Jack Darling

[lamaros]

McGoverning the backline?

Jokes are always funnier when they're rubbed in your face.

 

[Breretonisahood]

Not sure why so much condemnation of Darling. He looked OK except for a couple of howlers. The front-running midfielders like Priddis were the problem. Although I'm sure if this was a home and away game the umps would have given Priddis 3 votes.

 

[dajesmac]

Meh. Average player who gets the best out of himself. Works hard, does dumb shit, also does some good stuff. On FIFA you'd give him a 75 but frankly we have bigger problems.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Yeah no thanks, don't rate him at all.

He'd be a walk up start at Melbourne every day of the week. Had a meh season, still would have been your leading goal kick on the year.

 

[The 747]

He's a good player who suffers from the fact he came into the game and was able to play at a pretty high level very early on. There is an expectation that players just keep improving forever but that is wrong. He just isn't all that much better than the guy who debuted.

Not his fault they lost last night, midfield got destroyed, coaches got pwned by Bevo.

 

[Decimation]

He'd be a walk up start at Melbourne every day of the week. Had a meh season, still would have been your leading goal kick on the year.

We already have Dawes that can't mark. No need for another.

Hogan would love to become the forward Darling is currently.

Haha good one.

 

[Coaster2012]

A great player that any team would have, but yes, last night I could have slapped him

 

[Happy Mastenator]

We already have Dawes that can't mark. No need for another.

Nearly double the contested marks of Jack Watts who is your third best contested marker, behind only Gawn and Hogan in terms of contested marks per game. It's almost like you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[PenAndPaper]

Not sure why so much condemnation of Darling. He looked OK except for a couple of howlers. The front-running midfielders like Priddis were the problem. Although I'm sure if this was a home and away game the umps would have given Priddis 3 votes.

Priddis is probably their least front running mid...

 

[Swan4Life]

Definitely an under achiever by any objective measure, just hasn't taken his game to the next level

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Priddis is probably their least front running mid...

We have three midfielders we can rely on. Priddis, Shuey and Gaff. Everyone else is a big question mark when the game gets tough. That's not a recipe for success.

 

[Decimation]

Nearly double the contested marks of Jack Watts who is your third best contested marker, behind only Gawn and Hogan in terms of contested marks per game. It's almost like you have no idea what you're talking about.

I like how you picked out something so specific to make him sound good. What about marks as a whole?

Watts is ahead of Darling in total marks. Does it mean that he might get around the ground more than Darling? Possibly. Does it mean he positions himself better than Darling so that it doesn't need to be contested? Possibly. But I know I wouldn't swap Darling for Watts.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

I like how you picked out something so specific to make him sound good. What about marks as a whole?

Watts is ahead of Darling in total marks. Does it mean that he might get around the ground more than Darling? Possibly. Does it mean he positions himself better than Darling so that it doesn't need to be contested? Possibly. But I know I wouldn't swap Darling for Watts.

Well one plays as a key forward the other plays as a flanker. I like Watts and think he's been good this year, but if you don't think that Melbourne wouldn't take Darling and play him at CHF all season you're joking. It's also not a question of one or the other, they'd play both Jacks and it would work well for them.

 

[jwint43]

Listen i played with and against jack and the guy was a juniors freak. He probably averaged 13 goals a game and was the best colt in the state for his age. I think because he started so well people expected him to become an absolute megastar but hes at the level it takes some kpf prospects years to get too. Hes only 24, the age group where most rucks/fwds come good if theyre gonna make it. He is the least of wce worries

 

[jwint43]

Would be a good 3rd tall but Eagles dont have a 2nd behind Kennedy

This is why they should make lobb priority no.1, but i got shut down hard on the eagles board for suggesting it. Weird breed when they lose

 

[hunteyes]

I like how you picked out something so specific to make him sound good. What about marks as a whole?

Watts is ahead of Darling in total marks. Does it mean that he might get around the ground more than Darling? Possibly. Does it mean he positions himself better than Darling so that it doesn't need to be contested? Possibly. But I know I wouldn't swap Darling for Watts.

Does it mean Watts plays loose man in defence for half the game so gets a lot of uncontested marks when they chip it around backwards and sideways? Yes

 

[Decimation]

Well one plays as a key forward the other plays as a flanker. I like Watts and think he's been good this year, but if you don't think that Melbourne wouldn't take Darling and play him at CHF all season you're joking. It's also not a question of one or the other, they'd play both Jacks and it would work well for them.

Personally I just don't rate Darling. Simple as that. Are you happy with his output or do you want more?

 

[ep2018]

This is why they should make lobb priority no.1, but i got shut down hard on the eagles board for suggesting it. Weird breed when they lose

We dont need Lobb. Our priority is our midfield, Lobb would be a nice fwd but as a ruck we already have NN and Lycett.

 

[Decimation]

Does it mean Watts plays loose man in defence for half the game so gets a lot of uncontested marks when they chip it around backwards and sideways? Yes

Firstly, defense.

Secondly, I did say he gets around the ground more than Darling. But Watts is hardly a power forward taking contested marks either.

 

[Sando22]

I like how you picked out something so specific to make him sound good. What about marks as a whole?

Watts is ahead of Darling in total marks. Does it mean that he might get around the ground more than Darling? Possibly. Does it mean he positions himself better than Darling so that it doesn't need to be contested? Possibly. But I know I wouldn't swap Darling for Watts.

And unfortunately they don't keep stats on how often blokes squib a contest, Darling would be well ahead there.
FWIW he played ok last night but to have one of your big forwards who is built like a machine, shat himself at the thought of an impending contest with a 19 year old kid is atrocious.

 

[Chuckie357]

stuffed the eagles in last years gf. Les Cras was shithouse early on for wce too. Big name players have folded for them when it matters.

Don't forget the biggest squib of all, Jamie Cripps

 

[Sando22]

And to the egg who wrote a page or so back that he'd prefer Darling to Hogan, it's probably about time you stop taking whatever it is you're taking

 

[Harvey Leadpipe]

Not sure why so much condemnation of Darling. He looked OK except for a couple of howlers. The front-running midfielders like Priddis were the problem. Although I'm sure if this was a home and away game the umps would have given Priddis 3 votes.

Exactly. Priddis was WC's version of Houli last night. Got enough of it, but every disposal was fired off to a teammate already under pressure, created nothing when in enough space, and continually made the wrong decision. Was a ball-getting liability (as a Tiges supporter, I'm an expert at spotting these).

Darling was far from the Eagles worst last night. Very tough for a power forward to break the game open when the rest of the team are being smashed up the field.

I'd have him. Straight swap for Conca?

 

[ziad]

Listen i played with and against jack and the guy was a juniors freak. He probably averaged 13 goals a game and was the best colt in the state for his age. I think because he started so well people expected him to become an absolute megastar but hes at the level it takes some kpf prospects years to get too. Hes only 24, the age group where most rucks/fwds come good if theyre gonna make it. He is the least of wce worries

His isn't a key forward (height) and lack the agility and hands to be a high forward. Kind of stuck between but may flourish if we hade a legit CHF

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Personally I just don't rate Darling. Simple as that. Are you happy with his output or do you want more?

I'd like him to be Wayne Carey. Having said that he's 24 and has kicked 228 goals, that would already be good for 15th all time on Melbournes leading goal kicking list. We've got bigger problems to address than Jack.