Tom Phillips - Outside Skills and Speed

[Simon Port 189]

It's clear that Melbourne still needs another outside midfielder to support Ed Langdon who had a brilliant season and showed what having a player with his skill set does for our team. Recruiting Adam Tomlinson as a wingman was always far fetched and he seems more suited to a defensive role. Merrett would be an ideal target for us but would probably cost too much. A player I think that would be worth looking at is Tom Phillips who could be pushed out of Collingwood due to their cap squeeze. He's an elite runner and a very tidy left foot kick and exactly the type of player we need. He can also go forward and kick a handy goal. 

[Elegt 872]

The bloke can run all day but he is very soft. I'm not saying he's not what we need but he certainly isn't the perfect winger. If we can get him without selling the farm I'd go for it

[adonski 10,805]

Don't mind it at all 

[DeeSpencer 24,693]

He's a very ordinary kick. More penetration than Langdon and doesn't mind a goal - has played half forward a fair bit the last two years - but his kicking is very unreliable. 

He'd come cheap with the Pies dumping cap space but at some stage we have to find long term upgrades rather than pay up for a guy with shoddy skills.

[whatwhat say what 22,093]

would think he'd be in our best 22, somewhat shoddy skills or not

ultimately, would his inclusion in our side make us a better side? arguably, i say yes

langdon's skills were better this year than in previous years; i'd argue tomlinson's weren't as good as they have been at their best against gw$

phillips fills a role we need a player to play, so it's a yes for me...pending cost

[Adam The God 29,331]

Would prefer Merrett obviously, but Phillips will likely come much cheaper and add to our outside run. It'll give us more flexibility and hopefully defensive cover if we try to play the Geelong surrender centre clearance and slingshot game.

[Demons11 6,704]

He is no good 

[BDA 22,257]

He’s gettable and would solve a need but of the realistic options Saad is preferable for mine.

If we target anyone at the pies it should be Daicos. Long shot I know but if cap space is so tight for them you never know! We could get lucky.

[dazzledavey36 52,729]

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/T/Tom_Phillips.html

Looking at his stats from 2018 and 2019, it shows that he's a a big ball winner who likes to push forward and kick goals.

I like Baker, but he would be a massive upgrade and would make our team significantly better with his run and outside spread.

[Tracca 781]

59 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/T/Tom_Phillips.html

Looking at his stats from 2018 and 2019, it shows that he's a a big ball winner who likes to push forward and kick goals.

I like Baker, but he would be a massive upgrade and would make our team significantly better with his run and outside spread.

I like it, would be a huge get having two fast wingers that can help break the game open, exactly what we need

[AaronDaveyChipsAndGravey 390]

Have no idea where people are pulling this nonsense out about him being a rubbish kick. Has consistently been around the 70%+ disposal efficiency for 5 years now. Work rate is immense and knows where the big sticks are. Definitely would be a lock on the wing, however I think that classier inside midfielder to compliment the bulls of Oliver and Trac should be top priority.

[spirit of norm smith 15,116]

On 9/25/2020 at 9:43 AM, AaronDaveyChipsAndGravey said:

Have no idea where people are pulling this nonsense out about him being a rubbish kick. Has consistently been around the 70%+ disposal efficiency for 5 years now. Work rate is immense and knows where the big sticks are. Definitely would be a lock on the wing, however I think that classier inside midfielder to compliment the bulls of Oliver and Trac should be top priority.

Exactly. He is the perfect get to play in the opposite wing. He would be a lock in our best 22.   Left footer. Gets the footy. God run. Skills. Smart player.  I’d try to package up a deal for Phillips somehow though it’s a long shot because he’s highly rated by the Filth. 
 

MFC 2nd round pick 2020 (roughly pick 21-22) for Phillips and Pies future 3rd round pick 2021.  
 

 

[spirit of norm smith 15,116]

Preuss and pick 47 to Swans for pick 22 

Pick 22 to Pies for Tom Phillips and Pies 2021 3rd round draft pick 

[dazzledavey36 52,729]

Really do hope we are into Phillips. Bit like Langdon where he can butcher it every now and then, but spreads and runs really hard and someone I'd much rather on a wing then Tomlinson or Baker.

[Demons11 6,704]

42 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Preuss and pick 47 to Swans for pick 22 

Pick 22 to Pies for Tom Phillips and Pies 2021 3rd round draft pick 

Phillips for a 3rd or 4th rd pick would get it done, no need to give up pick 22 if we in fact did receive this for Preuss.  If we can secure another 2nd pick, along with our current ones then we would be able to move up the draft table trading for teams that need points instead of picks 

[Deespicable 2,672]

Can someone explain to me why you would want a right-footer for a left-side wing spot? OK a lot of clubs, us included, are forced to pick two right-footed wingers but if you can, you avoid the scenario.

Saad's value is that he would free up Salem to play on a wing. Polec is also a left-footer, hence why our management is considering him, although I have great reservations about a player performing to a career-high level at a fourth club.

Saad is the only potential recruit I am keen on that has been talked about so far this year. Happy for us to give Peter Wright a go as well, but only as a third or fourth round trade.

[dl4e 5,843]

Forget Phillips. Stephenson is the one to go for.

[Smokey 4,345]

On 9/24/2020 at 10:51 PM, Elegt said:

The bloke can run all day but he is very soft. I'm not saying he's not what we need but he certainly isn't the perfect winger. If we can get him without selling the farm I'd go for it

A lot of classy outside players are soft. That's why they play on the outside right ... 

We can hope for unicorns all we like (i.e. classy outside + hard inside), but back here on planet earth Phillips makes a lot sense for our other wing and I'd be all for it. 

Agree it wouldn't be worth selling the farm for however.

[DeeSpencer 24,693]

On 9/25/2020 at 9:43 AM, AaronDaveyChipsAndGravey said:

Have no idea where people are pulling this nonsense out about him being a rubbish kick. Has consistently been around the 70%+ disposal efficiency for 5 years now. Work rate is immense and knows where the big sticks are. Definitely would be a lock on the wing, however I think that classier inside midfielder to compliment the bulls of Oliver and Trac should be top priority.

Collingwood fold their wings back then move the ball slowly and methodically or go long and high to Cox. Pretty easy side to have a high DE playing on the wing. 
 

Phillips has a poor kicking technique especially for a left footer and misses targets no matter what the stats say. He’d certainly improve us but short term improvement at the cost of finding long term solutions worries me. 
 

Every player you recruit who can’t kick is putting a ceiling on a sides overall ability 

[DeeSpencer 24,693]

25 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

Can someone explain to me why you would want a right-footer for a left-side wing spot? OK a lot of clubs, us included, are forced to pick two right-footed wingers but if you can, you avoid the scenario.

It’s nice to have a balance but I don’t think kicking leg matters as much for the wing these days. Gone are the days of long handballs to outside runners flowing on to their outside leg.

Wings get most of their ball in space at half back and the ability to turn corridor side and kick with your inside leg is probably more important than running boundary side. 
 

Polec’s a good kick which explains our interest. I don’t think him being a lefty means much for team balance. Langdon will still play the far wing because he can run all day whether that’s his inside or outside leg 

[AaronDaveyChipsAndGravey 390]

13 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Collingwood fold their wings back then move the ball slowly and methodically or go long and high to Cox. Pretty easy side to have a high DE playing on the wing. 
 

Phillips has a poor kicking technique especially for a left footer and misses targets no matter what the stats say. He’d certainly improve us but short term improvement at the cost of finding long term solutions worries me. 
 

Every player you recruit who can’t kick is putting a ceiling on a sides overall ability 

Hang on a second. You're saying that someone who hits a target 70% of the time is a rubbish kick simply because his technique's funny? Stats simply don't lie. 

What is the long term solution then? We have barely anyone with enough run who can actually kick, and there's a bloke staring us in the face who has the leg speed to improve our game, hit targets and kick goals and is being squeezed out of his club. 

I'd be taking Phillips over a Polec, who would come at a fraction the cost. Polec clearly has baggage and given our mental fragility how is he in any way the right fit for our club.

[adonski 10,805]

6 minutes ago, AaronDaveyChipsAndGravey said:

Hang on a second. You're saying that someone who hits a target 70% of the time is a rubbish kick simply because his technique's funny? Stats simply don't lie. 

What is the long term solution then? We have barely anyone with enough run who can actually kick, and there's a bloke staring us in the face who has the leg speed to improve our game, hit targets and kick goals and is being squeezed out of his club. 

I'd be taking Phillips over a Polec, who would come at a fraction the cost. Polec clearly has baggage and given our mental fragility how is he in any way the right fit for our club.

I don’t think Pies fans rate his kicking. I think it may be a similar case to Langdon where because they kick within their limitations or often long down the line the stats are a bit warped, if that makes any sense. 

[spirit of norm smith 15,116]

Phillips represents much better value than Polec. He is a left footer, kicking efficiency is good and has the ability to run plus ability to get the footy. He is cheaper both in terms of $$ and trade pick. 

[Elegt 872]

43 minutes ago, Smokey said:

A lot of classy outside players are soft. That's why they play on the outside right ... 

We can hope for unicorns all we like (i.e. classy outside + hard inside), but back here on planet earth Phillips makes a lot sense for our other wing and I'd be all for it. 

Agree it wouldn't be worth selling the farm for however.

He is extra soft. Avoids contact like melksham does. He may be able to take this out of his game with good coaching 

[Tough Kent 2,103]

I'd love to know what people's definition of soft is? If it means not getting sucked into the contest at every single opportunity like 90% of our mids (bees to the honeypot) then I'm all for soft. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Tough Kent
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