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

[shintemaster]

I don't want him near the backline as his mistakes in that part of the ground are very costly

I can see that view, although I'm not as worried as some depending on who is around him. I think some patience will be required in that instance. Wing is a whole different game and based on him avoiding contact a couple of times he doesn't have the physicality to be a primary centre mid yet. Need to remember he has played less than a season and think a bit more long term with him.

 

[Event Horizon]

I can see that view, although I'm not as worried as some depending on who is around him. I think some patience will be required in that instance. Wing is a whole different game and based on him avoiding contact a couple of times he doesn't have the physicality to be a primary centre mid yet. Need to remember he has played less than a season and think a bit more long term with him.

I don't mind him making mistakes at this stage of his career. I just don't want them made in the backline.

 

[Themanbun]

Rewatched his first half and I can see how he can be a bit frustrating for a coach. It's not his temperament. At some points he seems like the only bloke who knows what's going on in a stoppage and competes tenaciously. Then he has some wtf moments where he does something that doesn't make sense.

 

[Frank Thring]

Rewatched his first half and I can see how he can be a bit frustrating for a coach. It's not his temperament. At some points he seems like the only bloke who knows what's going on in a stoppage and competes tenaciously. Then he has some wtf moments where he does something that doesn't make sense.

Will plays like he doesn't fully understand his role.

 

[swaeney]

I don't want him near the backline as his mistakes in that part of the ground are very costly

Yea true it’s not like we have Luke McDonald, Aidan corr and Tucker playing in the back line

 

[Chip Scab1]

Yea true it’s not like we have Luke McDonald, Aidan corr and Tucker playing in the back line

And you forget Charlie Comben.

How can you leave out the 12th Apostle? He looks good, wonderful even, but cannot defend. It's truly painful to watch, time to play him at CHF and hope as I'm sick of beginning each game at -18.

 

[swaeney]

And you forget Charlie Comben.

How can you leave out the 12th Apostle? He looks good, wonderful even, but cannot defend. It's truly painful to watch, time to play him at CHF and hope as I'm sick of beginning each game at -18.

The more I watch of him so agree with you mate. He was great last year at intercepting but under no circumstances should he be playing on the number 1 forward. Realistically he should be on the shittest so he can peel off and intercept the balls directed to the number 1 forward

 

[Chip Scab1]

The more I watch of him so agree with you mate. He was great last year at intercepting but under no circumstances should he be playing on the number 1 forward. Realistically he should be on the shittest so he can peel off and intercept the balls directed to the number 1 forward

He should be nowhere near the backline, he should be up the other end or at Hardon St.

 

[swaeney]

He should be nowhere near the backline, he should be up the other end or at Hardon St.

Our defenders aren’t good enough to match the best forwards in the game 1on1. We need the intercepting defender see - Darcy Moore or rance style

 

[LeFtBehinD]

He's been given chances, the stats are in here. He fades hard in last halves. Watch the pre season game against west coast. Unbelievable that we're playing a midfielder that cant run out a game, we have much better options. We need to move on.

Perhaps I remember the game wrong, but felt he had a great rundown tackle right before he was subbed, which alone would suggest he wasn't gassed. If he's not delivering pressure acts or getting to the right positions (doing the team things) then fair enough, something that is hard to judge from the outside.

But I think the whole "he can't run out games" is just trying to explain in the absence of actually knowing.

 

[north_lad]

This tracks

 

[Junk yard]

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369.

 

[LB2Snake]

Was he wearing longer than normal shorts last night ?
Because he looked a foot shorter than usual .

He’s definitely like an optical illusion or something…..always looks tiny out there.

 

[Dinkers]

369.

Ha, look I said he had a good second quarter, which I think he did. He didn't have a good anything else.

I spoke today with a well connected North man during the Pagan era and Dylan Smiths name came up. He spoke about how Dylan dominated the unders. I asked why he didn't make it, he said Dylan was too slow.

I then asked him who on our list reminds you of Dylan Smith, he didn't pause and said Wil Phillips.

 

[DuckYeah]

Should not have hand balled to Aiden Corr. He should have gone back and had a crack.

 

[ansonholt]

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This tracks

You know what I'd like to see on Bigfooty: once a poster reaches a certain high percentage of an entire thread (say 10% of the thread, once it reaches 100 posts), they're banned from posting on said thread.

Yeah, I know it won't happen. Free speech must be respected. But it might stamp some of this repetitive negativity out.

 

[Dinkers]

You know what I'd like to see on Bigfooty: once a poster reaches a certain high percentage of an entire thread (say 10% of the thread, once it reaches 100 posts), they're banned from posting on said thread.

Yeah, I know it won't happen. Free speech must be respected. But it might stamp some of this repetitive negativity out.

Life is interesting aye, the only positives I read about young Wil are on BF. in real life, no one believes he's a) any good or b) will make it.

Now I hope he does like everyone else, but one must ponder getting a game in one of the worst sides in history is a tad different than getting a game in a side that is finals bound.
My belief is that those that are seeing him as a good footballer are only seeing draft pick #3.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Every time he plays there’s more and more evidence that he just isn’t quite good enough.

That's fair. I would call it a solid performance, did some good things in that 2nd quarter, but not enough really.
I didn't think Powell and LDU had great games either though to be honest.

Need a bit more than a one game sample size to judge him, assess him at the bye or end of season, but doesn't look like he can run out games fully just yet, even after an uninterrupted run at it over preseason.
Doesn't quite have the zip of some other mids, compared to say Ed Richards.

Now whether it's coaches/fitness staff trying to managing his minutes and build him up slowly or he just can't run out a full game with his glandular/long covid history, I don't know the answer. We'll only find out by the end of the season if he can run out games more strongly. They have a bit of a similar issue with Wardlaw.

At some point Wardlaw, Duursma, Ford or Fisher types might give you more than Will in different roles.
It's a shame because he's a ripping kid, but it doesn't augur well for Will and his future at the club, so might be a shake hands, both sides did everything they could and we move on with other list needs or future points for F/son's in 2026.

 

[swaeney]

Should not have hand balled to Aiden Corr. He should have gone back and had a crack.

It was his only option to have a ping, because our forwards aren’t smart enough to lead towards the ball

 

[Chip Scab1]

Our defenders aren’t good enough to match the best forwards in the game 1on1. We need the intercepting defender see - Darcy Moore or rance style

Agree. His name is Will Dawson.

 

[swaeney]

Agree. His name is Will Dawson.

I haven’t seen enough of him but let’s get him in

 

[justroyal]

I still think konstanty will and rj in the forward line could add some precision and buzz

 

[gokangas]

I still think konstanty will and rj in the forward line could add some precision and buzz

When? Can you put a time on this?

 

[Sillygit]

in real life, no one believes he's a) any good or b) will make it.

lol

"And everyone i know agrees with me so that means it must be true."

 

[justroyal]

When? Can you put a time on this?

Fingers crossed next week