AFL 2022: Darcy Parish on critics, his argument with Bombers skipper, coach Ben Rutten and more
Darcy Parish has defended himself against ‘average Joe’ critics saying they don’t see the work he does on the inside from the stands.
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Essendon star Darcy Parish has described his heated on-field exchange with captain Dyson Heppell as the “honest and ruthless” conversations the Bombers need to have as he pointed the finger at the playing group for “letting down” coach Ben Rutten this year.
And the All-Australian midfielder fired a shot at critics of his own game, saying it was “easy for the average Joe” to critique players from the stands as he vowed to keep developing his leadership to help turn the club’s fortunes around.
WATCH THE INCIDENT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
As the Bombers’ face a defining clash against arch rivals Carlton at the MCG on Friday night – marking the club’s 150-year anniversary – against the backdrop of a horror 2-9 start to the season and a football department review, Parish declared Rutten had the “full backing” of the playing group.
The frustration of the Bombers’ disastrous start to the season boiled over in the team’s loss to Port at the Adelaide Oval before the bye when Parish and Heppell were seen in a heated mid-match exchange.
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Parish came under fire for walking away from Heppell while the skipper was still trying to talk to him, which the 24-year-old admitted “didn’t look great”.
But he said the exchange was a case of frustration and passion spilling over and the pair had quickly moved on.
“There are probably things like that you could change in the moment,” Parish said.
“But I think footy is such a hostile and heated game half the time you don’t even know what you are doing (in the moment).
“There are obviously things that I would like to do differently next time, probably walking away didn’t look that great but it’s just frustration and passion and I just want to get the best out of the team.
“There is nothing in it though. It has all been addressed and we are ready to attack this week.
“It was just two passionate blokes wanting to get the best out of one another.”
As the Bombers try to arrest their floundering season, Parish said it was important to “hold each other to account”.
“We’re at a stage now in our careers where we bloody hate losing …. and if there are honest and ruthless conversations that need to be had and addressed at certain points of games, everyone should speak up and say what it is,” Parish said.
“There was a little bit of frustration there but we’re two passionate guys that just want to get the best out of each other and just do the best for the team.
“That’s all it really was. All teams are doing it, but just because we are obviously losing a few games of late it gets highlighted a lot more.
“We spoke about it, but there’s nothing really there to be said. We just want to continue to get the best out of each other and hold each other to account and just keep improving as a whole group.”
REVIEW
Essendon’s parlous start to the season sparked the launch of a full-scale football department review last week as football director Sean Wellman was tasked with investigating “every aspect” of the club’s football program.
But Parish was adamant the review would not impact the players or change their focus.
“I don’t think it impacts us at all. We have got one focus and one job as a playing group and as coaches as well to get the result on weekends,” Parish said.
“That’s really all our focus and energy is going into the weekend and we are just trying to get the best result for each other. We don’t change our focus from all that noise.
“No one has really addressed it to the playing group and I would have no idea what was mentioned or what was talked about. That is for them to discuss and to work through.”
Parish was confident the Bombers could turn their season around in the second half of the year and the group was determined to make a statement against the Blues on Friday as the club celebrated its history.
“Things can turn really quickly,” Parish said.
“We have seen some great sides that have been in slumps like what we are in at the minute, but you can come out of it really quickly.
“I’m fairly confident with where we are at and what we want to achieve in this second half of the year and we’ll all bloody determined to turn it around.
“Hopefully the results can fall our way in the second half (of the season) … starting with no bigger game than Friday night.”
RIGHT BEHIND RUTTEN
After launching the full-scale review last week, outgoing Essendon president Paul Brasher backed Rutten as the man to lead the Bombers forward and Parish said the coach also had the players’ “full support”.
Parish said the players had “let down” Rutten this year and it was on them to turn the club’s fortunes around on the field.
“‘Truck’ has done a great job at setting a good platform for us and it has probably been on us as players this year a little bit letting him down.” Parish said.
“We are all in this together and we want to strive and become the best team we can as a collective.
“If we don’t buy in and trust what Truck is putting in front of us then there is a big divide there. He has got our full backing.
“It’s on us to run out there and execute on game day. So full support for Truck.”
OWN FORM
After a breakout season last year when he won the Anzac Medal, All-Australian selection and finished second in the Bombers’ best and fairest, Parish said he continued to strive to take his game to another level.
But Parish, who averages an elite 35 disposals and 6.5 clearances a game this year, had a message for critics who suggested he is not damaging enough with his prolific possessions.
“It’s easy for the average Joe watching from the stands to say that,” Parish said.
“I’m doing most of my work on the inside and accumulating it to the guys on the outside which is what they are missing as well.
“There are obviously areas you would like to improve on but I don’t get too caught up in all the noise away from the club.
“If there is a coach or someone letting me know that then I would probably take it on a bit more. I am just trying to improve week by week and do my thing and go from there.”
Parish said he had been working hard on the defensive aspects of his game and leadership.
“I think there are always things that you can add to your game to become better,” Parish said.
“It’s pretty hard to overlook your performances sometimes when you are on the losing end of games. I think what I have been able to do this year, continuing on from last year has been great.
“Obviously I would love to win a lot more games, but that’s just not the case here at the moment.
“I’ll just keep getting to work, I have been working heaps on my leadership and defensive stuff as well and I have seen massive improvements week to week on that and the coaches have been really happy with it.
“But in all areas I want to keep getting better at it and keep improving with this football team and hopefully some success isn’t too far away for us.”
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