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

[Passmore]

I understand your angst. Don't agree with it, other than disagreeing with the overall strategy but genuinely love your passion. IMO, no team has ever built from the midfield out, A) it doesn't make sense as B) talls tend to take longer to develop. End of.

Whoever made that call needs to go, now. Nothing else really makes sense in light of that abject failure to understand Football (and kids).

Not many teams have undertaken a scorched earth rebuild like we have apart from Melbourne. I'd actually say they started their build from the midfield.

Petracca, Brayshaw, Oliver to go with Gawn, Viney and Salem. Tom McDonald was already on the list as a pick 53.

They filled out the rest of the list over time.

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[koshari]

Not many teams have undertaken a scorched earth rebuild like we have apart from Melbourne. I'd actually say they started their build from the midfield.

Petracca, Brayshaw, Oliver to go with Gawn, Viney and Salem. Tom McDonald was already on the list as a pick 53.

They filled out the rest of the list over time.

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carlton did but were very fortunate to get harry and charley in the one draft, sort of like when the hawks got buddy and roughie, Drafts like that sure firms up your spine.

 

[Passmore]

carlton did but were very fortunate to get harry and charley in the one draft, sort of like when the hawks got buddy and roughie, Drafts like that sure firms up your spine.

That was a huge draft for them. Was Weitering the same draft?

Then again Melbourne have a premiership in the cabinet and Carlton don't as yet.

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[archereleven]

carlton did but were very fortunate to get harry and charley in the one draft, sort of like when the hawks got buddy and roughie, Drafts like that sure firms up your spine.

It's sort of like what we could do in this upcoming draft if we can split 2, but many want another shiny toy for the midfield and a development chf @ 22

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[Colby Cheer Squad]

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone would just stop posting the same old tired stuff here and wait until next season is underway before making any more judgements on Will.

Barring some unfortunate event befalling Will, next year will be make or break so let's leave it in his hands and the hands of our football department, to try to forge for himself a decent career at the NMFC.

Everything else from here on now until Season 2025 starts, is just meaningless drivel. (Mind you that is probably the definition of BF. )

Well, there are at least 3 people on here who have tied their entire sense of self-worth to Will Phillips failing as a footballer, so the chances of them backing off now are pretty remote.

 

[DocSholl]

no, it's just someone posting their thoughts. But you're one of those "if someone's views differ from mine they must not understand football" types, so i can see how you'd get that easily confused.

You're a very condescending poster for someone who predicted we'd win ten games this year

 

[Chip Scab1]

Not many teams have undertaken a scorched earth rebuild like we have apart from Melbourne. I'd actually say they started their build from the midfield.

Petracca, Brayshaw, Oliver to go with Gawn, Viney and Salem. Tom McDonald was already on the list as a pick 53.

They filled out the rest of the list over time.

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I knew you'd be able to answer my falsehood Micky!

Interesting. I feel that is correct but looking a touch deeper they managed their rebuild fairly well after getting not much out of 1st Rounders/ Priority/Mini Drafts/Freebie's): Morton, Grimes, Watts, Blease, Strauss, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Tapscott, Lucas Cook, Yossel Hogan, Toumpas, (Salem), (Petracca) (Brayshaw). It turned for them after lucking out on Max in the 30's.

I don't want to copy them at all, they have been gifted a ridiculous amount of picks/opportunities and despite One Premiership (in Perth, during Covid) they have **** all to show for it.

We are miles ahead of them, I feel more comfortable than ever about our position after seeing what their fans have been through!

They don't have the 90's and Duck to see them through either, we do. Just reiterate's we're on the right track and maybe we can split this year but we stick with the draft for another 2 years and then launch.

See for yourself.. https://www.draftguru.com.au/clubs/melbourne

Painful for them!

 

[Passmore]

I knew you'd be able to answer my falsehood Micky!

Interesting. I feel that is correct but looking a touch deeper they managed their rebuild fairly well after getting not much out of 1st Rounders/ Priority/Mini Drafts/Freebie's): Morton, Grimes, Watts, Blease, Strauss, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Tapscott, Lucas Cook, Yossel Hogan, Toumpas, (Salem), (Petracca) (Brayshaw). It turned for them after lucking out on Max in the 30's.

I don't want to copy them at all, they have been gifted a ridiculous amount of picks/opportunities and despite One Premiership (in Perth, during Covid) they have **** all to show for it.

We are miles ahead of them, I feel more comfortable than ever about our position after seeing what their fans have been through!

They don't have the 90's and Duck to see them through either, we do. Just reiterate's we're on the right track and maybe we can split this year but we stick with the draft for another 2 years and then launch.

See for yourself.. https://www.draftguru.com.au/clubs/melbourne

Painful for them!

They cocked things up as good as we've managed too, but they got there in the end. Plus they didn't have a global pandemic to **** up the initial stages.

Hopefully Sheezel, Wardlaw, and McKercher can be our Petracca, Brayshaw, and Oliver and we can seriously start building.

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[Junk yard]

no, it's just someone posting their thoughts. But you're one of those "if someone's views differ from mine they must not understand football" types, so i can see how you'd get that easily confused.

My thoughts seem to be the same as his coaches.

 

[swaeney]

My thoughts seem to be the same as his coaches.

Your thoughts tend to change though? You stated earlier he wouldn’t play seniors again…? You also stated he wouldn’t get another contract with anyone in the AFL, let alone us….? You’ve been wrong more times than you’ve been right bro

 

[Junk yard]

Your thoughts tend to change though? You stated earlier he wouldn’t play seniors again…? You also stated he wouldn’t get another contract with anyone in the AFL, let alone us….? You’ve been wrong more times than you’ve been right bro

You only listed when I was wrong. Been right plenty of times and Will was very lucky.

 

[Tas]

I like Will as a person and I hope he has a big pre-season and does well next year and he makes it.

At present it is hard to see where he stands when we have Wardlaw, LDU and McKercher in the middle, he doesn't have the tank to play a wing. He might be someone that will get more opportunity somewhere else that has midfield vacancies but I think if he wanted to stay and he could improve on various areas he could build himself to be a versatile mid that can play multiple roles who starts on the bench and he is the one the comes in when other best 18 mids go off for a break.

I'd much rather see Will come on instead of guys like Taylor, Stepho, etc which we have often used on the pine as those guys can't stick a tackle and only play very outside roles. I know Taylor is gone, but we have other Taylor-like guys who regularly get games.

I don't think we should wash him out just because he doesn't reach the pinnacle we thought he would get to, I would like to see us get the most out of him that we can. I think he played well on Daicos and some other mids, in parts, but i don't think he can afford to be a one-dimensional player.

 

[pizzasteve88]

You only listed when I was wrong. Been right plenty of times and Will was very lucky.

But if your thoughts are the same as the coaches, who then is selecting him in the 1’s and signing off on the contract?

 

[Junk yard]

But if your thoughts are the same as the coaches, who then is selecting him in the 1’s and signing off on the contract?

As I said, he's very lucky. They gave him plenty of opportunities throughout the year and he did nothing with them, including 12 disposals in his final game. I was more referring to him tagging or playing anywhere other than in the middle. Hopefully his fitness improves and he can find another yard to allow him to contribute elsewhere.

 

[Sillygit]

You're a very condescending poster for someone who predicted we'd win ten games this year

Lol sure thing doc, the thread was BIG predictions, not "spout the usual unending negative crap". No need for that thread when you and the usual suspects have that covered in spades.

 

[chubbspeterson]

I understand your angst. Don't agree with it, other than disagreeing with the overall strategy but genuinely love your passion. IMO, no team has ever built from the midfield out, A) it doesn't make sense as B) talls tend to take longer to develop. End of.

Whoever made that call needs to go, now. Nothing else really makes sense in light of that abject failure to understand Football (and kids).

Not sure who came up with the strategy, whether it was Roos, Rawlings, Noble or Clayton, but Roos always used to say he'd usually always take a midfielder with the early first round picks because you know what translates to AFL level.
The issue I think for us was we didn't take any key position players with 2nd/3rd/4th round selections, no balance.

Average covid draft for sure. Kingy is always talking Elijah Hollands up, does some nice things but he's certainly not a superstar, neither is Will. If WilPhil turned up with the puppy fat Elijah's got on him Junky would have an aneurism.
Both played under 50 games so perhaps we're going a bit early on all that draft class.
Logan Mac has played almost an extra 2 seasons on Will and Elijah, so he should be better right now.

 

[Junk yard]

Not sure who came up with the strategy, whether it was Roos, Rawlings, Noble or Clayton, but Roos always used to say he'd usually always take a midfielder with the early first round picks because you know what translates to AFL level.
The issue I think for us was we didn't take any key position players with 2nd/3rd/4th round selections, no balance.

Average covid draft for sure. Kingy is always talking Elijah Hollands up, does some nice things but he's certainly not a superstar, neither is Will. If WilPhil turned up with the puppy fat Elijah's got on him Junky would have an aneurism.
Both played under 50 games so perhaps we're going a bit early on all that draft class.
Logan Mac has played almost an extra 2 seasons on Will and Elijah, so he should be better right now.

Holland's elite for disposals, kicks and marks. Took a bit to get going after his knee but he is good now and still got a heap of upside. He can also run from one end of the ground to the other, doesn't just waddle around the middle and point.

 

[Hotham FC]

Holland's elite for disposals, kicks and marks. Took a bit to get going after his knee but he is good now and still got a heap of upside. He can also run from one end of the ground to the other, doesn't just waddle around the middle and point.

Did it get down to character selecting between Will & Hollands? Were Hollands off field behaviours post draft a red flag pre-draft?
Not many moving the needle from that entire draft class. Bad year to have such a high pick.

 

[Junk yard]

Did it get down to character selecting between Will & Hollands? Were Hollands off field behaviours post draft a red flag pre-draft?
Not many moving the needle from that entire draft class. Bad year to have such a high pick.

Don't remember hearing anything negative about Hollands until gold coast. Think it was his knee and we thought Will was the safe option.

 

[perplexed]

Did it get down to character selecting between Will & Hollands? Were Hollands off field behaviours post draft a red flag pre-draft?
Not many moving the needle from that entire draft class. Bad year to have such a high pick.

We basically selected Will off his underage year when he played in a supporting role behind Rowell and Anderson. If he had played in his draft year it is highly likely that his flaws would have been more evident and he would have dropped down the rankings.
I think our biggest mistake that draft wasn't picking Will. This was an understandable mistake, if we didn't take him he would have gone in the next few picks. What was inexcusable was drafting three more small mids in the same draft. Especially when we had taken another one the year before.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Holland's elite for disposals, kicks and marks. Took a bit to get going after his knee but he is good now and still got a heap of upside. He can also run from one end of the ground to the other, doesn't just waddle around the middle and point.

Elite for medium forward rankings, not midfield. He and his bro tested as good endurance runners.
He still has puppy fat on him, whether it was no preseason or late start, that might be the case, but he still needs to work on his conditioning and muscle tone. Looked overweight. Surprised Cornes didn't go him.

 

[LB2Snake]

We basically selected Will off his underage year when he played in a supporting role behind Rowell and Anderson. If he had played in his draft year it is highly likely that his flaws would have been more evident and he would have dropped down the rankings.
I think our biggest mistake that draft wasn't picking Will. This was an understandable mistake, if we didn't take him he would have gone in the next few picks. What was inexcusable was drafting three more small mids in the same draft. Especially when we had taken another one the year before.

Great post. Absolutely stupid by us.

 

[shinboner magic]

Brilliant kept daicos to 1 vote and that was probably after he got subbed off

 

[Junk yard]

Brilliant kept daicos to 1 vote and that was probably after he got subbed off

, imagine if our fourth year player could keep up with their second year player. Lamb to the slaughter.

 

[Junk yard]

Brilliant kept daicos to 1 vote and that was probably after he got subbed off

Tagging brilliance... Just missed the part where you're meant to nullify the bloke for the whole game. Subbed himself off because he couldn't keep up. Other than that he's a gun, let's not discount that this time last year he earned a brownlow vote.