Player Watch #29: Will Phillips

[Colbys Boots]

Phillips is where I thought he would be as a smallish inside mid coming off an injury and no footy. The few awesome things he’s done, have been awesome. His progress is of no concern but seriously Powell is a genius, it’s almost unfair to compare against a bloke who runs at 90% best executable option.

Agreed Powell is a genius with the ball in hand, but equally, a couple of Phillips' kicks have been orgasmic.

 

[Psicosis]

The club (coaches specifically) rate Phillips extremely high. Like Luke hodge/Joel Selwood/Sam Mitchell high.

If they had a choice due to injury, he wouldn’t have played till mid year.

Kid will be an absolute star & champion of our club.

 

[the flying ham]

The difference between there respective performances so far this is extraordinary - even allowing for Phillips not playing last year.

Phillips has underwhelmed and Powell has exceeded all expectations - even of those like Souup who knew Powell's abilities more than others.

At this stage Powell is a lock for a wonderful career at Arden st - Phillips is a work in progress with plenty of time on his side but plenty of work to do.

Its almost like he didnt play footy for 12 months

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Phillips is where I thought he would be as a smallish inside mid coming off an injury and no footy. The few awesome things he’s done, have been awesome. His progress is of no concern but seriously Powell is a genius, it’s almost unfair to compare against a bloke who runs at 90% best executable option.

That is a reasonable assessment - on balance I would have expected Phiilips to have shown marginally more by now (he has shown glimpses of elite qualities) but Powell has been so good it makes Phillips (and others in the top 10 picks) look relatively weaker.

This happens in all drafts and lucky for us we had 2 picks to ensure we got Powell.

 

[ferball]

Phillips will be lucky to be as good as Powell is now, forget being better.

Powell is very good.

We'll see about Phillips. He has shown a couple of things that look as good or better than Powell. He is a better kick and attacks the contest with alot more intensity even at this level. Ideally they will be complimentary players.

 

[Snake_Baker]

That is a reasonable assessment - on balance I would have expected Phiilips to have shown marginally more by now...........

Why?

He spent 2020 lifting weights, whereas Tom spent 2020 getting leather poison.

NOTHING beats a kid getting their hands on the footy, and it's why I despise seeing them plonked in a pocket in the AFL getting 8 touches a match, when they should be playing midfield in the VFL.

 

[LB2Snake]

Why?

He spent 2020 lifting weights, whereas Tom spent 2020 getting leather poison.

NOTHING beats a kid getting their hands on the footy, and it's why I despise seeing them plonked in a pocket in the AFL getting 8 touches a match, when they should be playing midfield in the VFL.

I actually think he would be playing a lot more ressies if not for our horrendous injuries. Is what it is. Has done some nice things, just looks underprepared at the moment.

 

[shinboner spiggs]

I think the best for Phillips right now would be to play the rest of the season in the vfl. Get the speed up and bring on 22.

 

[Snake_Baker]

I actually think he would be playing a lot more ressies if not for our horrendous injuries. Is what it is. Has done some nice things, just looks underprepared at the moment.

He's also a dyed in the wool inside mid mate, and for every Matt Rowell, there are 10 x Ben Cunnington's.

 

[Waynesworld]

Darcy Moore or any pack

Darcy Moore was marking the ball at will.

 

[LB2Snake]

He's also a dyed in the wool inside mid mate, and for every Matt Rowell, there are 10 x Ben Cunnington's.

Don’t think I was disagreeing with you, in fact you are 100% bang on.....looking at the available bodies, we didn’t have much choice but to play him.
Hopefully TG can hold up for a few weeks.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Darcy Moore was marking the ball at will.

................on Zurhaar & Taylor.

Tactical idiocy.

 

[the flying ham]

................on Zurhaar & Taylor.

Tactical idiocy.

Literally no alternative there. Walker playing back in corr and tazzs absence, big soup and goldy not mobile enough. You keep banging this drum about tactics as if the hand hasnt been forced here

 

[osaka mick]

Building

View attachment 1117847

What is this? Average what? Possessions?

 

[osaka mick]

Same goes for Atu & Scott.
Neither played at either level on the weekend. Really poor management

I agree 100% but what is the alternative when we have a VFL game interstate. The AFL team must have had some doubts over players, so kept them out of the VFL team. Catch 22 IMO.

 

[Val Keating]

What is this? Average what? Possessions?

Nah, game rating. It’s a bit super coachy but it’s based on more data, like impact on games, difficulty of possession etc.

Look at this from last week for example, the dot shows the players average but the graph shows their impact on the game. Obviously Phillips was well down considering he came on late as a sub and got 1 kick.

 

[the big lebowski]

I’m assuming full game in vfl tomorrow?

 

[Devington]

I’m assuming full game in vfl tomorrow?

Can't comment on "full" but Noble said the two emergencies (Will the medical sub and Xerri) will be playing tomorrow.

 

[Souup]

Shattered for him that he wasn't part of the win alongside Powell and Lazzaro. Hopefully gets to be part of one sooner rather than later.

 

[Harris 10]

Shattered for him that he wasn't part of the win alongside Powell and Lazzaro. Hopefully gets to be part of one sooner rather than later.

probably the only disappointing thing of the day.

 

[Devington]

Shattered for him that he wasn't part of the win alongside Powell and Lazzaro. Hopefully gets to be part of one sooner rather than later.

He's a smart cookie, I reckon he knows the strategies to channel that kind of disappointment into motivation. That said it's all kinds of awkward to be the unused medical sub in that position, now that it technically counts as a game and thus his first win.

 

[the flying ham]

Shattered for him that he wasn't part of the win alongside Powell and Lazzaro. Hopefully gets to be part of one sooner rather than later.

He has got plenty in front of him souupy. Plenty!

 

[muttley45]

Have a big game tomorrow Will, start smashing the door down for senior selection, it's not if, but when.

 

[teethmeetsflesh]

Yeah, I felt for him today. Seeing him in the song in the training gear was hard

 

[Snake_Baker]

His time will come soon enough.