Tim Watson is excited about what Mattaes Phillipou can produce in his first year for St Kilda.
Watson’s excitement comes off the back of a sit down feature interview he did with Saints coach Ross Lyon for Channel Seven.
Lyon says the teenager is already one of his favourites and has impressed greatly in his first pre-season.
“You can’t have favourites,” Lyon told Seven News.
“But he’s as impressive first-year player that I’ve experienced for focus on improving his footy, but still having fun, as I’ve seen.”
Lyon even says the No. 10 draft pick is “every chance” to play in Round 1 when the Saints face the Dockers at Marvel Stadium.
“Yeah (I do think he’ll play in his first year),” Lyon said.
“He’s every chance (to play Round 1).”
Having caught the attention in the lead-up to the draft for his confidence and brashness, Watson says he was keen to ask Lyon what the South Australian was like prior to the interview.
After gaining an insight on the midfielder, Watson believes he could be a “beauty” of a player as he draws comparisons to stars of the competition.
“I was interested in the kid Mattaes Phillipou,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.
“Everyone thought he was just too cocky, with his answers to questions – well not everyone – but a lot of people did.
“A lot of people that were potentially recruiting I think were saying, ‘Oh, maybe this kid is not the right kid’.
“But Ross made the point that the last time people spoke about that was with Christian Petracca many years ago.
“He said, ‘How’s he performed over the years?’ Which is a great point.
“He said he loves the kid and that, ‘He’s fantastic, he wants to be an AFL player’.
“(On) his running he said, ‘He’s in the top half dozen for endurance at the club’.
“That’s very good news for Saints fans because it looks like they might have a beauty.”
Phillipou could get his first chance to shine for St Kilda in their unofficial practice match against Melbourne at RSEA Park on Friday evening.