Dare I say it...

[Charlie]

... Willo is just about finished.

His skills have slipped and he is getting slower by the week. At this rate, we could well have another Maxi type situation early next year. If he doesn't improve, he won't be justifying his spot ahead of Malceski, McVeigh, Moore et al for very long.

He'll play on next year - Roos won't want four retirements in one year, and his nine games for 300 isn't going to be nearly as challenging as Maxfield's eleven. But it's difficult to see him playing out the full year.

[sharpie]

Ridiculous comment.

He was actually pretty good on Friday night. His injury cost us a lot of run in the last quarter when we desperately needed it.

And really, how much less challenging is needing to play 9 games instead of 11?

[Charlie]

Originally posted by sharpie
Ridiculous comment.

He was actually pretty good on Friday night. His injury cost us a lot of run in the last quarter when we desperately needed it.

He got plenty of touches. But how many dinky little handballs and kicks does he have these days? He simply misses targets that a year ago would never have happened.

And really, how much less challenging is needing to play 9 games instead of 11?

That was actually a comment in Willo's favour. It will be a massive effort for Maxfield to get back to the 22 and play half of next season. For Willo, he will need to play six to eight games by the end of this year, and I'm confident he has that in him.

The numbers aren't what's important; it's the relative difficulty for each player.

[liz]

I can't see either player making a decision based on reaching the 300 game mark. Both players (plus the club) have far too much sense to make a decision based on a meaningless factor like that. I suspect these things only really matter to fans and the media.

I believe Willo still has a lot left to offer the team and there is close to no chance of him retiring right now. (He only recently signed a new one year deal.)

[Charlie]

Originally posted by liz


I believe Willo still has a lot left to offer the team and there is close to no chance of him retiring right now. (He only recently signed a new one year deal.)

Oh, I agree. He won't be retiring, regardless of the factors that come into that decision.

Liz, do you expect him to still be in the top 22 this time next year?

[originalswan]

Charlie on current form you are probably right. Even on Friday night he seemed to have the fumbles and missed a few targets.
I just hope it was only a form thing.

[liz]

Originally posted by Charlie
Oh, I agree. He won't be retiring, regardless of the factors that come into that decision.

Liz, do you expect him to still be in the top 22 this time next year?

If he has luck with injuries, probably yes.

When players get older, a mid-season break has more of an impact on their ability to regain fitness and this has affected him a little this year, I reckon. The fact that it was mainly a impact injury that cost him, rather than a soft tissue injury (which become more prevalent as players get older) was particularly unlucky for him.

One thing to bear in mind with Willo is that even if his impact has been less this year than in previous ones, he is still often getting a tight tag from the opposition. His ability to break these might be less than previously, but if he weren't there, that "tag" would fall to the next best midfielder.

[dimelb]

I agree with Charlie about the declining skills. His kicks have been a particular problem. If it's a matter of form, I hope he comes back soon as his best is gamebreaking.
As for a role next year, I see him more as an impact player off the bench, perhaps used in the way Ball has been. That way he could still be very damaging for us.

[NMWBloods]

He'd be great off the bench next year, which may be pretty much all you can expect of him in future years anyway.

[Charlie]

A Robert Harvey type role would be brilliant, I agree.

He's not the only one that will find himself under scrutiny at some point next year. Jared Crouch, Ben Mathews and Nic Fosdike are the others that should be looking over their shoulder.

[sharpie]

Originally posted by Charlie
That was actually a comment in Willo's favour. It will be a massive effort for Maxfield to get back to the 22 and play half of next season. For Willo, he will need to play six to eight games by the end of this year, and I'm confident he has that in him.

The numbers aren't what's important; it's the relative difficulty for each player.

I know it was a comment in his favour, but I was suggesting that perhaps the difference between having to play 9 or 11 games is negligible.

Anyway, I think he still has plenty to offer us next year, and those fumbles were not solely from him. Many players had trouble with the ball on Friday night. It seemed to be very slippery out there.

I still think he gave us a lot of drive on Friday night, regardless of any handling errors he had. Was a crucial blow to our midfield in the last quarter.

[Ruda Wakening]

He's not the type of bloke who'd want to be a mercenary anyway. When he thinks he's not cutting it anymore nobody will have to tell him to give it away. Until then i'd back his judgement over anyone here. He more than deserves that.

The one thing i do know is that if anyone thinks they could easily replace him, dream on. He'll forget more about being a footballer than any the ones under him will ever learn.

[EMJ]

Don't agree Williams is okay and did some great diving on the ball putting his body on the line.
Crouch was great with his runs and tackles.
Can't believe all the above comments.

[Chubby Muffler]

Willo is very important to our midfield, even though he is not back to his best. Yet. Kirk and Bolton are excellent in their roles and provide inspiration for the rest of the team. However, I believe Willo brings something to the midfield in a leadership sense that cannot be denied, even when he isn't performing at 100%. When he was injured this year there were times when you could see the gap he left in the team. I do not have the knowledge of this team that some of you guys posses, but do rate Willo's presence in the team. Not at his best, but by no means has he been ordinary.

I don't care if he plays 300 games or not, he has won the B&F twice at the Swans and I think he will return to form.

[dimelb]

Originally posted by Charlie

He's not the only one that will find himself under scrutiny at some point next year. Jared Crouch, Ben Mathews and Nic Fosdike are the others that should be looking over their shoulder.

At whom? I can't think of anyone who would replace any of them atm. Crouch was effective on the smurf and then on Sampi (mostly), Mathews restored order on Kerr, Fosdike is one of the best at delivery into the F50. And I'm a Moore fan.