Phillipou

[DJ Higgins]

Calm the farm people. He had a good not great first season and now we have the nervous wait to see if the second year blues kick in with additional focus now coming his way. Kid can play and another few years seems about right. Will be clearer come mid season

[Big Max]

The kid hasn't even cemented his spot in the best 22 and you guys are acting like he is a God

He did play every game last season, so he's obviously quite cemented in the eyes of the selectors. Although to be fair, I may have personally rested him a few times in favor of Billings.

Phillipou reminds me of George Young, who was a superstar in my opinion. We didn't see Young's early career, he came to St Kilda as an established WA champion.

There are very few 1st season rookie 18 year old's who manage to play every game in the season. Off the cuff, I can't think of any. It's a real accomplishment for any player to have the physical resilience to play every game, especially the youngest in the entire competition. We witnessed patches of class, even brilliance. The coaches obviously rate him, my guess is that he does what he's told and does the small team things. By all accounts he's driven to succeed, a natural leader and a professional.

If we could sign him for 3 years at $750k I'd say we're getting a very equitable arrangement.

[NickyDal]

The kid hasn't even cemented his spot in the best 22 and you guys are acting like he is a God

He did play every game last season, so he's obviously quite cemented in the eyes of the selectors. Although to be fair, I may have personally rested him a few times in favor of Billings.

Phillipou reminds me of George Young, who was a superstar in my opinion. We didn't see Young's early career, he came to St Kilda as an established WA champion.

There are very few 1st season rookie 18 year old's who manage to play every game in the season. Off the cuff, I can't think of any. It's a real accomplishment for any player to have the physical resilience to play every game, especially the youngest in the entire competition. We witnessed patches of class, even brilliance. The coaches obviously rate him, my guess is that he does what he's told and does the small team things. By all accounts he's driven to succeed, a natural leader and a professional.

If we could sign him for 3 years at $750k I'd say we're getting a very equitable arrangement.

He actually played all 24 games which I doubt has ever happened before. I reckon he is going to be a good player but some of the comments have been over the top. I'm not going to fall for that trap again. Once he has played 3 full seasons that is when I will declare him a player. I have been burnt many times in the past. Two of the more recent examples are Billings and Gresham.

[cwrcyn]

Being a hybrid type of player ( a bit of this a bit of that) it's hard to predict what his ceiling is. Is he a Brendon Goddard type, is he a Nathan Buckley type, or is he more of a Tim Membrey type?

He'll need to get more exposure to the in close midfield stuff to develop that part of his game. I haven't seen anything yet that indicates he'll be your typical midfielder

[NickyDal]

Being a hybrid type of player ( a bit of this a bit of that) it's hard to predict what his ceiling is. Is he a Brendon Goddard type, is he a Nathan Buckley type, or is he more of a Tim Membrey type?

He'll need to get more exposure to the in close midfield stuff to develop that part of his game. I haven't seen anything yet that indicates he'll be your typical midfielder

He will be a mid forward type like the Bont. Whether he will be as good as the Bont is to be determined. We are still at least 2 years away from knowing. Lets just hope he stays injury free unlike a lot of our players recently.

[Vortex]

Who mentioned a ‘godfather’ offer???

I’d give him this year - and another 3

He’s fringe atm

Will be a very good player - that I’m certain of!

And I was a massive critic of him being gifted games last year

And he had a s*** final - but it’s obvious the boy can play

I'd give him a 3 year contract when his 2 years is up, at 400k per year, with the godfather contract on offer at the end of the three years with incentives for performance in preliminary and GFs. based on reaching KPIs with in his 3 year contract.

We have to be an incentive based club and get away from what I like to call the Billing Messiah Syndrome, BMS for short.

BMS is a perfect example of why the AFL are trying to stop poorly managed clubs like ours stuff up the management of their TPPs by throwing ridiculous contracts at kids just because of poor loser and Messiah culture.

Talk about what has stuffed us since 2005 and it's exactly that, giving all your money to a very small core of players.

[B.M]

Did any ever say Billings is or was a ‘messiah’

Billings was a good player, will again be at Melbourne

[Rizz64]

The thing with this kid, is that he believes in his own abilities. He is a professional, he knows that if he plays to his best he will get bigger pay days. The club and player are in no rush, he will be a Saint for a long long time

[B.M]

You lock away elite talent asap

7 out of ten top 10 picks from his draft year have already signed extensions

As we’ve seen in the past - if you snooze you lose

[Vortex]

You lock away elite talent asap

7 out of ten top 10 picks from his draft year have already signed extensions

As we’ve seen in the past - if you snooze you lose

I'm getting confused now?

Is Pou elite now?

Billings was given an "elite" sized contract before he'd proven he was elite because of the fear factor around "snoozing".

Snoozing mentality is loser mentality.

Gotta know when to hold em!

BM you canned Pou relentlessly throughout his first season, now you are claiming he's "elite" talent.

Don't get actual elite talent confused with potential elite talent.

It's a fine line.

[happy feet]

You lock away elite talent asap

7 out of ten top 10 picks from his draft year have already signed extensions

As we’ve seen in the past - if you snooze you lose

I'm getting confused now?

Is Pou elite now?

Billings was given an "elite" sized contract before he'd proven he was elite because of the fear factor around "snoozing".

Snoozing mentality is loser mentality.

Gotta know when to hold em!

BM you canned Pou relentlessly throughout his first season, now you are claiming he's "elite" talent.

Don't get actual elite talent confused with potential elite talent.

It's a fine line.

Vort, old mate, do you want Pou to go elsewhere?

[Vortex]

You lock away elite talent asap

7 out of ten top 10 picks from his draft year have already signed extensions

As we’ve seen in the past - if you snooze you lose

I'm getting confused now?

Is Pou elite now?

Billings was given an "elite" sized contract before he'd proven he was elite because of the fear factor around "snoozing".

Snoozing mentality is loser mentality.

Gotta know when to hold em!

BM you canned Pou relentlessly throughout his first season, now you are claiming he's "elite" talent.

Don't get actual elite talent confused with potential elite talent.

It's a fine line.

Vort, old mate, do you want Pou to go elsewhere?

I reckon you can answer that on my behalf

[B.M]

I said elite talent - not elite performance

[Vortex]

I said elite talent - not elite performance

Yeah right...OK sure.

[Life Long Saint]

I would say being a professional athlete that his contract is his biggest Priority

Then his priroties would be out of whack.
Contract extensions are an outcome of doing your job well.
His focus should be playing hos role and performing well on and off the field. If he does that, then he will continue to be offered better contracts.

How often do we see players having a great patch of football just before they sign a new deal and their form drop away just after it?

[B.M]

Why do you go to work?

I’m sure he invests but at the end of the day, he wants a return on that investment.

Pro athletes want to be paid!

[Vortex]

We need to find 23 million dollars...

$1 million to each player who brings home the next cup.

... OR a small parcel of land and a milking goat.

Whatever is the cheapest option.

[CQ SAINT]

Why do you go to work?

I’m sure he invests but at the end of the day, he wants a return on that investment.

Pro athletes want to be paid!

I dont go to work.

I make my living making sure other people do.

It's all how you look at it, really.

[CQ SAINT]

We need to find 23 million dollars...

$1 million to each player who brings home the next cup.

... OR a small parcel of land and a milking goat.

Whatever is the cheapest option.

We could just give them Southern Melbourne.

The best bits along the east coast. Haha

[saynta]

Why do you go to work?

I’m sure he invests but at the end of the day, he wants a return on that investment.

Pro athletes want to be paid!

I dont go to work.

I make my living making sure other people do.

It's all how you look at it, really.

Me either. I don't work. But I don't bother myself with what others do or don't do.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Pou played every game but was a long way from Ashcroft or Sheezel, and a very long way from first-season Buckley or Judd.

There's every chance he'll improve but let's hope sober heads are in charge.

[B.M]

So you’d be unhappy if we locked him away now?

It’s not a panic move, it’s a smart move!

[Yorkeys]

Pou played every game but was a long way from Ashcroft or Sheezel, and a very long way from first-season Buckley or Judd.

There's every chance he'll improve but let's hope sober heads are in charge.

Ashcroft was in a side that should have gone top.
Buckley and Judd are once in 50 year players.
Sheezel, for heavens sake. Pou is far better.
I don't think you appreciate how good he will be.
He has to be retained.

[skeptic]

Keep in mind that Owens didn’t exactly crush it in his debut season. First impression was that he was way waaaaay off the pace. Distant second to Windhager.
Improved out of sight this year.

Pou had a better debut season.

[CQ SAINT]

Pou and Bont aren't far apart in debut season.

Interesting that Nathan Buckley rated Owens as rising star and Jye Amiss may be the highest payed of the top 5.

Pou is in a league of his own at, 18, 190 and 90 as mid/utility.

Well him and Bontempelli