Toast Jack Darling - 250 AFL Games

[ioppolo]

Who spends their birthday with everyone from work? Most people would only have a couple people rock up on grand final day if they invited all their work colleagues. Doesnt mean they aren't well liked.

It's a total misconception that every player at a club is best mates

Surely 100% of people would realise that last sentence though?

I can only imagine how much some of the Eagles lads may genuinely hate each other.

 

[THE A5]

I get the sense Jacks not really “one of the boys type” throughout his career he’s always pictured with the guys his age or a few year’s older or younger. That said compared to a lot of the boys he settled down at a youngish age and had kids in early compared to a lot of teammates his age.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

In ‘18 when he was on fire it wasn’t just his contested marking but he was actively spoiling balls that he couldn’t mark if he was late to a pack. And I’ve always thought he’s played his best when doing that as well as chasing and tackling. The offense seemed to fall into place.

Even tonight all the chasing and tackling and he looked back to his best.

 

[Cuzz09]

12 tackles! immense!!

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[the harry]

Big return to firm tonight. Not just the goals but his pressure directly resulted in Ginbeys goal and probably influenced others too.

 

[squashface]

Big return to firm tonight. Not just the goals but his pressure directly resulted in Ginbeys goal and probably influenced others too.

I certainly returned to firm too

 

[MeltMan]

I certainly returned to firm too

i guess saying sex life for this one isn't as funny

 

[Mr Q]

I think I've finally worked out what it is with Jack Darling

27

Jack Darling

Age

31

Ht

191cm

Wt

95kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.2

3star

M

5.0

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

3.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.4

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

14.6

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.0

5star

M

6.0

5star

T

4.0

5star

G

1.4

5star

.

He's an absolutely outstanding .... secondary tall forward.

If he's playing that role, both he and the primary tall (for most of his career, Kennedy), then he'll shine, and also make that primary tall a better player. But get it wrong, and play him as the primary, and nothing quite works.

I don't think it's a coincidence that he's starting to show some form again now that Waterman is playing a massive key forward role. Darling being the secondary makes Waterman better, and Waterman being the primary takes that tiny bit of pressure off Darling that is all he needs to shine.

Maybe if he hadn't spent all that time as Kennedy's shadow he may have become a dominant tall forward himself, but I suspect the combination of the two of them was better than either would have been alone.

 

[wce4premiership]

Written in July 2022:

"What’s more they have both been beneficial to the other. In games where Darling has missed and Kennedy has played, Kennedy has kicked an average of 0.9 goals per game compared to 2.8 goals per game when he’s played.

Similarly Darling’s goals per game is 1.4 without Kennedy, and 1.9 with him."

JK benefitted from Darling more than the other way around judging from the discrepancies but I don't know how many games that is using as a sample size.

 

[THE A5]

I think I've finally worked out what it is with Jack Darling.

He's an absolutely outstanding .... secondary tall forward.

If he's playing that role, both he and the primary tall (for most of his career, Kennedy), then he'll shine, and also make that primary tall a better player. But get it wrong, and play him as the primary, and nothing quite works.

I don't think it's a coincidence that he's starting to show some form again now that Waterman is playing a massive key forward role. Darling being the secondary makes Waterman better, and Waterman being the primary takes that tiny bit of pressure off Darling that is all he needs to shine.

Maybe if he hadn't spent all that time as Kennedy's shadow he may have become a dominant tall forward himself, but I suspect the combination of the two of them was better than either would have been alone.

Not really, some of his best footy has come in tge past when he was the main man. Now he’s on the other side of 30 and slowing down and and it’s not as easy to play as an undersized key forward