Jack Darling

[Forward Press]

I was actually sticking up for him having a poor stats night last night, but you just couldn't help yourself could you.

Don't care about the pissing contest with Fremantle forwards but you did call him a spud. Hardly sticking up for him.

 

[Eaglespur]

Well if you want to play that game, Ballas has been All Australian which Jack hasn't, he also started his career in the AFL a lot later, after he won the Sandover Medal which last time I checked, Jack didn't have one of those either..... No point comparing apples with oranges mate.

I was actually sticking up for him having a poor stats night last night, but you just couldn't help yourself could you.

And yes, I would expect him to have kicked more than any other Freo key forward - Both Kersten and McCarthy haven't even played 100 games each yet. They probably haven't even played 100 games between them! Jack's played 150.

Jack would have won many Sandovers if he played Wafl level dont be mad

 

[mightymouse75]

Just gets scared all the time. And loves playing for free. Pee heart pete

 

[freo1]

Jack would have won many Sandovers if he played Wafl level dont be mad

haha classic

 

[freo1]

Don't care about the pissing contest with Fremantle forwards but you did call him a spud. Hardly sticking up for him.

Well right now he is. Started his career great, but even commentators like Jono Brown and Dennis Commetti have been scathing of his lack of strength for a guys his size. These days he's inconsistent and just doesn't do enough. He's a B Grader who has the potential to be much better and a couple times late this season he showed glimpses but essentially, he just cant do it consistently.

 

[kaiserchief13]

He's a spud, but in fairness, last night the ball barely came down to him or Kennedy so they had very limited opportunities

Not a chance he's a spud. When midfield breaks even or wins he is one of the best forwards in the league. Nothing a forward can do with a shitful midfield serving them

 

[ydraw]

There was a time when it was reasonable to criticize him but now's the time. He did nothing wrong yesterday and was very good last week. People are now finding any little excuse to hang shit on him. The irony is it's a Freo fan who pulled this up and I'd rather jack than any of the crab talls they have.

Don't worry, they do the same to our own forwards. Any time we get smashed in the midfield there's half a dozen Fremantle supporters saying we should delist everyone in our forward line for failing to kick 3 goals.

Nobody could have expected Kennedy or Darling to do much last night with the midfield dominance GWS enjoyed.

Also keep in mind that a great many Fremantle fans are pretty dirty that we wasted our first round pick the year we could have drafted Darling ourselves.

 

[avishka5]

when was the last time you watched him play?


Hasn't done that for a while now. Finally grew a set.

 

[Scotland]

haha classic

Remember that Brad Smith gave up trying to play at AFL level because his knees weren't up to it and still dominated the WAFL kicking the ton 3 times. The step down is huge. I'm confident someone like Darling could play FF at WAFL level and kick bags each week.

 

[Eaglespur]

Remember that Brad Smith gave up trying to play at AFL level because his knees weren't up to it and still dominated the WAFL kicking the ton 3 times. The step down is huge. I'm confident someone like Darling could play FF at WAFL level and kick bags each week.

He'd break records

 

[Eaglespur]

Well right now he is. Started his career great, but even commentators like Jono Brown and Dennis Commetti have been scathing of his lack of strength for a guys his size. These days he's inconsistent and just doesn't do enough. He's a B Grader who has the potential to be much better and a couple times late this season he showed glimpses but essentially, he just cant do it consistently.

When you say 'his size' what do you mean? muscle mass? because he is 191cm an undersized key forward. most are 195+

 

[SterlingArcher]

The ball barely went into our forward half after half time against port.

He had 7 tackles and 16 pressure acts against port, against gws he had 5 tackles and 19 pressure acts. When he didn't have the ball he still made an impact and this is the trade mark jack that we were used to a few years ago. You seriously can't critize him for the last game.

Yep this is what has been lacking from his game in recent years after a strong start. His tackle numbers have been tracking down in recent years while disposals, marks, goals remain around the same.

Get back to being a pressure forward, while kicking 40+ goals a year and no one should argue his effectiveness. Much better season this year. Kennedy number 1 and Vardy/NicNat rotating the 2nd tall down there next year should really help Darling concentrate on other aspects.

 

[Chuckie357]

Jack would have won many Sandovers if he played Wafl level dont be mad

Well if Kane Mitchell can win one

 

[Forward Press]

Well if Kane Mitchell can win one

Are you insulting Sandover Medal winner Matthew Priddis?

 

[Chuckie357]

Are you insulting Sandover Medal winner Matthew Priddis?

Not at all, he won a brownlow which I think he did deserve

 

[freo1]

When you say 'his size' what do you mean? muscle mass? because he is 191cm an undersized key forward. most are 195+

Incorrect - Pav was 191cm as an example.
I mean for a key forward muscular guy he's plays a little man's game, easily pushed off the ball, takes dives, throws the head back etc etc

 

[Eaglespur]

Incorrect - Pav was 191cm as an example.
I mean for a key forward muscular guy he's plays a little man's game, easily pushed off the ball, takes dives, throws the head back etc etc

Different era and Pav is an anomaly, one of the best of all time

 

[kane249]

Incorrect - Pav was 191cm as an example.
I mean for a key forward muscular guy he's plays a little man's game, easily pushed off the ball, takes dives, throws the head back etc etc

Different time, key forwards are all bigger now.

As an example Jason Dunstall was only 188cm, he wouldn't be able to hold down a key forward spot in the modern game.

 

[Kram]

You can't classify players into neat little boxes based on their height measurement.

Incorrect - Pav was 191cm as an example.
I mean for a key forward muscular guy he's plays a little man's game, easily pushed off the ball, takes dives, throws the head back etc etc

The bloke would spend an ungodly amount of time in the gym working on his beach muscles, agree his weakness is all mental.

 

[Coaster2012]

So much ignorance on this thread. Too many posters who buy into memes and hearsay and don't actually watch a game of footy. For his age, look at his stats, he's on the path to having a very nice career. What other player is averaging 40 goals a season and being labeled a spud? Just wow, and that's 40 goals a season with Kennedy by your side, who is arguably the best goal kicker in the game.

 

[freofc1994]

Darling is a good player, gets rubbished as he shat his pants a couple of times in some big games but to say he's a spud is ridiculous. He'd likely walk into every other clubs starting 22.

I think he's a smart player, wonder why when WC have been crying out for big bodied mids that he hasn't been rolled through there. Although I must admit I don't watch all that much of WC unless they are playing against us.

 

[Coaster2012]

Darling is a good player, gets rubbished as he shat his pants a couple of times in some big games but to say he's a spud is ridiculous. He'd likely walk into every other clubs starting 22.

I think he's a smart player, wonder why when WC have been crying out for big bodied mids that he hasn't been rolled through there. Although I must admit I don't watch all that much of WC unless they are playing against us.

Because he kicks 40 goals a season. Who else is going to do that? Lecras? Cripps? He needs to be in the forward line. Plus I don't think his explosive speed is good enough.

 

[kane249]

Darling is a good player, gets rubbished as he shat his pants a couple of times in some big games but to say he's a spud is ridiculous. He'd likely walk into every other clubs starting 22.

I think he's a smart player, wonder why when WC have been crying out for big bodied mids that he hasn't been rolled through there. Although I must admit I don't watch all that much of WC unless they are playing against us.

We have trialled it, he isn't great below his knees and his handballs aren't clean enough to be a mid.

 

[freofc1994]

Because he kicks 40 goals a season. Who else is going to do that? Lecras? Cripps? He needs to be in the forward line. Plus I don't think his explosive speed is good enough.

Would those 2 kick more if he wasn't playing there?? Probably, but I take your point. The thing is when Kennedy isn't there and he's got the number 1 defender he's hardly putting blokes to the sword. Good player but certainly a 2nd or 3rd forward.

 

[JVseven]

Does he play on one leg? He gets pushed over really easily.