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

[2OLD 2SLOW]

God that ball drop is high. No wonder it feels like a lifetime waiting for him to kick it.

Doesn't look too high to me.
Looks lower than Darren Jarman's and he was about as good a kick as I can remember .

 

[DesertRoo]

Doesn't look too high to me.
Looks lower than Darren Jarman's and he was about as good a kick as I can remember .

View attachment 2160248

Mattingly I thought I told you to trim those sideburns...

 

[krakouers]

Doesn't look too high to me.
Looks lower than Darren Jarman's and he was about as good a kick as I can remember .

View attachment 2160248

You are a insane man if you are watching that boys kicking action…

Mattingly I thought I told you to trim those sideburns...

 

[shintemaster]

That's a physique of someone who gives a shit.

Really hope it all goes his way.

Same.

Kid clearly puts in the effort, whether it will work out I don't know but unlike plenty of players more athletically blessed he doesn't waste his or the clubs time from what I see. Hope he smashes it. We could use an unexpected win from the list, especially with a player with a few years in the system, if not too many AFL games. Need more good depth from that 22-26 age bracket.

 

[Friday Night Lights]

View attachment 2160073

 

[Sillygit]

stout lol

 

[Horace]

Why don't we/the club turn him into a small defender?

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

That's a physique of someone who gives a shit.

Really hope it all goes his way.

Spot on. There have been a few shit posters on here suggesting that Will doesn't give a rats and has been coasting and lazy and using dated health excuses to avoid getting himself fit enough and strong enough to match it with the best midfielders going around. In truth, he has had the biggest 12 months of his life on the training track and the hope is that it will begin to pay off from 2025. Now, of course, one ripped photo in pre-season doesn't prove anything, but it should at least put paid to the claims that he isn't doing everything he can to get the most out of himself.

 

[Heaps of fun]

If he gets that explosiveness back in his game he showed in juniors he won't be tagging anyone.
C: McKercher LDU Scott
R: Xerri Wardlaw Phillips
Sheezel first rotation from midfield. Powell rounds out the rotations.

 

[Harvey Manfrenjensenden]

Needs more altitude running in the snow in bum **** ville Arkansas (or wherever the hell it was Scotts made us go)

 

[Chip Scab1]

Needs more altitude running in the snow in bum **** ville Arkansas (or wherever the hell it was Scotts made us go)

'Johnny' Utah ain't no Arkansas.

Need to dust off the old AMEX in Park City, wouldn't think they take AMEX in many place in Arkansas.

Good snow (in Late Jan, February) - impossible to beat Wyoming and Colorado, but it does in terms of quality and quantity of snow, certainly not in magnificence.

 

[Horizons_00]

Spot on. There have been a few shit posters on here suggesting that Will doesn't give a rats and has been coasting and lazy and using dated health excuses to avoid getting himself fit enough and strong enough to match it with the best midfielders going around. In truth, he has had the biggest 12 months of his life on the training track and the hope is that it will begin to pay off from 2025. Now, of course, one ripped photo in pre-season doesn't prove anything, but it should at least put paid to the claims that he isn't doing everything he can to get the most out of himself.

He definitely gives a shit and bleeds blue and white.

He knows this is his last chance.

 

[Junk yard]

Spot on. There have been a few shit posters on here suggesting that Will doesn't give a rats and has been coasting and lazy and using dated health excuses to avoid getting himself fit enough and strong enough to match it with the best midfielders going around. In truth, he has had the biggest 12 months of his life on the training track and the hope is that it will begin to pay off from 2025. Now, of course, one ripped photo in pre-season doesn't prove anything, but it should at least put paid to the claims that he isn't doing everything he can to get the most out of himself.

Talk is cheap. He had a full preseason last year and regressed. Couldn't give AF about photos or "training reports". I'll be taking notes at the time trials and preseason games. He averages five kicks a game leading into his fifth year. His year was putrid, even by his own standards. Very lucky to have a contract.

 

[hotchilli]

Why don't we/the club turn him into a small defender?

Have you seen how quick the top small forwards are?

 

[perplexed]

Have you seen how quick the top small forwards are?

They are also strong one-on-one, both on the ground and in marking contests. He really couldn't be worse suited to the role.

 

[Shermanator]

Doesn't look too high to me.
Looks lower than Darren Jarman's and he was about as good a kick as I can remember .

View attachment 2160248

Not sure Jars could drop the ball over his pergola nowadays..



One of the all-time greats though.

 

[shintemaster]

Talk is cheap. He had a full preseason last year and regressed. Couldn't give AF about photos or "training reports". I'll be taking notes at the time trials and preseason games. He averages five kicks a game leading into his fifth year. His year was putrid, even by his own standards. Very lucky to have a contract.

But he does have a contract. It's done. IMO when talking about a currently fringe player the mature thing at this point is to buckle up, hope for the best and support the kid. Nothing we do now from the outside changes his contract position and he deserves a clean run at things without abuse from the sidelines.

 

[Del191229]

He showed us last season that he can be a high end defensive mid.

 

[shintemaster]

He showed us last season that he can be a high end defensive mid.

He has the brain for the role and it works because he is clean as a whistle with ball in hand - which means he makes the most of limited opportunities when they come up clamping. He simply has to have more run for longer in him to fill that role though. At best he can do it at 100% for 2-2.5 quarters at the moment. Get that up to 80%+ and a touch more zip in the contest he could become a key cog very quickly.

 

[Horace]

Have you seen how quick the top small forwards are?

Of course someone would say that. I love the negativity that exudes on here when someone suggests something out of the ordinary.

Speed is not the only requirement to play in defence. Being able to read the play and position yourself in the right spots to intercept are very important attributes. Does he have those attributes? I don't know but when we have recruited heavily in the midfield in recent drafts, why not give it a try.

 

[The Maestro]

We played our best footy when Phillips was deployed in our midfield. Provided some really nice defensive balance to the team.

If he picks up his fitness he will give himself the best chance of remaining in the side.

 

[hotchilli]

Of course someone would say that. I love the negativity that exudes on here when someone suggests something out of the ordinary.

Speed is not the only requirement to play in defence. Being able to read the play and position yourself in the right spots to intercept are very important attributes. Does he have those attributes? I don't know but when we have recruited heavily in the midfield in recent drafts, why not give it a try.

Don’t go playing the victim about negativity because I disagreed with your opinion. I’m just as entitled to have my opinion as you are to have yours.

His best work defensively has been inside at stoppages. He certainly struggles on the spread.

Yeah positioning is a key part of it as well but the elite small forwards in the completion hit contests at pace. Kosi, Charlie Cameron, Stengle etc. are a serious handful for some very good small defenders who are more agile then WilPhil.

 

[krakouers]

Not sure Jars could drop the ball over his pergola nowadays..

View attachment 2160771

One of the all-time greats though.

Sheesh, I wear that guernsey one time

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

Just needs to be able to motor to every contest.

 

[Junk yard]

Just needs to be able to motor to every contest.

And spread, given how far off the pace he was this year it's extremely doubtful that he improves to AFL standard in one preseason.