Player Watch Pick #23 (2019) - Dylan Williams

[Rendaw]

So where is Williams at with his training? Gerorgiades has debuted, Bergman has been an emergency, Splinter has now debuted.

Seems he has a tough job to crack the team now. I just hope the club is supporting him so he doesnt want to leave.

 

[Chizza12]

Can't remember which assistant coach was interviewed but they said he was sore as his body adjusts to the rigors of AFL. That coach did say that Bergman will get a run this year and probably sooner than later...

 

[Walshawk]

Having watched a lot of Williams at junior level, I don’t think De Goey is a good comparison. De Goey relies on explosive speed which Williams does not have. Williams is more like how Fyfe plays forward - great reader of play, strong one on one and in the air. Perfect third marking target and a smart player who could go back and take matchnsaving marks in defence. Trained at Hawthorn pre season 2019 and very disappointed we did not get him.

 

[philthy05]

He’s looked well explosive in what I’ve seen of him.

 

[PJ Power]

He looks explosive by mind.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

 

[Rendaw]

How has he been progressing so far this year? I have high hopes him becoming a big part of our continued success.

 

[RossFC]

How has he been progressing so far this year? I have high hopes him becoming a big part of our continued success.

Marking and goal kicking great. Tank and defensive work needs a lot of work.

 

[philthy05]

Yeah what Ross said.

He comes out early and has a big impact, then drifts out of games. If I was his opponent I would worry about the first 10 mins of the game and run of him after that. Has great goal sense. Occasionally they move him up the ground just for a couple of spurts and he’s very useful around stoppages finding space on his left side.


Needs to make massive ground in his fitness and workrate soon.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Marking and goal kicking great. Tank and defensive work needs a lot of work.

Its not just his tank, it's his lack of speed as well that is going to limit his career.

Ford Fairlane pointed it out to me several times at the Centrals game and I came to the conclusion we need to send him to California in the off season to one of those sprint clubs, better than the ones Boak goes to, for a fitness and 'medical' programme.

Thought of John Smith's Hudson Smith Institute, but I think where Carl Lewis went after he left the Uni of Houston, to Jo Douglas' Santa Monica Track Club would be better.

He needs to become more Carl Lewis than Carl Williams, speed wise.

 

[RossFC]

Its not just his tank, it's his lack of speed as well that is going to limit his career.

Ford Fairlane pointed it out to me several times at the Centrals game and I came to the conclusion we need to send him to California in the off season to one of those sprint clubs, better than the ones Boak goes to, for a fitness and 'medical' programme.

Thought of John Smith's Hudson Smith Institute, but I think where Carl Lewis went after he left the Uni of Houston, to Jo Douglas' Santa Monica Track Club would be better.

He needs to become more Carl Lewis than Carl Williams, speed wise.

Yeah agree with speed, when he was trying to put pressure on someone deep inside our 50 a few weeks back, it looked like he was running on the spot. I was even yelling in the stands belting out "chase him, run!!" haha. Because of it, they got to kick it out of their backline to a free player.

 

[Dylan8]

We want Dylly Willy

 

[Byrons Firen]

We want Dylly Willy

Hope he 'makes it', strikes me as a big occasion player.

 

[Coobk001]

He has a real flat footed running style. Makes him look slow, but also may be what's physically limiting his speed. Agree with the others that I'd definitely like to see him do some sprint training.

 

[Revan11]

How close is Williams to a debut? Wouldn't mind seeing a combination of him and Fantasia.

 

[RossFC]

How close is Williams to a debut? Wouldn't mind seeing a combination of him and Fantasia.

Probs not this season. Hope he can work on his tank over the next pre-season.

 

[Revan11]

Probs not this season. Hope he can work on his tank over the next pre-season.

So at the moment his tank is outweighing his natural goal sense and ability?

 

[RossFC]

So at the moment his tank is outweighing his natural goal sense and ability?

Yep. We probably lose too much if Robbie and Williams are up forward.

 

[Us against the rest]

Yep. We probably lose too much if Robbie and Williams are up forward.

 

[Adz2332]

did he change his number to 23? from 34?

 

[Jonts]

It took Dane Swan 3 pre seasons before he had the fitness base for any sort of AFL

Not saying he will end up there but they move the same way imo

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

It took Dane Swan 3 pre seasons before he had the fitness base for any sort of AFL

Not saying he will end up there but they move the same way imo

Will Williams be on the same preseason fitness and 'medical' program Swan was on in Arizona?

 

[Grave Danger]

did he change his number to 23? from 34?

Those Welsh boys all look the same.

 

[Relativity]

Those Welsh boys all look the same.

Yeah but they sure can sing.

 

[JakeNeadeFan]

To me I think the ultimate goal for Williams is the forward version of Toby Greene. Both Williams and Greene don't have express pace, size or skills but they just win 1-on-1 contests. Williams is a really nice mark, has an innate ability to kick wacky goals and has an effective, albeit odd, set shot routine. Like Greene he doesn't look like he should be a dominant footballer but he just is.

The challenge for Dylan is the fitness side of things and be able to get to enough contests to win them. At the moment at SANFL level he is able to play first class stints of 10 minute periods or quarters but then goes missing for the remainder of the game.