Player Watch #29: Will Phillips

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Our midfield depth is playing already, can't see how he gets a game after his start to the year. It's a shame, but he had his chance and put up a putrid effort in his last game.

It's been an amazing demise since he polled a Brownlow vote in that epic contest vs The Suns in round 24 last year.
For months I was walking around saying "North Melbourne, W Phillips. 1 vote."

What's really amazing is how much people want Will Phillips to fail. So fascinating.

 

[justroyal]

What's really amazing is how much people want Will Phillips to fail. So fascinating.

I want him to succeed so badly. I’m of the belief that even on his worst day, his skills translate better than most of our list, whether it’s a chip across the ground, a deft touch kick into the forward line or even a hand pass out of a contest.

I wonder if an issue is, can we play both him and Jy with the current options? It’s like both play the two roles, centre of high half forward. With Jy being a bit more experienced in the contests and Will being a way better kick than Jy - is that contributing to him being on the sidelines?

Personally if we’re playing so many kids, I’m ok with letting Will take jy’s midfield spot

 

[Pres]

What's really amazing is how much people want Will Phillips to fail. So fascinating.

It was the same before Ben Jacobs became a gun. The worst time of their lives was when he had played enough games and started to come good.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

A shame there was no VFL game on the weekend to push his case. I’m sure it is deflating for him not even to get named on the Emergency list for the first 4 rounds. ie. We don’t think you’re in our best 23. So as many have said the ball is in his court to rip in week in and week out to bang down the selectors doors and force them to pick him. If the likes of Stephens/Stephenson/Tucker/Jy continue to stink up, then his opportunity will come if he has earn’t it.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Get him in for shiels

 

[The Dougster]

What's really amazing is how much people want Will Phillips to fail. So fascinating.

You're being dramatic.

Hopefully Will gets a game this week and dare I say it, helps us to an upset.

 

[Val Keating]

He need to start looking for a new club now.
Leave now while you've got the chance to have some finals success in your career.
'More opportunities' gives him the scapegoat not to look bad.

I’d agree if he was ripping the VFL to shreds

 

[Val Keating]

Does anyone think we have any flawless players playing in the 1s?

The closest we had was TT and he more than made up for it behaviour l-wise.

We’re missing TT so bad. There’s no way the oppo could lock down on LDU like they have if TT was injected into the middle

 

[Sillygit]

You're being dramatic.

Hopefully Will gets a game this week and dare I say it, helps us to an upset.

lol yea, that's the overly dramatic take in this thread...

 

[swaeney]

It was the same before Ben Jacobs became a gun. The worst time of their lives was when he had played enough games and started to come good.

We looked so good with him in our team firing. We have seriously had the worst luck since his the start of his career coming to an end.

 

[The Dougster]

lol yea, that's the overly dramatic take in this thread...

Drama overload when you're at the bottom

 

[Val Keating]

Drama overload when you're at the bottom

Yep. We’re all desperate, example, Phillips is the answer

 

[The Dougster]

We’re missing TT so bad. There’s no way the oppo could lock down on LDU like they have if TT was injected into the middle

I try and block this guy out of my thinking but it is extremely hard to do so.

 

[perplexed]

What's really amazing is how much people want Will Phillips to fail. So fascinating.

Oh ffs, nobody here wants Will to fail. His chance will come. But right now he isn't playing well enough in the twos to get promoted. He needs to put in the work and earn a game.

 

[Val Keating]

I try and block this guy out of my thinking but it is extremely hard to do so.

It’ll be harder when he inevitably gets on to an afl list again and the AFL media will swoon over how he’s turned his life around because of (insert club).

 

[giantroo]

• Had a good little chat with Will Phillips as well, and he said he's keen as mustard to get back into the 1s and help the team. Says he feels fitter than he's ever felt, and highlighted his defensive side of the ball as something he's really proud of in terms of what he's been focused on.

Little section on Will from the player sponsorship thread from Chad.

 

[shinboner magic]

Reading back a few pages before last weeks game and ppl were saying what a letdown Will is and so n so. Then after last weeks game we need Will in and he’ll now be able to cure cancer or similar.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Reading back a few pages before last weeks game and ppl were saying what a letdown Will is and so n so. Then after last weeks game we need Will in and he’ll now be able to cure cancer or similar.

I have consistently wanted Phillips in the side and felt the same “wtf?” reaction to team selection as round 1 2023.

As we know, we won the first 2 before falling off a cliff. It’s harder when -instead - we are getting flogged without hope or communication.

There is very little said about Will from the club and it gives the fans of Will (me included) massive worries. Not only about his career and place in the team, but the capability of the selectors to select a bunch of down-hill skiers, while someone who plays with passion and heart (and skill) is languishing in a Siberia somewhere.

 

[heem]

I have consistently wanted Phillips in the side and felt the same “wtf?” reaction to team selection as round 1 2023.

As we know, we won the first 2 before falling off a cliff. It’s harder when -instead - we are getting flogged without hope or communication.

There is very little said about Will from the club and it gives the fans of Will (me included) massive worries. Not only about his career and place in the team, but the capability of the selectors to select a bunch of down-hill skiers, while someone who plays with passion and heart (and skill) is languishing in a Siberia somewhere.

Yes the lack on any comment on him from the club is odd. Nothing again when it might have been expected to be covered in this yesterday. https://www.nmfc.com.au/news/1526837/afl-r5-in-the-mix-which-roos-are-pushing-for-call-ups

 

[travelli]

A shame there was no VFL game on the weekend to push his case. I’m sure it is deflating for him not even to get named on the Emergency list for the first 4 rounds. ie. We don’t think you’re in our best 23. So as many have said the ball is in his court to rip in week in and week out to bang down the selectors doors and force them to pick him. If the likes of Stephens/Stephenson/Tucker/Jy continue to stink up, then his opportunity will come if he has earn’t it.

We are in the process of putting games into our preferred midfield rotation now. Wil is clearly not on that list.

He has to rip up the reserves or he'll just be our Paddy dow. It's not such a bad problem.

 

[shinboner magic]

We are in the process of putting games into our preferred midfield rotation now. Wil is clearly not on that list.

He has to rip up the reserves or he'll just be our Paddy dow. It's not such a bad problem.

If we finish bottom 3 and all those players around those picks are mids , we should trade Will while he has some value.

Kerch and sheeze likely to be added to the rotation as well

 

[Gasometer]

On Footy Calcified they were looking at the 2020 Draft with relation to the * picks

The general consensus was that Draft is perhaps 2 years behind where they should be in terms of performance

So yet again, he stays and catches up within the context of that Draft and his illnesses

I couldn’t handle another traded North player going elsewhere to win a Brownlow or become something special because we lacked patience

 

[Epictetus]

there are quite a few players from that draft who are going well or very well.
It's also possible it's just not a good draft.

Or Will is just not a good player.

For the short term, I'm past caring so much who is in the North side. I just want to see some sort of physical effort and 22 blokes who compete and show something. If Will can do that, then play him. Because last week was a disgrace, frankly.

 

[murray wrensted]

I believe

 

[Sillygit]