Player Watch #27: Jack Darling

[pupstar]

yes he's contracted for next year ...

Yep great year regardless of what some on here think of him.

 

[Moti]

Moti Season Review:

Rating: B

I think he did meet expectations, some games good, others not so good. Provided a contest and while I don't think he has been a great acquisition, he at least provided some decent structure. Do we keep playing or give younger guys a go?

Pre-Season focus: Maintenance

Projected 2026 position: VFL/AFL bubble - KP forward

 

[rickety]

Moti Season Review:

Rating: B

I think he did meet expectations, some games good, others not so good. Provided a contest and while I don't think he has been a great acquisition, he at least provided some decent structure. Do we keep playing or give younger guys a go?

Pre-Season focus: Maintenance

Projected 2026 position: VFL/AFL bubble - KP forward

Throw in a + mate I reckon. Chopped out in the ruck, kicked goals, chased down blokes, could play 2nd slip with his dukes. JD has been a good get. One of sadly not many who have come here and dug deep. Reckon I'd buy him a beer.

 

[franjon]

Yep great year regardless of what some on here think of him.

I'm not sure why there would be negative reviews of him. He gave exactly what he's here for - leadership and a chop out on the forward line. He may not have kicked loads of goals, but he has allowed others to, they just didn't. He also seems to have a bit more ticker than I always thought he had at West Coast.

 

[Val Keating]

Moti Season Review:

Rating: B

I think he did meet expectations, some games good, others not so good. Provided a contest and while I don't think he has been a great acquisition, he at least provided some decent structure. Do we keep playing or give younger guys a go?

Pre-Season focus: Maintenance

Projected 2026 position: VFL/AFL bubble - KP forward

There was a game a couple of weeks ago where Dermi was commentating and he always keeps an eye on the key forwards, Darling himself didn’t have a great game but Dermi was talking about how much he was helping Trembath, Bath kicked 3. Might’ve been Baths first game, maybe second not 100% sure.

That’s the exact reason North picked Darling up.

 

[Val Keating]

he also kicked enough on his own to justify his spot.

Good get by Rawlings and co.

 

[Moti]

There was a game a couple of weeks ago where Dermi was commentating and he always keeps an eye on the key forwards, Darling himself didn’t have a great game but Dermi was talking about how much he was helping Trembath, Bath kicked 3. Might’ve been Baths first game, maybe second not 100% sure.

That’s the exact reason North picked Darling up.

That is why I gave him a B, he met the expectations and did what we needed him to do.

 

[Ashley B]

Can’t ask anymore always played seems professional and is helping out the younger players. Perfect for us . Thanks Big Jack

 

[muttley45]

Excellent season from Jack easily exceeded my expectation's, i wonder how many other player's would have missed just the one game after that horrible gash to his leg, same as Parker only missing one with the rib issue, which i'm sure was aggravated more than once upon his return, both showing our youngster's what professionalism is all about.

 

[Lomas]

There was a game a couple of weeks ago where Dermi was commentating and he always keeps an eye on the key forwards, Darling himself didn’t have a great game but Dermi was talking about how much he was helping Trembath, Bath kicked 3. Might’ve been Baths first game, maybe second not 100% sure.

That’s the exact reason North picked Darling up.

Just as an fyi, we call Trembath ‘salts’.
I don’t make the rules.

 

[Val Keating]

Just as an fyi, we call Trembath ‘salts’.
I don’t make the rules.

Ok I can roll with that.

 

[shinboner magic]

Well and truly exceeded my expectations but come the end of next season , he hopefully won’t be in our AFL side

 

[Dinkers]

Well and truly exceeded my expectations but come the end of next season , he hopefully won’t be in our AFL side

Exceeded mine as well, I'd take 24 goals from a KPF per year every year. I think Phil " Snake " Baker kicked more goals over four GF appearances.

But if he manages 25 next year we all run onto the ground to celebrate. I do like him, but see zero point in playing him if we finish bottom four.

Enough is, well enough.

 

[King Corey]

Only just noticed he was 19th in our B&F from 22 games.

This seems incredibly harsh imo. He looked to play a lot of smart and selfless football for us.



Konstanty almost 20 votes better?

Caleb Daniel

5

Caleb Daniel

Age

29

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

~2x better season?

Doesn't exactly fill me with faith in our internal measures.

 

[backtothedraft]

Only just noticed he was 19th in our B&F from 22 games.

This seems incredibly harsh imo. He looked to play a lot of smart and selfless football for us.

View attachment 2465589

Konstanty almost 20 votes better?

Caleb Daniel ~2x better season?

Doesn't exactly fill me with faith in our internal measures.

What it does suggest is his position in the side is up for grabs this preseason.

 

[DuckYeah]

Only just noticed he was 19th in our B&F from 22 games.

This seems incredibly harsh imo. He looked to play a lot of smart and selfless football for us.

View attachment 2465589

Konstanty almost 20 votes better?

Caleb Daniel ~2x better season?

Doesn't exactly fill me with faith in our internal measures.

You know what it means? He’s well past his use by and should not be playing in 2026

 

[King Corey]

You know what it means? He’s well past his use by and should not be playing in 2026

Would you have rated Happy Meal, 'Look Mom No Touches' Konstanty or Daniel well ahead of him though?

 

[Themanbun]

Only just noticed he was 19th in our B&F from 22 games.

This seems incredibly harsh imo. He looked to play a lot of smart and selfless football for us.

View attachment 2465589

Konstanty almost 20 votes better?

Caleb Daniel ~2x better season?

Doesn't exactly fill me with faith in our internal measures.

We are pretty much known for being batshit insane at this point tbh. It's sad.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

Only just noticed he was 19th in our B&F from 22 games.

This seems incredibly harsh imo. He looked to play a lot of smart and selfless football for us.

View attachment 2465589

Konstanty almost 20 votes better?

Caleb Daniel ~2x better season?

Doesn't exactly fill me with faith in our internal measures.

Darling should have been in the top 10 for some of his sheer acts on the field alone this year.
1. Playing with that nasty shin injury which looked like it had been thru a deli slicer.
2. That game where he did a long run chase down tackle to change the momentum.
3. His perfectly execute back flip onto his feet after market the pill. Mary Lou Retton would have been proud of that.

Having Daniel so high up and LMac also above him missing many games at the end says it all. We have junior footy parent of players style voting going on here. The Brownlow Voting is a clown show, a shame it’s the same with the Syd Barker as well.

 

[King Corey]

We are pretty much known for being batshit insane at this point tbh. It's sad

Curtis and Daniel both averaged 7 votes a game.

One was robbed of an AA spot.

The other one toiled away but was inconsequential many weeks.

"Things that make you go.."

 

[Chip Scab1]

Darling should have been in the top 10 for some of his sheer acts on the field alone this year.
1. Playing with that nasty shin injury which looked like it had been thru a deli slicer.
2. That game where he did a long run chase down tackle to change the momentum.
3. His perfectly execute back flip onto his feet after market the pill. Mary Lou Retton would have been proud of that.

Having Daniel so high up and LMac also above him missing many games at the end says it all. We have junior footy parent of players style voting going on here. The Brownlow Voting is a clown show, a shame it’s the same with the Syd Barker as well.

Beyond outrageous. I'm gonna compose myself before I respond to such idiocy. Literal symposium of blind leading blind.

 

[DuckYeah]

Would you have rated Happy Meal, 'Look Mom No Touches' Konstanty or Daniel well ahead of him though?

probably but that doesn’t matter they’re all shit. I just think there’s better players in our forwards cohort to be playing in his position

 

[King Corey]

probably but that doesn’t matter they’re all shit. I just think there’s better players in our forwards cohort to be playing in his position

I think Darling more than played his role.

 

[DuckYeah]

I think Darling more than played his role.

He cant be playing in 26 if we want to be moving up that ladder. There are a few names that just cant be in the side unless there are injuries

 

[Dinkers]

Yeah well 9 disposals and 1 goal per game probably isn't getting top 10 anywhere.
He was ok and I hope he plays much less in 26.

Don't love or hate his work. Would have loved him ten years ago.