Jack Darling ... Why? Oh Why? Oh Why?

[45HG 1,559]

This club has sucked my enthusiasm for it almost completely dry in the past couple of years. That is something, if you know me, is a massive, massive thing to happen.

I think the reason I don't entirely buy-in to RR's posts is that, if I did, I'd probably just give up. I recognise them as true, but I'm not the recruiter, nor am I a member of the FD - i.e. I can't do anything about it, I can't change crap decision and I can't improve NQR players. I'm clinging to the little enthusiasm for the club that I still harbour.

There's a fair chance that some of this is a last-round-rant, but nevertheless it's obvious that 2013 needs to be a great improvement on this year.

[Range Rover 1,935]

I'll spare you all the anguish of another full thread but let's also not forget this one ... http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/all-bets-are-off-as-daniel-talia-leads-rising-star-race/story-e6frf9jf-1226461139888

I remember at the time a lot of us on here were keen for us to draft Talia. He was also very highly rated in mock drafts and expert opinions.

Yet Prendergast pulled one of his "specials' on us. Seriously, was this guy the footballing equivalent of the Manchurian Candidiate programmed by some faceless evil entity to destroy the MFC? FMD. I hope Mick's first order of business is call him into his office and kick his incompetent arse out of AFL footy forever.

[rhaz 342]

Yet Prendergast pulled one of his "specials' on us. Seriously, was this guy the footballing equivalent of the Manchurian Candidiate programmed by some faceless evil entity to destroy the MFC? FMD. I hope Mick's first order of business is call him into his office and kick his incompetent arse out of AFL footy forever.

The same bloke that got us Tom McDonald with pick 50~, a kid who is doing almost as good a job as Talia with one less year in the system?

[Range Rover 1,935]

The same bloke that got us Tom McDonald with pick 50~, a kid who is doing almost as good a job as Talia with one less year in the system?

17 first round draft picks. No stars. No midfield.

[Sir Why You Little 37,130]

17 first round draft picks. No stars. No midfield.

It is what it is. Damming.

[Hannibal 5,814]

Seriously, was this guy the footballing equivalent of the Manchurian Candidiate programmed by some faceless evil entity to destroy the MFC? FMD. I hope Mick's first order of business is call him into his office and kick his incompetent arse out of AFL footy forever.

RR my Brother only reads here, but he loves your posts, although I try and temper his enthusiasm a little. I had a beer with him yesterday and he believes that Prendergast should be "hunted down". He also believes that despite some players looking OK, like McDonald, he thinks that Howe is his only genuinely good pick. Obviously really early picks such as Watts, Trengove and Scully should be 'givens'.

He wrote a detailed letter imploring Prendergast to draft Hannebery and likes following the juniors. We both were desperate to get Darling, but we thought that if we do bypass him we'd at least get Atley if he was still there. When we heard Cook's name read out we couldn't believe it.

I was going to start a thread titled "1986". You're welcome to if you like, but I thought some may be sick of negatives. "1986" was in reference to the fact, as highlighted by my Brother, we haven't drafted one champion player, or great of the game since the National Draft came into play in 1986, which was the year we picked up Steven Febey. It's a quarter of a century ago. Other selections, such as Neitz, Schwarz, Lyon were zone selections and players like Viney, Dean and Prymke were interstate recruits.

Is Scotty Thompson our best draft pick in that time ? Or is it another top 15 pick in Yze ? As a club, are we the worst performed at identifying talent since the ND was implemented in 1986 ? Do we have the worst record of not drafting a star ? We've never drafted anyone as good as Cotchin. It's mind-boggling how bad the people have been that have been charged with running our club.

Sorry for more negatives HG. Go and read my "blue sky" thread to cheer yourself up. Because I do honestly believe that if Thompson, Dangerfield, and Walker were in our team we'd play finals next year. My point ? If we can recruit/draft 3-4 genuine guns we can make quick in-roads. Unfortunately our history suggests that's not easily done. But I live in hope.

Edited September 1, 2012 by Ben-Hur

[Range Rover 1,935]

RR my Brother only reads here, but he loves your posts, although I try and temper his enthusiasm a little. I had a beer with him yesterday and he believes that Prendergast should be "hunted down". He also believes that despite some players looking OK, like McDonald, he thinks that Howe is his only genuinely good pick. Obviously really early picks such as Watts, Trengove and Scully should be 'givens'.

He wrote a detailed letter imploring Prendergast to draft Hannebery and likes following the juniors. We both were desperate to get Darling, but we thought that if we do bypass him we'd at least get Atley if he was still there. When we heard Cook's name read out we couldn't believe it.

I was going to start a thread titled "1986". You're welcome to if you like, but I thought some may be sick of negatives. "1986" was in reference to the fact, as highlighted by my Brother, we haven't drafted one champion player, or great of the game since the National Draft came into play in 1986, which was the year we picked up Steven Febey. It's a quarter of a century ago. Other selections, such as Neitz, Schwarz, Lyon were zone selections and players like Viney, Dean and Prymke were interstate recruits.

Is Scotty Thompson our best draft pick in that time ? Or is it another first rounder in Yze ? As a club, are we the worst performed at identifying talent since the ND was implemented in 1986 ? Do we have the worst record of not drafting a star ? We've never drafted anyone as good as Cotchin. It's mind-boggling how bad the people have been that have been charged with running our club.

Sorry for more negatives HT. Go and read my "blue sky" thread to cheer you up. Because I do honestly believe that if Thompson, Dangerfield, and Walker were in our team we'd play finals next year. My point ? If we can recruit/draft 3-4 genuine guns we can make quick in-roads. Unfortunately our history suggests that's not easily done. But I live in hope.

I like your brother Ben-H.

[Sir Why You Little 37,130]

RR my Brother only reads here, but he loves your posts, although I try and temper his enthusiasm a little. I had a beer with him yesterday and he believes that Prendergast should be "hunted down". He also believes that despite some players looking OK, like McDonald, he thinks that Howe is his only genuinely good pick. Obviously really early picks such as Watts, Trengove and Scully should be 'givens'.

He wrote a detailed letter imploring Prendergast to draft Hannebery and likes following the juniors. We both were desperate to get Darling, but we thought that if we do bypass him we'd at least get Atley if he was still there. When we heard Cook's name read out we couldn't believe it.

I was going to start a thread titled "1986". You're welcome to if you like, but I thought some may be sick of negatives. "1986" was in reference to the fact, as highlighted by my Brother, we haven't drafted one champion player, or great of the game since the National Draft came into play in 1986, which was the year we picked up Steven Febey. It's a quarter of a century ago. Other selections, such as Neitz, Schwarz, Lyon were zone selections and players like Viney, Dean and Prymke were interstate recruits.

Is Scotty Thompson our best draft pick in that time ? Or is it another top 15 pick in Yze ? As a club, are we the worst performed at identifying talent since the ND was implemented in 1986 ? Do we have the worst record of not drafting a star ? We've never drafted anyone as good as Cotchin. It's mind-boggling how bad the people have been that have been charged with running our club.

Sorry for more negatives HT. Go and read my "blue sky" thread to cheer yourself up. Because I do honestly believe that if Thompson, Dangerfield, and Walker were in our team we'd play finals next year. My point ? If we can recruit/draft 3-4 genuine guns we can make quick in-roads. Unfortunately our history suggests that's not easily done. But I live in hope.

Send this into the club...it is correct & it is why no other club in the AFL fears us.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

got a source for this or are you just making up another rumour like 90% of the stuff going around here?

Source.

BTW i don't make up rumours, if I put it down it's because i have a source.

Edited September 1, 2012 by RobbieF

[pitmaster 3,578]

Agree that Cook over Darling is a confirmed judgment error. However I wonder how many would take Cook, Howe and Tom McDonald as a bundle over Darling, Lycett and Brennan in that draft?

good pick up.

[old dee 23,872]

its called DEVELOPMENT.

until we develop these kids as well as the west coasts of the world do, there is NO POINT discussing which picks were better.

By the time Cook is developed Darling will have played 100 games and kicked 200 goals.

And probably played in a GF

[Nasher 33,617]

A more simplistic version of BRFE's point: if we had taken Howe with the same pick we took Cook with, would we still be upset about this?

[Hannibal 5,814]

A more simplistic version of BRFE's point: if we had taken Howe with the same pick we took Cook with, would we still be upset about this?

More CAC's point.

Doesn't really cut it for me. Howe about we get both right ? Collingwood got Sidebottom at 11 and Beams at 29. That works for me.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

More CAC's point.

Doesn't really cut it for me. Howe about we get both right ? Collingwood got Sidebottom at 11 and Beams at 29. That works for me.

Exactly, why couldn't we have taken Atley/Darling and Howe; why do we have to change our next pick?

I sat next to Tim Harrington at the Foundation Heroes Dinner and said to him I was absolutely gobsmacked when we passed on Atley or Darling and selected Cook.

Edited September 1, 2012 by RobbieF

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,233]

More CAC's point.

Doesn't really cut it for me. Howe about we get both right ? Collingwood got Sidebottom at 11 and Beams at 29. That works for me.

My point is we only look at things in isolation. For all the bitching about missing Darling no one goes on about taking Howe and McDonald which if I had my choice I would take our three over theirs. For all we know we take a 190cm lead up forward in Darling instead of Cook we then choose not to take Howe.

Perfect world get them all right but looking at the overall rather than drooling over what West Coast got doesn't hurt either.

[dazzledavey36 55,357]

Exactly, why couldn't we have taken Atley/Darling and Howe; why do we have to change our next pick?

I sat next to Tim Harrington at the Foundation Heroes Dinner and said to him I was absolutely gobsmacked when we passed on Atley or Darling and selected Cook.

what was his response?

[Dee Fan 3,247]

what was his response?

He didn't disagree with me.

It was a statement by me and didn't require an answer.

Edited September 1, 2012 by RobbieF

[titan_uranus 25,043]

Anyone who continues to whinge about this - GTFO.

Range Rover can start. Go away. You clog up this forum with ridiculous threads, polls and posts. So sick of reading your drivel.

[Yossarian 1,820]

One day all of our team will be called Jack and anyone who isn't will be forced to change their name by deed poll. Our lack of Jacks is what's been holding us back from a premiership.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Anyone who continues to whinge about this - GTFO.

Range Rover can start. Go away. You clog up this forum with ridiculous threads, polls and posts. So sick of reading your drivel.

Nah, I get lots of support around here. So get used to it.

[rhaz 342]

Nah, I get lots of support around here. So get used to it.

Being supported by the hordes of other delusional, pessimistic posters doesn't make you right

Edited September 1, 2012 by rhaz

[Sir Why You Little 37,130]

Being supported by the hordes of other delusional, pessimistic posters doesn't make you right

Or wrong.

[stuie 7,374]

Nah, I get lots of support around here. So get used to it.

I dunno, I reckon that needs a poll....

[Deez 298]

Nah, I get lots of support around here. So get used to it.

this is getting off topic champ and you sound like a fool.

We don't know if cook will be any good, lets give him a good crack before we decide if darling is a better pick.

Further, id like to see fitzy and martin get a bit more time in the forward line, they're both real athletes, martin more so than fitz.

might be something there.

[QueenC 74]

What's the point of b!tching and moaning about this kind of stuff RR? It doesnt all of a sudden change what's already happened! Ease up on the polls and threads like this. They're counter productive and only result on your average Demon supporter getting (even more) depressed!

I tend to agree.....

Was Darling a missed opportunity? Of course he was, along with a multitude of others over the years.

Are the players we have now disappointing us all to the point of insanity? Yes, they are but at the end of the day, they are ours (and we are theirs) and

it's not like they are a completely untalented lot. It is there or at least it was, but the biggest issue I have is that it has not been brought on in any way shape and form.

Bad choices happen and maybe Cook will be another one, but poor player development is inexcusable and all too common here.