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

[Krakoueraddict]

Ever since Will kicked that check side goal in his 1st game (I think) and he grabbed a fistful of jumper I've been a believer. Suns game he showed some really nice changes of direction both when running and delivering the ball. Working the angles just opens up so much space when done correctly.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

People just pretend he doesn't have tools he clearly has. He bursts out of a pack like a bowling ball knocking down pins and neatly dishes off to another player, and people will still come on here and go "nah he doesn't have the speed and he's too small"

I would love to see him change the angles and split play with some raking handballs for guys like TT, LDU and Wardlaw to break away into space with.

If he can do this more consistently like he did in his junior years, then his image in the media (let’s face it, you are nothing until you have been anointed by the likes of G.Healy, B. Taylor and L. Darcy) and this stupid comparison with other 2020 draftees (which 99% of which have shown f*ck all) can be put to bed.

 

[shinboner magic]

Because I am a tragic figure*, on Friday night when my missus went out I rewatched Gold Coast game.

I defy anyone to watch that and still tell me Phillips doesn't have what it takes to be an elite AFL player.

His delivery by foot into 50 is brilliant, those little uninterceptable pop kicks on the run to the leading forward.

* I was minding the kiddo, so couldn't exactly go out and party.

Some just want to bag him even when he plays well - even using the made up excuse that the suns playing weren’t trying.

He’ll be better than Rowell

 

[Del191229]

Some just want to bag him even when he plays well - even using the made up excuse that the suns playing weren’t trying.

He’ll be better than Rowell

He manages to play in an unobtrusive way, you have to watch closely to see just how good what he's done is sometimes.

 

[DuckYeah]

Doesn’t Jy have a low centre of gravity as well?

Not going there. Ive said what ive needed too.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

Ever since Will kicked that check side goal in his 1st game (I think) and he grabbed a fistful of jumper I've been a believer. Suns game he showed some really nice changes of direction both when running and delivering the ball. Working the angles just opens up so much space when done correctly.

You are spot on with this. I believe that Will's greatest attribute will be his capacity for applying his skills and physical attributes to any number of set plays and game plans. He's like this advanced computer console who can plug and play any type of software or game cartridge. What a joy he would be for a line coach. He's going to feed the likes of Larkey, Zurhaar, Duursma, and George, as well as freeing up and releasing McKercher, Sheezel, Wardlaw, Stevens, LDU and Scott for the best part of a decade so long as they are able to anticipate his angles and changes of direction.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

He manages to play in an unobtrusive way, you have to watch closely to see just how good what he's done is sometimes.

Or to quote he who shall not be named, "only the good footy judges..."

 

[The Brady Bunch]

I would love to see him change the angles and split play with some raking handballs for guys like TT, LDU and Wardlaw to break away into space with.

If he can do this more consistently like he did in his junior years, then his image in the media (let’s face it, you are nothing until you have been anointed by the likes of G.Healy, B. Taylor and L. Darcy) and this stupid comparison with other 2020 draftees (which 99% of which have shown f*ck all) can be put to bed.

Yes the highlights from that Oakleigh Chargers underage season when he was feeding Rowell and Anderson come to mind.

 

[Del191229]

Or to quote he who shall not be named, "only the good footy judges..."

Seasoned football analysts.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Or to quote he who shall not be named, "only the good footy judges..."

To be fair, he who shall not be named was generally a very good poster about football. It was all the other stuff that was problematic.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

To be fair, he who shall not be named was generally a very good poster about football. It was all the other stuff that was problematic.

Correct weight in most instances. Although it was a little bit rich at the time when he was claiming to have discovered a diamond in the rough when that player had been selected at pick 3 in the draft. It's only now that this particular prediction has come back around to looking like some sort of wondrous prophecy in light of all the naysayers.

 

[northbergs]

Because I am a tragic figure*, on Friday night when my missus went out I rewatched Gold Coast game.

I defy anyone to watch that and still tell me Phillips doesn't have what it takes to be an elite AFL player.

His delivery by foot into 50 is brilliant, those little uninterceptable pop kicks on the run to the leading forward.

* I was minding the kiddo, so couldn't exactly go out and party.

Similarly tragic, I rewatched the Sydney game. He only had 16 disposals (2 handballs, 14 kicks) but geez he was strong and influential in the centre clearances and creative with his use of hands. Notably, I reckon our two best games for the year were against Sydney and Gold Coast when he attended a lot of centre bounce matches - and LDU wasn’t playing.


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[Del191229]

Allegedly, there were people within the football department who agreed with that assessment at the time.

Fair to say those people no longer work in the football department though?

 

[Del191229]

Some just want to bag him even when he plays well - even using the made up excuse that the suns playing weren’t trying.

He’ll be better than Rowell

Yeah have encountered this argument about other players.

They were certainly trying when they got 7 goals up. They've certainly tried the last few end of season dead rubbers when they've pumped us.

Maybe, just maybe ... they were still trying right into the last quarter when they still had a sniff late, but our young team had finally got the gamerplan to click after their coach was back in the seat after months off on leave.

Maybe, just maybe, this Clarkson bloke can coach footy sides and maybe just maybe, a guy like Will Phillips was taken at pick 3 for a reason.

 

[Del191229]

Similarly tragic, I rewatched the Sydney game. He only had 16 disposals (2 handballs, 14 kicks) but geez he was strong and influential in the centre clearances and creative with his use of hands. Notably, I reckon our two best games for the year were against Sydney and Gold Coast when he attended a lot of centre bounce matches - and LDU wasn’t playing.


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He's a born midfielder, at centre square bounces, round the ground stoppages, and crucially through the middle of the ground in transition.

Powell is flashier with his fakes, spins and tricks but Phillips is immensely effective, and his disposal inside 50 is ludicrously good.

 

[Horizons_00]

I bet you if Will read this thread he would thrive from the negativity

He will leave no stone unturned

Looking forward to this year

 

[Del191229]

I bet you if Will read this thread he would thrive from the negativity

He will leave no stone unturned

Looking forward to this year

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

 

[Mixed Results]

He was seriously good in the first Essendon game as well once Greenwood went down. The Collingwood game the week before was also on par with his performance against the Suns.

I don't rate this performance as high, but AFL player ratings had him as our BOG against Brisbane in round five.

There were enough good performances scattered throughout 2023 to feel confident about his future. He needs consistency, but that's where him missing two years comes into play.

 

[Del191229]

He was seriously good in the first Essendon game as well once Greenwood went down. The Collingwood game the week before was also on par with his performance against the Suns.

I don't rate this performance as high, but AFL player ratings had him as our BOG against Brisbane in round five.

There were enough good performances scattered throughout 2023 to feel confident about his future. He needs consistency, but that's where him missing two years comes into play.

Yes, put us on his back.

 

[The Dingrel]

He manages to play in an unobtrusive way, you have to watch closely to see just how good what he's done is sometimes.

I remember commenting on that in his first handful of games,,,,so quick collecting the ball and dishing it off by hand you even wonder if the statistician recorded the damn play.

 

[Del191229]

I remember commenting on that in his first handful of games,,,,so quick collecting the ball and dishing it off by hand you even wonder if the statistician recorded the damn play.

Another thing I noticed about him.

He directs traffic when he doesn't have the ball.

The good sides are constantly teling the ball carrier where to go next - you see players pointing and yelling for the correct option in their gameplan in that phase of the play.

Its something we've signally lacked (for a whole range of reasons, notably no gameplan ever being properly bedded in since ****ing Laidley's hold the ball over your head one lol)

But Will is always pointing and keeping the play going the right way if he's not involved.

A crucial onfield element we've sorely lacked.

 

[Liam Boy]

I love how the WP bashers got so annoying that the pendulum has swung back the other way and now we've spent pages and pages going on about how great he'll be. Keep it up guys

 

[amaz199]

I thought his best display was against *Essendon in the first encounter.

He's really intelligent in the contests and knows where to extract the ball from. Very rarely makes a mistake in the clinches.

He just gets negativity because he sometimes receives the ball in the worst position and gets pinged because he has no one to feed it off to. His kicking I think is actually pretty good it's just that our forwards have a hard time getting in front. We are so lazy offensively it makes our midfield less impactful. Hopefully the fitness focus works wonders.

With him in the middle, we dominated centre clearances and it allowed our power mids to do more of the attacking. That's where guys like Phillips become crucial. Inside mids that can win the contested ball and are quick become invaluable.

 

[DuckYeah]

I bet you if Will read this thread he would thrive from the negativity

He will leave no stone unturned

Looking forward to this year

If he reads this, he’ll know that i’ll have a beer on the bar for him.

 

[Jesslc]

Will would br taking alot of confidence into 2024. Got a Brownlow vote in the final game of the season and in our drought breaking win.