I’m just as optimistic as the next guy, but if he was any good, I think the blues would have kept him. He is a good replacement for ZClarke
They only wanted to offer a 1 year deal and we offered him a 2 year. He choose us. Carlton lines up Pittonet to replace him.
Phillips is a good acquisition, a smart one. He won’t win you a game on his own make no mistake, but consistently competing is his game and that makes him very handy backup for a very weak ruck department. He’ll regularly breakeven in the ruck and occasionally snare some goals or take a good mark. He’s a good honest ruckman and a big upgrade on Clarke who’s loss were diabolical. You won’t get that from Phillips. Welcome big boy.
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How silly were we picking up Smith. If he was any good GWS would have kept him.
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Best of all Phillips looks like he has no problems kicking goals from 20m straight in front.
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So if Carlton have basically jettisoned him for Pittonet, surely the question is why we didn’t go for Pittonet? I know we have faith in Draper but it’s always good to have two options…
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They didn’t. They offered him a contract but he wanted longer term.
And Pittonet was number3 ruck at Hawks already. Would have been doing same with us. Whereas now number 2 at Blues so we were probably never in the picture.
In those highlights on the club website there was a shepherd and 2 tackles. You’d never see that in Bellchambers highlights.
I’ve never seen this guy play (or never paid attention if he has been playing). But if competing consistently is one of his strengths like some are suggesting, then he’ll be giving Bellchambers a big run for his money for the number 1 spot until Draper is ready. If we’re going to be any good next year, him or Draper has to overtake TBell.
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For stealing a test match
looks infinitely more mobile than slow coach bellchambers
If he knows how to throw his weight around compete, I’m happy. I hope a kid never owns him like Bellchambers
The difficult thing to understand is why we showed so much interest in ryder when this guy was available. He seems better than ryder on every criteria.
I wonder how much of the ryder coming back was seen to be post-saga PR value?
He’s older than I realised (28) but I’m still happy with this.
He’s an AFL standard ruck, and we have him as a back-up. That’s better than we had last year.
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Welcome to the Bombers and best of luck big red!
Clarinet man. Clarinet.
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Both. He’s a doubler.
Knew nothing of the bloke but after watching the highlights he actually looks pretty good. Some nice awareness shown with his tapwork. Tackles, Shepards, can mark the footy, and actually look reasonably mobile at times too. Belly when fit probably has him covered at a guess. But Belly is carrying an injury more often than not. This bloke is going to play a lot of games for us next year.
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Phillips has been as injured, so may want to temper those expectations a little.
He absolutely, completely and utterly dominated Zac Clarke in the JLT game this year. All over him. It was embarrassing.
Now that doesn’t say that he is necessarily a great a player but it does say that he is a hell of a lot better of a back up option than Clarke.
Good pick up.
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Even the possibility that he took the JLT more seriously then we did is a huge positive.
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