AFL Player # 3: Darcy Parish

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent 2028 or 2029
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 18, doug85

 

[Yoda_]

Is he? He's basically the same player as he was in 2016. averaging 20-odd possessions (if you extrapolate the extra time), 3 clearances a game midfielder that occassionally kicks a goal. This is McGrath's first year as an inside mid and he's averaging 23 disposals, 5 clearances a game in reduced gametime, and better than Shiel? Give me a break, he isn't even in the same ballpark.

People have this idea in their head that he has to be better because we play him as a forward for parts of games when the reality is that he got bumped out of there because the others are better.

I couldn’t give a s**t what stats say. Watch his game and any informed and knowledgeable person can see that Parish has a better midfield game than McGrath currently.

His decision making and ability to get the ball in a more useful position for team mates is better than McGrath.

I like Andy and his trajectory he is on but it’s a fallacy to think he is untouchable and not allowed criticism of his game.

Parish showed on the weekend that he can be a useful contributor when given the time allowed to others


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[eth-dog]

I couldn’t give a sh*t what stats say. Watch his game and any informed and knowledgeable person can see that Parish has a better midfield game than McGrath currently.

His decision making and ability to get the ball in a more useful position for team mates is better than McGrath.

I like Andy and his trajectory he is on but it’s a fallacy to think he is untouchable and not allowed criticism of his game.

Parish showed on the weekend that he can be a useful contributor when given the time allowed to others


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Okay, the old "watch his game" thing, which is what people point to when they lack any factual points.

I do. And McGrath, Shiel and Merrett are clearly better at this point in time.

Where did I say McGrath was untouchable? He's still got things to improve upon, such as his rushed kicking from a contest instead of using his speed to break away from it, but from my eyes, which are backed up by facts, he's gone past Parish this year.

Parish is the 4th best undersized midfielder in a team full of them. He's a good player, don't get me wrong, but he adds nothing to our midfield group. He doesn't change the dynamics.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I’m probably in the vast minority but I’m not a big proponent of this “big midfielder” thing. I’m not too concerned about a few centimetres if we have good midfielders who can win their own footy. I’d be concerned if they were all “outside” types but I don’t think they are. And I think Parish can win his own footy.

It’d be nice to have Jobe or Cripps but we don’t.

The first thing I’d be doing is getting Smith out of the midfield and putting Parish in.

As for trading him, well like any trade it depends what we’re getting in return.

 

[Howard Moon]

I’m probably in the vast minority but I’m not a big proponent of this “big midfielder” thing. I’m not too concerned about a few centimetres if we have good midfielders who can win their own footy. I’d be concerned if they were all “outside” types but I don’t think they are. And I think Parish can win his own footy.

It’d be nice to have Jobe or Cripps but we don’t.

The first thing I’d be doing is getting Smith out of the midfield and putting Parish in.

As for trading him, well like any trade it depends what we’re getting in return.

I'm not sure we dont have the right mix of players, I just reckon they aren't utilised in the right part of the stoppage

We always find Shiel under the pack farming it out when he has break away speed, we find parish recieving it outside when he has less pace and footskill but clean hands, McGrath getting it without being able to use his straight line speed. All up very weird neglect of player attributes.

Clearly when stringer is in there he provides the explosive strength that the others lack, so he might be the missing link that balances the stoppage set up

 

[owen87]

I'm not sure we dont have the right mix of players, I just reckon they aren't utilised in the right part of the stoppage

We always find Shiel under the pack farming it out when he has break away speed, we find parish recieving it outside when he has less pace and footskill but clean hands, McGrath getting it without being able to use his straight line speed. All up very weird neglect of player attributes.

Clearly when stringer is in there he provides the explosive strength that the others lack, so he might be the missing link that balances the stoppage set up

We then take Clarke who is; big, strong, good by hand, and a good tackler, but isn't overly quick or a great kick, and play him on the outside of the contest.

 

[Yoda_]

Im starting to understand your premise eth-dog, i don't necessarily agree with it but beginning to understand what your thinking is behind it.

Doubt we gain one of the Cats three firsts + Charlie Constable. Would be 35 at best imho.

 

[Run and carry]

He's 23. Can we just hold off trading a player, who could be exceptional, for at least another 2 years?

 

['51 Bewick]

No, he isn't. McGrath, Shiel and Merrett are all better, as is Heppell, depending on how he returns.

Yes he is and you're wrong

 

[eth-dog]

Im starting to understand your premise eth-dog, i don't necessarily agree with it but beginning to understand what your thinking is behind it.

Doubt we gain one of the Cats three firsts + Charlie Constable. Would be 35 at best imho.

I'd settle for one of their firsts.

Yes he is and you're wrong

Nah, he isn't and I'm right.

 

[The Prosecutor]

I don't get the love for McGrath's midfield craft in comparison to Parish's at this point.

Parish's clearances seem to be a lot more effective at this point, while also being a scoring threat up forward. Trading him is nonsense.

Now, if McGrath could replace his dump kick with some more nuanced disposals, then maybe you could look at options, even still it would have to be something absolutely breathtaking.

 

[ant555]

I’m probably in the vast minority but I’m not a big proponent of this “big midfielder” thing. I’m not too concerned about a few centimetres if we have good midfielders who can win their own footy. I’d be concerned if they were all “outside” types but I don’t think they are. And I think Parish can win his own footy.

It’d be nice to have Jobe or Cripps but we don’t.

The first thing I’d be doing is getting Smith out of the midfield and putting Parish in.

As for trading him, well like any trade it depends what we’re getting in return.

Is it about being big or too much of the same ? There is no real change up between any of them. I think we can keep them all but we just have to find the bloke with a bit of grunt so that it is not Wall or Stringer or a non midfielder playing that role. Someone who can do a bit of blocking work for Parish or Sheil to win the ball with less pressure but can also have his own midfield game. He does not really have to be taller although the marking factor says it would be good to have a taller midfielder who can take a few marks like Danger did against port.

 

[Oh Tayteridge]

Okay, the old "watch his game" thing, which is what people point to when they lack any factual points.

I do. And McGrath, Shiel and Merrett are clearly better at this point in time.

Where did I say McGrath was untouchable? He's still got things to improve upon, such as his rushed kicking from a contest instead of using his speed to break away from it, but from my eyes, which are backed up by facts, he's gone past Parish this year.

Parish is the 4th best undersized midfielder in a team full of them. He's a good player, don't get me wrong, but he adds nothing to our midfield group. He doesn't change the dynamics.

This is straight up wrong. He's our best at extracting the ball. Quickest and best hands in tight.

 

[ant555]

I give him s**t about not defending but I am not sure we are in a position to move a genuine midfielder out the door just to maybe replace him with a bigger version who will need a few years development.

 

[eth-dog]

This is straight up wrong. He's our best at extracting the ball. Quickest and best hands in tight.

Disagree. I think Shiel and McGrath are better extractors. Heppell too.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

If we were going to trade Parish, I wouldn't be trading him for Constable or another 'maybe' player who isn't playing in the best 22 at their club at the moment irrespective of what pick swaps we get back. Needs to be someone who can come to the club be in our best 22 no questions asked and finish in the top half of our BnF because that's what another club will be expecting of Parish. No more Carlisle/Ryder trades where we go to the draft and pick up a younger version of the player we just lost.

 

[Donakebab]

Is he? He's basically the same player as he was in 2016. averaging 20-odd possessions (if you extrapolate the extra time), 3 clearances a game midfielder that occassionally kicks a goal. This is McGrath's first year as an inside mid and he's averaging 23 disposals, 5 clearances a game in reduced gametime, and better than Shiel? Give me a break, he isn't even in the same ballpark.

People have this idea in their head that he has to be better because we play him as a forward for parts of games when the reality is that he got bumped out of there because the others are better.

Except those stats don't reflect that he spends a large portion of his time up forward. If he had as many midfield minutes as the others he'd be our #1 clearance player.

 

['51 Bewick]

Except those stats don't reflect that he spends a large portion of his time up forward. If he had as many midfield minutes as the others he'd be our #1 clearance player.

Bang on.

 

[eth-dog]

Except those stats don't reflect that he spends a large portion of his time up forward. If he had as many midfield minutes as the others he'd be our #1 clearance player.

Sorry but there's no evidence to support that apart from his last uarter against Sydney.

 

[Donakebab]

Sorry but there's no evidence to support that apart from his last uarter against Sydney.

So you can use stats as "evidence" of him as a midfielder, despite spending about half his time as a forward. Yet when others extrapolate them to what he could be possible at producing as a full time midfielder, that's not evidence.

Classic Eth.

 

[Seb78]

Parish to me seems to look so comfortable as an inside mid. The craft just seems to come so naturally to him.

McGrath is obviously a gun but it just seems a little "forced" with him atm. Its almost as if he's been put there and told this is where you are playing. As if expected to be the great white hope. A lot of pressure for the young man.

Merrett is an interesting one. Great ball user by foot, can find the footy. To me he's more of a balanced mid. Imo can play inside and out and not dedicated to one or the the other.

Heppell is outside. I know he's had to fill a role on the inside in the past, but just doesn't suit him. Will be a massive upgrade on Cutler when he's back.

Shiel can play both inside and out. Good clearance player and can win contested footy. His run and carry and line breaking ability is elite. Balanced mid for me.

Overall to me Parish is the closest thing to a dedicated an inside mid that we have. Can read ruck taps well, good clearance player, wins contested ball, can accumulate when given adequate minutes on the ball. If he was Oliver's size, would be rated a he'll of a lot higher.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

So you can use stats as "evidence" of him as a midfielder, despite spending about half his time as a forward. Yet when others extrapolate them to what he could be possible at producing as a full time midfielder, that's not evidence.

Classic Eth.

The fact he plays a lot of his game forward doesn't negate what eth is trying to say though, if anything it goes to prove that the club feels exactly the same way; that he's behind three other players to play full time in the midfield and he's left to languish on a HFF flank because that's the only place for him to go.

The argument behind trading Darcy isn't that he's playing badly, it's that he's wasted playing with us and we should swap him for someone we can extract the full potential of. I love Darcy but something has got to give here because we're playing with a woefully unbalanced midfield of small, clearance specialists who aren't particularly good at defending space, taking marks around the ground or doing real grunt work around the contest.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Trading Parish is about as dumb as it can get.

Wow.

 

[Yoda_]

I'd settle for one of their firsts.

Nah, he isn't and I'm right.

If we got 17 and no Constable, you’d have to consider that.


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[Yoda_]

I don't get the love for McGrath's midfield craft in comparison to Parish's at this point.

Parish's clearances seem to be a lot more effective at this point, while also being a scoring threat up forward. Trading him is nonsense.

Now, if McGrath could replace his dump kick with some more nuanced disposals, then maybe you could look at options, even still it would have to be something absolutely breathtaking.

I’m trying to tell Ethan this but stats matter to a stats man


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[Old Campaigner]

I’m probably in the vast minority but I’m not a big proponent of this “big midfielder” thing. I’m not too concerned about a few centimetres if we have good midfielders who can win their own footy. I’d be concerned if they were all “outside” types but I don’t think they are. And I think Parish can win his own footy.

I felt it made a big difference against the Bulldogs in particular where Bontempelli and Macrae were able to bully our midfield out of it. And as raised in other threads, I think our habit of having an extra man in the contest to outnumber the opposition comes from our inability to compete body on body with the bigger midfielders in other teams.

We then take Clarke who is; big, strong, good by hand, and a good tackler, but isn't overly quick or a great kick, and play him on the outside of the contest.

See also: Hibberd