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

[Guest Rassilon]

He's been shown where the door is a couple of times when he's stepped over the mark. That said, Demonland has always operated under a philosophy that people have a right to speak their mind no matter how idiotic controversial what they may say is, so long as the topic remains civil and the rules are followed.

No problems. However, there is a massive difference between constructive criticism and the constant ill-informed bleating he comes up with. Its so obvious its ill-informed because if he knew anything about what he was talking about, he would not say half the things he does.

[Range Rover 1,935]

No problems. However, there is a massive difference between constructive criticism and the constant ill-informed bleating he comes up with. Its so obvious its ill-informed because if he knew anything about what he was talking about, he would not say half the things he does.

The scoreboard and the performances don't lie Rassilon. Get your head out of the sand.

[Carlos Danger 380]

At the time everybody at the MFC was crying out for a KPF, been crying out for one since Neitz retired and it had only gotten louder.

4 top 20 picks were used on midfielders in the previous draft so I can understand Atley being overlooked. And as I said, the club was in the market for a KPF- Darling was and still is a mid sized forward... of which we did and still have an abundance of.

As for Cook I don't think it's fair to say selecting him was a mistake, he's still developing. I see him as being in the same boat as Aaron Black from NM, who was drafted a year earlier and has only played one game at AFL level (in which he kicked 4 goals).

Haven't heard of anyone at North saying a bad word about Black, maybe their supporter base is a lot more patient and has a bit more awareness about how things work.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

At the time everybody at the MFC was crying out for a KPF, been crying out for one since Neitz retired and it had only gotten louder.

4 top 20 picks were used on midfielders in the previous draft so I can understand Atley being overlooked. And as I said, the club was in the market for a KPF- Darling was and still is a mid sized forward... of which we did and still have an abundance of.

1) As for Cook I don't think it's fair to say selecting him was a mistake, 2) he's still developing. I see him as being in the same boat as Aaron Black from NM, who was drafted a year earlier and has only played one game at AFL level (in which he kicked 4 goals).

Haven't heard of anyone at North saying a bad word about Black, maybe their supporter base is a lot more patient and has a bit more awareness about how things work.

1) Yes it was

2) No he's not

I would be surprised if he's still at the club next year.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

At the time everybody at the MFC was crying out for a KPF, been crying out for one since Neitz retired and it had only gotten louder.

4 top 20 picks were used on midfielders in the previous draft so I can understand Atley being overlooked. And as I said, the club was in the market for a KPF- Darling was and still is a mid sized forward... of which we did and still have an abundance of.

As for Cook I don't think it's fair to say selecting him was a mistake, he's still developing. I see him as being in the same boat as Aaron Black from NM, who was drafted a year earlier and has only played one game at AFL level (in which he kicked 4 goals).

Haven't heard of anyone at North saying a bad word about Black, maybe their supporter base is a lot more patient and has a bit more awareness about how things work.

Haven't read the whole thread, but don't forget that Cook was AA CHF. That's nothing to sneeze at. Since we didn't get a shot at Lynch, they went for a guy who was about the same size and had performed really well in the U18's that year.

Was there ever any indication that Darling had campaigned to stay in the west with the old "I'll go home after my first contract" line? I have to wonder why every Victorian club passed over him. Surely they weren't all put off by the threesome.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Haven't read the whole thread, but don't forget that Cook was AA CHF. That's nothing to sneeze at.

VFL defenders are sneezing at it unfortunately.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

VFL defenders are sneezing at it unfortunately.

I'll pay that one.

I've seen him play once and to my mind he is a couple of yards too slow. I can't fault his game sense, he certainly knows where to run, but it's not going to do him much good at AFL level if he can't improve his run or bulk up to Cloke-like levels and play as a Gorilla in the goalsquare.

[jacey 333]

Was there ever any indication that Darling had campaigned to stay in the west with the old "I'll go home after my first contract" line? I have to wonder why every Victorian club passed over him. Surely they weren't all put off by the threesome.

Darling didn't have a good year in his draft year. Was a beast in previous u17 etc.

Question marks were put to his height. undersized in AFL.

He was a big body in u18 yet was continually beaten by the other kids, how can he go in the next level?

He was a great speculation pick cause he had upside but no one had the balls to pick him in the first round.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Darling didn't have a good year in his draft year. Was a beast in previous u17 etc.

Question marks were put to his height. undersized in AFL.

He was a big body in u18 yet was continually beaten by the other kids, how can he go in the next level?

He was a great speculation pick cause he had upside but no one had the balls to pick him in the first round.

I do find it funny that Matty Lloyd wouldn't have been drafted as a FF in this era because he'd be considered too small. Sometimes the recruiters are blinded by the stats.

[Carlos Danger 380]

1) Yes it was

2) No he's not

I would be surprised if he's still at the club next year.

I'm all for justified criticism of a player on the list where it's due but a 20 year old developing KPF who has yet to play a senior game? Surely you could raise your aim a little higher than that.

And suggesting he has already stagnated to the point where he can develop no further is almost like you are willing him to fail. Very nasty aspersion indeed.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

I'm all for justified criticism of a player on the list where it's due but a 20 year old developing KPF who has yet to play a senior game? Surely you could raise your aim a little higher than that.

And suggesting he has already stagnated to the point where he can develop no further is almost like you are willing him to fail. Very nasty aspersion indeed.

I want every Melbourne player to succeed but life just isn't like that.

[Carlos Danger 380]

I want every Melbourne player to succeed but life just isn't like that.

Writing off a 20 year old KPF after 2 years on the list reeks of impatience and ineptitude.

A lot of people on here are calling for Cloke for over a million a year, how much better would it be to build a KPF beast internally?

[Moonshadow 16,305]

You're right.

We should sack Prendergast immediately!

However, Tim Harrington is still employed by MFC.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,524]

Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing....

It's got nothing to do with hindsight many people suggested we should take Darling at the time and were astonished when we didn't select him.

This topic has been done to death but for those wanting a quick breakdown;

- Darling was a top player the year before his draft year and was touted as a number 1 (or at least top 3) pick

- Darling's performances in his draft year were below what he had produced previously and some "issues" became apparent

- These "issues" amounted to having a drink and a girl in his tent at school camp and getting king-hit outside a night club (neither of which are hanging offences and shouldn't have really raised an eyebrow amongst AFL clubs)

- MFC were in the market for a strong forward, something Darling was and has proven to be

- Few other clubs were in the market for this type of player which makes the "everyone else stuffed up too" argument laughable and embarrassing for those who continue to peddle it

- MFC picked Watts with pick 1 two years prior, a player who was basically a clone of Cook but with bigger wraps

- Cook was a tall skinny project player in the same vein as Watts who by reports suffered anxiety before games to such an extent that he developed migraines and vomited - these "issues" are far worse than anything Darling was accused of

- While Darling was seen as very plausibly being taken by us at 12 Cook was seen as at the most a second rounder meaning we paid way over the odds for him

- Darlinghas stepped in and had a presence in the Eagles forward line since day 1 while Cook was dropped to Casey seconds for the last match of the season and has shown absolutely nothing to indicate he will play even 10 games at AFL level let alone 150-200

Did I miss anything? Another calamitous error by the morons in charge of our recruiting. Sometimes I really do wonder why I bother when our club is so obviously run by inept idiots. We are the joke of the competition, worse than Richmond or St. Kilda and it is not just because of the results we dish up each weekend.

[Range Rover 1,935]

It's got nothing to do with hindsight many people suggested we should take Darling at the time and were astonished when we didn't select him.

This topic has been done to death but for those wanting a quick breakdown;

- Darling was a top player the year before his draft year and was touted as a number 1 (or at least top 3) pick

- Darling's performances in his draft year were below what he had produced previously and some "issues" became apparent

- These "issues" amounted to having a drink and a girl in his tent at school camp and getting king-hit outside a night club (neither of which are hanging offences and shouldn't have really raised an eyebrow amongst AFL clubs)

- MFC were in the market for a strong forward, something Darling was and has proven to be

- Few other clubs were in the market for this type of player which makes the "everyone else stuffed up too" argument laughable and embarrassing for those who continue to peddle it

- MFC picked Watts with pick 1 two years prior, a player who was basically a clone of Cook but with bigger wraps

- Cook was a tall skinny project player in the same vein as Watts who by reports suffered anxiety before games to such an extent that he developed migraines and vomited - these "issues" are far worse than anything Darling was accused of

- While Darling was seen as very plausibly being taken by us at 12 Cook was seen as at the most a second rounder meaning we paid way over the odds for him

- Darlinghas stepped in and had a presence in the Eagles forward line since day 1 while Cook was dropped to Casey seconds for the last match of the season and has shown absolutely nothing to indicate he will play even 10 games at AFL level let alone 150-200

Did I miss anything? Another calamitous error by the morons in charge of our recruiting. Sometimes I really do wonder why I bother when our club is so obviously run by inept idiots. We are the joke of the competition, worse than Richmond or St. Kilda and it is not just because of the results we dish up each weekend.

Good post Dr. Gonzo. Spot on with every point.

It is little wonder we are regarded as the laughing stock of the competition.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Range Rover

[Sir Why You Little 34,637]

It's got nothing to do with hindsight many people suggested we should take Darling at the time and were astonished when we didn't select him.

This topic has been done to death but for those wanting a quick breakdown;

- Darling was a top player the year before his draft year and was touted as a number 1 (or at least top 3) pick

- Darling's performances in his draft year were below what he had produced previously and some "issues" became apparent

- These "issues" amounted to having a drink and a girl in his tent at school camp and getting king-hit outside a night club (neither of which are hanging offences and shouldn't have really raised an eyebrow amongst AFL clubs)

- MFC were in the market for a strong forward, something Darling was and has proven to be

- Few other clubs were in the market for this type of player which makes the "everyone else stuffed up too" argument laughable and embarrassing for those who continue to peddle it

- MFC picked Watts with pick 1 two years prior, a player who was basically a clone of Cook but with bigger wraps

- Cook was a tall skinny project player in the same vein as Watts who by reports suffered anxiety before games to such an extent that he developed migraines and vomited - these "issues" are far worse than anything Darling was accused of

- While Darling was seen as very plausibly being taken by us at 12 Cook was seen as at the most a second rounder meaning we paid way over the odds for him

- Darlinghas stepped in and had a presence in the Eagles forward line since day 1 while Cook was dropped to Casey seconds for the last match of the season and has shown absolutely nothing to indicate he will play even 10 games at AFL level let alone 150-200

Did I miss anything? Another calamitous error by the morons in charge of our recruiting. Sometimes I really do wonder why I bother when our club is so obviously run by inept idiots. We are the joke of the competition, worse than Richmond or St. Kilda and it is not just because of the results we dish up each weekend.

Spot F$&@ing on'

Agree with all that.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,524]

And as I said, the club was in the market for a KPF- Darling was and still is a mid sized forward... of which we did and still have an abundance of.

Darling is about the same height as;

Lloyd, Dunstall, Lyon, Lockett, Modra, Fevola, Pavlich

and probably a few others I'm forgetting.

[titan_uranus 22,548]

It's got nothing to do with hindsight many people suggested we should take Darling at the time and were astonished when we didn't select him.

It's got a lot more to do with hindsight than you're allowing.

And you gave no credit whatsoever to the fact that Darling was inserted into a top 4 side, with the ability to watch and learn from the likes of Cox, Kerr, Kennedy, Priddis, Embley and LeCras. Whilst Cook has had the wonderful leadership of Bate, Dunn, Moloney, Rivers and Davey to guide him.

As for the 'everyone passed on him is a lamentable argument' bit - how often do we bleat on this site about how KPFs don't grow on trees and are hard to come by? You can't on the one hand note that Darling was touted as a top 3 pick, but then say clubs weren't in the market for him. If he was as good as you claim, every club would have been interested in him. One or the other.

I will, however, congratulate you on at least coherently presenting some arguments (a feat which seems to escape many). I disagree with almost everyone of them though.

[Scipio 5,868]

Darling is about the same height as;

Lloyd, Dunstall, Lyon, Lockett, Modra, Fevola, Pavlich

and probably a few others I'm forgetting.

At 87kg though you can hardly compare him to those guys, who were all around the 100kg mark. If he weren't behind Lynch, Kennedy and the resting ruckman, he wouldn't be setting the world on fire. But of course, I'd still be very happy to go back to that draft and swap around the names on BP's drafting sheet.

[daisycutter 28,629]

At 87kg though you can hardly compare him to those guys, who were all around the 100kg mark. If he weren't behind Lynch, Kennedy and the resting ruckman, he wouldn't be setting the world on fire. But of course, I'd still be very happy to go back to that draft and swap around the names on BP's drafting sheet.

for the record Tony Modra 188 cm / 95 kg

[nutbean 8,837]

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?

This is what I find amusing - I talk to a couple of my close WCE mates and they think that their recruiting is ordinary and cant fathom how they took Lycett and Brennan in that draft. They are happy with Darling but bemoan the other two. They look at Howe and McDonald and how we got it right and tell us how our recruiting is better than theirs.

[old dee 22,930]

This is what I find amusing - I talk to a couple of my close WCE mates and they think that their recruiting is ordinary and cant fathom how they took Lycett and Brennan in that draft. They are happy with Darling but bemoan the other two. They look at Howe and McDonald and how we got it right and tell us how our recruiting is better than theirs.

Not quite sure then nutbean why they are playing finals and we are last!

[jurrahcane 70]

mistake number 26 under Bailey and one of Barry Prendergasts many "what was I thinking" moments

move on to 2012 draft and hope we "learn" our lesson

Dayle Gartlett - huge talent, skilled, great Rioli like goal kicking ability ... but had some off field concerns. GET HIM anyway.

[nutbean 8,837]

Not quite sure then nutbean why they are playing finals and we are last!

Because they have lots of good footballers in the mid to senior range and we don't. As good as you might believe the WCE kids are, the reason for their step up over the last two years is their experienced players return to form (back from injury) combined with kids coming through. We have had Moloney,Davey,Green and Jamar (I mark him a let less harshly because of injury) showing our kids the way. Of all our senior players only Rivers gets a bare pass mark this year. Nathan Jones has just entered the phase of his career that he can be agreat influence on the kids.

That dingbat Wallace kept banging on about a premiership clock based on age and games played of the list. A dingbat yes but history proved his theory in all bar the recent Hawks GF win.

[old dee 22,930]

Because they have lots of good footballers in the mid to senior range and we don't. As good as you might believe the WCE kids are, the reason for their step up over the last two years is their experienced players return to form (back from injury) combined with kids coming through. We have had Moloney,Davey,Green and Jamar (I mark him a let less harshly because of injury) showing our kids the way. Of all our senior players only Rivers gets a bare pass mark this year. Nathan Jones has just entered the phase of his career that he can be agreat influence on the kids.

That dingbat Wallace kept banging on about a premiership clock based on age and games played of the list. A dingbat yes but history proved his theory in all bar the recent Hawks GF win.

I do not disagree with you nutbean.

It just shows how poor our recruiting has been for a long period.

If you look at the selections over the last dozen years the first round selections have been very ordinary

Your WCE mates are IMO only looking at an individual year.

In total we have been a disaster.