Player Watch #27: Jack Darling

[andana]

Darling gets
To be carried off after 300 AFL games
( by his great mates Jy McDonald and Luke Simpkin )

A bag of money

An all expenses paid Melbourne vacation

Doesn't have to take four hour flight and return every second week

The Greatest Team in the World gets

A list spot

Money available to sign/re-sign players

Get rid of a player out of favour, recently dropped to WAFL, fallen behind four other forwards


North gets

Another player unwanted by his club

 

[iloveireland]

I reckon you're right in principle, but we're probably going to need to be paying him more than that. A couple of hundred more probably makes it worth his while.

900k over 2 years compared to 800k in one year is essentially a 350k pay cut (450k v 800k).

I don’t think that is realistic. I imagine we are looking well over a million over the two years.

Not that I think it makes a huge difference. I just want him to come hungry to perform not just to cash out

 

[Ruckle]

Jeepers I was hoping this thread was some sort of off season hi jinx parody type arrangement.

Off to rock bottom thread I guess......

 

[Devski]

Christ so much doom and gloom in here.

Unless someone can highlight another key forward who is available and willing to come to North next year then it's all hot air.

He's a better forward than Pink. He's a better forward than Sellers. If no one else is coming to us this year then Darling plays games in 2025. If we can then get someone better for 2026 then Darling plays VFL for a year.

We aren't contending a flag next year. Calm the fk down and realise this has zero impact on the long term prospects of this club, which is where we need to be focused.

 

[iloveireland]

Jeepers I was hoping this thread was some sort of off season hi jinx parody type arrangement.

Off to rock bottom thread I guess......

I have gone through the various stages of grief and reached acceptance at this point that this is likely happening.

 

[scottywiper]

I think Simmo damned him with faint praise. Well, at least he's not at his worst!!! Ffs

 

[Rooboys Rool]

FF: Curtis Larkey Darling
HF: Teakle Comben Zurhaar

Looks good. Dynamic.

Swap Curtis for CCJ and Zurhaar for Goad. Looks better.

 

[Event Horizon]

You wouldn’t call 800k a significant wage?

Spread over two seasons, we can definitely absorb it. And probably do a swap of 4th round picks

 

[Passmore]

Christ so much doom and gloom in here.

Unless someone can highlight another key forward who is available and willing to come to North next year then it's all hot air.

He's a better forward than Pink. He's a better forward than Sellers. If no one else is coming to us this year then Darling plays games in 2025. If we can then get someone better for 2026 then Darling plays VFL for a year.

We aren't contending a flag next year. Calm the fk down and realise this has zero impact on the long term prospects of this club, which is where we need to be focused.

Yes, we're drowning in resumes sent in from KF's busting to come here, and KF's other teams are prepared to trade.

And yes, we should've taken this bloke, could've taken that bloke....but we didn't...that's a bit shit, but it's history.

It's a short term upgrade on what we have.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[The Dingrel]

Darling averaged 1.1 goals per game and no one is expecting anywhere near the output Waite gave us. He will be in a far worse team too.


Summed up perfect.

People are rightfully getting emotive we are where we are and even considering this.
What I’m saying is we are we are and this is our best option available.
If Larkey keeps getting triple teamed, he will want out too.

mmmm....nah, love the club, and not a decision I have any control over so why get emotional about it? I see pro's and cons, he's not being brought in to be THE difference, but I do think he will attract a physically strong defender which will take pressure off Larkey, Zurhaar, Curtis, Duursma, Comben, and any other kid we draft. In Clarko, we trust.

 

[Black Diamond]

Do we take what Simpson says about Darling that seriously?

Darling wasn’t dropped by WC until Schofield took over.

 

[Event Horizon]

If you've earned in excess of 10m in your career? Makes no sense at all.

There could well be an off-field component to this post his retirement, similar to Shiels joining the recruiting department
Given he'd be moving the family across the country, it would make sense if there was a role for him for longer term

 

[The Dingrel]

Isn’t the deal we extend it to two and split the salary, so 400k per year? TBH I’d rather give him the 800k and have it only a 1 year deal but he could stay in WC for that

To be fair it probably more or less is....like Greenwood, probably plays quite a bit of AFL early next year, see how youngsters develop, and probably plays more VFL in 2026 but serves as backup. My way of thinking he is going to take a physically strong defender away from Larkey/Zurhaar/Curtis/Duursma/Key forward draftee, gives us options while seeing how KPP develop over 2025 (Does Maley come on, does W Dawson come on in leaps and bounds, and allow Chom to move forward, does K Dawson make CHB his own?, does CCJ recover and force Darling out?). Overall, 800k - 1m spread over 2 season's isn't a huge amount to pay for an experienced premiership player that's in good physical condition, and can help take pressure of kids, help with their development, yet put pressure on them for selection by setting standards.

People should only be upset with this if it costs us meaningful draft capital and doesn't sound like it will.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

Hopefully Darling gets cold feet after LMac tried to pass him the salt but missed the target.

 

[Event Horizon]

I am sure they were just discussing the plans for Darling's 300 game celebrations. Apparently, LMac is organizing it

 

[lockheed]

Yeah we'd be sling shot to death

No change then

 

[Moti]

He should be the 3rd tall, the Pink role, and if he comes, I would be targeting a 3-5kg reduction in weight to make him more mobile. It is the leading patterns that should be his big plus to this side.

 

[scottywiper]

Teakle still has to play as second ruck. So Larkey Teakle and Darling. And no crumbers. Sounds okay

 

[DesertRoo]

Teakle still has to play as second ruck. So Larkey Teakle and Darling. And no crumbers. Sounds okay

Zurhaar goes to the middle, or on holidays for the next five years?

 

[Harvey Manfrenjensenden]

If you've earned in excess of 10m in your career? Makes no sense at all.

"I don't need anymore money!"

I'll take things an AFL player will never say for $500

 

[Better Loosen Up]

I don't really understand why people are so against this. Our list profile is extremely young and they want an older head around the club to mentor young players and maybe play a few games if necessary, if we're not giving up picks and he's not really on any significant wage, what's the problem? He's taking up a list spot that we would've used on some state league tree with concrete hands who's off the list in a year anyway?

You just described a 33yr Jack Darling methinks

 

[Better Loosen Up]

we are going around in circles but if you love playing footy at the top level it does and want to secure your post footy life

we are giving him the opportunity to do what he loves for an extra year and maybe set him up after

so getting 900k over 2 years as opposed to 800k 1 year then done can appeal

there is also the chance we up the dollars in the second year if eagles pay some of his next year wage

How nice of us!

 

[the big lebowski]

Teakle still has to play as second ruck. So Larkey Teakle and Darling. And no crumbers. Sounds okay

I’d hope that Comben does his 5 mins a qrt

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Christ so much doom and gloom in here.

Unless someone can highlight another key forward who is available and willing to come to North next year then it's all hot air.

He's a better forward than Pink. He's a better forward than Sellers. If no one else is coming to us this year then Darling plays games in 2025. If we can then get someone better for 2026 then Darling plays VFL for a year.

We aren't contending a flag next year. Calm the fk down and realise this has zero impact on the long term prospects of this club, which is where we need to be focused.

I'm a believer that you don't just take someone for the sake of taking someone.

If the RIGHT players aren't willing to come then you keep working with what you have.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Yes, we're drowning in resumes sent in from KF's busting to come here, and KF's other teams are prepared to trade.

And yes, we should've taken this bloke, could've taken that bloke....but we didn't...that's a bit shit, but it's history.

It's a short term upgrade on what we have.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

yep and buys us time to get a Cadman type in 12 months when we look more attractive to high end talent