AFL Player # 3: Darcy Parish

[Beerfish]

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

 

[scottmclaren]

He sure isn’t getting a game in Collingwoods midfield.

 

[rumply]

 

[Kettles]

Very, very poor omissions from the club for the Collingwood game.
I understand, but Parish our before Baguley?? Gimme a break.

 

[essendon]

Good player yes, gives it 100%, runs all day but doesn't impact the scoreboard, and disposal can let him down. Definitely has a lot of upside.....but at the moment we finally have depth...good problem to have...we cant play them all...and yea I know there are players playing who shouldn't be there, that's because they have different roles to play......competition for spots for once, a good problem to have, let them put pressure on each other and fight for spots, it will only improve our situation

 

[TheGrizz]

I'm not the one that has been dropping him.

His VFL matches said it all last year as far as I'm concerned. Nothing separates Parish from a player like Mynott, nothing other than reputation. Mynott doesn't play so there is no reason why Parish should.

The comment about Guelfi related to his last game. You'll get no argument from me about his first 3.

As for Laverde and Begley, I was responding to a post asking for what I think is happening.

But if the disappointing progression of Laverde's career is a reason to play Parish, then sure.

And for the record, yes, I would absolutely back Laverde's VFL games to transfer to the AFL. Problem for Parish is that he is transferring his VFL games to the AFL.

That is some decent spin you have added there. Let me make what I was saying clear.

You have a clear and obvious double standard in how you assess Parish and Jayden Laverde.

You say that Darcy Parish, a 59 game 21yo midfielder has not shown enough at AFL level to cement or demand a spot in the senior side. In isolation this is fair enough for you to have this view.

However, you then relentlessly champion the cause of a 22 (soon to be 23yo) 3rd tall forward who has never before gone through a season without a serious injury and played only 30 games despite being drafted a whole year earlier than Parish.

When returning from a stint from the VFL last year Parish averaged over 22 disposals, 3 tackles and almost 4 clearances a game over a 7 match stretch.
In contrast, the longest streak of Laverdes career outside his first year in the system came last year, where he averaged 12.1 disposals and 0.3 goals a game.

To say the latter has a Baguley 'warming the seat' for their place in the side, whilst the former has shown little improvement over the course of 18 months has no logical standing or evidentiary basis.

Moreso, to claim Parish's selection is based on reputation is largely ironic when compared to Laverde, who - due to an extensive history with injuries - has really only got his reputation and a small sample size of exposure for us to assess him on

The only conclusion that can be drawn is that you have a serious bias for some reason towards Laverde and against Parish. That is free for yours to have, but dont drive this nonsense forward that it is at all based on evidence.

 

[BrunoV]

That is some decent spin you have added there. Let me make what I was saying clear.

You have a clear and obvious double standard in how you assess Parish and Jayden Laverde.

You say that Darcy Parish, a 59 game 21yo midfielder has not shown enough at AFL level to cement or demand a spot in the senior side. In isolation this is fair enough for you to have this view.

However, you then relentlessly champion the cause of a 22 (soon to be 23yo) 3rd tall forward who has never before gone through a season without a serious injury and played only 30 games despite being drafted a whole year earlier than Parish.

When returning from a stint from the VFL last year Parish averaged over 22 disposals, 3 tackles and almost 4 clearances a game over a 7 match stretch.
In contrast, the longest streak of Laverdes career outside his first year in the system came last year, where he averaged 12.1 disposals and 0.3 goals a game.

To say the latter has a Baguley 'warming the seat' for their place in the side, whilst the former has shown little improvement over the course of 18 months has no logical standing or evidentiary basis.

Moreso, to claim Parish's selection is based on reputation is largely ironic when compared to Laverde, who - due to an extensive history with injuries - has really only got his reputation and a small sample size of exposure for us to assess him on

The only conclusion that can be drawn is that you have a serious bias for some reason towards Laverde and against Parish. That is free for yours to have, but dont drive this nonsense forward that it is at all based on evidence.

Oh, no, I understood exactly what you were getting at because when you say something like "did he run over your cat?" it's another example of equating negative opinion as an expression of hatred or some other equally unjustifiable basis on which to form that opinion. It's easier to just dismiss the opinion you can't argue with as irrational or biased.

I will not try to hide the fact that I rate Laverde, it would be impossible anyway, but it is entirely irrelevant to the discussion about whether Parish is a good player.

Watch Parish play VFL this week. Watch him closely and when he plays the same game he plays in the AFL (i.e. the game that has him dropped) think about how it is that a midfielder who is not going to get any bigger, stronger or faster is going to play a more dynamic and effective game at the higher level.

Yes, he will get 30 possession in the VFL but so will Mynot. Mynot will use the ball more effectively but if history is anything to go by Parish will then be back in the side and Mynot will still be playing VFL. If that is not reputation, what is it? This is not a phenomenon applicabe only to Parish. Half of the VFL could play AFL (there are stacks of AFL players whose continued selection is a mystery on par with the construction of the pyramids - edit: this comment is directed to the Kane Turners and Charlie Spargos of this world and not to Parish). Clarke would be in this conversation if his kicking was not such a problem.

If the comparison with Laverde is important, watch him, on the other hand, bully his opponents. That is something that will translate to the higher level just as it did for Redman and, while "bullying" opponents is not something you'd necessarily associate with Ridley's style his ability to dominate VFL has also translated seamlessly to AFL. For Redman and Ridley it has been evident for at least 12 months (i.e. before Redman or Ridley played AFL in 2018). I think that Laverde's progression has been stifled by injury and some silly management but I remain confident that he will have a good AFL career which means his games against Melbourne and Port last year becoming the norm (as a minimum).

I think there has been some traction with the comparison between Parish and Stanton and Zaharakis - who have been or are currently whipping boys.

Do you want to suggest that Parish is a better player at the equivalent stage of his career? Does he have the weapons of either? So what happens in 5 years time when Parish is the experienced one?

 

[jmoo wan]

oh Bruno, nice wall of text but you do yourself a disservice and let yourself down with ignorant comments like this

... is a mystery on par with the construction of the pyramids.

it’s widely accepted that aliens built them. read a book my friend.

 

[BrunoV]

oh Bruno, nice wall of text but you do yourself a disservice and let yourself down with ignorant comments like this


it’s widely accepted that aliens built them. read a book my friend.

I tell you, aliens constructing the pyramids is by far the most sensible explanation.

Coming a close second is Graham Hancock's "suspicion" that ancient humans did it using telepathic powers.

They took 50 tonne granite stones from quarries 700km away!?

 

[Bjchan13]

Played really well round 3 but didnt maintain it. Only option for my boy is to keep working on his game. As long as there is clear instructions coming from woosh, there is no shame to go back and practice in the VFL. Looks like Francis, Parish, Begley, Gleeson, Laverde and Langford will have to wait patiently as it seems we have a little depth this year.

 

[jmoo wan]

I tell you, aliens constructing the pyramids is by far the most sensible explanation.

Coming a close second is Graham Hancock's "suspicion" that ancient humans did it using telepathic powers.

They took 50 tonne granite stones from quarries 700km away!?

exactly! and they didn’t even have ubers to help

 

[citizen-erased]

May as well keep trading 1st rd picks out.we sure as f*** dont know how to develop them

 

[Andronicus]

Whoever gets him will get him for a steal.

 

[Lore]

Since he was drafted we've acquired McGrath, Shiel and Smith who have all elbowed past Parish for a midfield gig (and considering the talent of the Ss, no surprises there).

I feel like Parish could play a sort of half back flank/wing role (Guelfi's, similar to the one Myers had in 2017 when everyone came back and the midfield was a logjam), except he's not really any better than Guelfi atm, despite the 40 career games difference between the two.

 

[Foxx]

Need to work out why this guy has lost all confidence with his decision making.
Id like to see him played on a forward flank.

 

[Lore]

Since he was drafted we've acquired McGrath, Shiel and Smith who have all elbowed past Parish for a midfield gig (and considering the talent of the Ss, no surprises there).

I feel like Parish could play a sort of half back flank/wing role (Guelfi's, similar to the one Myers had in 2017 when everyone came back and the midfield was a logjam), except he's not really any better than Guelfi atm, despite the 40 career games difference between the two.

Having said this we've used quite a lot of players already this year. Lots of players being 'rested' before round 6, a lot of them are unforced.
Parish missed round 1. Ridley missed round 2. Myers and Brown missed round 3. Guelfi missed round 4. Smith and Zaka rested in round 5. Parish omitted again in round 6. Langford, Francis, Redman, Clarke, Mutch, Ham have all had a couple of games each, sharing a couple of spots between them.

Either there's a rotating rest week or there's serious competition for spots in the midfield and defence. Maybe a bit of both. Meanwhile the forwards are mostly brand new draftees or injured. heh.

Most of the teams that have used as many players as we have at this point are currently at the bottom of the ladder.

4 wins
Geelong 24
St Kilda 27

3 wins (currently inside the 8)
Fremantle 27
Collingwood 24
Port Adelaide 25
GWS 29
Essendon 29
West Coast 28

3 wins (currently outside the 8)
Brisbane 24
Richmond 32
Gold Coast 25


2 wins
Adelaide 29
Hawthorn 28
Western Bulldogs 26

1 win
Carlton 29
Sydney 29
Melbourne 29
North Melbourne 29

 

[Gabe251]

Having said this we've used quite a lot of players already this year. Lots of players being 'rested' before round 6, a lot of them are unforced.
Parish missed round 1. Ridley missed round 2. Myers and Brown missed round 3. Guelfi missed round 4. Smith and Zaka rested in round 5. Parish omitted again in round 6. Langford, Francis, Redman, Clarke, Mutch, Ham have all had a couple of games each, sharing a couple of spots between them.

Either there's a rotating rest week or there's serious competition for spots in the midfield and defence. Maybe a bit of both. Meanwhile the forwards are mostly brand new draftees or injured. heh.

Most of the teams that have used as many players as we have at this point are currently at the bottom of the ladder.

4 wins
Geelong 24
St Kilda 27

3 wins (currently inside the 8)
Fremantle 27
Collingwood 24
Port Adelaide 25
GWS 29
Essendon 29
West Coast 28

3 wins (currently outside the 8)
Brisbane 24
Richmond 32
Gold Coast 25


2 wins
Adelaide 29
Hawthorn 28
Western Bulldogs 26

1 win
Carlton 29
Sydney 29
Melbourne 29
North Melbourne 29

Like this data and I'd love to see it followed up.

But I'm really not certain this is enough to establish a trend of any sort. Too many variables.

 

[yodellinhank]

Whoever gets him will get him for a steal.

Hopefully we trade him to Collingwood then and not St Kilda

 

[Lore]

Like this data and I'd love to see it followed up.

But I'm really not certain this is enough to establish a trend of any sort. Too many variables.

Oh at this point us rotating our players is more or less just a theory, though it seems to be supported from what we know so far with a limited pool of data (five rounds). You can watch the trends unfold in the spreadsheet that's linked in the player contracts thread, the roles tab is probably the easiest one to interpret. It's also embedded in the team list and player stats thread in my signature.

As far as league wide correlation between players used and wins/ladder position, I'm not sure there's that much in it, it's just interesting. It's far too much work to go back and see what reasons all of the other clubs gave for their changes each round, and I don't know enough about their players or coaches to interpret that data even if I had it. Some will be forced due to injuries, some will be rotating. I do think it's more meaningful to be playing well without a consistent 22 on the park though.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Very, very poor omissions from the club for the Collingwood game.
I understand, but Parish our before Baguley?? Gimme a break.

Two can’t be compared in the slightest. One is a small forward, other is a mid. They’re not competing with each other for a spot.

 

[rusman]

Where was this outrage for Francis?

 

[ant555]

Very, very poor omissions from the club for the Collingwood game.
I understand, but Parish our before Baguley?? Gimme a break.

“Parish is similar, (he is) really just forced out of the side not because he is struggling or anything like that, but because with those two guys coming in, one of the midfielders had to miss out.”

 

[yodellinhank]

Where was this outrage for Francis?

He's just resting due to all the short breaks #TrustInWoosh

 

[mike14]

Two can’t be compared in the slightest. One is a small forward, other is a mid. They’re not competing with each other for a spot.

But this time last year Baguley wasn't a small forward either....
Couldn't we play Parish in Baggers' role (I mean if we can turn a defender into a midfield it should be possible with a mid) which would also allow us to rotate different guys through the midfield and forward line? It's not like Baguley has some super skills that make him an impact forward

 

[TheGrizz]

“Parish is similar, (he is) really just forced out of the side not because he is struggling or anything like that, but because with those two guys coming in, one of the midfielders had to miss out.”

Mate, none of that logical stuff around here.

Havent you read the preceding pages to know your response needs way more hysterics and premature overreaction

 

[Cup_o_Jobe]

Not sure why all the talk is about Baugley (a pressure forward) keeping his spot over Parish. When Guelfi isn't the obvious comparator, as he's more a "plug a gap" role player/utility in the way we use him. The guy who clear has something over Woosh is Myers. Hasn't played an impressive 4-quarters in years, yet somehow keeps maintaining his spot, and when he's in the side it forces Parish out of the contest and onto the outside (where he admittedly looks lost). Parish, Heppell and Shiel ought be our starting 3 at the centre-bounce going forward as they're the best combination (so far) this year for getting reliable extraction and hand-off to the wealth of speed we have on the outside.