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

[trooroo4life]

Anyone here “not concerned” by his lack of development is delusional.

This.

If he wasn’t a pick 3, he wouldn’t be getting this much of a free ride. He’s got one pre season to get himself up to pace.

 

[AGC]

...thought he was good today.

Feel like I'm taking crazy pills whenever I check this thread.

He was decent.

The issue is that he's clearly lacking a fitness base and gets pushed off the ball - which is probably owing to the fact he's not had a fill pre-season in the afl given he had a debilitating illness that sets any fitness or strength base to nil. History would show people with one bout of glandular (let alone 2) take a year or two to start getting back to normal both physically and mentally.

That's coupled with the fact that he's playing in an afl position that historically takes players 3-4years minimum to get up to speed and be effectual.

The biggest question mark for mine is that Will only has one real skillset which is as a contested ball/clearance winner. He's kicking is average, his handballing so-so and his height and speed mean he's ineffectual in other across the ground; so he really is going to have to work hard at developing his craft and getting his handballing and decision making at a minimum up to scratch. But I think people ignore a skillset which is a guy that knows how to win clearances.

That said I think he's shown more than enough to suggest - particularly in the middle part of the swason, that with fitness work across the next 2 pre seasons to allow him to run out games longer (he's averaging low 70% tog) and also develop core strength in the clinches, he can be a good player for us.
Will he live up to the billing of a pick 3. I don't think so, in the context of what others at pick 3 have achieved. But I look pretty comfortably at the draft and those that went before and after who we could have drafted content with our decision.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

As harsh as this sounds, because it’s not his fault he was taken where he was taken - with where we’re at, we can’t afford a pick #3 to be a bust or even just an average AFL player. That selection needs to be a big part of turning the ship around.

As I mentioned in the GD thread - next season is make or break. If he has an uninterrupted pre-season and still can’t hold his spot in the AFL team on merit all year, then we have to start having conversations.

 

[The acurate one]

I have faith that our current regime won’t let those not good enough hang around for life memberships. So if he’s here in two years. He deserves it.

We will churn players, we have no other choice unfortunately

 

[My Left Foote]

The number of AFL games Will has played is the same as the number on his back, and yet people expect him to have the skills and experience of the previous player to wear the jumper.

 

[The acurate one]

The number of AFL games Will has played is the same as the number on his back, and yet people expect him to have the skills and experience of the previous player to wear the jumper.

Nah not true, what people are looking for is some elite traits. Not on display all game, just little moments.

Wardlaw, Sheezel, Ford, Curtis, Bergman have all shown that.

He’s not quick, he’s not a good kick, hes not clean and isn’t strong over the ball

 

[Roosurgence]

The number of AFL games Will has played is the same as the number on his back, and yet people expect him to have the skills and experience of the previous player to wear the jumper.

You don’t need experience to be able to pick up the ball cleanly or not get easily bodied off a contest.

He is playing as an inside mid and has the body strength of a 12 year old.

Anyone thinking he is tracking along well is delusional.

 

[AGC]

As harsh as this sounds, because it’s not his fault he was taken where he was taken - with where we’re at, we can’t afford a pick #3 to be a bust or even just an average AFL player. That selection needs to be a big part of turning the ship around.

As I mentioned in the GD thread - next season is make or break. If he has an uninterrupted pre-season and still can’t hold his spot in the AFL team on merit all year, then we have to start having conversations.

I agree in that it's frustrating when you look at some good drafts (say 2018) and think "we should be getting a Max King" with pick 4. My challenge to you is on all available information now and given how everyone has performed across three years, who would you pick in that top 20 ahead of him that we could get. It's just looking like a really average draft pool.

Holmes - but is that clouded by the fact he's playing at the Cats.

McDonald - maybe, but the bloke has also scored 3 goals in his last 5 weeks being the second forward in a very good team.

Others in and around that pick (Hollands, Perkins etc) have shown at best the same as Will.

 

[Epictetus]

I don't think anyone is concerned that he's not ripping games to shreds or has poor games. That's not the discussion.

My concern is that I don't see any sort of traits that will make him a dangerous footballer at any stage of his development. Ford has dangerous traits, Curtis does, Wardlaw does. They have shown this, despite most of their games in totality being below average and some utterly shit games. But you can see the great stuff. And you see frames and size and just pure talent that will develop.

Don't see that with Will.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Before anyone brings up McDonald - subbed out after not scoring in three quarters

 

[spurs]

The number of AFL games Will has played is the same as the number on his back, and yet people expect him to have the skills and experience of the previous player to wear the jumper.

BS
He is a plodder right now, but I hope like everyone that he becomes a player.

 

[Sillygit]

death, taxes, and the usual lot in this thread

 

[Warlord69]

I don't think anyone is concerned that he's not ripping games to shreds or has poor games. That's not the discussion.

My concern is that I don't see any sort of traits that will make him a dangerous footballer at any stage of his development. Ford has dangerous traits, Curtis does, Wardlaw does. They have shown this, despite most of their games in totality being below average and some utterly s**t games. But you can see the great stuff. And you see frames and size and just pure talent that will develop.

Don't see that with Will.

This has been my argument for time. It’s more so the traits than the output. PC hasn’t exactly had a great season, but you can see what he can become with his strength and aerial marking.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

I agree in that it's frustrating when you look at some good drafts (say 2018) and think "we should be getting a Max King" with pick 4. My challenge to you is on all available information now and given how everyone has performed across three years, who would you pick in that top 20 ahead of him that we could get. It's just looking like a really average draft pool.

Holmes - but is that clouded by the fact he's playing at the Cats.

McDonald - maybe, but the bloke has also scored 3 goals in his last 5 weeks being the second forward in a very good team.

Others in and around that pick (Hollands, Perkins etc) have shown at best the same as Will.

Only Goulden, although was a academy.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Lavy_Panther]

I agree in that it's frustrating when you look at some good drafts (say 2018) and think "we should be getting a Max King" with pick 4. My challenge to you is on all available information now and given how everyone has performed across three years, who would you pick in that top 20 ahead of him that we could get. It's just looking like a really average draft pool.

Holmes - but is that clouded by the fact he's playing at the Cats.

McDonald - maybe, but the bloke has also scored 3 goals in his last 5 weeks being the second forward in a very good team.

Others in and around that pick (Hollands, Perkins etc) have shown at best the same as Will.

It’s not necessarily the output of Will that concerns me. I’ve said very early that other than “great character and puts his head in the hole” he has no outstanding athletic or pure footballing attribute that you can work around. From that draft, I’m confident I can see what type of player McDonald, Campbell, Perkins, Cox, Hollands, Bruhn etc. will be, despite their average output to date.

I’m not completely putting a line through him, but I’m still concerned.

 

[Roosurgence]

Will has become elite and not being elite in any area of his game.

Who knows next year he might progress to role player level?

 

[amaz199]

I see it with him and it'll be beautiful to watch.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Nah not true, what people are looking for is some elite traits. Not on display all game, just little moments.

Wardlaw, Sheezel, Ford, Curtis, Bergman have all shown that.

He’s not quick, he’s not a good kick, hes not clean and isn’t strong over the ball

strong post to username correlation

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

A contest to contest machine spitting out handballs. Will take time time.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Roosurgence]

I see it with him and it'll be beautiful to watch.

All I see is a fly for opposition midfielders to swat away.

At the moment it’s LDU, LDU and a couple sprinkles of TT in that midfield. Phillips is contributing nothing.

 

[Merlin007]

I don't think anyone is concerned that he's not ripping games to shreds or has poor games. That's not the discussion.

My concern is that I don't see any sort of traits that will make him a dangerous footballer at any stage of his development. Ford has dangerous traits, Curtis does, Wardlaw does. They have shown this, despite most of their games in totality being below average and some utterly s**t games. But you can see the great stuff. And you see frames and size and just pure talent that will develop.

Don't see that with Will.

This has been my argument for time. It’s more so the traits than the output. PC hasn’t exactly had a great season, but you can see what he can become with his strength and aerial marking.

What dangerous traits did Sam Mitchell have? Phillips has to play a similar role as distributor

 

[Roosurgence]

What dangerous traits did Sam Mitchell have? Phillips has to play a similar role as distributor

Mitchell could cut you with his foot skills on both sides of the body.

Mitchell was also super clean and didn’t fumble. Phillips constantly fumbles.

Very poor comparison you are trying to make. Mitchell by foot was elite.

 

[Roo316]

I agree in that it's frustrating when you look at some good drafts (say 2018) and think "we should be getting a Max King" with pick 4. My challenge to you is on all available information now and given how everyone has performed across three years, who would you pick in that top 20 ahead of him that we could get. It's just looking like a really average draft pool.

Holmes - but is that clouded by the fact he's playing at the Cats.

McDonald - maybe, but the bloke has also scored 3 goals in his last 5 weeks being the second forward in a very good team.

Others in and around that pick (Hollands, Perkins etc) have shown at best the same as Will.

Just on this, I was watching an Open Mike with Matt Rendell the other day, must have been filmed in 2020 as he commented on Matt Rowell and his hunt and hunger for the pill, said he would give Mike the next name that’s coming through… “Will Phillips.”

 

[My Left Foote]

Nah not true, what people are looking for is some elite traits. Not on display all game, just little moments.

Wardlaw, Sheezel, Ford, Curtis, Bergman have all shown that.

He’s not quick, he’s not a good kick, hes not clean and isn’t strong over the ball

He's a good kick, he has good hands and vision. Didn't have the best day today but certainly wasn't our worst as I alluded to in my post he's played 29 AFL games. We'll have to agree to disagree, you pick and choose who your sh*tmen are and that's fine it's your opinion. Oh well.

 

[Epictetus]

The Sam Mitchell stuff gives me a headache. Let's not make it harder for Will than it already is.