Player Watch #29: Will Phillips

[the big lebowski]

I haven't seen any concrete evidence that he has developed as a player in his time at North.

First year playing afl vs second year playing afl

Will Phillips and Will Phillips AFL Stats Comparison

Will Phillips and Will Phillips AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

 

[AnEmptyChair]

Is anyone actually comfortable with how Phillips is developing?

Ask me this at the end of last season and I'd say absolutely. He had some really really good games in the 2nd half of last year when given some responsibility.

Now ... I don't know. Think he's a player that will still have a very good afl career though

 

[HBFlanker]

Ask me this at the end of last season and I'd say absolutely. He had some really really good games in the 2nd half of last year when given some responsibility.

Now ... I don't know. Think he's a player that will still have a very good afl career though

Yep, i feel that way too.

I genuinely think Clarko doesn't rate him.

 

[susurrar]

Is anyone actually comfortable with how Phillips is developing?

ive got no doubt he will be a very good afl player. im starting to get the feeling it wont be with us though.

 

[The Warlord]

Yep, i feel that way too.

I genuinely think Clarko doesn't rate him.

Clsrko wanted to draft him at Hawthorn

 

[The Warlord]

The person who told me, who is pretty spot on with this stuff, was absolutely flabbergasted he wasn't in the 25.

No one knows why at this stage, but she and I both reckon he must have tweaked something at training today.

 

[Epictetus]

Anyone shocked by this has let their want for him to be good enough cloud their judgement.

 

[King Corey]

Not sure how Will is polarising, his potential upside is well defined. It's not like discussing early career Majak Daw

28

Majak Daw

Age

33

Ht

195cm

Wt

97kg

Pos.

D/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.3

2star

K

5.7

2star

HB

3.5

3star

M

3.7

4star

T

2.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.2

2star

K

5.8

3star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.0

4star

where you had to use a bit imagination to guess the player he could become.

I get the concept of players having to do too much of an apprenticeship. But I just don't think it applies here.

Without a sheer weapon - eg between arcs pace, crazy endurance, zone busting kicks, explosive power or innate accumulation ability - he has to claim his spot with a compelling balance of ball winning, smarts and distribution.

He has enough ability that playing 100+ games wouldn't be a shock. But he's going to have to overcome players holding more Aces at the selection table to get there.

 

[The Warlord]

Anyone shocked by this has let their want for him to be good enough cloud their judgement.

I reckon there's only room for one smaller "busy" mid in the side and Charlie Laz has nabbed it with his epic preseason. Add to that the need for experienced bodies in the midfield with Jyza out and Will gets squeezed.

 

[Roosurgence]

It’s Round 1. People need to stop thinking he will be off the list because he wasn’t picked for Round 1.

He could very well be back in the side by Round 3 and have a very solid season.

If he can’t crack a regular game by the mid season break, then maybe start hitting the panic button.

 

[HBFlanker]

ive got no doubt he will be a very good afl player. im starting to get the feeling it wont be with us though.

Agreed.

 

[HBFlanker]

Clsrko wanted to draft him at Hawthorn

Really? Find that hard to believe.

 

[HBFlanker]

It’s Round 1. People need to stop thinking he will be off the list because he wasn’t picked for Round 1.

He could very well be back in the side by Round 3 and have a very solid season.

If he can’t crack a regular game by the mid season break, then maybe start hitting the panic button.

How many times has he not been selected, or hes been dropped though? This isnt a one off.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Facts are that with a fully fit list to choose from, he wasn’t selected.

 

[The Nostradamus]

when we get dominated in clearance this week he should be right back in

The guy is our Lachie neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

30

Ht

178cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

 

[The Warlord]

Really? Find that hard to believe.

Why?

 

[HBFlanker]

Why?

Not sure I can be any clearer on this.

Alistair Clarkson does not rate Will Phillips.

 

[Event Horizon]

Not sure how Will is polarising, his potential upside is well defined. It's not like discussing early career Majak Daw where you had to use a bit imagination to guess the player he could become.

I get the concept of players having to do too much of an apprenticeship. But I just don't think it applies here.

Without a sheer weapon - eg between arcs pace, crazy endurance, zone busting kicks, explosive power or innate accumulation ability - he has to claim his spot with a compelling balance of ball winning, smarts and distribution.

He has enough ability that playing 100+ games wouldn't be a shock. But he's going to have to overcome players holding more Aces at the selection table to get there.

Pretty much this. And if he was picked at pick 43 in the draft (like Spitta was) people would be completely ok with it. But it's logical that people are a bit frustrated that we have used a prized pick 3 on a player that you've perfectly described above. Not his fault of course.

 

[Sillygit]

Not sure I can be any clearer on this.

Alistair Clarkson does not rate Will Phillips.

it's pretty well documented, one such example in the clarkson's first time meeting everyone video he says to phillips something to the tune of "you must think im following you round at this point" because of his heavy interest in him.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

it's pretty well documented, one such example in the clarkson's first time meeting everyone video he says to phillips something to the tune of "you must think im following you round at this point" because of his heavy interest in him.

And it’s entirely possible his opinion of his ability has changed after being at the club for the last 18 months (time away notwithstanding).

If he really rated him, after an uninterrupted preseason, he’d be in the team.

Even more so with Simpkin unavailable.

He’s sixth in line, and it’s hard to see him climb any higher with the injection of talent over the last two years.

 

[Sillygit]

And it’s entirely possible his opinion of his ability has changed after being at the club for the last 18 months (time away notwithstanding).

If he really rated him, after an uninterrupted preseason, he’d be in the team.

Even more so with Simpkin unavailable.

He’s sixth in line, and it’s hard to see him climb any higher with the injection of talent over the last two years.

depends what is meant by "doesn't rate him", people throw that around to mean a bunch of different things

you see it as hard to see him climb any higher, how do you explain lazz being in the team now?

 

[Disco Dew]

And it’s entirely possible his opinion of his ability has changed after being at the club for the last 18 months

Nonsense! People’s opinions don’t just change, social media has taught me that.

 

[Reginald0]

Not sure how Will is polarising, his potential upside is well defined. It's not like discussing early career Majak Daw where you had to use a bit imagination to guess the player he could become.

I get the concept of players having to do too much of an apprenticeship. But I just don't think it applies here.

Without a sheer weapon - eg between arcs pace, crazy endurance, zone busting kicks, explosive power or innate accumulation ability - he has to claim his spot with a compelling balance of ball winning, smarts and distribution.

He has enough ability that playing 100+ games wouldn't be a shock. But he's going to have to overcome players holding more Aces at the selection table to get there.

His handballing and foot passing are top notch
Please do not say Laz has ball skills like that Or Wardlaw
And the criticism of Powell is he has a limited defensive game We shall see
Lazz is quicker and that gets him a spot for the moment
Be nice if 2 or 3 of these Mid types could actually get on the scoresheet as none of em seem to convert their opportunities

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

depends what is meant by "doesn't rate him", people throw that around to mean a bunch of different things

you see it as hard to see him climb any higher, how do you explain lazz being in the team now?

I mean it as he doesn’t see him as currently worthy of selection based on a fully available list.

Lazzaro has the ability to run up and down the field and link up with multiple possessions in a chain. This has given him a point of difference over most on the list.

Phillips is competing with LDU, Wardlaw, Powell and to a lesser extent Simpkin, Greenwood and Shiels.

IMO, he simply will not rise above the first three. He’s just not as good, and others have more desirable attributes.

 

[Joshen]

For years, we lamented our lack of midfield depth.

Tough selection calls are going to become more frequent, and we are better for it.