Player Watch #29: Will Phillips - tags N.Daicos vs Collingwood - subbed off at 3/4 time??

[Kanga Glory]

Watching the replay, he's not scared to be first in, did it numerous times and got important touches and knock ons. Has a place in there if he keeps doing that

 

[Johnny99]

If I was the midfield coach at North, I would give WiPhi a video tape and tell him to go home and watch the video and do his homework.
And that video would be a replay of the Port and Demons game and tell him to watch Zac Butters and how he plays.
Because physically, I think they are very similar players. And Butters is a gun. And that's the sort of player Will needs to become.

 

[king of the road]

If I was the midfield coach at North, I would give WiPhi a video tape and tell him to go home and watch the video and do his homework.
And that video would be a replay of the Port and Demons game and tell him to watch Zac Butters and how he plays.
Because physically, I think they are very similar players. And Butters is a gun. And that's the sort of player Will needs to become.

I don’t reckon he’d have a player to watch the video tape on.

 

[4cunningTonneTruck]

Just not sure he’ll ever rise to the level of LDU.

Wardlaw outshone him and it was his first game off an even worse fitness base.

LDU, Simpkin, Wardlaw, Sheezel…

He’s not replacing any of them long term.

Your first sentence should answer your own question. Imagine comparing LDU 22 games in to his career to Wardlaw. It's very rare for a player to come in and make an instant impact like Sheezel and Wardlaw have done. Most players take years to settle into the comp (LDU).

 

[ferball]

Just not sure he’ll ever rise to the level of LDU.

Wardlaw outshone him and it was his first game off an even worse fitness base.

LDU, Simpkin, Wardlaw, Sheezel…

He’s not replacing any of them long term.

Seriously ... at the start of 2021 did you think anyone would rise to the level of LDU including LDU?

If that's what you're worried about in your midfield with JY, LDU, Thomas, Wardlaw, Sheezle, etc in it then you really need to step back and get some perspective.

 

[ferball]

I don’t reckon he’d have a player to watch the video tape on.

That's part of the challenge. Its one of those legendary Clarko things. Not only study the tape but figure out how to watch it.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Seriously ... at the start of 2021 did you think anyone would rise to the level of LDU including LDU?

If that's what you're worried about in your midfield with JY, LDU, Thomas, Wardlaw, Sheezle, etc in it then you really need to step back and get some perspective.

Yes.

I always though LDU would be a dominant midfielder. His efforts at junior level were a clear indicator of that.

I don’t see dominant midfielder in Phillips.

 

[Mcarcherey]

If I was the midfield coach at North, I would give WiPhi a video tape and tell him to go home and watch the video and do his homework.
And that video would be a replay of the Port and Demons game and tell him to watch Zac Butters and how he plays.
Because physically, I think they are very similar players. And Butters is a gun. And that's the sort of player Will needs to become.

I think I'd give him a video of swallow. Short inside mid. He's struggling with his height, can't get any purchase on his handballs in the contest.

On Pixel 6 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Moti]

If I was the midfield coach at North, I would give WiPhi a video tape and tell him to go home and watch the video and do his homework.
And that video would be a replay of the Port and Demons game and tell him to watch Zac Butters and how he plays.
Because physically, I think they are very similar players. And Butters is a gun. And that's the sort of player Will needs to become.

Did Philips pick up 2 yards of pace suddenly? He doesn't play like him at all.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

I don’t reckon he’d have a player to watch the video tape on.

Perhaps a Super 8 projector then.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Ligma]

PERFECT EXAMPLE OF PROTECTING YOURSELF!!

 

[SheezNuts]

Shinboner.

Reckon he has the potential to be elite.

 

[Ashley B]

Spoke to Wills Dad before the game as my son played with Will a while back . He said Will is feeling well . We both agreed that it was good the Club was throwing all the youngsters in the middle this week (yesterday)Was confident Big Al would return too

 

[Its a Process]

I’ve been bullish from that match against Carlton in 2021 and I remain bullish.

Our midfield looked so much better with WP, George, Jy, Hugh and Sheez - and WP was a key component.

Play him for the rest of the year, i’d show him Sam Mitchell tapes

 

[Johnny99]

Did Philips pick up 2 yards of pace suddenly? He doesn't play like him at all.

Physically they are similar....

 

[ferball]

Did Philips pick up 2 yards of pace suddenly? He doesn't play like him at all.

Suddenly? He ran 2.9 at the draft combine for 20m.

 

[ferball]

Yes.

I always though LDU would be a dominant midfielder. His efforts at junior level were a clear indicator of that.

I don’t see dominant midfielder in Phillips.

LDU is tracking to be even better than I thought he'd be. Phillips still looks good tho. He's played 22 games (ie a full seasone worth) missed a season and isn't even half way thru hois third year and players like Daniel Rich and Luke Parker can't knock him off his line when he runs straight at the ball.

LDU might end up averaging 30 possessions a game over the next five years and Phillips might not get to that level but he will make any midfield he's a part of better and more effective. We saw that on the weekend.

 

[DuckYeah]

Kid can footy

 

[speedy]

Just needs to play in the guts for the rest of the year to see what we have got. He is small and his first couple of steps aint explosive, so he needs to be super clean and spot on with his decisison making to be productive. Still hasn't cracked 20 disposals yet, so he has a lot to prove.

 

[MagicalRoos]

Underrated game on the weekend. From where I was sitting on the members wing, he was a big part in us winning a lot of the 50/50 contests where a scrum was developing. Fast thinker when the heat is on. He’s not going to do an over the shoulder handball with a half pirouette to get us out of space, but he knows how to scrap the ball to our advantage.

Also, in the centre clearances he seemed to be quietly directing traffic and it just looked like he took a lot of the leadership heat off Jy. He made sure that Jy was comfortable being the main offensive man out there. His blocks and shepherds turn us into an actual team.

It wasn’t a stand out game by any stretch of the imagination but this was the first time he was given responsibility as first rotation in the guts and it was a major step forward for him. He is another important piece in an our puzzle and on the weekend he showed a strong glimpse of why.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

Just not sure he’ll ever rise to the level of LDU.

Wardlaw outshone him and it was his first game off an even worse fitness base.

LDU, Simpkin, Wardlaw, Sheezel…

He’s not replacing any of them long term.

Not saying these kids are in the same talent bracket (...yet) but this is a bit like being worried that Luke Power was being outshone by Voss, Black, Aker and Lappin.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Not saying these kids are in the same talent bracket (...yet) but this is a bit like being worried that Luke Power was being outshone by Voss, Black, Aker and Lappin.

A bit.

The problem is that he won’t get significant midfield minutes when we have a full compliment of mids available.

He struggles to play anywhere else. Doesn’t accumulate off HB. Doesn’t bob up and kick goals up forward.

It’s an issue our list has, there’s too many blokes who can only play midfield, that aren’t (or won’t be) as good as the Top 3 mids we have.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

A bit.

The problem is that he won’t get significant midfield minutes when we have a full compliment of mids available.

He struggles to play anywhere else. Doesn’t accumulate off HB. Doesn’t bob up and kick goals up forward.

It’s an issue our list has, there’s too many blokes who can only play midfield, that aren’t (or won’t be) as good as the Top 3 mids we have.

I think you need to temper your expectations for a 22 gamer with Will's illness history.

He has been a sub 6 times in those 22 games as well.

 

[Flawed Genius]

He won't wow you like LDU does. He won't physically destroy you like Wardlaw will. He won't be as positionlessly elite as Sheezel. But you will watch all three of those burst from stoppage or weave clear of congestion and hit up inside 50 and you'll go jeez how did they get that footy there. And in the cloud of dust they leave behind there will be Phillips on his hands and knees doing the smart dirty things that every footballer with a mega brain does to make his teammates better.

If you want the elite sexy footy you need the bulldozer footy savant there to make it happen. That's Will. That's his next fifteen years. He straight up bullied Parker in that footage above. It wasn't the only time he did it either. Got pinballed between two sets of heads, opened up and still got a clearance. He is a jet, he was always going to be a jet, and it was only ever going to be time that prevented it from happening.