AFL Draft 2020: No. 3 pick Will Phillips targets early North Melbourne debut
Get your KFC SuperCoach black books out — the No. 3 pick from this year’s draft is shaping as one of the top rookies of 2021 and is determined to earn an early debut.
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Top three draft selection Will Phillips is eyeing a Round 1 debut at North Melbourne after declaring his intention to have an immediate impact at Arden St.
The No. 3 draft pick has revealed he would gravitate towards the most professional players at the Kangaroos in a bid to accelerate his transition from the juniors to the AFL.
“I’m going into the club with an intention,” Phillips said.
“I’ll probably suss out the place in the first couple of days and then really try to associate myself with the best players and the most professional players.
“And then that hopefully leads me down the right path and playing in Round 1, but I will just take it step by step.”
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Phillips was rapt to receive the coveted No. 29 jumper from club great Brent Harvey, who surprised the 18-year-old with a visit at home on the night of the draft.
“I did train with him last year when he helped out at Vic Metro but I didn’t know he was still so involved with the Roos,” Phillips said.
“It’s an absolute honour and it’s big shoes to fill, but no doubt he’ll be with me every step of the way because he works with the first and second year players pretty closely.
“I’m looking forward to that opportunity and I’ll do my best to make the most of it.”
Phillips, a ready-made ball-winning midfielder who oozes leadership credentials, was somewhat of a surprise selection in the top three.
Most draft watchers had him going to the Gold Coast at pick No. 7, and it appears the Suns were keen on him right up until the draft.
“I did mentally prepare myself to go there and I did have a meeting with the Suns the day before the draft,” he said.
“I was preparing myself and I had no idea someone was going to take me before then.
“I would have been happy to go anywhere, but staying in Melbourne was my preference and I got that.
“I’m over the moon.
“It was a big surprise, but I think the best moments in life are when you’re surprised, so this has been one of the best moments of my life.”
TOP DRAFTEE DEFENDS PERKINS’ PREFERENCE
Boom Gold Coast recruit Elijah Hollands says he has no issue with Essendon draftee Archie Perkins’ draft day confession he didn’t want to move to non-Victorian club.
Hollands, who hails from the Victorian and New South Wales border town of Albury-Wodonga, was tipped to go inside the top three with North Melbourne the likely destination.
He instead slipped to the Gold Coast, with the Suns gladly snapping up the forward-midfielder at pick No.7.
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While he’ll be moving to Queensland, Hollands said he saw no problem with Perkins revealing he’d told non-Victorian clubs he didn’t feel ready to move interstate.
“Every boy is different,” Hollands said.
“At the end of the day their preference is their preference and my preference was none.
“Mine was just to get myself on a list and I’m in a position where I want to play footy enough that I’ll chase that wherever it is.”
Hollands was thrilled to be taken by the Suns and said he looked forward to taking in the Gold Coast lifestyle.
“I was definitely happy to go wherever, and I don’t think too many people complain about living on the Gold Coast to be brutally honest,” he said.
“But there was no preference.
“Some of the questions that have been rolling in have been about whether the Melbourne teams were passing (on me), but no hard feelings at all as I just wanted an opportunity.
“To me, it didn’t matter where that was and Gold Coast threw that opportunity to me and I couldn’t be happier.”
While the 18-year-old ruptured his ACL at the start of the year, he’ll be doing everything he can to be back in time for the start of the 2021 season.
Hollands adds to an already strong batch of Suns’ young guns, which includes the likes of Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Izak Rankine and Ben King.
“It’s a very young and exciting crop,” Hollands said.
“It looks like a side that could be good for a number of years and hopefully I’m able to contribute to that as well.
“A lot of the boys have reached out and it’s very welcoming, and I know when I get there in the coming days I’ll be welcomed with open arms.”
RAW ROO ‘RIGHT FIT’ FOR LEGENDARY NUMBER
—Rebecca Williams
North Melbourne’s top draftee Will Phillips knows he has “big shoes to fill” after he was handed the ultimate honour by club legend Brent Harvey following his selection in the national draft.
The midfielder from the Oakleigh Chargers has been given “Boomer” Harvey’s famous No. 29 jumper to wear following his selection at pick No. 3 overall.
WATCH BOOMER’S LATE-NIGHT VISIT IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE
Harvey’s number was retired by the club when he called time on his AFL career at the end of 2016, but the club considered Phillips the “perfect candidate” to bring it back.
Phillips received a surprise jumper presentation from Harvey, who turned up on his doorstep after his draft selection on Wednesday night.
The No. 29 is a big act to follow for the young ball winner.
Harvey is the North Melbourne and AFL games record-holder after a 432-game career with the Kangaroos, a premiership player, former captain and five-time club best-and-fairest.
Phillips said he was thrilled to be handed the honour and would do his best to uphold the number’s proud tradition.
“I did train with him (Harvey) last year when he helped out at Vic Metro, but I didn’t know he was still so involved with the Roos,” Phillips said.
“It’s an absolute honour and it’s big shoes to fill, but no doubt he’ll be with me every step of the way because he works with the first and second-year players pretty closely.
“I’m looking forward to that opportunity and I’ll do my best to make the most of it.”
Harvey said he was happy to hand over his beloved number to Phillips, who he considered a “future leader” of the club.
“It’s been a while since it’s been out on the ground, so I am actually looking forward to seeing it back out there,” Harvey said.
“After meeting him (Wednesday) night and I did actually work with him at the Vic Metro there for a couple of weeks … so I sort of knew a little bit about him.
“His character is fantastic and it just felt like a really good time to do it and a great fit.
“The player we think Will can be, hopefully he lives up to the potential and he is going to be around the football club for 10 plus years, hopefully even more … he is the type of player that we want to wear it.
“We are all looking forward to the No. 29 being back out there, especially me.”
It has been more than 25 years since anyone else has worn the No. 29 at Arden St with Harvey making his debut in the number in 1996.
“I know Peter German wore it before me and I think there was somebody else in between but I don’t think they played senior football,” Harvey said.
“So it has been a long time since we’ve seen the 29 on somebody else’s back. So I am excited for it.”
ROOS LAND READY-MADE MIDFIELDER
– Nick Smart
North Melbourne pulled off the first surprise of the AFL draft, selecting a ready-made midfielder with pick 3 who has been tipped to make his debut in Round 1.
The Kangaroos had been strongly linked to midfielder Elijah Hollands, who is unlikely to be ready to play until mid 2021 after wrecking his knee in February.
They instead pulled the trigger on Oakleigh Chargers ball-winner Will Phillips, a quick ball magnet who stands at 180cm, is ready to play and possesses strong leadership skills.
“It was very unpredictable this year and I didn’t really know what to expect going into tonight,” Phillips said on Fox Footy.
“It was a whole mix of emotions and I had no idea who was going to pick me up until now.
“I’m just thrilled to be selected by the Roos and I can’t wait to get to work.”
It is little wonder he is considered a ball magnet.
Phillips grew up a Collingwood supporter and often went to sleep at night with a Sherrin tucked under his arm.
He also took a ball to school every day and is said to “live and breathe footy.”
AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan said Phillips would set standards at Arden St from day one.
“He can play Round 1, this boy,” Sheehan said.
“He’s a boy that plays with zest and courage and he plays with outstanding leadership.
“He’s in the game the whole time and we tick boxes on playing well in big games and he did that in the futures game at the MCG and then the finals series.
“He’s a very safe bet for the North Melbourne Football Club and he’ll set training standards straight away.
“He’ll lead and he won’t be shy at all.”
Meanwhile, Hawthorn unsuccessfully put in a bid for Sydney Swans academy gun Braeden Campbell before pouncing on Denver Grainger-Barras at pick 6.
The 194cm West Australian was considered the best key defender in this year’s draft.
He said he had no qualms about the move to Victoria to join the Hawks.
“It’s an honour, to be honest,” he said.
“I remember speaking to Clarko in one of the Zoom interviews and I was picking his brain as much as possible just because he is one of the best coaches in the AFL today.
“I’m super happy and I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else right now.”
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Originally published as AFL Draft 2020: No. 3 pick Will Phillips targets early North Melbourne debut
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