Forget the draft spot he was taken, he'll likely not live up to your expectations. Doesnt mean he wont be a good player. Lets face it he's never going to the flashy play maker, he's a hoovering and feed machine.
Player Watch #29: Will Phillips - tags N.Daicos vs Collingwood - subbed off at 3/4 time??
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We do live in a world where emotions > facts.Love how you're just stating a fact and someone dislikes the post
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I reckon he’s one of our calmest players, doesn’t fumble or rush anything. Quicker acceleration than I thought to, he broke away from Henry out of the middle pretty comfortably.
Anyone remember that Community episode where Abed gets driven mad trying to work out if Nicolas Cage is a good or bad actor? This thread is the footy equivalent of that
Our whole midfield was underwhelming.
Of the main 3 guys:
Wardlaw only had 10 touches in 74% game time
LDU 14 touches and 6 frees against in 79% game time
Powell 14 touches in 85% game time
Phillips had 14 touches in 63% game time. He also had 8 contested possessions which was more than any of the guys above, and 5 clearances which was also better than all of the above.
I'm not even having a go at any of the above guys as it was a preseason game - just sick of the Phillips hate.
Of the main 3 guys:
Wardlaw only had 10 touches in 74% game time
LDU 14 touches and 6 frees against in 79% game time
Powell 14 touches in 85% game time
Phillips had 14 touches in 63% game time. He also had 8 contested possessions which was more than any of the guys above, and 5 clearances which was also better than all of the above.
I'm not even having a go at any of the above guys as it was a preseason game - just sick of the Phillips hate.
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Sillygit
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So god damn sick of it. Particularly the 5 or so usual potatoes that decided to jump in here at half time. Just embarassing.
I think it's pretty disingenuous to include Powell, given once Phillips came on he spent most the game at half forward (which the CBA numbers will back up). It was beyond obvious that LDU was in cruise control mode, but if you want to claim it a victory for Phillips that he was better that's your prerogative.
Criticism doesn't equal hate. There's an expectation of Phillips given the number he was drafted at to perform at a certain level. That may be unfair, given it was a COVID season and his battle with glandular fever. One could argue he's also been given more opportunities than he's earnt given the number he was drafted at.
I think most are judging him on what they've seen at senior level, and to this point it's been fairly underwhelming. I personally can see the upside beyond the numbers; clean disposal, work ethic, defensive slant. But the weaknesses are glaring; lack of tank, small stature, lack of accumulation.
Other than Jamarra there isn’t a player in the top 15 of the *edit 2019 draft who is trade Phillips for. It wasn’t and still isn’t a mistake that we took him. It’s going to go down as one of the most underwhelming drafts in the history of the draft.
The people writing him off are probably the same ones who wrote off Cunners, LDU ect early in their careers.
The people writing him off are probably the same ones who wrote off Cunners, LDU ect early in their careers.
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There kind of is, but sits behind the Champion Data paywall:
"Metres Gained (Assisted): Total metres gained by a teammate that receives an uncontested possession from your disposal."
From memory Cunners was usually really high in this stat back when he was up and running.
2020 draft?? I dunno… Dylan Stephens is looking pretty good.
Disco Dew
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He was 2019
tazaa
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Not worried.
He’ll play plenty of games this year and will show he belongs.
If he ends up a bust it’ll be because there’s 8 guns ahead of him on the list who are guns.
He’ll play plenty of games this year and will show he belongs.
If he ends up a bust it’ll be because there’s 8 guns ahead of him on the list who are guns.
Add to that
Jack Steele had 21 and Ross 19. It was a low mid game.
I just watched the game, Phillips was also robbed of 3 holding the balls (stern look). Flat out robbed, each more ridiculous than the next.
All in all he was the best of ldu, Powell, Lazz and himself.
To think people would single him out and bag him after that game is beyond comprehension to me.
Suddenly we have a dearth of inside midfielders. Philips and Powell really need to step up this year.
We are going to ruin this warlord kid, left him to do all the heavy work, AND while getting extra attention from the saints players.
It’s why I was a little filthy on LDU’s game. Everyone is happy to give him a free pass because it was just a practice game, but while he was cruising in 1st gear he hung his young teammates out to dry. It’s probably why he’s not in the leadership group.
We are going to ruin this warlord kid, left him to do all the heavy work, AND while getting extra attention from the saints players.
It’s why I was a little filthy on LDU’s game. Everyone is happy to give him a free pass because it was just a practice game, but while he was cruising in 1st gear he hung his young teammates out to dry. It’s probably why he’s not in the leadership group.
Chadwiko
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I'm a sexy cat.
Powell wasn't exactly impressive with his on-ball time in the first half when he did have it, so happy to make concessions for his second half but his first wasn't lighting it up.
Have you read some of the criticism? I agree criticism doesn't equal hate, but there is a lot of hate around Phillips. I'd actually argue he cops more hate than any other player on our list.
You mention COVID season and his battle with glandular fever which, in effect, wiped out 2 years for him. You need to take the 'underwhelming' contextually - the context being a kid who didn't have his final underage year (and look how it's impacted that draft), in addition to being hit with a debilitating condition which he's only just starting to build back from.
Even then, he's put in some excellent shifts and shown great games at AFL level to show what type of midfielder he can become with consistency.
For me, I think he has no excuses this year. I was more than happy giving him a pass up until this point. So if criticisms come this year due to his performance, so be it. It's just frustrating watching him get dragged through the mud despite having legitimate excuses for his lack of coming on to this point.
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Questioning his meters gained.
**** me.
How utterly stupid
Wonder if some ever questioned Cunners' meters gained?
**** me.
How utterly stupid
Wonder if some ever questioned Cunners' meters gained?
It'd be nice if these were accessible.
Imagine what numbers The Warlord would put up.
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2020 draft is looking worse with every passing season. Phillips is continuing to improve. He's solid.
He doesn't have the talent that some of our other recent high end picks have: Colby, Sheezel, Wardlaw, Duursma, even going back to LDU and Tarryn Thomas.
North fans we have been SPOILT by the talent we've got on our list. Any club would be very pleased with Phillips and the progress he's shown. They're not all going to be generational talents. Hopefully, he cements his position in the 22 this year and becomes a consistent performer.
He doesn't have the talent that some of our other recent high end picks have: Colby, Sheezel, Wardlaw, Duursma, even going back to LDU and Tarryn Thomas.
North fans we have been SPOILT by the talent we've got on our list. Any club would be very pleased with Phillips and the progress he's shown. They're not all going to be generational talents. Hopefully, he cements his position in the 22 this year and becomes a consistent performer.
AnEmptyChair
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Has played better in the two pre season games than Wardlaw yet cops all the undeserved heat while ppl wax lyrical about George
I love George but clearly still a case of the shiny new toy for some of the regular football illiterates around here
I love George but clearly still a case of the shiny new toy for some of the regular football illiterates around here
Theres more posters that emotionally rush to defend Will than there are people who don't appear to rate him.
If he makes it, great. We need him to. Because for all this hype around the midfield, it got whacked yesterday despite having a ruck advantage and it's best unit available and them missing Crouch. The unit looked limited, slow and small.
If he makes it, great. We need him to. Because for all this hype around the midfield, it got whacked yesterday despite having a ruck advantage and it's best unit available and them missing Crouch. The unit looked limited, slow and small.
Shinboner1
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just dont know where he fits.
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