BRODIE Phillips is growing in height and confidence after representing the Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels in five matches of the 2024 Coates Talent League season.

You’re guaranteed to hear a lot of his name in the future with the young talent emerging as one of the region’s most exciting footballers.

While Phillips has been part of the Rebels program in the past, 2024 has been a year of immense growth for the youngster who has taken big strides with his football.

The whirlwind has included five games at the Rebels as a bottom-ager, selection into the Hampden Football Netball League (HFNL) Under-17 squad and some impressive form with the Hamilton Kangaroos’ Under-18 side.

These experiences are made more impressive by the fact that he is a bottom-ager at just 16 years of age, with his draft year not until 2025.

“At the start of the year I didn’t really expect to get too many Rebels games at all to be honest, being a bottom-ager,” he told The Spectator.

“But I was lucky enough to play in round three and then played five games, it’s been a good experience and now I’m just back enjoying playing under 18s (with Hamilton).”

Phillips stands at 189 centimetres tall and has impressed coaches and selectors with his athletic ability which allows him to play whatever position required.

It’s hard to narrow him down into just one position as his skillset has allowed him to become an ultimate utility for both the Hamilton Kangaroos and the Rebels.

While he has been predominantly an intercepting and running half-back through his younger years, versatility is something that he’s continued to add to his game this year.

In 2024, Phillips has spent time in defence, in the forward line as a big target, in the midfield and even as a ruck in school footy for Monivae College.

“Playing across the half-back line is my favourite, I get to sort of run off and do my own thing a bit,” he said.

“I’ve always played in the backline and just been a backman forever, but in all the (Rebels) trial games I went forward so that was a bit of a change up.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing but was lucky enough to get in, the first few games I played in the backline for the Rebels and then I went into the forward line which wasn’t too bad.”

His best game for the Rebels came in round eight against Western Jets where he had 10 disposals, four tackles and two inside-50s.

Phillips said he had been very grateful to play games with the Rebels this season and felt he had learnt a lot from teammates and coaches.

Head coach, David Loader was among the most influential of these with the renowned coach instilling great belief within the youngster.

“Deeks is a really good coach, he told me to get my confidence up in the junior footy (at Kangaroos) for a start,” he said,

“Then I did pre-season out here (at Monivae) with the regional boys and a couple of trial games in Ballarat, then lucky enough I got into the team from there.”

The year 11 Monivae College student felt that the weekly drive to Ballarat to train was well worth it, as his Rebels training had helped him improve his game at a local level.

“The footy is a lot faster with the Rebels down there and adapting to that has helped coming back to the Under-18s,” Phillips said.

“It’s so much of a different game, you’ve got a lot more time which is good because you feel like you’re sort of that step ahead.”

Height and talent run in the family, as both of Phillips’ sisters have made their names well-known in the open netball division of the HFNL.

“My sister and dad are pretty tall, so I think I’ve probably still got a bit of growing to go, I guess that probably means that I have to play a key position if I keep growing,” he said.

The ability to swing forward and impact the scoreboard is something that has pleased Hamilton Kangaroos’ Under-18 coach, Damien Van Someren this season.

Phillips has kicked five goals in his last three outings with the Roos which included a bag of three against Koroit a few weeks ago.

Having been named in the best players in most of the games that he has played, there is no doubt the exciting star has been a key contributor to the team sitting second with a 9-1 season record.

“We had our first loss against Warrnambool the other week, but we are going pretty good, sitting in a good spot and hopefully go through the finals,” he said.

“The last couple weeks I’ve gone to a forward flank and it’s a lot different but definitely not minding that.”

Phillips also had a taste of leadership last year when he captained the Hamilton Kangaroos Under-16 team – an aspect of his game that he was open to growing in the future.

“Before that, I’d never really thought of it, but I really enjoyed it actually … it wasn’t too difficult being around lots of my mates, it was just a different perspective to when you are playing regularly,” he said.

After being named emergency for the Rebels the last few weeks, Phillips hopes to work his way back into the side in the second half of the season.

“Getting back into that starting 21 for the rebels (is the goal), hopefully play a few more games and get a few more under my belt for next year,” he said.

“Every Thursday night I’ve got to go to Ballarat to train and hopefully get a game, they call the team out every Thursday after training so it’s a bit of a wait and see sort of thing.”

In terms of improving his game, it’s about continuing to add that flexibility to help make him a dangerous option at both ends of the ground.

“It’s just learning to play multiple positions, because in the Rebels it’s just like playing a role, I hope to play some different roles and become more versatile because of that,” he said.

Phillips hoped to make the final team for the Hampden interleague clash, as well as help take his Kangaroos side to the promised land come the end of the year.

The teenager will continue to work on his craft with the Rebels and Kangaroos this season, but there is no ceiling on what the young man can achieve over the next 18 months.