How does he earn a spot without playing at the top level, surely against failing teams/plus a good ruck outfit, now is the time to see what he has?
im not bellchambers biggest fan, at all. but if you think the difference between top 4 is Phillips over belly, then Iām not too sure what to say 
Thereās a scratch match this week. That would be a good time to start.
Didnāt he play both preseason games and did well, thought that was a good start. Now you want to compare a scratch match against the worst players on a team list??
Can we just tell ole mate that Shiel is like 192cm tall and 95kg, so he shuts the bloody hell up about Teh BIG BODDIEEEED MIDFIELDA LIKE JOB?
Contrary to what people might think, Belly was good last week. He did run out of legs but it was the first round back. Ruckmen donāt have to be an extra midfielder, thatās a myth. Iād be keeping him in for now.
It could very well be that simple, on the flipside.
gawn will murder him in the contest and around the ground, so it seems odd you wouldnāt pick phillips to at least give more coverage to stoppage him around the ground.
Bellchamber is literally stopping the second the ruck contest is over, gawn will absolutely crucify belly this weekend.
hell he may well do it to phillips too, but at least you know phillips would put up a fight.
Well heās almost exactly the same size as luke Parker. Is like Parker a ābig bodied midfieldā. What about been Cunnington? Heās pretty close to him too
Exactly and a good reason to have Phillips as the second ruckman, Belly can hard first part, bring Phillips in goes hard, bang Gawnā¦
Donāt mind that idea. Iād like to see what Phillips is like in front of goal under pressure.
Depends.
Dylan Clarke is apparently TEH BIG BODDIOEEEED, and heās only 187 /87. Heppell is 189/84 and apparently not.
weāll still win, even if gawn beats belly (which he will)
Iād honestly prefer Phillips over belly, because i donāt think Tom is good, at all. but itās splitting hairs. its not the difference between winning and losing, let alone top 4
I like what Phillips brings, but heās no superstar. heās just a average ruckman who does a bit more around the ground than Tom.
Personally Iād rather a ruckman win the ruck, and lose around the ground than the other way around.
Seems like if Fantasia gets through tomorrow OK he will be in and I think McKenna is probably already a certainty. I reckon Guelfi is a sure to fall out but leaves one other. Snelling could be the unlucky one to miss out.
if your named on the ground, your playing
my thoughts are itās McKenna for guelfi, and orazio for zaka (dependant on training tomorrow) otherwise just the one change
100%. People underrate his ruck craft. Heās very good at it. Early last season people were begging for Zac Clarke to come in for Belly 
Get on Gawn for 25+ possessions and 50+ hitoutsā¦
agree , except with the impact phillips can provide, and the potential it could lead too.
would people have though nankervis could help richmond become what they are ?
I know phillips isnāt the same, but i reckon his attitude would uplift others knowing heās out there busting his ā ā ā to help out more, itās gotta be more encouraging that watching a guy be puffed after wrestling for 5 seconds and just standing there.
Phillips doesnāt need to be a star to be better than TBC, he just needs to exist outside of taps and heās got TBC covered. TBC couldnāt make marking contests because he was puffed after 3 steps, absolute liability the last 2 games.
5 Decent taps per game does not make him worth it, we also lost hit outs and clearances last two games, and we had 2 great looking ruck performances and midfield performances in the JLT that we have been NOWHERE near in the regular league, and Phillips is the difference, you even see him STEAL a handpass, how often do you see Belchambers intercept anything.