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

[Chip Scab1]

And the "I rate Will the least" pissing competition runs well into the off season. Gotta admire the stamina.

At least we didn't fool ourselves with Logan McDonald. Hopeless draft all round!

 

[Junk yard]

At least we didn't fool ourselves with Logan McDonald. Hopeless draft all round!

He's played every game for the year in the team that finished top of the ladder. Kicked 34 goals averages more marks than Will does kicks! It was a shit draft but if you think we wouldn't be better off with Logan or Elijah you're kidding yourself.

 

[Chip Scab1]

It's more about what situation they were drafted into, than how good they are IMO!

If we had Curnow and McKay to kick it to, our players would be better. Same with Phillips, if he was dropped into a midfield containing Cripps, Walsh and a fit Cerra, he'd look better.The ball has lived in Sydney's forward line for much of year, he's had every chance to kick 60. 34 is unders imo.

We as supporters need to understand this. I'm not sure we do as best as we could. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Junk yard]

It's more about what situation they were drafted into, than how good they are IMO!

If we had Curnow and McKay to kick it to, our players would be better. Same with Phillips, if he was dropped into a midfield containing Cripps, Walsh and a fit Cerra, he'd look better.The ball has lived in Sydney's forward line for much of year, he's had every chance to kick 60. 34 is unders imo.

We as supporters need to understand this. I'm not sure we do as best as we could. That's all I'm saying.

So one struggles at VFL and the other two are lacing their boots up for finals, one playing wing and the other as a key forward. We got an easy choice wrong. Again.

 

[Chip Scab1]

He's played every game for the year in the team that finished top of the ladder. Kicked 34 goals averages more marks than Will does kicks!

So one struggles at VFL and the other two are lacing their boots up for finals, one playing wing and the other as a key forward. We got an easy choice wrong. Again.

I am happy to have a chat with you, as I frankly have nothing better to do!

It's been said a few times, yes.

I rate your passion JY, but honestly feel it's a little misdirected occasionally. I'm not WP's biggest fan either, but he (in his warped way) has shown small incremental improvement to the point, he's almost worth persisting with. I am certainly not a fan of the little dinks but those same little backward dinks are being lauded this morning from this meddling Hawthorn side. He isn't the biggest concern and if he's our 22nd man come the start of 2027 season, we're going ok! That's the point.
All this is, is gearing up for #5 and hopefully #'s 6 & 7. I dgaf about making finals and being competitive, like Sam Mitchell's Hawthorn do, I just want to see us win another flag or 3.

I'm now convinced Will might help us to that end, be it closing down an opposition star or hitting a target under pressure. It's not what I expected from a Pick 3, but it is important!

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

At least we didn't fool ourselves with Logan McDonald. Hopeless draft all round!

Many draft watchers have been frustrated by Finn O'Sullivan's year with multiple injuries limiting his ability to expose his form and development in Coates League as well as nationals. He is still rated in the top 4 but almost entirely as a result of his underage performances last year. If you apply those circumstances of O'Sullivan's output this season to the entire draft class in 2020, then you have your reasons why so many early picks are proving to be a disappointment. Even the #1 pick, JUH looked like a spud last night (albeit that's a poor sample size, obviously).

 

[ChairmanZia]

Tom goes missing for long periods in games. He needs to improve both his strength and fitness so he can stay involved for longer.

this goes for pretty much the entire team right?

 

[Chip Scab1]

So one struggles at VFL and the other two are lacing their boots up for finals, one playing wing and the other as a key forward. We got an easy choice wrong. Again.

He's a 2nd year undersized inside mid who has had heaps of unlucky injuries sice his arrival. McDonald would be angling for a ticket back to WA if hadn't left already! You seem to miss this rather crucial point, pretty consistently.

Yes he has kicked 34 goals, but he gets silver service from a finals bound, experienced list and well structured forward line of which he is #2 banana, to Issac Heeney. With 2 other talls who are decent taking pressure off him and making space - the situations are totally different. How would he go in our forward line? Still kick 34? 25 of them would potentially be red-time Q4 goals which don't count so much.

 

[R00StaR]

He's played every game for the year in the team that finished top of the ladder. Kicked 34 goals averages more marks than Will does kicks! It was a shit draft but if you think we wouldn't be better off with Logan or Elijah you're kidding yourself.

Geelong seem to have done fine out of it. Bruhn, Henry, Holmes and Neale.

 

[Fish Sticks]

On that metric of "he's had four years" you would have delisted somebody like Lachie Neale.
Neale said he had no idea what it took to be an elite footballer until his 6th year of footy. Some players take longer.
Now maybe Neale had shown a bit more than Will early on but Rossy Lyon gave him the arse and he went on to a Chaz.
Powell only just got through a full season of AFL. Will hasn't done that, so maybe those two need more development time.

Neale avg 27 touches & kicked 16 goals in his fourth season.
Also, Lyon didn’t give him the arse, he requested a trade & netted Freo picks 6 & 19
This post is soooo far off the mark

 

[Chip Scab1]

Many draft watchers have been frustrated by Finn O'Sullivan's year with multiple injuries limiting his ability to expose his form and development in Coates League as well as nationals. He is still rated in the top 4 but almost entirely as a result of his underage performances last year. If you apply those circumstances of O'Sullivan's output this season to the entire draft class in 2020, then you have your reasons why so many early picks are proving to be a disappointment. Even the #1 pick, JUH looked like a spud last night (albeit that's a poor sample size, obviously).

Agree. Happy we got a good clubman who recently has shown he can do jobs, is sorta developing and can importantly hit a 20m pass under some pressure. Again, not excited with what we gave up, but feel he played a few good games this year under intense (supporters, mostly) heat.

IE: Willing to give him a shot at getting to full fitness and somewhat excited as to what he could be as a 5th or 6th banana in a seemingly strong midfield.

If Finn is not a centre square midfielder then we can get him too but only if we are convinced he isn't and also convinced we'll get a CHF or gun small forward with our 2nd pick - which are absolutely mission critical.

 

[DocSholl]

Neale avg 27 touches & kicked 16 goals in his fourth season.
Also, Lyon didn’t give him the arse, he requested a trade & netted Freo picks 6 & 19
This post is soooo far off the mark

The Phillips/Neale comparison has been brought up before and the only thing they have in common is they're both short.

It was pretty evident Neale was going to be an excellent player from his second season.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Bottom line is, do you think he is capable of improving to be a defensive lynchpin to allow the others to excel offensively?

Below average fitness, below average agility (at AFL level on game day, his testing from years ago is irrelevant), below average strength.

He’s up against it.

 

[archereleven]

He either comes into the 1st game of the season in the best shape he's ever been in and improves aerobic ability throughout the season, or he is done.

Not sure why the need for a mega thread when it's clearly fitness based issues affecting his game. We know he can use it, it's about getting to more contests consistently.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[swaeney]

Below average fitness, below average agility (at AFL level on game day, his testing from years ago is irrelevant), below average strength.

He’s up against it.

Below average strength?



I think everyone is forgetting before his illness / injuries he was rated as good / better than Rowell in his draft year lol.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Below average strength?



I think everyone is forgetting before his illness / injuries he was rated as good / better than Rowell in his draft year lol.

For every one of those, there are twice as many of him more recently being monstered.

Being rated as a 17 year old is far different to what he appears to be as of right now.

He’s up against it.

 

[Junk yard]

Below average strength?



I think everyone is forgetting before his illness / injuries he was rated as good / better than Rowell in his draft year lol.

Fast, bursting out of stoppages, elite tagger, strong as an ox, better than Rowell and multi year deals from rivals. How'd we manage to get this package for a one year deal on **** all? What a bargain. Give it a rest Mrs Phillips.

 

[ferball]

He's played every game for the year in the team that finished top of the ladder. Kicked 34 goals averages more marks than Will does kicks! It was a shit draft but if you think we wouldn't be better off with Logan or Elijah you're kidding yourself.

Hollands maybe, Logan McDonald is a waste of space. Kicked four more goals than Paul Curtis as the main target in the best side in the comp.

 

[Junk yard]

Hollands maybe, Logan McDonald is a waste of space. Kicked four more goals than Paul Curtis as the main target in the best side in the comp.

I'll say it again, averages more marks than Will gets kicks. If he wasn't any good he wouldn't be playing.

 

[Tas]

There is far too much absolutist nonesenes in this thread. He is THIS or he is THAT and nothing is going to change.

It just isn't how the real world operates.

He has deficiencies, he has strengths. ATM the deficiencies outweigh the strengths and we are soon to shift McKercher into the midfield so when you have Wardlaw, LDU, McKercher and Sheezel coming in for around 50% game time then where do you fit in this group.

I thought he showed some promise with the tagging roles, the club doesn't have confidence he can run out games in those roles.

I think he has potential to be a utility mid and he may have to accept the reality that he isn't going to be a starting 18, but if he can work on some things and be able to play multiple roles he can be a high quality mid that comes off the pine and can fill in for a variety of midfield/running roles. Everyone is going to be spending 15-20% of the game on the bench, we don't want the wheels to fall off like they did in games when Wardlaw had to come off for a rest.

I want to see him make it but there are obvious things that the club wants to see from him that they are not sure they will see from him, thus the one year deal. I hope it comes together for him over the pre-season.

 

[ferball]

I'll say it again, averages more marks than Will gets kicks. If he wasn't any good he wouldn't be playing.

You could replace him with Teakle, an inanimate carbon rod or even CCJ and get a similar result.

 

[ferball]

There is far too much absolutist nonesenes in this thread. He is THIS or he is THAT and nothing is going to change.

It just isn't how the real world operates.

He has deficiencies, he has strengths. ATM the deficiencies outweigh the strengths and we are soon to shift McKercher into the midfield so when you have Wardlaw, LDU, McKercher and Sheezel coming in for around 50% game time then where do you fit in this group.

I thought he showed some promise with the tagging roles, the club doesn't have confidence he can run out games in those roles.

I think he has potential to be a utility mid and he may have to accept the reality that he isn't going to be a starting 18, but if he can work on some things and be able to play multiple roles he can be a high quality mid that comes off the pine and can fill in for a variety of midfield/running roles. Everyone is going to be spending 15-20% of the game on the bench, we don't want the wheels to fall off like they did in games when Wardlaw had to come off for a rest.

I want to see him make it but there are obvious things that the club wants to see from him that they are not sure they will see from him, thus the one year deal. I hope it comes together for him over the pre-season.

Look its down to being able to run with him. If he can't run like he did last year or in the early part of his career or high school then he'll be gone at the end of next year. I'm not gonna put the boot into him but he went backwards this year off his inability to run. If he turns that around he'll be fine. if not ...

 

[DocSholl]

I think everyone is forgetting before his illness / injuries he was rated as good / better than Rowell in his draft year lol.

Rowell was one of the most dominant TAC Cup players in the history of the competition. Will had a good underage year playing next to him and Anderson, no need to rewrite history.

 

[koshari]

Rowell was one of the most dominant TAC Cup players in the history of the competition. Will had a good underage year playing next to him and Anderson, no need to rewrite history.

pppffft,

Next thing you will be telling me sheedy didnt invent Indigenous football, Plumbing and get Oasis back together!

 

[Tas]

Look its down to being able to run with him. If he can't run like he did last year or in the early part of his career or high school then he'll be gone at the end of next year. I'm not gonna put the boot into him but he went backwards this year off his inability to run. If he turns that around he'll be fine. if not ...

Absolutely.

He is only 22 though and he has had a very interrupted first few years in the AFL, he has to show some significant inroads next year but I am not aware of anything atm that is preventing him from reaching where he needs to get to physically speaking, he just has to do the workload.