Player Watch #29: Will Phillips

I don't know long term but if he has missed 12 months, I don't see anything wrong with playing him in the middle at VFL level to get the regular touches before unleashing him again.

We don't have enough fit players on our list to be too pick and choosy about where blokes play at the moment. As long as we don't torch the young guys in the AFL I'm comfortable with them getting games there and as we get senior guys back later we might look to protect them a bit more. It might also involve some returning senior players in roles that aren't necessarily their ideal ones to provide more phsyical support.
 
Interesting that Noble said specifically in his presser today FANS: DO NOT LOOK AT WILL'S NUMBERS, WILL'S NUMBERS ARE NOT IMPORTANT FOR WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH HIS DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW
 
Apr 17, 2007
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Interesting that Noble said specifically in his presser today FANS: DO NOT LOOK AT WILL'S NUMBERS, WILL'S NUMBERS ARE NOT IMPORTANT FOR WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH HIS DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW

Would be good to get him off the dead zone of our half forward line.
Get him in the play
 
Would be good to get him off the dead zone of our half forward line.
Get him in the play

But he's clearly not fit enough to be involved in the play for long periods.
 

DunderHead

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Apr 12, 2007
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Interesting that Noble said specifically in his presser today FANS: DO NOT LOOK AT WILL'S NUMBERS, WILL'S NUMBERS ARE NOT IMPORTANT FOR WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH HIS DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW

It's good the coach uses his pressers to speek directly with the fans - considers what they would be thinking and talks to it and doesn't wait for that question to be asked by media morons.

He's good this guy.
 
It's good the coach uses his pressers to speek directly with the fans - considers what they would be thinking and talks to it and doesn't wait for that question to be asked by media morons.

He's good this guy.

Yep agree.

Simmo did similar with Alex "If she's your girlfriend, why am I" Witherden.
 
Apr 24, 2013
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He needs midfield minutes, not to rot at HFF all game. 5 minute bursts in the guts will do him wonders.

After watching the VFL, I dunno mate. He'd probably get tagged & mauled by VFL opposition midfield bulls.

It's not exactly a level playing field.
 
Nov 25, 2014
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He stays in the AFL

Don’t make him go back to the VFL. It will destroy him 😂
He's an instinctive, natural midfielder with a fair build on him for his age. He lacks match hardness which will take an eternity playing him out of position on a half forward flank in the seniors.

If we're not going to give him serious midfield time in the seniors, then let him get his conditioning up in the VFL. He's definitely one kid who'll have no problem adapting to the pace of the game when rock hard fit.
 
Last edited:
Jun 4, 2013
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Damned if you do damned if you don't at this stage I think. Snake's right in that the VFL is no place for any of our youngsters to develop, but if he doesn't have the conditioning to play predominately in the guts then I think we have to just make peace with how he's being used now. Maybe it would be different for Will in the VFL, as he would be at the coalface so capable of getting the ball at the source and even if he did get tagged it's something he would have to learn to overcome anyway? All the same I don't think it would be a particularly great development experience for him.

If we can get him to 1 in 5 CBA's and floating around the stoppages often then I think that's alright. I'd like the CBA's to be even higher, but I get it. Learning some forward craft will hold him in good stead too.
 
Nov 25, 2014
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Damned if you do damned if you don't at this stage I think. Snake's right in that the VFL is no place for any of our youngsters to develop, but if he doesn't have the conditioning to play predominately in the guts then I think we have to just make peace with how he's being used now. Maybe it would be different for Will in the VFL, as he would be at the coalface so capable of getting the ball at the source and even if he did get tagged it's something he would have to learn to overcome anyway? All the same I don't think it would be a particularly great development experience for him.

If we can get him to 1 in 5 CBA's and floating around the stoppages often then I think that's alright. I'd like the CBA's to be even higher, but I get it. Learning some forward craft will hold him in good stead too.
Dev, I'm not sure you need to develop too much of this kid's game tbh. He was an elite junior midfielder with an athlete's profile. I'd agree if he was playing against our reserves team week in week out, but he won't be and he needs to hit bigger bodies but more importantly he needs match miles in his legs.
 
Jun 4, 2013
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Dev, I'm not sure you need to develop too much of this kid's game tbh. He was an elite junior midfielder with an athlete's profile. I'd agree if he was playing against our reserves team week in week out, but he won't be and he needs to hit bigger bodies but more importantly he needs match miles in his legs.
Player versatility seems highly valued these days, and Noble specifically has been very vocal on it. Personally If I had my choice he'd currently be doing closer to 70-30 mid/forward in the AFL rather than vice versa but "it is what it is".
 
Dec 27, 2017
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Player versatility seems highly valued these days, and Noble specifically has been very vocal on it. Personally If I had my choice he'd currently be doing closer to 70-30 mid/forward in the AFL rather than vice versa but "it is what it is".

Noble definitely likes to rotate the centre square mids. Clarko did the same. Don’t mind it.
 
Apr 7, 2013
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Player versatility seems highly valued these days, and Noble specifically has been very vocal on it. Personally If I had my choice he'd currently be doing closer to 70-30 mid/forward in the AFL rather than vice versa but "it is what it is".
Player versatility is fine, but I would like our draft picks to pick up the speed of the game in their natural positions before being tampered with...

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Jun 4, 2013
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Jeez some people are sheep
His conditioning isn't great, the VFL is a shitheap, and he's played almost permanently as an inside mid in the last couple of years (when he was actually able to play). He's not going to have the luxury of playing 100% of his game time there in the future, so while we get his conditioning up to speed we might as well have him working on adding some more strings to his bow.

It's not like his games have been completely devoid of midfield minutes either.
 

Frank Thring

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Mar 3, 2016
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His conditioning isn't great, the VFL is a shitheap, and he's played almost permanently as an inside mid in the last couple of years (when he was actually able to play). He's not going to have the luxury of playing 100% of his game time there in the future, so while we get his conditioning up to speed we might as well have him working on adding some more strings to his bow.

It's not like his games have been completely devoid of midfield minutes either.

Its a cop out by Noble.
 
Jeez some people are sheep

I'm a sheep because I think a kid who didn't play any footy last year shouldn't be sent to go head to head with Tim Taranto or Clayton Oliver.

David Noble is also a sheep it seems.

Ffs.
 
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