Player Watch #29: Will Phillips

[rooboytom_90]

Super exciting game again from Will. Started to get really excited about our future midfield now.

 

[Souup]

What made his game so impressive:

• One touch cleanliness
• Hands and vision in tight (10 contested possessions is the 2nd highest in his career, after the 11 he had last week)
• Decision making
• Spread from the contest
• Defensive pressure at stoppages (5 tackles = equal career high, 48 pressure points = 3rd most in his career)

29 touches, 5 tackles, 5 clearances in just 67% game time.

His game today:
27 touches (2nd best in his career after last week's 29)
14 contested possessions (career high, prev. best was 11)
8 clearances (career high, prev. best was 5)
6 tackles (career high, prev. best 5)

He also went at 81% disposal efficiency and only had 1 clanger (which wasn't even skill based - the clanger was the push in the back in front of goal he gave away early on) from his 27 touches which is insane efficiency for a midfielder.

I don't have his pressure stats yet but I'm assuming it was close to a career best as well.

75% game time this time around. He just keeps getting better each week with a run of uninterrupted games in his best position - who would have thought.

 

[DEVO]

Thought he was our best player today, stood tall after Simpkin and Greenwood left the game.

It's going to be fun watching Phillips, LDU and Wardlaw in at the centre bounce together, all have the ability to get their own ball and either find a team mate in space, or break from the congestion. Exciting times ahead.

 

[ansonholt]

Player Statistics Comparison​

Will Phillips​ Name​ Ben Cunnington​ North Melbourne Kangaroos​ Team​ North Melbourne Kangaroos​ Midfield, Forward​ Position​ Midfield, Forward​ 24​ Career Games​ 237​ Oakleigh Chargers​ Origin​ Geelong Falcons​ May 22, 2002​ Date of Birth​ June 30, 1991​ 21yr 0mth​ Age​ Turned 21 in 2012​ 181cm​ Height​ 185cm​ 80kg​ Weight​ 88kg​ 2020 National Draft​ Last Drafted In​ 2009 National Draft​ Round 1, Pick #3​ Last Draft Position​ Round 1, Pick #5​ North Melbourne Kangaroos​ Last Drafted By​ North Melbourne Kangaroos​ 2023​ Stats for Season​ 2012​ 8​ Games​ 20​ 5.8​ Kicks​ 7.3​ 12.9​ Handballs​ 11.1​ 18.6​ Disposals​ 18.4​ 1.1​ Marks​ 3.0​ 0.4​ Goals​ 0.5​ 0.1​ Behinds​ 0.2​ 3.5​ Tackles​ 5.3​ 0​ Hitouts​ 0.1​ 2.5​ Inside 50s​ 2.3​ 0.6​ Goal Assists​ 0.3​ 0.9​ Frees For​ 0.6​ 0.5​ Frees Against​ 1.1​ 9.0​ Contested Possessions​ 8.7​ 10.1​ Uncontested Possessions​ 9.7​ 14.8​ Effective Disposals​ 13.7​ 79.6%​ Disposal Efficiency %​ 74.5%​ 1.8​ Clangers​ 2.4​ 0.2​ Contested Marks​ 0.5​ 0.2​ Marks Inside 50​ 0.3​ 4.1​ Clearances​ 4.0​ 0.6​ Rebound 50s​ 1.1​ 0.6​ One Percenters​ 1.4​ 0.4​ Bounces​ 0​ 66.9​ Time On Ground %​ 69.6​ 1.9​ Centre Clearances​ ​ 2.2​ Stoppage Clearances​ ​ 4.5​ Score Involvements​ ​ 151.5​ Metres Gained​ ​ 2.1​ Turnovers​ ​ 1.8​ Intercepts​ ​ 0.2​ Tackles Inside 50​ ​ 62.1​ AFL Fantasy Score​ 75.1​ 75.6​ Supercoach Score​ 78.3​

 

[the big lebowski]

It is pleasing that it’s happened so quickly for him. He’s never really threatened 20 possessions, and I knocked him for playing his best 3 qrts of senior footy against Sydney and then not touching it in the last, to finish on 18 touches yet again.

But he’s gone bang the next 2 games and not just limped to 20, but smash through that mark.

Feel like he has heaps of improvement too

 

[ansonholt]

Player Statistics Comparison​ Will Phillips​ Name​ Christian Petracca​ North Melbourne Kangaroos​ Team​ Melbourne Demons​ Midfield, Forward​ Position​ Midfield​ 24​ Career Games​ 163​ Oakleigh Chargers​ Origin​ Eastern Ranges​ May 22, 2002​ Date of Birth​ January 4, 1996​ 21yr 0mth​ Age​ Turned 21 in 2017​ 181cm​ Height​ 187cm​ 80kg​ Weight​ 98kg​ 2020 National Draft​ Last Drafted In​ 2014 National Draft​ Round 1, Pick #3​ Last Draft Position​ Round 1, Pick #2​ North Melbourne Kangaroos​ Last Drafted By​ Melbourne Demons​ 2023​ Stats for Season​ 2017​ 8​ Games​ 22​ 5.8​ Kicks​ 8.2​ 12.9​ Handballs​ 10.6​ 18.6​ Disposals​ 18.8​ 1.1​ Marks​ 3.3​ 0.4​ Goals​ 1.2​ 0.1​ Behinds​ 0.3​ 3.5​ Tackles​ 2.5​ 0​ Hitouts​ 0​ 2.5​ Inside 50s​ 3.2​ 0.6​ Goal Assists​ 0.9​ 0.9​ Frees For​ 0.5​ 0.5​ Frees Against​ 0.8​ 9.0​ Contested Possessions​ 10.7​ 10.1​ Uncontested Possessions​ 8.6​ 14.8​ Effective Disposals​ 12.9​ 79.6%​ Disposal Efficiency %​ 68.6%​ 1.8​ Clangers​ 2.9​ 0.2​ Contested Marks​ 0.8​ 0.2​ Marks Inside 50​ 1.0​ 4.1​ Clearances​ 2.6​ 0.6​ Rebound 50s​ 0.5​ 0.6​ One Percenters​ 0.9​ 0.4​ Bounces​ 0.1​ 66.9​ Time On Ground %​ 80.5​ 1.9​ Centre Clearances​ 0.9​ 2.2​ Stoppage Clearances​ 1.6​ 4.5​ Score Involvements​ 5.7​ 151.5​ Metres Gained​ 241.2​ 2.1​ Turnovers​ 3.5​ 1.8​ Intercepts​ 2.4​ 0.2​ Tackles Inside 50​ 0.7​ 62.1​ AFL Fantasy Score​ 71.0​ 75.6​ Supercoach Score​ 78.8​

 

[DuckYeah]

Nick Daicos is a star. I don’t think he would be too concerned who is coming for him. He won’t back down either.
Elite ball user and elite decision maker.

He does back out. He is just that good on the outside its irrelevant. When it comes to finals and such, he Will absolutely be found out.

If there was a 50/50 ball to be won. Who would win it. Warldaw or Daicos?

There is no doubt the cat is a phenomenal user of the ball, visiom, running etc. no doubt. Elite. He’s a cat.

Our team we are building will destroy those campaigners. 100 ******* times out of 100

 

[susurrar]

flying. he was the 3rd rated player in his age group a month or so back when everyone was shitting on him, and hes exploded since then.

he will go under the radar while wardlaw and sheezel get all the hype, but there will come a time fairly soon when all measures will show he is a borderline elite mid.

very excited to see what he can do over the rest of this year.

 

[Sphynx]

Absolutely already one of our better players.

When he gets a yard separation he’s by far our most damaging player with either hand or foot.

 

[amaz199]

You could literally put the LDU thread and this thread in a side-by-side comparison with mostly identical posts. We go too early on our young guns.

 

[Devington]

I think he's probably my favorite player at the moment. Bit of an underdog factor at play with some of the setbacks he's had and the hate he gets, but also he just seems like a quality bloke with a strong mindset who puts in the effort on game day and at training. So happy about his most recent games.

 

[Kimbo]

Love him.

 

[Kangaroos techno]

Said it before...i would have thought certain people on this board would have learned their lesson after going early on cunnington and LDU...

Rawlin probably hasn't lost a wink of sleep over this pick. I haven't either.

Wilphil is like buying microsoft shares 10 years ago. Never in doubt and always going to improve.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Fat, slow and stout.

Just not sure of the order.

You lot told me he is good.

You gotta stop posting about footy, man.

 

[Psicosis]

He’s been huge with the added responsibility, looks not only like he belongs, but that he could be a star of the comp.

What it’s done is it’s fast tracked our midfield mix once we have everyone fit and on the park. Cunners and Greenwood are great servants and Cunners is a legend of the club, however Will is the third starting mid with LDU and Simpkin when they’re all fit.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

You could literally put the LDU thread and this thread in a side-by-side comparison with mostly identical posts. We go too early on our young guns.

It would be a lot of the same posters, too. They can't see talent in advance, only finally acknowledging it when it's rammed down their throats.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

He and LDU are similar in a few things, but Will has some added real mongrel in the contested stuff at the bottom of packs. LDU does the tough stuff too, but Will goes that little bit harder.

 

[Disco Dew]

Said it before...i would have thought certain people on this board would have learned their lesson after going early on cunnington and LDU...

People love to go the early crow and no matter what happens they’ll stubbornly stick by it. * em. I’m not gonna get bogged down by people’s s**t opinions and unwillingness to concede.
I’m gonna enjoy the ride of following the player.

I am one of the ones that felt we should have gone for McDonald over Phillips but I never wanted to see him fail or expect him to.

I’m so thrilled with how he’s going and he still has a heap more to give. Will be a top 10 player in the comp very soon!

 

[Conundrum]

Its going to be a treat watching phillips, wardlaw, Simpkin, and LDU playing together (and after probably some continuous matches to gel). Will be a real case of who to tag or sit on for the opposition, all of them have the ability to dominate in the midfield in different ways.

 

[Ashley B]

No surprise Will is finally hitting his straps , was always going too. He will play plenty of very good consistent footy for us if all goes well.

 

[Souup]

For the record:

53 pressure points yesterday - career best.

So he's finding the ball more than ever which means he's having a bigger impact offensively, and then also applying more pressure than he ever has defensively as shown by his pressure stats + tackling numbers.

He's only getting started too.

 

[Sphynx]

Fat, slow and stout.

Just not sure of the order.

You lot told me he is good.

Clubhouse leader between this and Nostrils 50 other nominations for nuff of the year honors.

TAO, usually a fan, but this is a massive own goal.



Been absolutely immense.

 

[DesertRoo]

My favourite play for him was I think in the third where he tackled Stringer. It was where stringer picked up the ball looked to burst through only to be met with Will, not only did he stop him dead but that arm slipped down to take Stringers wrist.
Only resulted in a ball up but geez if he can do that against a rampaging stringer now, he’ll only get stronger and fitter from here.

 

[Sphynx]

It is pleasing that it’s happened so quickly for him. He’s never really threatened 20 possessions, and I knocked him for playing his best 3 qrts of senior footy against Sydney and then not touching it in the last, to finish on 18 touches yet again.

But he’s gone bang the next 2 games and not just limped to 20, but smash through that mark.

Feel like he has heaps of improvement too

He's going to be an absolute cannon ball in his mid 20's, not only that, he's going to get contest to contest and power through.

He's got extremely high footy IQ, everyone at the ground can see it. He cuts the angles when he gets it, knows how to get repeat links.

He has a a deceptively explosive first 5 meters also, which is only going to become more noticeable with strength and fitness.


Wardlaw, Sheezel and LDU are all absolutely A++ talents, but I wouldn't be sleeping on Will ending up our best mid/player in the future.


He's projecting to be similar to Tom Mitchell imo, but with a few additional yards of pace that Mitchell has never had. Mitchell was/is a superstar ball winner, if he had Phillips' first 5m, who knows what he would have been. You are probably talking Diesel (who wasn't quick btw, but possibly puts Mitchell into that level......). It's up to Will to build the same endurance base and consistency that Mitchell developed.

Will has an extremely high ceiling, but just isn't as easy on the eye as the other 3.

His fundamentals (clean hands, footy IQ, vision, speed of disposal, disposal on right and left) are all just as good as Sheezel imo.

Will is basically a much much better version of young Andrew Swallow at the moment imo.

 

[The Filth Wizard]

53 pressure points yesterday

Judd-esque