Darcy Fogarty has himself to blame for long AFL selection delay this season
Crows fans have been lining up to ask why Don Pyke and his selection panel have taken so long to pick Darcy Fogarty. But the blame for the delay lies with the player himself, writes Kane Cornes.
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Where has Darcy Fogarty been and why has it taken Crows coach Don Pyke until Round 20 to pick him for an AFL game this season?
This is the question many Adelaide supporters have been asking since Fogarty booted a career-high five goals against West Coast on Sunday in his second AFL game of the season.
However, this theme is narrowed minded. All the frustration the Adelaide fans have carried this season while Fogarty has been left in the SANFL should not be directed towards Pyke.
The fact Fogarty had played only two AFL games this year in an indictment on himself.
He is the only one to blame for not advancing his AFL career in 2019.
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Fogarty highlighted the talent his carries in his dominating performance against the reigning AFL premiers.
Fogarty, the No. 12 draft pick in 2017, is too good to have spent 19 consecutive weeks in the SANFL.
Adelaide has been challenged to restructure and rejuvenate its attack this season after being let down by the sub-par performances of key forwards Josh Jenkins, Taylor Walker and the bad injury luck to Tom Lynch.
Once the most potent attack in the AFL, Adelaide’s forward structure has looked dysfunctional for most of the year.
Pyke should have been — he would have been — eager to play Fogarty all season.
However, picking Fogarty off ordinary form in the reserves would have compromised the integrity of the AFL line-up and the work of Adelaide’s match committee that extends beyond Pyke to be heavily influenced by senior assistant Scott Camporeale.
No coach wants to gift games to players just because they are young and talented — or early draft picks.
Questions on Fogarty since he arrived at West Lakes in the summer of 2017-18 — and was immediately lauded by being handed the club’s famed No. 32 jumper — have centred around his lack of aerobic fitness.
The laid-back country lad from Lucindale obviously did not address or was not pushed hard enough to clear away this deficiency in the pre-season, as noted by his absence in all of Adelaide’s JLT pre-season games.
Fogarty started the SANFL season in defence as the Crows match committee searched for a replacement for intercept defender Tom Doedoe, who was lost in Round 1 against Hawthorn with a season-ending knee injury.
After the experiment in defence failed, Fogarty was moved back to his natural position in attack.
Despite Adelaide’s SANFL side sitting second on the ladder, and regularly kicking big scores, Fogarty has averaged an unflattering 12 disposals, two tackles and has booted only eight goals from 15 matches.
How could any AFL coach select a player from that form line?
The only thing preventing Fogarty from dominating in the SANFL this year is a lack of fitness and or work rate — or even ambition.
Talent alone will not cut it in the AFL. So don’t blame Pyke, blame Fogarty
His size and body shape is not dissimilar to Geelong champion goalkicker Tom Hawkins.
This physique comes with significant advantages, such as strength and power in the marking contest. But also demands Fogarty live a disciplined life away from football to maximise his potential.
Fogarty needs to be committed with his diet, preparation, recovery and training standards.
Otherwise, he will see a grand opportunity wasted — and taken — by many other less talented but more focused players.
The average salary of an AFL player in 2019 is $370,000 and it is not uncommon for players to invest some of this wage packet on a personal trainer and diet specialist in the off-season. This should absolutely be top of mind for Fogarty this summer.
Fogarty should also sound out Port Adelaide midfielder Travis Boak, who in recent years has travelled overseas to take part in a strict off-season training program while on leave from his club.
At 31, the rejuvenated Boak is in line for his second club champion award at Alberton.
Fogarty is only 19. He has all the tools to be a future champion at the Adelaide Football Club, provided he learns from his mistakes this season.
Hopefully, the lessons are not lost on him and his disappointing 2019 season is a launching pad for future greatness.
But first he needs to ask himself one question: “How much am I prepared to sacrifice in order to be great?”
WINNERS
CONSISTENTLY GREAT
AN amazing 43 disposals (18 contested), 12 ground ball gets, nine clearances, seven inside 50s and three score assists. They were the numbers for Adelaide’s Matt Crouch last round against the Eagles in what was he best performance this year. The younger Crouch rarely has a bad game.
DIXON LIFTS
CHARLIE Dixon featured in the losers section last week after only five disposals against the Bombers in Round 20. He significantly increased his work rate against Sydney and competed vigorously. The footy gods have a way of rewarding that sort of effort, well done.
RUNNING MAN
COURAGE comes in many different forms and one of which is the ability to gut run. No player does it better than Rory Sloane, who was inspirational in the first half against the Eagles. If he didn’t get injured in the third quarter Adelaide would have won.
RAZOR READS THE ROOM
KUDOS to umpire Ray Chamberlain for an honest assessment of an error he made by not awarding Jack Ziebell an obvious free kick. Chamberlain admitted he didn’t pay the free out of stubbornness because Ziebell exaggerated the contact. This honesty is relatable to everyday life and builds trust between umpire and footy fans.
SCRAPHEAP TO STAR
IN less than 12 months, Port Adelaide ruckman Peter Ladhams has gone from the football scrapheap to potential AFL star and even his teammates are shocked at his rapid rise.
LOSERS
HINKLEY BASHERS
PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has been unfairly treated by sections of his own supporter group and some media figures who have this year questioned his coaching future. Port Adelaide sit in eighth after 21 rounds, which in golfing terms is a birdie considering the off-season list turnover and age profile of the group.
PROBABLY COULD’VE PLAYED?
ON July 26 prior to the Round 19 game against Carlton, Adelaide coach Don Pyke told Crows fans defender Alex Keath “probably could’ve played.” The club opted to rest Keath and he travelled with the team as the emergency. It’s now Round 22 and the key defender is still missing from the line-up, strange is an understatement.
RULES FOR SOME
JOURNALISTS who turn up to Port Adelaide media conferences trying to flex their muscles with a predetermined agenda is comical considering they would never behave in the same manner for an Adelaide media briefing.
DRAFT BLUNDER
IF Essendon had its time again it’s doubtful they would use the 2016 number one selection on Andrew McGrath. To this point McGrath has been underwhelming and lacks the weapons to be a truly damaging AFL player.
SKINFOLD LEEWAY
IN my time at Port Adelaide players were ineligible for selection unless they met strict weight and skinfold targets. Clearly some coaches and fitness staff aren’t as stringent today as there are a number of out-of-shape players running around in 2019.
Originally published as Darcy Fogarty has himself to blame for long AFL selection delay this season
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