Luke Darcy reacts as AFL world gushes over ‘unstoppable’ son Sam

A son of a gun had footy fans singing his praises after looking “unstoppable” in a breakout game, but his dad had a different reaction.

A new AFL star was born on Friday night and going off that game, Sam Darcy might just turn out to be the best forward in the league over the next decade.

The 208cm tall 21-year-old gave the footy world another glimpse of how exciting his future looks when he kicked four goals from six contested marks to almost drag his side over the line in their thrilling six-point loss to Collingwood at the MCG.

Darcy was unstoppable as he combined his height with pure athleticism and a solid goalkicking technique.

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On a night where the Bulldogs were celebrating their 100-year anniversary, the club’s latest father-son star emerged in Darcy.

The cameras cut to his dad Luke Darcy in the stands after he kicked a goal, but the Bulldogs great wasn’t getting too carried away as his son tore the MCG apart.

Anthony Hudson joked in commentary on Fox Footy: “It looks like Luke has followed the Stephen Silvagni sort of way of watching his son,” referencing the Carlton legend’s stoic expression watching son Jack play for the Blues.

“Doesn’t give much away but there’s a little smile there, there has to be,” Hudson added.

Watch Luke Darcy’s reaction to Sam kicking a goal in the video above

Luke Darcy watches his son Sam in action. Photo: Fox Sports.

Sam Darcy kicked four goals against Collingwood. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Darcy has progressed so quickly he looms as the Bulldogs’ biggest threat up forward ahead of Aaron Naughton.

Fans and pundits couldn’t get enough of Darcy as they got a glimpse of how damaging and unstoppable he can be.

“What a weapon this guy looms as,” Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy.

“He took three huge contested marks in the first quarter. If they get some footy and isolate him inside forward 50, he is an absolute nightmare match-up.

“This bloke is nigh on unstoppable if he gets good position in a marking contest.

Jason Dunstall said: “We spoke about when he might start tearing games apart. It’s looking like it might be tonight. As soon as he’s in front he’s impossible to spoil.”

Demons champion Steven May said he didn’t envy the next generation of defenders who would have to go up against Darcy.

Feeling for the key defenders who will have to play on Sam Darcy for the next 10+ years 😅 #freak

— Steven May (@stevemay_92) March 21, 2025

It's almost a cliché writing it now, but Sam Darcy is exactly Paul Salmon mid-80s.

Dead set unstoppable due to physical advantage with his talent if given the chance #AFLDogsPies

— ralph horowitz (@rtralphy) March 21, 2025

Ex-AFL forward Josh Jenkins said: “Has anyone brought this level of rare ability and size to an AFL arena … Sam DARCY is our Wembanyama.”

The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph described Darcy as a “unicorn”.

Leigh Montagna said on Triple M: “I don’t think it’s a stretch to say he’s not far off being the best key forward in the competition.”

AFL Fantasy guru Adam Child said: “I think Sam Darcy is my favourite player in the AFL.”

Nat Martin said: “Sam Darcy is a cheat code. Moves like a midfielder at 6 foot a thousand. ridiculous.”

Sam Darcy has a breakout game for the Dogs. Picture: Michael Klein

It’s pretty hard to stop Sam Darcy. Picture: Michael Klein

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge suggested Darcy has already become one of the hardest key forwards in the AFL to stop.

“There’s no doubt that you see his highest point stuff and you think, ‘How are they going to stop that?’,” Beveridge said of Darcy’s overhead marking capabilities.

With just 30 games under his belt, Darcy already looks destined for superstardom, and it might not be long before he becomes the best key forward in the league, but Beveridge stressed that prospect was contingent on numerous elements.

“He’ll get the rub of the green here and there with different things,” the Bulldogs coach said.

“But the (forward) supply (from midfield) and as he matures, can he cover more ground? Can we grow as a team to provide more and more opportunity for him?

“All those factors are going to be the things that influence where he can get to in his career and where he can get to with his status in the competition.

“At the moment, everyone sees him as an enormous talent, quite literally, a huge threat for their (opposition) planning. Any team thinks, ‘What are we going to do?’

“So we should all benefit from that.”

The result may have been different on Friday night had Darcy enjoyed assistance from fellow gun forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who remains out of the team as he continues to work through his much-publicised off-field issues.

Sam Darcy is one of the best young forwards in the AFL. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Marcus Bontempelli (calf), Adam Treloar (calf), Cody Weightman (knee), Liam Jones (hamstring) and Jason Johannisen (hamstring) are all out of action for the Bulldogs.

Taking that into consideration, a win and a six-point loss from their first two games is an admirable way to start the season, but Beveridge urged the fringe players currently in the line-up to make the stars earn their places back.

“You’ve got to make sure that the boys playing feel like they’re valued and they’re not just warming a seat for someone else to come and take it,” Beveridge said.

“And I know that everyone’s processing the fact that we’ve got some experienced, influential players out but that’s not really the way we’re talking internally.

“Don’t make excuses.”

With NewsWire

Originally published as Luke Darcy reacts as AFL world gushes over ‘unstoppable’ son Sam