Jack Darling

[Geelong Fella]

Seeing how well he is doing and the possible need for a KP forward in the future after Mooney and Pods go does anyone think it would have been good to get him with our first pick last year. Schmedts will hopefully be a gun despite his injury and I know Darling had off field issues pre-draft and its too early to tell on how good he will be, but I reckon he could have been a good pick up for us. Thoughts?

 

[David the Cat]

Seeing how well he is doing and the possible need for a KP forward in the future after Mooney and Pods go does anyone think it would have been good to get him with our first pick last year. Schmedts will hopefully be a gun despite his injury and I know Darling had off field issues pre-draft and its too early to tell on how good he will be, but I reckon he could have been a good pick up for us. Thoughts?

He looks like a very good player. He is , I think, 191 cm, so whether he's tall enough for KP forward is open to debate. Sure has got a good pair of hands.

Smedts is a good pick though. Simon Beasley said he was the best schoolboy footballer he had ever seen, so I think Wells probably had a high opinion of the lad as well to take him as our #1 draft pick. In Wells we trust!

Hopefully we will see the kid in action after his surgery...got time now to work on his body and put on some bulk and strength for his debut year in 2012.

 

[vinum coupe]

If you think about it. Darling wouldn't have got a shot in our side yet this year.
Just like Brown and Vardy haven't. Give it time, there's no rush yet for a key forward.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Off field issues aside, which we know Darling is a real risk, does everyone forget he (Darling) missed the second half of last year with getting bashed and having a fractured skull and a brain bleed, where he didn't play after that and wasn't able to do testing at draft camp. Arguably that was as much of the reason why he slid as off field issues, because some clubs rightly were worried about how well he would come back from a serious injury.

It seems a bit hypocritical for us to be worried about Smedts injuries yet pot the club for overlooking Darling for probably the same reason.

Besides, Brown will be as good as if not better than Darling, what we really needed, if anything different from Smedts, was a key defender.

Anyway, all I will end with is In Wells we Trust, he has the runs on the board and I will back him with this one.

 

[Turbocat]

If you think about it. Darling wouldn't have got a shot in our side yet this year.
Just like Brown and Vardy haven't. Give it time, there's no rush yet for a key forward.

Very important point with early picks. Especially ones that may get home sick. If we had picked him and he was still struggling for a regular game after a year and half , just what do you think Freo. and WC would be telling his manager?Its why I think GC will struggle to hold several of their kids. A team like the Saints would be getting into any kids that followed them or was home sick.

Anyway , its way to premature to be questioning our choice. Id say you will need 3 to 4 years to be fair in assessment. Look at Brown. If anyone from any other board was to do one of those .. lets redo 2008 draft Brown would not be mentioned. Dare I say , they may even be a bit of rejigging a bit on Menzel and Duncan from 09. Things change quickly especially if Brown comes in and plays well .

Its early days for Darling , lets see him in 4 years time , with 4 seasons and 4 off-seasons. We have built our club on the ND policy no matter the talent , and it proven to be the right policy.

 

[vealesy]

I don't think he'd fit in to the club's culture.

 

[vinum coupe]

You have to admit though, he gets the footy a lot. And he's big.
I keep thinking it's Kennedy.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Let's make a thread every time we miss a good player.

 

[rednblacks]

I'll put my ten cents worth in here. I'm a West Aussie and a Freo supporter and i live in the northern suburbs of Perth about 8 - 10km from where Jack Darling grew up and played his junior footy. I did a job at a house about 3 years ago and the owner was telling me about this kid in his junior footy club named Jack Darling and back then they were comparing him with Jonothan Brown. He was a big power forward who was dominating his junior footy.

This bloke told me Gold Coast had already told him they would pick him and he was being touted as a top 10 pick. He then played league footy for West Perth in the WAFL 2 years ago and had an immediate impact. Some off field issues were coming out then. He was still a student at high school and from memory he was caught drinking alcohol on a school camp.

His second season with WP he did not have the same impact and i don't think he had a big impact at the u/18's carnival. He then got king hit from behind outside a pub in Subiaco back in August last year and it was thought at the time he suffered serious head injuries so i was a bit surprised the Eagles took a punt on him so early in the draft but I think the Eagles would have known about Jack Darling for a long time and knew his attributes and I am sure they did their due dilligence and checked everything such as his health and his off field issues.

He probably hasn't grown as tall in the last couple of years as some people probably anticipated but I think full marks to the Eagles for taking a punt on him and he has ticked every box since. I think he missed a NAB cup game due to being a few minutes late to a training session.

I think the fact he hasn't grown taller is a positive for him in that he is that in between height that is neither a real tall key forward but he is taller enough to worry most opponents in the air and when he was a junior he was used to imposing himself on opponents in the air. He's got a great physique and great endurance and knows how to slot them through.

I wish Fremantle could have snapped him up, he would have been terrific in tandem with Pav and probably will play a similar role in years to come. He has the ability to play in the midfield as well as up forward.

The WCE have drafted some spuds in the last few years but they hit the JACKpot here and picked up a bargain. a Bit similar to Daniel Rich 2 years ago who was the year before tipped to go No 1 but he drifted a bit and Brisbane snapped up a bargain at No 7.

 

[vinum coupe]

Thanks mate. I liked reading that. Good to read a bit of a story about players from other clubs

 

[Topper Harley]

You have to admit though, he gets the footy a lot. And he's big.
I keep thinking it's Kennedy.

I'm still calling him Ben Mckinley, so you've got me covered.

 

[Selective Retention]

I'm still calling him Ben Mckinley, so you've got me covered.

Seriously? That would be like getting Mackie and Jon Brown confused

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

Unless Smedts ends up being a Mitch Thorp-esque style failure I don't think we should be crying over missing Darling, Walker was an inspired choice and could end up being the player we need just as easily.

 

[David the Cat]

Unless Smedts ends up being a Mitch Thorp-esque style failure I don't think we should be crying over missing Darling, Walker was an inspired choice and could end up being the player we need just as easily.

I had forgotten about Walker LSV...I haven't heard a word about him anywhere. Any news anyone?

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

I had forgotten about Walker LSV...I haven't heard a word about him anywhere. Any news anyone?

Given that Brown has kicked 12 goals in the last 2 weeks it would be remiss to suggest that Walker is knocking on a rookie promotion into the 1's, but he's been going about it quietly, as most 1st year rookies do.

 

[thejester]

I think Darling would have been a good pick up in the sense that he's obviously a good player and (from what's been reported in the media anyway) his 'issues' seem pretty overblown.

But I'm perfectly comfortable with taking Smedts and Guthrie instead. With Hawkins, Brown and Vardy 23 or under there wasn't a pressing need for a key forward - and keep in mind at DC Darling was allegedly trying to seel himself as a midfielder. We haven't got to see Smedts yet but I think Guthrie's done just about everything you could expect of a player in his position - strong preseason, couple of senior games, already pressing for a recall. His junior record speaks for itself and unlike Darling he hasn't filled out yet.

There's also the fact it's seven weeks into 2011. This time in 2009 Daniel Rich was THE BEST player out of the 08 draft and everyone else was an idiot for not having picked him. Two years on and actually his draft position is looking pretty reasonable.

 

[speaknoevil]

Geelong do exclude people on character grounds, and given Darling has had off-field issues, that could be one explanation.

The injury might have contributed, but we did pick up Selwood when others were put off by injury risk, so I would think we would have needed at least one other reason to pass on him.

Still Guthrie was apparently the best tagger going around, and beat a number of this years top 10 when he covered them. Considering Ling might not have much time left, maybe a tagger was higher priority for us?

At this stage Smedts looks very good to me, so I'm willing to give it a few years before looking at making a judgement on that one.

 

[year of the cat]

Although Darling would appear to have been a nice pickup with the wisdom of hindsight as Jester has said you can hardly fault Guthrie thus far.

Being at the VFL on Sunday it was obvious that this kid should be a long term player. He was a cut above most of the midfielders on the ground in class in my mind. He just needs to put another 5-10kg on and he will be able to mix it in physicality.

He is also very very good overhead which has been a characteristic of many of our mids over our successful period.

 

[Turbocat]

Although Darling would appear to have been a nice pickup with the wisdom of hindsight as Jester has said you can hardly fault Guthrie thus far.

Being at the VFL on Sunday it was obvious that this kid should be a long term player. He was a cut above most of the midfielders on the ground in class in my mind. He just needs to put another 5-10kg on and he will be able to mix it in physicality.

He is also very very good overhead which has been a characteristic of many of our mids over our successful period.

Exactly YOTC , less flash more substance has been the hall mark of this cycle. Bartel, Kelly , not flashless but more skilled smart footballers strong overhead being a key tick in our checklist.

Having watched Geelong thru many cycles , and watched enough champions be denied the ultimate Im content to get another link i the chain. I have no doubt that Guthrie will be a top player for us and thats all that matters , not who you missed on but who you picked.

 

[Cat for Life]

At the time of the draft I was hoping that we would use our 2nd pick on him. So far looks great, and with hindsight he appears to be the better pick as a key forward with presence is very valuable.

Guthrie also looks good though, so can't complain.

 

[Rockford]

A couple of points, at 191cm Darling isn't too short to play a KP role. Ablett Snr was 185cm.

That said, I thought it was pretty clear that he wanted to stay in WA. He's playing good footy now and handling the pressures etc.. (supposed off-field issues not having any impact) but that could well be because he's stayed at home. If he'd had to move to Victoria he may not have thrived as well as he has at West Coast.

 

[turbo0010]

A couple of points, at 191cm Darling isn't too short to play a KP role. Ablett Snr was 185cm.

That said, I thought it was pretty clear that he wanted to stay in WA. He's playing good footy now and handling the pressures etc.. (supposed off-field issues not having any impact) but that could well be because he's stayed at home. If he'd had to move to Victoria he may not have thrived as well as he has at West Coast.

Spot on, my thoughts exactly on this, I get the feeling he would've gone back home at some point, if he was drafted by an interstate club.

 

[The Governor]

Is not everything great in hindsight?

Jack Darling would have been a great pickup, but we have Brown and Hawkins as our long term key forwards.

Greg Wells is a smart operator and if Jack Darling did not have any off field troubles last year, he would have been a top 10 draft pick.

We do need Mitch Brown to step up to the plate in the next couple of weeks.

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

Fev is about 191cm too, and is 100% w***er. Draw your own parallels.

 

[bulletproof]

Greg Wells is a smart operator and if Jack Darling did not have any off field troubles last year, he would have been a top 10 draft pick.

At the risk of being annoying pedantic prat, just imagine Steven Wells did have a another brother called Greg also helping him, our recruiting then really would be a force.

This is a strange thread though, I really see no connection between Geelong, real or imagined, with Darling.

Looks promising I guess.