Jack Darling

[kane249]

What are you talking about, darling is not a second year forward...

Did I say second year forward? Let me make it clearer for you

Secondary forward, ie not the first forward the midfield looks to.

Darling plays the secondary role to Kennedy.

 

[frenchconnection]

He's 24, which is still quite young but the problem is his development has stagnated since his second year.

Think that might say more about West Coasts lack of development of players generally, than about Darling himself. Our development of players appears to have fallen off quite considerably, particularly the past 12 months, in my opinion. Not sure who holds that position now after Jaymee Graham was made head coach at East Perth?

 

[Scotland]

But he is still ahead of most at his age.

He's stalled, though.

2, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9 goals per game the last 4 years. He beat Ben Brown, Jesse Hogan, Jonathan Patton etc. for total goals this year, but no one would pick Darling over those 3.

100+ marks (29 contested), a goal a game and 93 tackles in his first year was exciting. Second year with Kennedy out he stepped up and kicked 53 goals. For the basis of comparison Jake Stringer kicked 56 last year and the hype was out of control. Since then he hasn't gone on with it.

For mine he is a bit symptomatic of our team at the moment. 44 goals from your CHF when you have a FF that kicks 82 is a great return. But that aside, he should be better - just like 16 wins is pretty good for the season but if you're going to lose an EF at home scoring 50 odd then what good are 126 goals from your key forwards? We can beat anyone and proved that late in the year then choked because the bye killed our momentum. That's mentally soft.

He's pretty consistent and unlike others (cough LeCras cough) he doesn't feast on bottom 8 sides to get his numbers up. Goals in 18/23 matches with a high of 4 in any match. Kicked 4 against the Pies when we stank and lost, 3 against Geelong and Hawthorn when we stank and lost. The only top 4 loss where he really went missing was against the Swans in Round 5. But he's kicked more than 4 in a game just once in 3 seasons. He doesn't win us matches. Kennedy as good as he is can't dominate every single week. There are plenty of games where Kennedy is quiet and Darling kicks more goals, but there aren't many if any games where we need a forward to stand up when the game is on the line and it's Darling.

Against Adelaide he got the yips and kicked 2.4. Against Carlton he kicked 0.5. He was average against the Dogs then shirked a contest which was highlighted. He wasn't good in any of our finals last year and dropped a chest mark on GF day which was highlighted. Like the rest of his career he was actually better in finals in his first two seasons than he is now. It's all mental. He's a strong contested mark, chases and tackles hard, takes gutsy marks etc. so he's not a marshmallow, then he plays for soft free kicks and randomly decides to shirk a contest. He's an excellent set shot then randomly gets the yips playing a bottom 8 side in 3/4 empty MCG.

Frustrating player. Frustrating AF.

 

[billy fragos]

SA education I guess

My bad, misread the post. Eagles fans are awfully defensive over this, no need to make it a grudge between states.

 

[Kram]

We want a mobile ruck/forward to be our #2. Naitanui and Lycett works, as does Naitanui and Giles to a lesser degree. Giles and Lycett in tandem doesn't work as well. If North had another Goldstein or Melbourne another Gawn or Adelaide another Jacobs they'd arguably not get a game. You get more from those guys rucking 80% of the time and Brown/no one/Jenkins doing the rest and adding more around elsewhere.

But yeah Petrie isn't the right guy for this role (in 2017 - 3-4 years ago maybe) nor is he the right guy to be a back-up #1 if Lycett/Giles go down injured. I think McInnes (who I don't think is AFL standard - too small to ruck, too slow/ordinary to be a key forward) would be more effective than Petrie in 2017.

WC to offer Zac Clarke a massive contract.

 

[JohnW]

Not really. Their are plenty of key forwards who are elite by the age of 24. Darling is not one of them.

Jack finished 13th in the Coleman 24 years and 3 months old

Of those ahead of him, only Tom Lynch (23 years and 10 months) and Jeremy Cameron (23 years and 5 months) are young.

If you look at the remaining players (I capped it at top 50) only 18 players were younger.

Who on the list besides Tom Lynch and Jeremy Cameron are elite? Would the fact that Darling kicked more goals than them put him in a similar category?

Darling does drop down to spot 22 based on goal average per game, which I assume most would still consider pretty good.

 

[JohnW]

He's stalled, though.

2, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9 goals per game the last 4 years. He beat Ben Brown, Jesse Hogan, Jonathan Patton etc. for total goals this year, but no one would pick Darling over those 3.

100+ marks (29 contested), a goal a game and 93 tackles in his first year was exciting. Second year with Kennedy out he stepped up and kicked 53 goals. For the basis of comparison Jake Stringer kicked 56 last year and the hype was out of control. Since then he hasn't gone on with it.

For mine he is a bit symptomatic of our team at the moment. 44 goals from your CHF when you have a FF that kicks 82 is a great return. But that aside, he should be better - just like 16 wins is pretty good for the season but if you're going to lose an EF at home scoring 50 odd then what good are 126 goals from your key forwards? We can beat anyone and proved that late in the year then choked because the bye killed our momentum. That's mentally soft.

He's pretty consistent and unlike others (cough LeCras cough) he doesn't feast on bottom 8 sides to get his numbers up. Goals in 18/23 matches with a high of 4 in any match. Kicked 4 against the Pies when we stank and lost, 3 against Geelong and Hawthorn when we stank and lost. The only top 4 loss where he really went missing was against the Swans in Round 5. But he's kicked more than 4 in a game just once in 3 seasons. He doesn't win us matches. Kennedy as good as he is can't dominate every single week. There are plenty of games where Kennedy is quiet and Darling kicks more goals, but there aren't many if any games where we need a forward to stand up when the game is on the line and it's Darling.

Against Adelaide he got the yips and kicked 2.4. Against Carlton he kicked 0.5. He was average against the Dogs then shirked a contest which was highlighted. He wasn't good in any of our finals last year and dropped a chest mark on GF day which was highlighted. Like the rest of his career he was actually better in finals in his first two seasons than he is now. It's all mental. He's a strong contested mark, chases and tackles hard, takes gutsy marks etc. so he's not a marshmallow, then he plays for soft free kicks and randomly decides to shirk a contest. He's an excellent set shot then randomly gets the yips playing a bottom 8 side in 3/4 empty MCG.

Frustrating player. Frustrating AF.

Agree, it is disappointing that he isn't in the top few forwards in the comp which was his trajectory. But the trashing is out of control, the fact that he far exceeded our expectations early on, and he is basically maintained that level going forward, shouldn't be a cause to flog him. JK's return was pretty similar to last year.

 

[Falchoon]

Jack finished 13th in the Coleman 24 years and 3 months old

Of those ahead of him, only Tom Lynch (23 years and 10 months) and Jeremy Cameron (23 years and 5 months) are young.

Joe Daniher and Tim Membrey are younger and finished ahead of Darling in the Coleman

 

[Matera92]

There isn't a single team in the comp who wouldn't be made better by his inclusion. The guy's workrate is huge and he chases and tackles more than nearly any other forward.

We'll happily keep him, he has some issues to work out but then again, most 24yr KPF's do.

 

[JohnW]

Joe Daniher and Tim Membrey are younger and finished ahead of Darling in the Coleman

Membrey was equal, Daniher was behind. 43 < 44

Being beaten by either of them would come with no shame, they are all top prospects for young forwards, wouldn't you agree?

 

[Falchoon]

Membrey was equal, Daniher was behind. 43 < 44

Being beaten by either of them would come with no shame, they are all top prospects for young forwards, wouldn't you agree?

Darling had 42 in the Coleman, one in front of youngsters Ben Brown and Jesse Hogan

 

[Taylor]

..while having at least one game of 0.5.

Darling does just fine, trading him over his pulling out and playing for free kicks would be silly.

 

[JohnW]

Darling had 42 in the Coleman, one in front of youngsters Ben Brown and Jesse Hogan

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2016&rt=LT&st=GO

Simple math's come on mate.

Darling - 44

Brown - 41

Hogan - 41

 

[kane249]

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2016&rt=LT&st=GO

Simple math's come on mate.

Darling - 44

Brown - 41

Hogan - 41

Darling kicked 2 in the final, Coleman is determined at the end of H&A

 

[YeOldTiger]

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!!

Tiges might have had a pretty poor year and nobody is more dissapointed than me about that I can assure you, but I can't think of any of our players, let alone a Tarzan, under the spotlight for dropping their bundle running back with the flight on a regular basis. Care to enlighten me ? We played 10 kids this year and whilst only a couple of them will make it, none of them are squibs.

Not hard to believe coming from an eagles supporter.

 

[Matera92]

Tiges might have had a pretty poor year and nobody is more dissapointed than me about that I can assure you, but I can't think of any of our players, let alone a Tarzan, under the spotlight for dropping their bundle running back with the flight on a regular basis. Care to enlighten me ? We played 10 kids this year and whilst only a couple of them will make it, none of them are squibs.

Not hard to believe coming from an eagles supporter.

Vickery has weak knees.

 

[JohnW]

Darling kicked 2 in the final, Coleman is determined at the end of H&A

Sorry! I had assumed that is states 23 games it was exclusive of finals.

My bad!

 

[YeOldTiger]

Vickery has weak knees.

Lol. Hawthorn don't seem to think so.

I think Coxy was the one with weak knees as it turned out. Didn't wake up til Monday did my he ?

 

[JohnW]

Tiges might have had a pretty poor year and nobody is more dissapointed than me about that I can assure you, but I can't think of any of our players, let alone a Tarzan, under the spotlight for dropping their bundle running back with the flight on a regular basis. Care to enlighten me ? We played 10 kids this year and whilst only a couple of them will make it, none of them are squibs.

Not hard to believe coming from an eagles supporter.

Hard but crap. Top plan.

 

[YeOldTiger]

Hard but crap. Top plan.

Walk in the park against the dogs. Top plan.

 

[Matera92]

Lol. Hawthorn don't seem to think so.

I think Coxy was the one with weak knees as it turned out. Didn't wake up til Monday did my he ?

Yup, real tough hitting a guy with eyes for the ball.

Then practically does a front flip when Lycett kisses his chin with a love tap.

Just like Conca, faux tough guys from a faux tough rabble of a club.

 

[kane249]

Lol. Hawthorn don't seem to think so.

I think Coxy was the one with weak knees as it turned out. Didn't wake up til Monday did my he ?

At least it took a king hit from behind to fell Cox, Vickery just falls over by himself

 

[YeOldTiger]

Vickery has weak knees.

Hmm weak knees...thinks Darling, drops knees, throws head back...thinks Shuey, drops knees, throws head back...

Just sayin...

 

[Matera92]

Hmm weak knees...thinks Darling, drops knees, throws head back...thinks Shuey, drops knees, throws head back...

Just sayin...

Still better than the heart condition that seems to be afflicting the old yellow and black.

 

[JohnW]

Walk in the park in September.