Williams: Where is he at?

[bulldogtragic]

Firstly, i'm not scapegoaing him and don't want this to be Williams bashing thread.

Secondly, i've paid close attention to him the last two weeks. For me, his reading of the play is very poor. His skills are ok, but not great. His decision making is questionable. His intensity can also be questioned i think. If he wasn't the great white hope, i'm not sure he would be the instant selection that he is.

So where is he at?

[AndrewP6]

Still learning the game, but you're right, his reading of the play is bad. I'll stick with him for now. He's done it the hard way, that's for sure - injuries and so on.

[Rance Fan]

Wheres he at?.. LOST

[GVGjr]

I'm very positive about him but I acknowledge he still has a long way to go. I mentioned last week that he gave Bradley too much latitude and I think he did the same with Kennedy but I think he can learn a lot more about how to be a better defender.

[Ozza]

Williams has quite a number of weaknesses - and in many areas he can improve but what worries me most is how he continually loses the ball and his positioning when its in the air. I think giving him a crack down forward may well make him a better defender (just by running at the ball - attacking the contest) - but its probably too late in the year for that sort of experimenting.

[chef]

Can someone please name me some key defenders under 23 years of age who are better and more consistent than Williams?

[Dancin' Douggy]

Hmmmmm.
I have been a supporter and he looks fabulous sometimes.
Maybe he'll just get better with more confidence and experience.

BUT................. if Gold Coast were to poach him and we were compensated with a high draft pick.............?
Well, at this stage, I wouldn't be heartbroken.

[LostDoggy]

I reckon we all expect way to much from him, he has only played 32 games, has missed a hell of a lot of footy due to injuries and bad luck. I believe that the only way he will get better is to give him AFL game time and let his confidence grow. Same as Everitt, give em a go.

[Ozza]

*Reply is to Chef's post*

Whether they are better or more consistent is up to you but the key defenders under 23 that come to mind are:

Sam Gilbert
Luke McGuane
Alipate Carlile
Lachlan Hansen
Bower and Grigg from Carlton (not sure how 'key position they are'.)
Harry Taylor has just turned 23.
Tayte Pears
Grima
Mitch Brown
Nathan Brown (Collingwood)

and depending on whether you see them as Key position or not - Hurn, Birchall, Frawley and Gwilt are all under 23.

[DOG GOD]

Put it this way, if we could have Williams and Everitt OR Pears and Hurley, i would pick the ESS pair hands down.

[chef]

*Reply is to Chef's post*

Whether they are better or more consistent is up to you but the key defenders under 23 that come to mind are:

Sam Gilbert
Luke McGuane
Alipate Carlile
Lachlan Hansen
Bower and Grigg from Carlton (not sure how 'key position they are'.)
Harry Taylor has just turned 23.
Tayte Pears
Grima

and depending on whether you see them as Key position or not - Hurn, Birchall, Frawley and Gwilt are all under 23.

Nathan Brown(Collingwood), Mitch Brown, Eric Mackenzie(WCE), McGuane, Taylor, Pears, Chaplin, Carlile, Jamison(Blues) and Zac Dawson are the only young KP players IMO at a comparable age. None of them are consistently better players IMO.

[chef]

Put it this way, if we could have Williams and Everitt OR Pears and Hurley, i would pick the ESS pair hands down.

Everitt isn't a KP.

[Ozza]

Nathan Brown(Collingwood), Mitch Brown, Eric Mackenzie(WCE), McGuane, Taylor, Pears, Chaplin, Carlile, Jamison(Blues) and Zac Dawson are the only young KP players IMO at a comparable age. None of them are consistently better players IMO.

Sam Gilbert isn't?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not having a dig at Tom Williams - I'm just listing the players as per the request on your post. I certainly hope it clicks for Williams. But he is a long way off being a reliable and consistent big man right now.

Having said that - I think quite a few of the above are ahead of him.

[chef]

Sam Gilbert isn't?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not having a dig at Tom Williams - I'm just listing the players as per the request on your post. I certainly hope it clicks for Williams. But he is a long way off being a reliable and consistent big man right now.

Having said that - I think quite a few of the above are ahead of him.

Fair enough. I didn't see Gilbert as a KP player, he's more like St Kilda's version of Hargrave(but can go forward and kick goals) to me. Which of the players on my list would be ahead of Williams and why?

[LostDoggy]

It's perhaps the fault of others around the club (or agents, premature-ejaculating fans, etc) who have for the past 2-3 years been doing nothing but touting Tom as the best thing since sliced bread.