Player Watch #27: Jack Darling

[zoomba23]

I’d prefer that setup as well, but I’m not sure it works with our current lack of defensive intensity.

The two teams you mention have elite defensive pressure in their forward half whereas we don’t. They also have elite ground level crumbers, which we currently have none of.

Brisbane - Cameron, Lohmann, Bailey, McCarthy

Sydney - Papley, Hayward, Heeney, Jordan.

We really need Zurhaar, Curtis, and the likes of Konstanty, Ford and co to really step it up a notch in that department.

I used to like Zurhaar a lot, just the way he went about it, but what does he actually do?

He's not a great set shot, he's an ok contested mark for his size but can't be relied upon as a third tall, his pressure numbers have dropped right off from where they were when he was 20/21, and he isn't really a ground level threat when the ball spills from the contest.

I understand the optics of locking someone away who's toiled away with us since the start of this shitstorm for the long term, but we're in no-man's forward land with him. Then add Ford into the mix, who might be a better set shot but has similar problems. And add to his dossier his inability to convert straightforward situations inside the 50.

Forward line is still the most concerning area for me, for sure. It's going to have to be an unexpectedly positive change if any of the things you mention are to materialise

 

[Makeshift Park]

I used to like Zurhaar a lot, just the way he went about it, but what does he actually do?

He's not a great set shot, he's an ok contested mark for his size but can't be relied upon as a third tall, his pressure numbers have dropped right off from where they were when he was 20/21, and he isn't really a ground level threat when the ball spills from the contest.

I understand the optics of locking someone away who's toiled away with us since the start of this shitstorm for the long term, but we're in no-man's forward land with him. Then add Ford into the mix, who might be a better set shot but has similar problems. And add to his dossier his inability to convert straightforward situations inside the 50.

Forward line is still the most concerning area for me, for sure. It's going to have to be an unexpectedly positive change if any of the things you mention are to materialise

I agree he had a subpar year, but for me, its hard to make a call on his overall trajectory until I see how he benefits from Darling's inclusion.

 

[shintemaster]

I used to like Zurhaar a lot, just the way he went about it, but what does he actually do?

He's not a great set shot, he's an ok contested mark for his size but can't be relied upon as a third tall, his pressure numbers have dropped right off from where they were when he was 20/21, and he isn't really a ground level threat when the ball spills from the contest.

I understand the optics of locking someone away who's toiled away with us since the start of this shitstorm for the long term, but we're in no-man's forward land with him. Then add Ford into the mix, who might be a better set shot but has similar problems. And add to his dossier his inability to convert straightforward situations inside the 50.

Forward line is still the most concerning area for me, for sure. It's going to have to be an unexpectedly positive change if any of the things you mention are to materialise

Have said for many years, he needs clear, simple direction. Not half as smart on the field as he thinks he is - which is fine if you're kicking 4+ in a game, but otherwise it's not.

 

[shintemaster]

Very good game. Is there any chance anyone else in our forward line will see him and think to themselves that leading at the ball is worth trying?

 

[Devington]

I likey. Except for the ruck stuff...

 

[Midas]

I used to like Zurhaar a lot, just the way he went about it, but what does he actually do?

He's not a great set shot, he's an ok contested mark for his size but can't be relied upon as a third tall, his pressure numbers have dropped right off from where they were when he was 20/21, and he isn't really a ground level threat when the ball spills from the contest.

I understand the optics of locking someone away who's toiled away with us since the start of this shitstorm for the long term, but we're in no-man's forward land with him. Then add Ford into the mix, who might be a better set shot but has similar problems. And add to his dossier his inability to convert straightforward situations inside the 50.

Forward line is still the most concerning area for me, for sure. It's going to have to be an unexpectedly positive change if any of the things you mention are to materialise

Refer the post about our forward line.

We have no dynamic forwards …. And every other side does.

Curtis. Zurhaar. Ford. Harvey. All the same player type.

Konstanty. Hansen. Lack potency as forwards.

It may well be we are relying on Simpkin, Parker and the mids resting to prove something.

But where is the 40-50 goal battery of electric small forwards required in the modern game.

 

[shintemaster]

I likey. Except for the ruck stuff...

Might be a bit of long term thinking but on face value if you were trying to win a final tomorrow I reckon you'd be swinging Comben into the ruck if down by a kick and keeping Darling forward.

 

[Bowski]

Strong game, if he plays 10 games of that quality you'd be laughing. Fair play to him.

 

[Masked Avenger]

Might be a bit of long term thinking but on face value if you were trying to win a final tomorrow I reckon you'd be swinging Comben into the ruck if down by a kick and keeping Darling forward.

As soon as Darling went into the ruck - Larkey was one out again as he had been for most of last year.

It would be smarter to keep a second tall permanently forward and run Teakle off the bench to give X a chop out.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Sorry brother DuckYeah I've misled you. He's actually better than Zurhaar

In all seriousness he's had four shots on goal and fifteen touches but it's what doesn't show up on the stats sheet. Was in genuinely everything in the first quarter and when we were actually lowering our eyes and not bombing it straight to McGovern he looked like the most dangerous forward on the ground

Obviously it was difficult to kick because of the wind but I'd be very interested to see how he does round 1 underneath the roof with perfect conditions. If he can average 2-4 shots on goal per week he might have a really great season for us. He's probably been off Broadway a bit playing in the West so I haven't seen huge amounts of him, but he just appears to be really smart and knows where to be all the time

If he can either draw Lobb away from the contest OR the midfielders can use their brains and hit up (which again I thought we did pretty well at in the first quarter), no Liam Jones might make a massive difference.

Super bullish on what he can bring now. Off one preseason game he is everything I had hoped he would allow Zurhaar to do.

 

[Themanbun]

Was good yesterday. He brought the ball to ground without it bouncing off his chest first. Led well, worked hard.

 

[Fish Sticks]

I might be on my own here, but thought he was good as a second ruck.
Competed well enough in the actual ruck contests & was great around the ground.
Took marks & laid some good tackles.
Whilst it did take him away from our forward line which left Larkey as the only key target, I’d still rather that then having Teakle lumbering around our forward line not offering much.
My preference would be to have Comben playing forward/second ruck & bringing in either Whitlock or Dawson to play down back.

 

[DuckYeah]

Sorry brother DuckYeah I've misled you. He's actually better than Zurhaar

In all seriousness he's had four shots on goal and fifteen touches but it's what doesn't show up on the stats sheet. Was in genuinely everything in the first quarter and when we were actually lowering our eyes and not bombing it straight to McGovern he looked like the most dangerous forward on the ground

Obviously it was difficult to kick because of the wind but I'd be very interested to see how he does round 1 underneath the roof with perfect conditions. If he can average 2-4 shots on goal per week he might have a really great season for us. He's probably been off Broadway a bit playing in the West so I haven't seen huge amounts of him, but he just appears to be really smart and knows where to be all the time

If he can either draw Lobb away from the contest OR the midfielders can use their brains and hit up (which again I thought we did pretty well at in the first quarter), no Liam Jones might make a massive difference.

Super bullish on what he can bring now. Off one preseason game he is everything I had hoped he would allow Zurhaar to do.

Look Pal, you are drawing his game up on a pre season match against his former side. Mentally he would have given 1000% to prove something. THAT is the best you’ll see. His worst games which will be frequent will make you wanna spew.

By all means hang your hat on that, if he could kick goals, he would have been the best player on the ground. But he didn’t, he missed 3 set shots and contributed to the loss by kicking like a *******

 

[roo blitz]

He competes in a way no other player on our list does so if he keeps that up all year he will be a good pick up. So much of what he does does not show up on the stats sheet but is vital to the play around him. He is a keep for me

 

[Gasometer]

Anyway can someone update the thread title?

To what exactly? “Played in an intra club practice game”?

How about

“The missing piece in our push to Finals”

 

[Gasometer]

Look Pal, you are drawing his game up on a pre season match against his former side. Mentally he would have given 1000% to prove something. THAT is the best you’ll see. His worst games which will be frequent will make you wanna spew.

By all means hang your hat on that, if he could kick goals, he would have been the best player on the ground. But he didn’t, he missed 3 set shots and contributed to the loss by kicking like a *******

Yet kicks the goal to put us within a kick with 2 minutes on the clock when our KPP Forward couldn’t do it a few minutes earlier

He should be led down Arden St tomorrow morning

 

[DuckYeah]

Yet kicks the goal to put us within a kick with 2 minutes on the clock when our KPP Forward couldn’t do it a few minutes earlier

He should be led down Arden St tomorrow morning

If he had kicked those set shots we would have been in front and probably had their backs broken and demoralised em. But all good, Darling is a superstar. Wet Toast are laughing he’s gone, not upset.

 

[Gasometer]

If he had kicked those set shots we would have been in front and probably had their backs broken and demoralised em. But all good, Darling is a superstar. Wet Toast are laughing he’s gone, not upset.

It’s just highlighting the difference between always looking for the negative or attempting to see anything positive

 

[DuckYeah]

It’s just highlighting the difference between always looking for the negative or attempting to see anything positive

I said he had a blinder.

 

[Gasometer]

I said he had a blinder.

Link?

I asked for links to your positive post last week and got nothing

 

[Gasometer]

I said he had a blinder.

Who to? The Tv?

Looking back the most positive comment you had was about your Kayo not buffering

 

[Arthur Cloke]

He competes in a way no other player on our list does so if he keeps that up all year he will be a good pick up. So much of what he does does not show up on the stats sheet but is vital to the play around him. He is a keep for me

And lets not forget Zurhaar kicked 5 in the intra-club match. One could argue that was purely based on Darlings presence.

And that's on top of getting Larkey's chop out.

 

[DuckYeah]

Who to? The Tv?

Looking back the most positive comment you had was about your Kayo not buffering

Very positive moment for North. I got to watch that shit without interruption

 

[chubbspeterson]

Look Pal, you are drawing his game up on a pre season match against his former side. Mentally he would have given 1000% to prove something. THAT is the best you’ll see. His worst games which will be frequent will make you wanna spew.

By all means hang your hat on that, if he could kick goals, he would have been the best player on the ground. But he didn’t, he missed 3 set shots and contributed to the loss by kicking like a *******

For sure he had a point to prove against his old side. He's not going to do that every week for us.
But he was very good and it's likely Teakle or Maley couldn't get near that level of impact right now.
It's unlikely they push him out of the side anyway if they came into the side at some point.

 

[The Nostradamus]

For sure he had a point to prove against his old side. He's not going to do that every week for us.
But he was very good and it's likely Teakle or Maley couldn't get near that level of impact right now.
It's unlikely they push him out of the side anyway if they came into the side at some point.

They don’t need to push him out they need to play in the same side as the third tall

Darling should never be rucking, he helps larkey by being in the forward 50 drawing an opponent