 3-4 times per quarter. He could be the cleanest player in the history of football and he's still likely going to be a breakeven player at best. The fact he goes back to the VFL and looks pedestrian each time is also concerning.

Similar to Dumont, he's hit a few quality inside 50s and now he's apparently Darren Jarman.

(I'd still give him another year though, but let's not try to pretend he is anything other than a failed pick to date)

Would be interesting to see his TOG for VFL games vs AFL.

 

[viccles]

Not me I want him to stay

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Id question his effort and intensity on Sunday.

But he's the first BnF winner we've had that I remember going up there and being almost embarrassed by the year her had and the way he played.
And he has gotten worse.

It is what it is but if we are to go anywhere as a football club, we need to find better options in the middle other than Jy.

Any B&F from the last five years is null and void.

 

[muttley45]

Any B&F from the last five years is null and void.

Except Harry of course

 

[tazaa]

Except Harry of course

Harry will be a generational talent but its embarrassing for us that he won it in his first year as an 18yo.

I mean it just shouldn't happen.

Same again if X or Sheez win it. It matters and they have tried and given their all and actually contributed but in time history will look back and gloss over these lost years.

The only good thing about 2023 and 2024 is hopefully it was the start of the ending of our woes.

 

[DuckYeah]

Not just him either. Other posters have also wanted him traded out.

They aint got nuffin on me mate. I am not liking what I am seeing. I gave the bloke a red hot chance 4 years ago, knowing full well his skills were deplorable. The burden of leadership impacted his game. He thought he could but he cant. He needs to put his hand up and say “boys, ive done all I can, you campaigners are killing me here. DuckYeah wants to trade me for a packet of home brand smiths chips”

He can stay on the list but right now, i’d be having Phillips over him in the middle

 

[Its a Process]

I expect jy to be high half forward role next year

Wilphil to take his mid spot

Colby to a wing

Jy played that role for the first 10 weeks this year and was awful.

Maybe chalk it to the concussion as I thought it would suit him.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Jy played that role for the first 10 weeks this year and was awful.

Maybe chalk it to the concussion as I thought it would suit him.

I actually thought he was decent in that role

Much better suited to him

 

[archereleven]

While the premise of your post is hard to argue. I do get confused with the answer being Will. I watched the VFL last week and up against a bunch of amateur footballers. He wasn’t flash, got 20 disposals and 3 of those were in a 30 second disaster which lead to an easy goal for South Park or whoever they are.

He was getting man handled in the centre, couldn’t find any separation and covered ground like an 80 yr old in a retirement village.

Now like you I’m sick of losing but really on his VFL form he doesn’t deserve a game. Jack Mahony is having a better VFL career at Gold Coast.

Amd as poor as Jy has been he covers ground, hence why he’s being played in front of Will.

There are coaches inside our club that felt Cooper Lord was a better option than Will. And we didn’t call his name when the opportunity arose.

Now if we gave Will another deal I’m probably not going to be surprised.

We need to draft another mid at seasons end. LDU and Sheezel is it. Wardlaw is unfit, Powell is a third stringer and Jy currently sucks.

Happy days aye .

So, after using the most draft capital on midfielders in the history of the game, we need more top 5 midfielders?

If this is actually the case, then Snoz needs the arse immediately. We will never balance this list if we don't give the mids we have the time they need to develop



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[DuckYeah]

Jy played that role for the first 10 weeks this year and was awful.

Maybe chalk it to the concussion as I thought it would suit him.

He threw the toys out of the cot. He didn’t want to play that position. He sooked it up. He needs to pull his head in, he’s way too into himself and not the team.

 

[DuckYeah]

So, after using the most draft capital on midfielders in the history of the game, we need more top 5 midfielders?

If this is actually the case, then Snoz needs the arse immediately. We will never balance this list if we don't give the mids we have the time they need to develop



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Spot on, our mids group just need time together

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

He threw the toys out of the cot. He didn’t want to play that position. He sooked it up. He needs to pull his head in, he’s way too into himself and not the team.

I don't know that your information is accurate here.

 

[The acurate one]

So, after using the most draft capital on midfielders in the history of the game, we need more top 5 midfielders?

If this is actually the case, then Snoz needs the arse immediately. We will never balance this list if we don't give the mids we have the time they need to develop



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Five is a stretch, but one would be great, as we've got LDU, Sheezel, Wardlaw, Simpkin and The Kercher.

I think by end of 2026 no one from the 2020 list will be with us, unless there's a massive improvement.

 

[Samsquanch]

I don't know that your information is accurate here.

This is big footy Colby.


Where facts generally go to die and bluster rises to the top.

 

[ferball]

Five is a stretch, but one would be great, as we've got LDU, Sheezel, Wardlaw, Simpkin and The Kercher.

I think by end of 2026 no one from the 2020 list will be with us, unless there's a massive improvement.

Larkey, Zurhaar, X, Simpkin, Comben (and hopefully LDU) will still all be contracted. Bailey Scott will be a FA.

 

[DuckYeah]

I don't know that your information is accurate here.

I know my team. He’s a ****ing sook

 

[DocSholl]

Lol this is still because he cried when Cunners retired isn't it

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Powell is the one who doesn’t stand up when it’s required.

He needs to add strength to his game around the stoppage (had four years to that if we use Will’s tank as the measurement) or we need to roll him off half back.

I think he would be devastating there, or if he embraced the role of being a high half forward without sooking up that he isn’t getting midfield minutes he could do some serious damage with his goal sense.

Powell is the icing. This is huge call that I am willing to live with, but if we ever go deep in the finals, Powell won’t be the reason we got there.

 

[ChairmanZia]

I expect jy to be high half forward role next year

Wilphil to take his mid spot

Colby to a wing

Can work

 

[DunderHead]

We likely won't get a decent return for trading Will. So we should back him in and give 2 years. He can still develop and offers better depth than the kid we'd be picking in the fifth round to replace him.

 

[Val Keating]

Any B&F from the last five years is null and void.

Different conversation, but I respect players that win bnf’s in shit sides, shows heart, conversely, I look at the senior players who have played the majority of the season but finish low in the bnf in bad seasons very harshly

 

[Midas]

Powell is the icing. This is huge call that I am willing to live with, but if we ever go deep in the finals, Powell won’t be the reason we got there.

I agree, he’s a complimentary player.