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

[apollo_creed]

Sign him for another 2

Two way street. Suggest that we want to.

 

[Whereitallbegan]

Not sure if he played on Rowell for the entirety of the match, Rowell had it 24 times and to be honest, vast amount of those were underwhelming, don’t think he was that affective at all and yes, I did watch the game , twice actually

 

[Spud11]

He will arrive next year, he’s not 100% right in the body yet and he’s got some building to do. For now, he’s doing admirably from how far back he came from.

Bookmark this.

Bookmarked. I think you’re spot on

 

[backtothedraft]

I'm still not a believer, but hope he can carve a permanent spot in our side. He needs the offseason to work on his flexibility to play secondary roles outside of inside midfield, and improve his fitness base.

 

[gerry101101]

Will be interesting when we play a side like Richmond, where arguably we should just be going toe-to-toe and not using a tagger/close checking mid. Can still play an important blocking type role to make space for the likes of LDU in the centre bounces, but in a game like that (and hopefully more will fit in that category going forward as we get continue to improve) I expect we would want all the mids to be winning ball and being offensive threats. What will his place be then? Hopefully by then he will have built enough of a tank and have improved his confidence and role enough to have a strong non-defensive contribution.

 

[InFineForm]

Will be interesting when we play a side like Richmond, where arguably we should just be going toe-to-toe and not using a tagger/close checking mid. Can still play an important blocking type role to make space for the likes of LDU in the centre bounces, but in a game like that (and hopefully more will fit in that category going forward as we get continue to improve) I expect we would want all the mids to be winning ball and being offensive threats. What will his place be then? Hopefully by then he will have built enough of a tank and have improved his confidence and role enough to have a strong non-defensive contribution.

Isn't he built to take Taranto?

 

[gerry101101]

Isn't he built to take Taranto?

Yes, he could - but do we need to shut down Taranto? Have never thought he was a player that really hurt teams, to the point where you would focus on shutting him down versus trusting your midfield to be more damaging.

But I say that proudly not having watched many Tiger games this year, so will defer to those who have!

 

[InFineForm]

Yes, he could - but do we need to shut down Taranto? Have never thought he was a player that really hurt teams, to the point where you would focus on shutting him down versus trusting your midfield to be more damaging.

But I say that proudly not having watched many Tiger games this year, so will defer to those who have!

Just he immediately sprung to mind. He'd be too slow to go to Bolton. I guess if you decided to sit on Hopper.
Not sure. Maybe he becomes surplus too requirements against the Tiggers

 

[czero]

I want this kid to believe, and I want him to take his endurance training to the next level.

Hope he makes it.

 

[perplexed]

Will just isn't going to make it as a centre square mid at North. It's safe to say that he won't get ahead of any of LDU, Wardlaw, Sheezel, Simpkin or McKercher. Powell is also well in front of him, plus possibly whoever we take with our first rounder this year. I'm happy for us to give him a year to see if he can improve his tank and learn to play another position. He has been better than I expected as a tagger, but teams don't need one every week. If he stays with us, he will just be depth. If he wants a decent career in footy, he should ask for a trade.

 

[tazaa]

Send him to Warner. He will do the job.

 

[pupstar]

Send him to Warner. He will do the job.

Yep tazaa good call. and regardless of if Warner does a job on him he is learning just how fit strong and hard you have to be to mix it with the big boys. All hopefully stands him in good stead for the future.

 

[amaz199]

Straight to Warner. Wear him like a glove.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Will just isn't going to make it as a centre square mid at North. It's safe to say that he won't get ahead of any of LDU, Wardlaw, Sheezel, Simpkin or McKercher. Powell is also well in front of him, plus possibly whoever we take with our first rounder this year. I'm happy for us to give him a year to see if he can improve his tank and learn to play another position. He has been better than I expected as a tagger, but teams don't need one every week. If he stays with us, he will just be depth. If he wants a decent career in footy, he should ask for a trade.

2 years I reckon. If we need to trade end of 2025 so be it but I'd like to see him after another big preseason.
I think its better to have him under contract with that extra year if it comes to a trade.

I don't think McKercher or the new mid kid will be able to run out 22 games as a midfielder anyway. They'll need to be managed through the first few years. If Will and Lazzaro were to go at the same time, that doesn't leave much AFL listed talent in the midfield in our VFL team and we're likely to lose some leaders who can give a bit of direction if Greenwood and Shiels are set to retire. We need a competitive VFL team as well to guide the young draftees as well.

Will has been solid I would say and is definitely improving. Powell gets more of it but Will I think provides more pressure in transition so it's an interesting dilemma for the coaches. I wouldn't mind seeing Will just outside the F50 kicking the ball inside 50 as he usually makes good decisions compared to some others who blaze away.

 

[perplexed]

2 years I reckon. If we need to trade end of 2025 so be it but I'd like to see him after another big preseason.
I think its better to have him under contract with that extra year if it comes to a trade.

I don't think McKercher or the new mid kid will be able to run out 22 games as a midfielder anyway. They'll need to be managed through the first few years. If Will and Lazzaro were to go at the same time, that doesn't leave much AFL listed talent in the midfield in our VFL team and we're likely to lose some leaders who can give a bit of direction if Greenwood and Shiels are set to retire. We need a competitive VFL team as well to guide the young draftees as well.

Will has been solid I would say and is definitely improving. Powell gets more of it but Will I think provides more pressure in transition so it's an interesting dilemma for the coaches. I wouldn't mind seeing Will just outside the F50 kicking the ball inside 50 as he usually makes good decisions compared to some others who blaze away.

I agree that it makes sense for us to keep him as depth. But I don't think it makes sense for Will.

 

[Twangler]

2 years I reckon. If we need to trade end of 2025 so be it but I'd like to see him after another big preseason.
I think its better to have him under contract with that extra year if it comes to a trade.

I don't think McKercher or the new mid kid will be able to run out 22 games as a midfielder anyway. They'll need to be managed through the first few years. If Will and Lazzaro were to go at the same time, that doesn't leave much AFL listed talent in the midfield in our VFL team and we're likely to lose some leaders who can give a bit of direction if Greenwood and Shiels are set to retire. We need a competitive VFL team as well to guide the young draftees as well.

Will has been solid I would say and is definitely improving. Powell gets more of it but Will I think provides more pressure in transition so it's an interesting dilemma for the coaches. I wouldn't mind seeing Will just outside the F50 kicking the ball inside 50 as he usually makes good decisions compared to some others who blaze away.

Good point re VFL. If Shield and Greenwood retire as expected, and Lazz Phillips get let go, we have absolutely zero AFL midfielders unless you count Duursma who is more of a forward. Even this year in the VFL, we have a lot more up and comers in both defence and attack than the midfield. We have really good high end talent but really not much depth at all in that area of the ground.

 

[Tas]

Good point re VFL. If Shield and Greenwood retire as expected, and Lazz Phillips get let go, we have absolutely zero AFL midfielders unless you count Duursma who is more of a forward. Even this year in the VFL, we have a lot more up and comers in both defence and attack than the midfield. We have really good high end talent but really not much depth at all in that area of the ground.

We aren't letting Phillips go.

I would expect Shiels and Greenwood to retire. Thomas is going to vanish off the list... McKercher moves to the midfield, the next mid we pick up in the draft goes down back.

LDU (4), Wardlaw(4), Sheezel(3), McKercher(2), Phillips(3), Powell(13), that is a ridiculous amount of talent, when your top 6 mids on average are under pick 5.

We still have Simpkin that can go into the middle if required, Scott, Tucker, Stephens, Taylor for better or worse also play in the midfield. Not every car in the garage can be a ferrari.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I don't think McKercher or the new mid kid will be able to run out 22 games as a midfielder anyway. They'll need to be managed through the first few years. If Will and Lazzaro were to go at the same time, that doesn't leave much AFL listed talent in the midfield in our VFL team and we're likely to lose some leaders who can give a bit of direction if Greenwood and Shiels are set to retire. We need a competitive VFL team as well to guide the young draftees as well.

Pardon the intrusion, just wanted to say this won't be difficult to find. There are always veterans who dominate the state leagues, that can give direction and fill in for a few games at the top level if required, who you can get cheap. For example, Jarryd Lyons will probably be delisted from Brisbane at the end of the season, and he's hit 30 disposals six times this year in the VFL. If he wants to go back to Victoria to finish off his career, you'll be able to get him for free.

 

[Themanbun]

Pardon the intrusion, just wanted to say this won't be difficult to find. There are always veterans who dominate the state leagues, that can give direction and fill in for a few games at the top level if required, who you can get cheap. For example, Jarryd Lyons will probably be delisted from Brisbane at the end of the season, and he's hit 30 disposals six times this year in the VFL. If he wants to go back to Victoria to finish off his career, you'll be able to get him for free.

Indeed. Our best mids in the VFL are VFL listed anyway.

 

[Moti]

2 years I reckon. If we need to trade end of 2025 so be it but I'd like to see him after another big preseason.
I think its better to have him under contract with that extra year if it comes to a trade.

I don't think McKercher or the new mid kid will be able to run out 22 games as a midfielder anyway. They'll need to be managed through the first few years. If Will and Lazzaro were to go at the same time, that doesn't leave much AFL listed talent in the midfield in our VFL team and we're likely to lose some leaders who can give a bit of direction if Greenwood and Shiels are set to retire. We need a competitive VFL team as well to guide the young draftees as well.

Will has been solid I would say and is definitely improving. Powell gets more of it but Will I think provides more pressure in transition so it's an interesting dilemma for the coaches. I wouldn't mind seeing Will just outside the F50 kicking the ball inside 50 as he usually makes good decisions compared to some others who blaze away.

Would think Colby is fitter than Will at this stage.

 

[Jesslc]

Every good team has a great defensive mid and ours is top of the crop as a tagger.

He then has LDU, Wardlaw, Sheezel, Simpkin, Powell, Mckercher around him. It's a fantastic mix.

 

[Tas]

Every good team has a great defensive mid and ours is top of the crop as a tagger.

He then has LDU, Wardlaw, Sheezel, Simpkin, Powell, Mckercher around him. It's a fantastic mix.

If anything, it would make us stronger if they also turned Powell into a lockdown/run-with midfielder as well. Wardlaw the extractor, LDU and McKercher the class and then two shutdown mids to lock down the opposition's most damaging mids.

Phillip's ability to pressure an opposition mid plus whatever disposals he gets is magnitudes more valuable than him getting a little bit more of the ball but the opposition mid running amok.

 

[R00StaR]

If anything, it would make us stronger if they also turned Powell into a lockdown/run-with midfielder as well. Wardlaw the extractor, LDU and McKercher the class and then two shutdown mids to lock down the opposition's most damaging mids.

Phillip's ability to pressure an opposition mid plus whatever disposals he gets is magnitudes more valuable than him getting a little bit more of the ball but the opposition mid running amok.

If Phillips can lock down Daicos in the middle then im not sure why we couldn't use him as a lock down on oppo's most attacking half back as well. Then he's available to swing into the middle if needed.

 

[Tas]

If Phillips can lock down Daicos in the middle then im not sure why we couldn't use him as a lock down on oppo's most attacking half back as well. Then he's available to swing into the middle if needed.

It is much harder to tag someone in the forward or back line because you are invariably more than 5m from the ball, so any body work to put someone off their line to the ball is automatically illegal.

 

[R00StaR]

It is much harder to tag someone in the forward or back line because you are invariably more than 5m from the ball, so any body work to put someone off their line to the ball is automatically illegal.

Agreed its harder, but he could still nullify them to some extent. Besides he's good in an under and good shot on goal so can hurt them the other way too. A pressure forward with low mid minutes until form or injuries opens him a spot all while building that tank and explosiveness more.