Senior Darcy Gardiner (2013-)

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Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
22,114
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Melbourne
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
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How Gardiner became Lions’ Mr Fix-it
BIG game hunter Darcy Gardiner is fast becoming a dependable trouble shooter for Lions coach Chris Fagan.

The external spotlight is shining on defensive linchpin Harris Andrews after AFL player rankings listed him as the second best defender in the game behind All Australian mainstay Alex Rance and his elevation as vice-captain of the Lions. But inside the Lions, Gardiner is held in equally high esteem.

It may have surprised Lions fans on Saturday when it was Gardiner, not Andrews who went to Lance Franklin but when he kept the superstar to one goal in their 18-point win over Brisbane, it proved to be a master stroke by Fagan. He has demonstrated his versatility by completely outplaying GWS gun Jeremey Cameron earlier in the year and also enjoying past successes on mid-sized forwards such as Suns ace Jack Martin.

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“He is the ultimate competitor,’’ Fagan said. “He does his homework during the week on the guys he plays on, he wasn’t the least bit perturbed by the fact he was going to play on Bud. “He just went to work and tried to find out all the ways he could beat him.’’

Fagan said playing defence for Brisbane in recent years would be one of the toughest gigs in footy and it had forged Gardiner into a reliable and unflappable competitor who was equally adept playing on talls and smalls. “He has had a baptism of fire from the time he arrived here playing down back for our side,’’ he said. “And he has shown great resilience to come through those years. “It is a pretty hard place for a young bloke to earn his stripes, in some ways it is better to play in the midfield or up forward not where the spotlight is on you. “He often has to play in the cage on the good guys, so yeah I couldn’t speak more highly of Darcy Gardiner.’’

Gardiner batted away compliments after the game in the same manner he refused to allow Franklin to take a contested mark, suggesting the weather and his teammates were the reason for his success.

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“It always helps defenders when it is wet so I was thankful for the rain,’’ he said. “But also Harris and Eagsy (Matt Eagles) helped out a lot.’’
 

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Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
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Gardiner good to go against Dockers
BRISBANE is breathing a collective sigh of relief with versatile and courageous defender Darcy Gardiner expected to be fit for this Sunday’s clash with Fremantle at Perth’s Optus Stadium.

After losing vice-captain Harris Andrews to the sickening hit from GWS star Jeremy Cameron last Saturday that earned the Giants spearhead a five-week suspension, the Lions could ill-afford to also lose Gardiner who suffered an ankle injury in the same match. Gardiner was in considerable pain after rolling his ankle in the first quarter shortly after Andrews was concussed and cut open by Cameron’s flying elbow.

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Gardiner had to be assisted from the ground by medical staff and spent a considerable amount of time off the field before hobbling around the Gabba for most of the second quarter. But Gardiner was superb after halftime, keeping his direct opponent Cameron goalless for the rest of the match.

Gardiner got the better of Cameron when Brisbane played GWS in Round 6 and he restricted superstar Lance Franklin to just one goal in Round 10. His ability to effectively defend both tall and small opposition forwards makes Gardiner a critical part of Brisbane’s side. His place in the Lions structure is all the more important with Andrews out of action for up to a month.

Gardiner ran some laps on Tuesday to test the ankle. “Darcy should be fine. There’s no reason to think he won’t be playing,’’ Brisbane football boss David Noble said. “We have an eight-day turnaround too which works in our favour and the travel shouldn’t be an issue either. “After halftime, Darcy adjusted to the pain levels and got on with the job. “It was another sign of his continued development and growth. It’s not just who he plays on, it is how he plays on them as well. “He is an important part of our side.’’
 

Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
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Lions can overcome Andrews loss
DARCY Gardiner says the excitement of playing at Perth’s new stadium has overtaken his misgivings about going into battle against Fremantle without defensive linchpin Harris Andrews. Andrews will miss at least two matches due to a severe concussion suffered when he was elbowed in the head by Giant forward Jeremy Cameron at the Gabba on Saturday.

Although Dan McStay has been named to return in defence, it would not surprise if he played forward leaving Gardiner as the primary key defender. All the talk this year has been of Andrews’ elevation to elite status and he was on track for his first All-Australian jumper before he was knocked out last week.

But Gardiner is also in the middle of a career best season. He has taken the best forward in the past, he played on both Cameron and Swan Lance Franklin this year, but each time he had Andrews patrolling the back fifty like a shark.

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There was a time when the absence of a player such as Andrews would create panic among the back six but Gardiner says the pressure further up the ground had improved under Chris Fagan and the defenders did not feel as under siege as early in his career.

“Obviously it hurts a lot, the way Harris has been playing is outstanding and he will leave a big hole down there,’’ he said. “We all have to try work to help each other out. “But we know the team defence is a key for us and it will be a focus again this week and we have trust that whoever comes in will know their role and how to perform it, we play the same way in the NEAFL as we do in the seniors and it means players can come in and fill a position and slot in do the job.’ “It is always a tough trip going to Perth but this is one we are really forward to, we haven’t been to the new stadium yet and I can’t wait to play there.’’

Fremantle appears to be on the rise again and have won six games to be just outside the eight. Brisbane are also receiving positive reviews from football commentators about their list rebuild and potential for the future but, unlike the Dockers, have yet to convert that to wins. Gardiner said there was no panic in the Lions camp despite just the one victory over Hawthorn because every player could see a bright future. “When you look at it externally that’s probably what people think but internally we trust what we are doing is right,’’ he said. “We have definitely improved a hell of a lot, and we have stats that back that up, we desperately want a win, that’s what we are out there for, but it is not the be all and end all at this point in our development.’’
 

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Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
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Shaun Hart Trademark Player of the Year
Competitive beast Darcy Gardiner has been named the Brisbane Lions' Shaun Hart Trademark Player of the Year at the 2018 Club Champion evening. Gardiner's never-say-die defensive attitude has seen him take on some of the competition's best full forwards in 2018, including the likes of Lance Franklin and Jeremy Cameron.

For the first time in his five-year career, Gardiner completely an entire pre-season without injury concerns and reaped the benefits onfield in 2018. The 23-year-old was amongst the Lions' most improved players for 2018, consistently proving most reliable within the last line of defence. Gardiner's aggressive defence was on full display during Round 10 when he kept Sydney's goal-kicking machine, Franklin, to a solitary goal.

One area of Gardiner's game that has seen significant improvement is intercept marks, helping him become more involved offensively through the latter half of this season. Gardiner's reliability down back could have seen him play every game in 2018, however, a shoulder dislocation saw him miss the final two games of the season.

The Trade Mark Player of the Year award recognises those who play selflessly for their Club and epitomises all that is good about football. Gardiner's performance both on and off the field this season reflects the characteristics of Club legend Shaun Hart, the man in which this award is named after.
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Dylan12

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Club Champion analysis
And the best individual performances of the season?

20 votes – Darcy Gardiner – Round 10 v Sydney (Gabba). He did a superb job n Buddy Franklin, holding the Swans champion to just one goal in Sydney’s 22-point win.

19 votes – Darcy Gardiner – Round 18 v Adelaide (Gabba). Stepping up superbly in the absence of the injured Andrews, he had 21 possessions and 11 marks and was near-impassable against the 2017 grand finalists, who were still in the finals picture at the time.
 

Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
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End of season injury update
Just like in 2017, the Brisbane Lions finished the 2018 season with one of the lowest injury rates in the AFL.

The Lions' Head of High Performance Damien Austin was pleased with how his performance staff and players worked together to keep injuries to a minimum in 2018.

Key defender Darcy Gardiner is expected to be back into full training after Christmas, after undergoing shoulder surgery last month. "In the next four/five weeks we will get him moving again." "He will progress along with the off-season program he just won't be in the full skills with contact until after Christmas."
 

Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
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Melbourne
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Player Review: Darcy Gardiner
Darcy Gardiner came of age in the 2018 AFL season and in doing so, earned the reputation as one of the toughest defenders in the league. The 23-year-old’s fifth season at the Brisbane Lions proved to be his best, with Gardiner often assigned the toughest matchups each game.

In Round 6, Gardiner was successful in shutting down GWS forward Jeremy Cameron. He restricted him to just one goal in the Lions’ 34-point loss. In Round 10 against Sydney, Gardiner was assigned one of the toughest tasks in footy – to defend four-time Coleman medallist Lance “Buddy” Franklin. That afternoon, in the Lions 18-point loss, he restricted Franklin to just one goal in a superb one-on-one defensive effort.

Senior Coach Chris Fagan applauded Gardiner’s performance in this match and described him as the “ultimate competitor.” Gardiner played every game of the season until dislocating his shoulder in Round 21 against the Pies. The injury ruled him out for the final two games of the year. The disappointing end to Gardiner’s season was rectified when he finished fourth at the Merrett-Murray Medal count in the race Club Champion. Earlier that evening, he was also recognised as Trademark Player of the Year.

Coaches comment - Murray Davis, Backline Coach

A career-best season for Dizzy. He increased his ability to find the ball and use the ball well coming out of the back half. Someone who I can rely on to always fight out every play. His flexibility to be able to play on some of the best key forwards in Jeremy Cameron and Buddy Franklin yet also match up against a Eddie Betts is a fantastic asset to have in our backline.

Senior matches: 20
 

Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
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Darcy and Oscar commit to the Lions
Two of the Brisbane Lions brightest prospects have extended their contracts, with defender Darcy Gardiner and Oscar McInerney signing on until 2022 and 2021 respectively.

In 2018 Gardiner had his finest season to date for the Lions, earning a reputation as one of the best up and coming defenders in the league. The 23-year-old’s fierce competitiveness often saw him assigned the toughest matchups each game. In his fifth AFL season Gardiner played every game up until Round 21, when he dislocated his shoulder, ruling him out for the remaining two games.

His brilliant performances on field and proud team ethic saw him rewarded with a fourth-place finish in the Merrett-Murray-Medal count and was recognised as the Club's Trademark Player of the Year. Gardiner said he did not think twice about putting pen to paper.

“I did not hesitate at all to extend my contract,” Gardiner said. “With Fages on board, I’ve felt the last few years the team is heading in the right, positive direction and it is something I want to be part of. “I think in the next few years we’ll be challenging teams and it’s a really exciting place to be. “The team has improved so much and we only grow with confidence each week.”

General Manager of Football David Noble commended Gardiner on his development this season. "We are really pleased to extend Darcy’s contract now as we have seen him grow both on and off the field this year," Noble said. "Darcy became a crucial part of our backline this year with his composure and ability to play various roles for us. "With him extending his contract now, it will allow the continued growth of the backline of which Darcy fills an important role."
 
From marginal whipping boy to critical part of the backline in one year. Well done Darcy!
He has been a critical part of the backline for a few years always one of the first picked when fit.
Just some of the supporters don’t see it that way.
Always love the way he goes about it.
 

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