Darling ended the year on 257 games and 484 goals at 30 years of age.
He is 20 games short of taking the third spot in most games played by a West Coast player (behind Hurn on TBD games and Cox on 290 games).
He is also 30 goals from taking the second spot from Sumich as most goals kicked (behind Kennedy).
These should both be achievable next year if he continues to remain healthy.
Incidentally I was talking to a friend today, who is a Brisbane fan, and he remarked that he believed Darling to be taller than Gunston and thought he was 195cm. When I corrected his inaccurate understanding on Darling's height he was very surprised how short Darling is. He is actually shorter than Bontempelli. By comparison the earlier generation (I'm classifying this as those 33-36 years of age, because I'm electing to be arbitrary) of forwards who have kicked 500+ goals include:
Lance Franklin (199cm; 35 years; 337 games; 1043 goals)
Jack Riewoldt (193cm; 33 years; 325 games; 752 goals)
Tom Hawkins
(198cm; 34 years; 324 games; 724 goals)
Josh Kennedy (196cm; 34 years; 293 games; 723 goals)
The current generation includes:
Taylor Walker
(195cm; 32 years; 234 games; 528 goals)
Jeremy Cameron
(196cm; 29 years; 207 games; 525 goals)
Tom Lynch (199cm; 29 years; 211 games; 444 goals)
Jack Gunston
(193cm; 30 years; 225 games; 430 goals)
Ben Brown
(200cm; 29 years; 156 games; 333 goals)
Charlie Dixon
(199cm; 31 years; 185 games; 305 goals)
Josh Bruce
(197cm; 30 years; 150 games; 233 goals)
Matt Taberner (199cm; 29 years; 114 games; 162 goals)
(okay I added Taberner in for the lols, heck Mihocek is one goal behind him having been drafted over five years after Taberner and Tom McDonald
has similar goals despite spending half his career down back)
I could see Darling overtake Walker (as there is almost a two year age gap) and landing somewhere about Jonathan Brown or Jarryd Roughead
's total (pushing 600 goals in total).
I think this will place him 2nd for goals kicked on the above list behind Cameron, although perhaps Lynch will catch him. Nobody else will catch him on this list.
I think this is testament to how much Darling continues to fight out of his weight class given that he is 2cm shorter than Gunston and Riewoldt and about 6cm shorter than the average of both of these lists.
As an aside there does appear to be a drop off in output between each of these generations (as in I think Cameron might be pushing it to get to 700 goals).
The next tier generation of key forwards below Darling makes for stark reading. We're talking:
Joe Daniher (201cm; 28 years; 148 games; 271 goals)
Jesse Hogan
(195cm; 27 years; 115 games; 220 goals)
Daniel McStay
(195cm; 27 years; 157 games; 134 goals)
I suppose you could also include Membrey if you're being generous but he's not really a key forward at 190cm. He's kicked 246 goals from 146 games. Ditto Stringer, who has kicked 303 goals from 171 games. He'll be 29 in April.
Absolutely none of these next generation of key forwards are getting close to 500 goals.
Perhaps McKay, Curnow or Hipwood in the mid-20s bracket can get a run on in the next 4-5 years, but they'll need to be kicking 50+ goals each year.
I guess we'll be waiting for the Kings and Naughtons over the next decade to see if they can match Darling's generation (let along Hawkins/Kennedy/Riewoldt).
My, hasn't the landscape changed since the 90s as to what could be expected from a key forward.
He is 20 games short of taking the third spot in most games played by a West Coast player (behind Hurn on TBD games and Cox on 290 games).
He is also 30 goals from taking the second spot from Sumich as most goals kicked (behind Kennedy).
These should both be achievable next year if he continues to remain healthy.
Incidentally I was talking to a friend today, who is a Brisbane fan, and he remarked that he believed Darling to be taller than Gunston and thought he was 195cm. When I corrected his inaccurate understanding on Darling's height he was very surprised how short Darling is. He is actually shorter than Bontempelli. By comparison the earlier generation (I'm classifying this as those 33-36 years of age, because I'm electing to be arbitrary) of forwards who have kicked 500+ goals include:
Lance Franklin (199cm; 35 years; 337 games; 1043 goals)
Jack Riewoldt (193cm; 33 years; 325 games; 752 goals)
Tom Hawkins
PLAYERCARDSTART
26
Tom Hawkins
- Age
- 36
- Ht
- 197cm
- Wt
- 105kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 12.2
- 3star
- K
- 7.9
- 3star
- HB
- 4.4
- 3star
- M
- 5.5
- 5star
- T
- 1.9
- 4star
- G
- 2.1
- 5star
- D
- 12.7
- 3star
- K
- 8.6
- 3star
- HB
- 4.1
- 3star
- M
- 5.1
- 5star
- T
- 2.1
- 3star
- G
- 1.6
- 5star
- D
- 7.8
- 2star
- K
- 5.6
- 3star
- HB
- 2.2
- 2star
- M
- 4.2
- 4star
- T
- 1.0
- 3star
- G
- 2.2
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
Josh Kennedy (196cm; 34 years; 293 games; 723 goals)
The current generation includes:
Taylor Walker
PLAYERCARDSTART
13
Taylor Walker
- Age
- 34
- Ht
- 194cm
- Wt
- 102kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 13.0
- 3star
- K
- 9.0
- 3star
- HB
- 4.0
- 3star
- M
- 5.7
- 5star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
- G
- 2.3
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 8.0
- 2star
- K
- 6.4
- 3star
- HB
- 1.6
- 2star
- M
- 4.2
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
- G
- 1.6
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
Jeremy Cameron
PLAYERCARDSTART
5
Jeremy Cameron
- Age
- 31
- Ht
- 196cm
- Wt
- 94kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 12.5
- 3star
- K
- 9.0
- 3star
- HB
- 3.4
- 3star
- M
- 5.4
- 5star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
- G
- 2.6
- 5star
- D
- 10.0
- 3star
- K
- 7.1
- 3star
- HB
- 2.9
- 2star
- M
- 4.6
- 4star
- T
- 2.0
- 3star
- G
- 1.9
- 5star
- D
- 8.2
- 2star
- K
- 5.0
- 2star
- HB
- 3.2
- 3star
- M
- 4.6
- 5star
- T
- 2.4
- 4star
- G
- 2.0
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
Tom Lynch (199cm; 29 years; 211 games; 444 goals)
Jack Gunston
PLAYERCARDSTART
19
Jack Gunston
- Age
- 33
- Ht
- 193cm
- Wt
- 86kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 15.5
- 4star
- K
- 10.5
- 4star
- HB
- 5.0
- 4star
- M
- 5.7
- 5star
- T
- 2.2
- 4star
- G
- 1.9
- 5star
- D
- 10.6
- 3star
- K
- 8.0
- 3star
- HB
- 2.6
- 2star
- M
- 4.3
- 4star
- T
- 1.7
- 3star
- G
- 1.6
- 5star
- D
- 11.2
- 3star
- K
- 7.0
- 3star
- HB
- 4.2
- 4star
- M
- 3.2
- 4star
- T
- 2.6
- 4star
- G
- 0.6
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
Ben Brown
PLAYERCARDSTART
50
Ben Brown
- Age
- 31
- Ht
- 200cm
- Wt
- 100kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 10.7
- 3star
- K
- 7.7
- 3star
- HB
- 3.0
- 3star
- M
- 4.8
- 5star
- T
- 1.2
- 3star
- G
- 2.2
- 5star
- D
- 7.9
- 2star
- K
- 6.3
- 3star
- HB
- 1.6
- 1star
- M
- 3.7
- 4star
- T
- 0.9
- 2star
- G
- 1.0
- 4star
- D
- 8.0
- 2star
- K
- 4.6
- 2star
- HB
- 3.4
- 3star
- M
- 4.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.4
- 4star
- G
- 1.2
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Charlie Dixon
PLAYERCARDSTART
22
Charlie Dixon
- Age
- 34
- Ht
- 200cm
- Wt
- 110kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 11.7
- 3star
- K
- 6.9
- 3star
- HB
- 4.7
- 3star
- M
- 4.0
- 4star
- T
- 2.2
- 4star
- G
- 1.6
- 5star
- D
- 10.5
- 3star
- K
- 7.0
- 3star
- HB
- 3.5
- 2star
- M
- 5.0
- 5star
- T
- 1.5
- 2star
- G
- 2.5
- 5star
- D
- 8.2
- 2star
- K
- 4.4
- 2star
- HB
- 3.8
- 3star
- M
- 2.0
- 3star
- T
- 1.8
- 4star
- G
- 0.8
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Josh Bruce
PLAYERCARDSTART
17
Josh Bruce
- Age
- 32
- Ht
- 198cm
- Wt
- 97kg
- Pos.
- D/F
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 11.2
- 3star
- K
- 6.6
- 3star
- HB
- 4.6
- 3star
- M
- 4.5
- 4star
- T
- 2.1
- 4star
- MG
- 90.4
- 1star
- D
- 8.9
- 2star
- K
- 3.5
- 1star
- HB
- 5.4
- 3star
- M
- 2.5
- 3star
- T
- 1.3
- 2star
- MG
- 90.4
- 2star
- D
- 11.2
- 3star
- K
- 5.6
- 3star
- HB
- 5.6
- 4star
- M
- 3.6
- 4star
- T
- 0.8
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
Matt Taberner (199cm; 29 years; 114 games; 162 goals)
(okay I added Taberner in for the lols, heck Mihocek is one goal behind him having been drafted over five years after Taberner and Tom McDonald
PLAYERCARDSTART
25
Tom Mcdonald
- Age
- 32
- Ht
- 195cm
- Wt
- 101kg
- Pos.
- D/F
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 16.4
- 4star
- K
- 9.7
- 4star
- HB
- 6.7
- 4star
- M
- 5.6
- 5star
- T
- 1.9
- 4star
- MG
- 261.8
- 4star
- D
- 8.0
- 2star
- K
- 5.0
- 2star
- HB
- 3.0
- 2star
- M
- 3.4
- 3star
- T
- 0.6
- 1star
- MG
- 135.6
- 2star
- D
- 13.8
- 4star
- K
- 6.8
- 3star
- HB
- 7.0
- 5star
- M
- 4.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.4
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
I could see Darling overtake Walker (as there is almost a two year age gap) and landing somewhere about Jonathan Brown or Jarryd Roughead
PLAYERCARDSTART
Jarryd Roughead
- Age
- 37
- Ht
- 193cm
- Wt
- 98kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 14.6
- 4star
- K
- 8.8
- 3star
- HB
- 5.8
- 4star
- M
- 4.7
- 4star
- T
- 2.3
- 4star
- G
- 2.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 7.2
- 2star
- K
- 3.8
- 2star
- HB
- 3.4
- 3star
- M
- 2.6
- 3star
- T
- 0.8
- 3star
- G
- 1.0
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
I think this will place him 2nd for goals kicked on the above list behind Cameron, although perhaps Lynch will catch him. Nobody else will catch him on this list.
I think this is testament to how much Darling continues to fight out of his weight class given that he is 2cm shorter than Gunston and Riewoldt and about 6cm shorter than the average of both of these lists.
As an aside there does appear to be a drop off in output between each of these generations (as in I think Cameron might be pushing it to get to 700 goals).
The next tier generation of key forwards below Darling makes for stark reading. We're talking:
Joe Daniher (201cm; 28 years; 148 games; 271 goals)
Jesse Hogan
PLAYERCARDSTART
23
Jesse Hogan
- Age
- 29
- Ht
- 196cm
- Wt
- 100kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 15.0
- 4star
- K
- 9.3
- 4star
- HB
- 5.7
- 4star
- M
- 6.4
- 5star
- T
- 1.4
- 3star
- G
- 1.9
- 5star
- D
- 10.3
- 3star
- K
- 6.0
- 2star
- HB
- 4.3
- 3star
- M
- 5.3
- 5star
- T
- 0.0
- 1star
- G
- 0.0
- 1star
- D
- 13.0
- 4star
- K
- 9.0
- 4star
- HB
- 4.0
- 3star
- M
- 6.4
- 5star
- T
- 1.4
- 4star
- G
- 1.8
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
Daniel McStay
PLAYERCARDSTART
11
Daniel Mcstay
- Age
- 29
- Ht
- 195cm
- Wt
- 99kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 8.6
- 2star
- K
- 5.3
- 2star
- HB
- 3.3
- 3star
- M
- 3.9
- 4star
- T
- 1.0
- 3star
- G
- 0.9
- 4star
- D
- 8.6
- 2star
- K
- 5.3
- 2star
- HB
- 3.3
- 2star
- M
- 3.9
- 4star
- T
- 1.0
- 2star
- G
- 0.9
- 4star
- D
- 8.4
- 3star
- K
- 4.8
- 2star
- HB
- 3.6
- 3star
- M
- 3.8
- 4star
- T
- 1.0
- 3star
- G
- 1.2
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
I suppose you could also include Membrey if you're being generous but he's not really a key forward at 190cm. He's kicked 246 goals from 146 games. Ditto Stringer, who has kicked 303 goals from 171 games. He'll be 29 in April.
Absolutely none of these next generation of key forwards are getting close to 500 goals.
Perhaps McKay, Curnow or Hipwood in the mid-20s bracket can get a run on in the next 4-5 years, but they'll need to be kicking 50+ goals each year.
I guess we'll be waiting for the Kings and Naughtons over the next decade to see if they can match Darling's generation (let along Hawkins/Kennedy/Riewoldt).
My, hasn't the landscape changed since the 90s as to what could be expected from a key forward.
Last edited: