Jack Darling

[makaveli01]

So your statement about him having close to the best closing speed in the AFL is actually not true then?

[youtube]m1lEjpTRVOk[/youtube]

 

[Chris who]

Recruiters would have ignored the off field stuff. Seriously, in the end they don't care. That's why punts on Cousins and Fevola are taken. There were other perceived flaws in his game that many thought would be exposed by the time other players in his cohort were fully developed.

He's a good fit for West Coast at the moment, and would have been a good fit for many other clubs (Melbourne could have done with a player like him out there), but whether he is part of a premiership side remains to be seen. So far, so good.

that second paragraph is a load of crap. Could say the same about pavlich.

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

I remember the knocks on this guy coming into the draft. Not big enough to be a true key forward, not quick enough to be a midfielder. To be honest, he looks like he could be either. Pavlich-esque.

How did he get to 26? Surely not the "character" concerns

I think it had more to do with his neurosurgeon than anything else.

He apparantly was very conservative with his recovery time from his injury, so when clubs did there due diligence and spoke to his neurosurgeon they got scared off.

 

[Jentleman Geff]

that second paragraph is a load of crap. Could say the same about pavlich.

Maybe. Same could also be said about Hasleby, who dominated from the word go, but never improved after his first season.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Maybe. Same could also be said about Hasleby, who dominated from the word go, but never improved after his first season.

Yes he did, he lost his puppy fat and at his best was AA.

Silly statement.

 

[Adam Selwood]

I would think a lot of the Indigenous blokes like Davey, Garlett ect. would have something to say about that...

Just as quick as any of them IMO

Freak

 

[Jentleman Geff]

Yes he did, he lost his puppy fat and at his best was AA.

Silly statement.

True.

But compared to his draft cohort, did he reach the same heights? Guys like Chapman, Ling, Corey, Glass, etc went past him. Hasleby was a great player, but he was very close to his ceiling as an 18 year old.

 

[makaveli01]

True.

But compared to his draft cohort, did he reach the same heights? Guys like Chapman, Ling, Corey, Glass, etc went past him. Hasleby was a great player, but he was very close to his ceiling as an 18 year old.

You can only judge a players ceiling in retrospect. Who knows how good Darling, or any young player for that fact will be.

 

[rhinowce]

he's got a bit of ash hansen about him dont you think??

 

[94_Eagles]

he's got a bit of ash hansen about him dont you think??

Bad call.

Shocking call.

Worst call ever call.

Unless you were being a sarcastic chief?

 

[Altum Volantes]

True.

But compared to his draft cohort, did he reach the same heights? Guys like Chapman, Ling, Corey, Glass, etc went past him. Hasleby was a great player, but he was very close to his ceiling as an 18 year old.

Nah he was a much better player in his prime. He was a chubby accumulator as a rookie.

He did his knee in his prime didn't he?..

I'm no massive Paul Haselby fan but considering he backed up his Rising Star win by making an AA team (at Fremantle, a low profile, generally unsuccessful team), shows he didn't reach his best in 2000.

 

[Looney]

Someone should check this guys birth certificate. I have a hard time believing he is only 18.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

he's got a bit of ash hansen about him dont you think??

Looks every bit the premiership winning key forward

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Darling is better than any of our last picks in the 20's in the last three years drafts that's good enough for me. The fact people are mentioning in him in the same breath as Hasleby is amazing for someone who has played 5 games.

 

[Jentleman Geff]

Nah he was a much better player in his prime. He was a chubby accumulator as a rookie.

He did his knee in his prime didn't he?..

I'm no massive Paul Haselby fan but considering he backed up his Rising Star win by making an AA team (at Fremantle, a low profile, generally unsuccessful team), shows he didn't reach his best in 2000.

When he made AA Freo were finalists, but I don't think his style of play improved much compared to his first year, just got fitter. Compare that to someone like Mundy, who has improved out of sight, and IMO is an all round better player.

He did his knee well after his prime. He wasn't anywhere near his best after 2004, sadly enough.

 

[The Grover]

I can understand a little of the concern around the off-field stuff, but it seems to be a bit of a product of the over-analysis of him as a prospect. He was so highly touted that all that was left was for recruiters to pick holes in his game, and at this point they are looking to be false.

His presence on a lead and tackling pressure is impressive.

Honestly some of these recruiters couldn't pick their noses in the dark.

West Coast have just leapfrogged about 5-7 sides on the basis of getting 2 top 4-10 draft picks.

Good luck to them.

 

[Dagless]

Someone should check this guys birth certificate. I have a hard time believing he is only 18.

We did some of that early 90's magic...........

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

i remember reading the potential draftees' self comparison with an afl player and raising my eyebrows when some said absolute stars of the game...then darling came out and said he was both j.brown AND franklin

Rofl at this, arrogant little ****, but there is simply nothing better in pro sport than talking yourself up and then bringing it on game day.

I think getting passed over in the first round was probably pretty good for him- maybe made him take his talent less for granted, hope he can sustain this level of effort as the accolades start to flow.

He is a natural contested mark, but the thing which makes him inspirational to watch is his suicidal, instinctive chasing. When you get a key forward who is prepared to hurl themselves after defenders, it helps a team so much. Nothing lifts a side more than seeing a big bloke mow someone down.

 

[Roby]

I can't remember anyone saying he wasn't big enough to be a true forward, if anything he was being touted as the next Pavlich before the draft.

Off field character is very important these days apparently, if it wasn't Fevola would still be playing.

(Not that I'm comparing him (character wise) to Fevola, thought I had better throw that in!)

I bet the Fevola thing was fresh in the mind of recruiters and they reassessed their assessments.

i remember reading the potential draftees' self comparison with an afl player and raising my eyebrows when some said absolute stars of the game...then darling came out and said he was both j.brown AND franklin and i thought the kid was an arrogant $%^^..but he has looked very good!

Sounds a lot like Franklin. Franklin might not have been a top 10 pick if Hawthorn didn't pick him up at pick 5.

 

[Silvagnis]

Honestly some of these recruiters couldn't pick their noses in the dark.

West Coast have just leapfrogged about 5-7 sides on the basis of getting 2 top 4-10 draft picks.

You're judging the 2010 draft after six rounds?

WC beat Melbourne who don't appear to be as great as everyone thinks.

There must be something wrong with the talent assessment system in AFL if this bloke slipped to 26.

WC passed on Darling too, so I guess they had queries against Darling and drafted for need with their first pick.

For every Jack Darling, there's a Tom Hawkins who was also considered to be the next big thing and a bargain pick.

Too early to call Darling as a miss.

Our first pick isn't ready.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Rofl at this, arrogant little ****, but there is simply nothing better in pro sport than talking yourself up and then bringing it on game day.

I think getting passed over in the first round was probably pretty good for him- maybe made him take his talent less for granted, hope he can sustain this level of effort as the accolades start to flow.

He is a natural contested mark, but the thing which makes him inspirational to watch is his suicidal, instinctive chasing. When you get a key forward who is prepared to hurl themselves after defenders, it helps a team so much. Nothing lifts a side more than seeing a big bloke mow someone down.

Good call. All very true.

 

[Scotland]

Good call. All very true.

If he plays like he did tonight he can be as arrogant as he likes.

That principle has served West Coast well for the better part of 25 seasons...

 

[Altum Volantes]

WC passed on Darling too, so I guess they had queries against Darling and drafted for need.

He wasn't in the frame for 1-5. WCE took him with their second pick.

Darling was considered 6-15, or there about.

So he slid, not massively though.

 

[The Grover]

You're judging the 2010 draft after six rounds?

WC beat Melbourne who don't appear to be as great as everyone thinks.

WC passed on Darling too, so I guess they had queries against Darling and drafted for need with their first pick.

For every Jack Darling, there's a Tom Hawkins who was also considered to be the next big thing and a bargain pick.

Too early to call Darling as a miss.

Our first pick isn't ready.

darling is already doing what it took Kennedy 3 years to do.

Darling looks as though he could run for Australia in the 400m, Hawkins couldn't beat U10 kids in a 400m.

 

[zero]

for mine, he's better at an early stage than any player I have ever seen at west coast

Judd was amazing from a few games in after starting round 2, cuz kicked alot of goals in his first, Kerr looked great as an extractor under packs in his first season... Darling has looked a gun 3 weeks prior to his first season even starting. all three went top 2 in the rising star, darling is on track for something similar

obviously theres years to go and improvement and a million things can happen and go wrong, but he's got the speed, tackling, kicking and contested marking to be talked about with brown, reiwoldt, pav and franklin.

he started game 1 a better player than jacinta watts will ever be