Jack Darling’s ‘junk time’ goals for the West Coast Eagles are disguising how bad his form really is, but will the club finally pull the trigger and drop their enigmatic forward?
The 2018 premiership player has struggled since returning to the AFL in Round 2, kicking just nine goals. The 2019 All Australian is not alone, as the Eagles have endured a horror year.
COVID-19 and injury have derailed West Coast’s season and most weeks the battered club have barely had 22 fit, AFL-listed players to choose from.
Darling’s quiet start to the season was almost expected, given he missed seven weeks of pre-season after he failed to meet the AFL’s coronavirus mandates.
Coach Adam Simpson told fans to keep the faith after the club’s prized forward came under fire for not impacting the scoreboard after only four games.
“Jack has had seven weeks away from the club,” he told AFL.com. “It would’ve been really difficult to do anything in terms of football. I’m not surprised it’s been a slower start, but we’d love him to get going sooner rather than later.”
Adam Simpson, coach of the Eagles (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
It’s now later, and not much has changed.
Darling’s nine goals have been serviceable given the club have only kick 84 this year. What must be a concern for West Coast is the single goal he has kicked in seven games has come late in matches when the Eagles were getting thumped.
Even when West Coast pulled off a miraculous win over the Pies in Round 4, Darling still kicked his two majors in the fourth quarter.
The 29-year-old has never really been a contested-mark king during his 245-game career, but he has only taken 14 this year. And those numbers are flattering after a season-high four against the Giants last week.
Coaches will always roll out that ubiquitous line that forwards are not just about kicking goals but Darling has only laid two tackles per game, had three goal assists and 13 inside 50s.
If the Eagles’ season hadn’t been riddled by injuries and COVID, it would be hard to make a case for the out-of-form forward. They have also been bereft of scoring options, with Willie Rioli and Josh Kennedy out with injuries, and promising young forward Oscar Allen yet to play this season because of a foot injury.
Simpson had previously said Darling was the first player targeted when he went through a dry spell. The power forward has always been an enigma and is one of the most polarising players running around in the AFL.
At his best, the Eagles’ four-time leading goalkicker has all the poise and grace of former Roos great Wayne Carey.
Only two players in the club’s history have kicked more goals than Darling, who sits behind Kennedy (581) and Peter Sumich (511).
There is no doubt Darling is a prodigious talent but his moments of brilliance have been overshadowed by his on-field bloopers.
darling eagl
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
West Coast fans have been relentlessly unforgiving of his mid-game gaffes, most notably the 2015 grand final when he dropped a sitter with no player within 20 metres of him (which, to a lesser degree, he repeated in the dying minutes of the 2018 decider).
The Eagles are already talking rebuild, so naturally Darling’s name has already been tossed around as trade bait. It happens every time he goes through a bad patch.
With Kennedy set to retire at the end of the season and Allen still a work in progress, the Eagles are unlikely to part company with their star forward.
With West Coast struggling to put their best 22 on the park, Darling appears to be safe from the chopping block for now. But if his lack of form continues and with the club expected to welcome back a number of players from injury in the second half of the season, he might not be so lucky.
Seymorebutts
Roar Rookie
I think he would go well over there. They need a key forward, so he will get a few more games, if we get a first round draft pick for him I think thats win win for both sides. We got him at pick 18 or something if I remember correctly.
Seymorebutts
Roar Rookie
Exactly. He should have been playing in the WAFL getting his fitness up to speed and they should have played Jake the Snake Waterman at CHF or given Bailey Williams an extended run in the position. Bailey was a key position player till he came to the Eagles and ever since they have tried to turn him into a ruckman. Ok, players have to be versatile but its the perfect opportunity to give him a run in a key position to see how he goes.
Eureka
Guest
He’s one of the hardest working players in the team. Runs up and down the ground and applies forward pressure. He’s out of form for sure but don’t make things up.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
I think Darling needs a career restart at Collingwood, clearly.
Nick
Roar Guru
I don't think Simpson is using it as an excuse. I think he's simply stating the reality. Darling missed a pre-season, therefore he is woefully unfit. He isn't defending Darling. He's just stating the obvious. What Simpson needs to explain is that, knowing Darling is match unfit because of a missed pre-season, WHY did he pick him? WHY didn't he run him in the two's until he became match fit.
Seymorebutts
Guest
The reality is the Eagles are 4-5 years away from contending again. So Darling should be traded while we can still get something for him. Bailey Williams was recruited as a key forward, hes shown some nice glimpses when hes played there. And ''Jake The Snake'' Waterman should be given an extended run at CHF since Oscar Allen is out for the year to see if he can hold the position down. Jake Darling, great hero for the club, premiership player, Spartan, all the rest, its time to offer him the choice of retiring or agreeing to a trade. It has to be a youth policy from here on in. Ditto Kennedy Hurn, Cripps, Naitanui and Redden actually. Yeo and McGovern Id keep as we need a couple of guys to steady the ship. But the rest of them should be told to retire immediately or prepare for life after the Eagles and accept they will be traded. These guys have been great servants for the club, but its time to recognize our time in the Sun is over and we have to commit fully to a rebuild via the draft over the next three years. Sadly, there is no place for sentiment in sport.. one day cock of the walk, next day, a feather duster.
DTM
Roar Rookie
This is on the coaching staff and the WCE management. He should have been traded at the end of 2020. However, why have they not tried something different with him? He is basically the same size as Yeo, Mundy and Fyfe yet spends all his time forward. Maybe the coaching staff could try him for a 5 minute burst every quarter in the centre. He has the skills and the body to have an impact and we need big bodies in the middle. He is a bit lazy but they need to decide not only whether to keep him in the team but whether they want to keep him at the club. I'd be explaining to Jack that he has 6 games to prove he wants to be part of WCE in 2023. If he doesn't perform, I wouldn't play him after round 17/18.
Tez
Roar Rookie
Darling a star forward? A power forward? Well his star has dimmed so far the Hubble telescope could not find it, and as for power then his battery is real flat.
Jeansyjive
Roar Rookie
Have you seen the service the Eagles forwards have gotten this season? Not saying Jack is not struggling but the service the forwards are getting is terrible. A lot of the time the ball is bombed into the forward line. This is usually because of the slow ball movement to get it there so the opposition defence is set or lake of composure. Also been common for two eagles forwards to go for the same ball and spoil each other. The Eagles can’t lock the ball in the forward line either. Opposition teams are getting over double the inside 50s to the Eagles in a lot of games. I saw Darling has been in the top few Eagles for distance covered in a number of games. So he is working to try and get the ball.
shifty
Roar Rookie
And one could make the argument that sacrificing his personal beliefs for the teams needs ( no matter when he jabbed up) is a huge contributor to his lack of on field endeavour.
The Sports Lover
Roar Rookie
I admire Simpson for defending Darling's form but to use his absence from pre season team training as an excuse is not useful. From what I read it was Darling's personal choice not to abide by the AFL’s vaccination requirements. If that is true, it seems Darling prioritised his personal beliefs above the team’s need.