Phillipou

[B.M]

Not sure where he’s at

He is only a kid, and will obviously develop and most likely be a good player

But

He’s like a kid you keep picking in the First XI on potential and he keeps failing. But you keep picking him cause he looks ok in the nets and hits the odd nice shot! But ultimately is out of his depth!

Now we are not only picking him, but put him at the top of the order. And he’s playing and missing and clearly out of his depth.



Another thing to note
He’s now the only top ten pick not to re sign or extend his contract

[Vortex]

So the call on a recorded loop over the past 2 pre seasons was "play the kids"

Would it be helpfull if the club could be honest and get the rebuild narrative going...or is it too early for that?

Just think we are in a hard rebuild but no one's talking about it.

[Sainternist]

He is only 1 season and 1 game into his AFL career and still developing. Chill out and be patient. The kid will start be showing great signs by the second of half of the season.

[skeptic]

The big debate at the moment IMO is the one about best position.

IMO pushing him into the midfield if he’s not ready is a challenging strategy.

For mine… he’s kind of more suited to a HFF sitting forward, than pushing up the ground at times. He’s got that class around goal which I think makes him dangerous down there and he doesn’t look all that ready for a permanent midfield gig.

Let him work on the midfield qualities on his own and then when he’s showing the qualities, let him have spells

[bobmurray]

I wonder what the "new" Saints midfield coach thinks of Phillipou, that'll be what really counts.

Pou is probably holding off contract discussions until he plays a couple of good games in a row, then his manager can go to the club and say we want a big pay rise on the next contract thanks. If Pou keeps playing like he is SOS might tell the manager Pou will have to have a wage freeze playing like a fish out of water.

[B.M]

I’ve got no problem agreeing that he looks like he could be a good player

But the fact is, he’s not now. In fact he’s very average. And to get a spot in the midfield is mystifying

Last year, his continued selection was bizarre to me - he needed some twos time imo

I watched him in the prac games have zero influence and against Geelong he was largely ineffective

Fair play he’s got ability - but isn’t near an able AFL mid now

BTW
We are not rebuilding- we played finals and don’t have the top end draft talent to suggest rebuild

[Banger9798]

Agree with OP

You can't just play him on potential.

Should have been dropped last year.

If we're worried about dropping him before he re-signs, than that shows weakness at selection.

Should not be in the middle rotation yet, HFF is his go. Maybe 5 mins on the ball once he has shown he can compete.

He is young, but the spoon feeding him games is not a good idea.

Get 30+ in the Magoos.

[Moods]

He needs waaay more aggression at the contest. Way more. Atm he's playing like a talented kid, except the problem is he's playing against hardened men and he STILL looks like he doesn't like that. He absolutely needs to go back and play against men in the VFL where the ball moves a bit slower and he can develop a bit of confidence. We all want him to make it, we all need him to make it, but I feel his tyres have been pumped up way too much for the output he's been delivering. Comparisons to Bont or Trac at the same age are ridiculous. The kid looks like a kid and atm is playing like a kid. He can obviously run and jump and kick but soo many times last night I saw him jogging alongside the contest. Get the f*** involved and make an impact!

And FFS get him out of the midfield, he's not creative in there and even though he has put on size he still looks like he's carrying puppy fat.

[The Fireman]

It certainly wouldn’t faze me if he spent some time in the magoos

[nostalgicsaint]

Currently one of the better options we have in there.

When Clark and Dow are back I'd expect him to spend more time forward rotating onto the ball.

For all the hysteria on here he only attended 7 centre bounces the following players attended more.

Marshall
Steele
Crouch
Ross
Henry

So the 5th in line for a midfield spot in a side that was missing

Clark
Dow

And had an underdone

Crouch
Ross




I for one think the club has never struck a better balance between developing players and being competitive. I'm thrilled to see Pou exposed to bull midfield opponents as he was yesterday. In the same way I'm happy Owens got to learn how difficult it is to perform when a team puts a player of the calibre of Stewart on him.

It's part of the journey- learn to appreciate where we're at.

[Yorkeys]

Not quite strong enough, but soon. The way opposition mids try to hurt him means he will develop some mongrel as well as muscle.

[Teflon]

No questions on our BnF Seb Ross??
Slow, in effective had to be subbed
Crouch had a mare and still looked better
Pou needs mid time managed for sure
Owens needs more midfield time not rucking
I hope IF Hayes can get it together that takes that ruck pressure off Owens

[Sainter_Dad]

He is only 1 season and 1 game into his AFL career and still developing. Chill out and be patient. The kid will start be showing great signs by the second of half of the season.

OMFG - I totally agree with you

We are St Kilda

At Richmond - Pou would be tearing it up as 4th or 5th Midfielder - at St Kilda - he is 2nd or 3rd

Same as McCartin. At Geelong - 3rd tall - plenty of time to develop - instead he has to the sole focal point.

Unfortunately - success breeds success and we are bereft of success.

[B.M]

Seb has had his time

He is clearly near the end of his career. He had a poor game, but he can look back on his career and say

I’ve made the AA squad
I’ve captained StK
I’ve played 200 games
I’ve won 2 TBAs and runner up in another
I’ve averaged 30ppg in a season
I have a career average of 22ppg
I’ve been in the leadership group for many years
I have many AFL game BOGs and over 40 Brownlow votes
I have won the prestigious Eastern Memorial SS MVP

Phillipou may well end up a great player, we’ll see how he goes.

But 12 possessions average last season and 12 possessions playing as a mid vs Geelong - ordinary

Seb can rest his head on the pillow and sleep well knowing he’s drained every bit out of himself and has had a great career

[Bruce G McAbee]

Actually thought he did okay last night.

[D.B.Cooper]

I think Pou is at a point in his career that he is not physically or mentally ready to be an AFL midfielder.

He’s good overhead and can kick a goal.

If we are determined to get games into him the role is half forward pushing up where he can run at the ball and use his talent.

He should be playing a Mason Wood style role IMO.

Plenty wrote a young BJ off at 19/20 and he ended up ok.

I do think Pou maybe needs to bring the same effort game day as he obviously displays in training.

[nostalgicsaint]

The other thing it's worth pointing out to people melting here.

Only 4 players had less time on ground than him.

Stocker (injured)
Crouch (underdone)
Ross (subbed)
Collard (sub)

We've got to be careful we don't build our own narrative to hang the kid and the club on.

He isn't being relied on as a primary mid. He is getting exposed (in a part time capacity- as proved by TOG% and center bounce attendances) to the role.

[B.M]

We are not ‘hanging’ the kid

That’s hysteria

We are questioning his place and role in the team

He averages 12 a game and only 4 kicks - we wouldn’t accept that from others. Once you cross the white line Birth certificates are irrelevant you have a job to do.

[nostalgicsaint]

We are not ‘hanging’ the kid

That’s hysteria

We are questioning his place and role in the team

He averages 12 a game and only 4 kicks - we wouldn’t accept that from others. Once you cross the white line Birth certificates are irrelevant you have a job to do.

Didn't say anyone is. I said we need to be careful we don't start building a narrative that leads to that. It looks to me like we're heading down that path.

We've got to be careful we don't build our own narrative to hang the kid and the club on.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Reading some of the rubbish in this thread and the OP itself, provides a great insight into the type of thinking that has ensured this club has won just one premiership.

Impulsive decision making based on short-term, knee jerk reactions, inaccurate assessment of available talent and a lack of development in players. A case of life imitating ill-informed opinion.

Anyone who knows anything at all about the game can see Phillipou is a special talent. If you don't think he is go and look at his Youtube highlights reel from the first two thirds of 2023. It will remind you as to why he has so many admirers.

The coaching group obviously thinks so as well, playing him in a way they believe will expedite his development and ensure he realizes his potential.

RTB, Boris, Banger, BJ, Lenny and Damian Carrol. As a coaching group, arguably the best in the business. This is a different St.Kilda, or so I hope. I have faith in them to deliver consistent and sustainable, long-term success.

I'll trust those currently in charge to finally break the cycle of failure that has dogged this club for all but a few years of its existence.

Phillipou is in good hands. I hope the administration is focusing on getting him to sign his contract extension. Once that's completed, he can focus all of his attention on becoming the player we hope, and know he can become.

[WellardSaint]

I would rather Caminiti get games, while Pou plays for Zebs to learn under a bit less pressure.

Caminiti is young too, but he's built stronger and will add more value.
Let Pou learn his trade as Zebs

[Scollop]

He is only 1 season and 1 game into his AFL career and still developing. Chill out and be patient. The kid will start be showing great signs by the second of half of the season.

This

Great to see Mattaes get on the scoreboard too with a major. Especially considering he spent 85% game time in the defensive half of the ground.

How many other mids scored a goal?

[Scollop]

We lost a game of footy and some people think the finger needs to be pointed at Mattaes instead of the senior players

I'd be starting threads on Crouch, Hill and Mason Wood before people criticise a 2nd year player.

[spert]

Pou is a way off yet, but will build and is not a midfielder. A talented young player who should be developed in the forward half and some of this should be done at Sandy. The game was lost in the coach's box the other night.

[Beno88]

We lost a game of footy and some people think the finger needs to be pointed at Mattaes instead of the senior players

I'd be starting threads on Crouch, Hill and Mason Wood before people criticise a 2nd year player.

Spot on.

Can you imagine the uproar from the same posters if our top ten draft pick was wasting his time playing in the VFL?

You'd think St Kilda supporters would be experts in patience, clearly not all.