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

[koshari]

Such a shame cos his disposal in the first half was actually far better than the rest of our mids. He doesn’t just bomb it, and is very smart with his choices. He’s just not getting enough footy tho. Get 18+ possies every week and he’s a lock. 12 for a full game just isn’t good enough.

Yeah dunno what his future holds. It daniels dont tidy up his disposal i would even consider trying him as the attacking defender as his disposal is ok and he can be accountable for an opposition player.

 

[Only Forwards]

I thought he had some ok passages in the first half. I noticed him more than I had.

I don’t know how he could be used differently or more but as it stands right now his rate of improvement will be eclipsed really quickly by a lot of players.

The way I see it he probably has two more weeks to make himself no it when Wardlaw is ready to go.

If George was ready next week, Will would be in the VFL.

 

[Nylex]

At half time I had Will in the votes.. Definitely persist with him

 

[backtothedraft]

You’d love for him to get 20-25 each week. He makes relatively good decisions with ball in hand and tries hard but just doesn’t have enough impact over 4 quarters. Being replaced by Wardlaw seems inevitable if not earlier.

 

[perplexed]

Adelaide went with a standard four mid rotation in the centre square today. Again we went with a six mid rotation in order to give Will a game. When he plays, he is keeping our best player and captain out of their best positions. Will plods up to stoppages then disappears once the ball is in transition (when the game is won and lost). It's beyond ridiculous.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Typical game from him.

He just doesn’t have any further development.

 

[Fish Sticks]

He has to be dropped next week.
Giving him mid minutes over Sheezel is beyond ludicrous!
I thought he’d hold his spot until Wardlaw came back but we can’t keep carrying him in our midfield.
Sad to say, but I think his career is toast…

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Better than Tucker and Stephens

Not much more can be said

 

[Themanbun]

Better than Tucker and Stephens

Not much more can be said

Was better than neither of those blokes IMO, not that they are positionally competing for a spot.

 

[Waynesworld]

Better than Tucker and Stephens

Not much more can be said

Tucker plays off half back, Stephens plays a quarter.

Dumb comparison

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Tucker plays off half back, Stephens plays a quarter.

Dumb comparison

Was not talking about today, wasn’t talking about their positions.

Talking about better as footballers in general.

 

[shinboner magic]

9 effective.

For a low disposal player his cleanliness is way too hit miss at the moment.

75% efficiency is pretty good but needs to get it 20+ and probably 5+ clearances/tackles

 

[Themanbun]

75% efficiency is pretty good but needs to get it 20+ and probably 5+ clearances/tackles

It still counts as an 'effective' kick even if it's a poor one to a contest. And there have been a few occassions to start this year where he gets hands to a ball, fumbles, and then holds for a stoppage or loses the pill without disposing. Needs to get better at the coalface.

 

[shinboner magic]

It still counts as an 'effective' kick even if it's a poor one to a contest. And there have been a few occassions to start this year where he gets hands to a ball, fumbles, and then holds for a stoppage or loses the pill without disposing. Needs to get better at the coalface.

Yeah a guy with his limitations needs to be clean as **** n be an assassin in the contest

 

[Colby2Sheez]

Just doesn't have the physical attributes required for AFL level. Backup for the rest of the season once Warlord is fit then trade for a token pick or delist.

Noone will trade for him.

It's delist for me as he simply isn't improving, but he might be kept for depth.

 

[King Hansen]

Probably gets delisted or traded at years end. We can't carry too many slow, short inside mids.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Was clean as usual inside and had a very good burst in the first half

Needs to find a way to get more of the footy, he’s great at stoppages but needs to get it in transition too

 

[King Hansen]

Was clean as usual inside and had a very good burst in the first half

Needs to find a way to get more of the footy, he’s great at stoppages but needs to get it in transition too

He's too limited. Need to spread in today's game.

 

[Shermanator]

Yeah dunno what his future holds. It daniels dont tidy up his disposal i would even consider trying him as the attacking defender as his disposal is ok and he can be accountable for an opposition player.

I agree. Or if we’re using him in a ‘tagging’ role play him on the oppositions quarterback small and tag him out of the game.

 

[roo blitz]

A typical Phillips game. A few nice touches and not much else. Just cant put a full game together and not quick enough or able to give enough spark to be a sub. I really doubt his future at the club. Nothing against him but it just isnt happening the way it should this far into his career

 

[Works atErrol St]

Does North Melbourne create a position for him to play?
Does he slip to the VFL, within the next three North matches?

 

[TruRoo]

At half time I was happy that at least he cracked in when others weren't. But after half time he disappeared and that is unacceptable.

Maybe we should do as someone suggested and try to play him in the Caleb Daniel role. At least he'll defend - which the helmeted crab struggles to do. Maybe try to put Daniel on the forward flank where at least his 35m mungs aren't giving our opponents possession 60 metres from their goal.

 

[kangatragic]

I'm clearly a Phillips supporter, and his first half was good, but he disappeared mostly in the second

I'm also a Phillips supporter but unfortunately it doesn't look like his engine is ever going to be good enough to play midfield in the AFL. We need to reinvent him as maybe an flanker otherwise I think his days are numbered. We can't keep using glandular fever as an excuse and think his engine will improve as simply it doesn't look like it ever will.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

A typical Phillips game. A few nice touches and not much else. Just cant put a full game together and not quick enough or able to give enough spark to be a sub. I really doubt his future at the club. Nothing against him but it just isnt happening the way it should this far into his career

So what you’re saying is some good….moments?

 

[pizzasteve88]

Was one/am one of his biggest fans.Really good ball user & still believe he has elite vision, despite what others think. Great clubman, sort of guy that brings a solid culture to the team but not sure he’ll be the player we thought he’d be. Just can’t carry guys like we have in the past getting sub 20 disposals when he needed to step up & do more on the weekend.
Not off him but it’s going to be a long road back.