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

[SunnyBoner]

It would be madness, like, face-meltingly insane for us to dispose of an inside mid with little trade currency when we are thin and exposed on the inside, and when he still has heaps of development left in him.

Spot on. He’s a 22 year old who has had a really bad run with injuries and crippling health issues. He’s smart, driven and has leadership skills which we desperately need. I think he can play too, we just need to be patient.

 

[Chadwiko]

 

[RossHenshaw]

Spot on. He’s a 22 year old who has had a really bad run with injuries and crippling health issues. He’s smart, driven and has leadership skills which we desperately need. I think he can play too, we just need to be patient.

he was ok yesterday in one paced opposition midfield. Held his own vs Zac Jones.

 

[RossHenshaw]

We need to accept it. (including me) that he will never ever be a pick 3 value player and move on (hope he can become a serviceable player for us). If we all forget (including me) the number he was drafted , we can all move on and give him a time / fair chance. Personally I think he is playing like he was 30 something pick. But that's Ok..

Go get them WilPhil !!!

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

The clubs gonna churn midfielders until it closes its doors anyway, considering our draft history.

He hasn’t proven anything as an inside midfielder yet, how long are we gonna give these boys. LDU’s 25 and fans are still making excuses for him.

We’re not going to have trade currency for a long time anyway, we couldn’t be in any more of a lose-lose situation if we tried. Our players aren’t living up to their drafted hype, no currency, we trade in players from other clubs, they’re s**t and nobody wants to play for us, we trade away our good players and draft poorly, we get AFL compo’s, its a forced trade anyway.

I’m failing to see the positives here, remove the hypothetical ‘he’ll come good’ we don’t know that for sure. A decent sample size indicates this is trending towards another bust before a success and another bust is the last thing we need.

From all accounts, he brings things to the team off the field and is a good sort who is trying to get the most out himself. Why the f*ck are we so quick to rule him out?

I wonder if he had done a knee in his second year, then a shoulder in his third (equivalent time of his 24 month stint of glandular fever) whether people would be saying that 30/6/6/6 VFL games mean nothing.

Blimey.

 

[ChairmanZia]

Nah, clubs will take him. We’ll just get * all for him.

well in that case, stick him in the vfl and let the other more committed to develop.

let's just cross out everything pre-2022

 

[DuckYeah]

From all accounts, he brings things to the team off the field and is a good sort who is trying to get the most out himself. Why the f*ck are we so quick to rule him out?

I wonder if he had done a knee in his second year, then a shoulder in his third (equivalent time of his 24 month stint of glandular fever) whether people would be saying that 30/6/6/6 VFL games mean nothing.

Blimey.

There is an AFL footballer in that boy. There is an AFL footballer in a lot of our players. They are all playing like puss.

 

[Ichiro #51]

One of the issues for Phillips is his lack of versatility. It’s center square mid or bust.

If we’re giving Will 5 or 10 games to prove himself, who are we cutting from the midfield rotations? Basically it’s only 4 blokes who will get over 50% of CBA’s. After that it’s just scraps.

The other issue is that if Stephenson or another of our many hacks in more outside positions has a quiet game, it’s at least still possible to win. One of the center square blokes has a mare and it’s game over. Assuming we’re still at least trying to win, I don’t see how we can fluff around for 5-10 games hoping a guy gets some form.

 

[pizzasteve88]

One of the issues for Phillips is his lack of versatility. It’s center square mid or bust.

If we’re giving Will 5 or 10 games to prove himself, who are we cutting from the midfield rotations? Basically it’s only 4 blokes who will get over 50% of CBA’s. After that it’s just scraps.

The other issue is that if Stephenson or another of our many hacks in more outside positions has a quiet game, it’s at least still possible to win. One of the center square blokes has a mare and it’s game over. Assuming we’re still at least trying to win, I don’t see how we can fluff around for 5-10 games hoping a guy gets some form.

Hell yeah…we might miss the 8…

 

[Ichiro #51]

Hell yeah…we might miss the 8…

Or we play him for ten games, screwing over a better, more deserving player in the process.

 

[Devil Fish]

Spot on. He’s a 22 year old who has had a really bad run with injuries and crippling health issues. He’s smart, driven and has leadership skills which we desperately need. I think he can play too, we just need to be patient.

"Smart, driven and great leadership skills"???? What are you basing that on? Those attributes mean stuff all if you're small, one-dimensional, one paced, lack penetration with your kicking etc.

If he was on any other clubs list, I doubt you, or anyone else on this board, would rate him at all.

Like every other poster, I want this guy to be a gun, or at least be an influential AFL midfielder for us. But you've just gotta face facts - it ain't happening. He doesn't have the tools. Especially at a club like NM when Wardlaw and Simpkin are already undersized mids, with McKercher, another undersized mid, to join them. How many undersized mids can one midfield have???

 

[pizzasteve88]

Or we play him for ten games, screwing over a better, more deserving player in the process.

Like who? I think we’ve had a revolving door of guys who have had the luxury of chances & produced nothing. I think a guy taken with our first pick who’s had a horror run of it since coming to the club, bereft of confidence should get a run before he gets traded for a third rounder.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

"Smart, driven and great leadership skills"???? What are you basing that on? Those attributes mean stuff all if you're small, one-dimensional, one paced, lack penetration with your kicking etc.

If he was on any other clubs list, I doubt you, or anyone else on this board, would rate him at all.

Like every other poster, I want this guy to be a gun, or at least be an influential AFL midfielder for us. But you've just gotta face facts - it ain't happening. He doesn't have the tools. Especially at a club like NM when Wardlaw and Simpkin are already undersized mids, with McKercher, another undersized mid, to join them. How many undersized mids can one midfield have???

You’d be rightfully livid if you traded anything above a late third rounder for him if you were an opposition club.

 

[Ichiro #51]

Like who? I think we’ve had a revolving door of guys who have had the luxury of chances & produced nothing. I think a guy taken with our first pick who’s had a horror run of it since coming to the club, bereft of confidence should get a run before he gets traded for a third rounder.

I reckon the onus is on those wanting him to play a block of games to also name who he is replacing. IMO he’s depth at this stage and can get a game if one of LDU, Powell or Wardlaw gets injured.

 

[Twangler]

One of the issues for Phillips is his lack of versatility. It’s center square mid or bust.

If we’re giving Will 5 or 10 games to prove himself, who are we cutting from the midfield rotations? Basically it’s only 4 blokes who will get over 50% of CBA’s. After that it’s just scraps.

The other issue is that if Stephenson or another of our many hacks in more outside positions has a quiet game, it’s at least still possible to win. One of the center square blokes has a mare and it’s game over. Assuming we’re still at least trying to win, I don’t see how we can fluff around for 5-10 games hoping a guy gets some form.

I think we could fit him in provided Powell and Simpkin have a stint in the half forward or run in the twos. So LDU, Wardlaw and Phillips with occasional stints to Powell/Simpkin, Sheezel and Curtis. Worth persisting for 5-10 block of games to see if Phillips improves.

 

[Masked Avenger]

"Smart, driven and great leadership skills"???? What are you basing that on? Those attributes mean stuff all if you're small, one-dimensional, one paced, lack penetration with your kicking etc.

If he was on any other clubs list, I doubt you, or anyone else on this board, would rate him at all.

Like every other poster, I want this guy to be a gun, or at least be an influential AFL midfielder for us. But you've just gotta face facts - it ain't happening. He doesn't have the tools. Especially at a club like NM when Wardlaw and Simpkin are already undersized mids, with McKercher, another undersized mid, to join them. How many undersized mids can one midfield have???

The ball's solely in Will's court.

He's fit and for a player probably accustomed to endless pats on his back as a junior, it wouldn't be lost on him now that there are real questions over whether he can survive- let alone thrive - at the elite level.

If it is to be - it is up to Will now.

Competitors relish that stuff.

Everything else is meaningless.

 

[Ichiro #51]

I think we could fit him in provided Powell and Simpkin have a stint in the half forward or run in the twos. So LDU, Wardlaw and Phillips with occasional stints to Powell/Simpkin, Sheezel and Curtis. Worth persisting for 5-10 block of games to see if Phillips improves.

Personally, I would much rather persist with LDU, Powell, Wardlaw as the main mids and Sheezel/Simpkin rotating from HF. The Saints game was the first time we’ve gone with that and I actually thought we looked quite a bit better, particularly as the game went on. Those are the guys that deserve an extended run at.

 

[kool kangas]

Will Phil told me the other week that this is the fittest he has been since coming to North. Now its all up to him but he does need a few consecutive games to adjust to the tempo of seniors football. So does the club give him those games?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Will Phil told me the other week that this is the fittest he has been since coming to North. Now its all up to him but he does need a few consecutive games to adjust to the tempo of seniors football. So does the club give him those games?

That may be the case, but comparitively, he’s so far off it.

 

[FlyHigh18]

Will Phil told me the other week that this is the fittest he has been since coming to North. Now its all up to him but he does need a few consecutive games to adjust to the tempo of seniors football. So does the club give him those games?

i get it and agree, but who are we removing to put him in?

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Or we play him for ten games, screwing over a better, more deserving player in the process.

Will and Laz seem to be the in-form vfl mids. They might need another game to prove it.

We have enough mids that we can play the ones that are actually in form.

We know that winning isn’t even in the picture for the coaches, so what do we lose but actually try and establish a meritorious system where if you out of form, you play VFL, no matter who you are.

Say you are playing around 25% worse than last year’s averages for 3-4 matches in a row. Chances are, you are out of form. Someone else should be playing instead of you. For rookies, noticeable consistent dips are pretty clear indications that you need a stint in the twos.

 

[kool kangas]

i get it and agree, but who are we removing to put him in?

Thats not my problem but the clubs..

 

[kool kangas]

That may be the case, but comparitively, he’s so far off it.

Thats why l said its all up to him to prove it...so if he performs on the vfl then he should be given the chance to play in the afl side. If others can continue to stay in the afl side eventhough their performance might not warrrant it why cant Will get the same conditions.


l know he is a inside mid but could he be tested as a small forward?

 

[Ischenko]

He’ll be fine. Back it up in the VFL for at least another week, get confidence up.

 

[Ichiro #51]

Will and Laz seem to be the in-form vfl mids. They might need another game to prove it.

We have enough mids that we can play the ones that are actually in form.

We know that winning isn’t even in the picture for the coaches, so what do we lose but actually try and establish a meritorious system where if you out of form, you play VFL, no matter who you are.

Say you are playing around 25% worse than last year’s averages for 3-4 matches in a row. Chances are, you are out of form. Someone else should be playing instead of you. For rookies, noticeable consistent dips are pretty clear indications that you need a stint in the twos.

I would argue a merit system is why he’s in the VFL and will stay there for the foreseeable future. He got two games in a row (v. Haw and Adel) and was completely unsighted.

There are only 3-5 blokes he can replace at AFL level: LDU, Powell, Wardlaw, Sheezel and Simpkin. And really, it’s only one of the first three. Not happening unless there’s an injury.

Given his interrupted career to date, an extended run in his preferred position in the VFL is no bad thing.