The making of Darcy Fogarty: How new Crows leader wants to follow in Taylor Walker’s footsteps
In 2015, Phil Walsh appointed Taylor Walker as skipper because of his influence on the group and his authenticity. As MATT TURNER finds out, Darcy Fogarty has a similar effect.
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Darcy Fogarty is unfiltered.
And when the Adelaide key forward speaks, everyone follows him – for good or bad.
Those traits – saying exactly what he is thinking and having a strong influence over the team – are major factors behind the key forward’s rise to the Crows’ leadership group this year.
“I think one of my strengths is being able to call things when I see it,” Fogarty tells this masthead.
“It’s a bit of see it, say it.”
Fogarty, a country boy who hails from Lucindale in South Australia’s southeast, is the youngest of six siblings – he has five older sisters – and enjoys getting back to work on his family’s farm, reckons he has always been like that.
But the 24-year-old has “evolved” since joining the Crows via pick 12 in the 2017 national draft.
“Early days (at the club), I used to see challenging as headbutting,” he says.
“Now I feel like I’ve definitely evolved into challenging in a way where we get an outcome instead of being so closed off.
“That comes with a little bit of maturity and a little bit of understanding of the game plan the coaches are trying to implement.
“It’s a lot more productive now.”
Fogarty knows he calls a spade a spade.
But just how much influence he had within the Crows’ squad came as a surprise when he was voted in last month by teammates and coaches.
“That’s probably a point where I maybe have to pull my head in if I’m going to be in the leadership group,” he says.
“A few work ons for me will be using that for good, being able to lead by example and show care when I need to.
“If I’m going to challenge people, I’ve got to show that I care about them and am willing to follow up, and give them my side of things, and listen to what they’re trying to say.
“I like to think I care for all my teammates and hopefully they can see that.”
Adelaide is hoping Fogarty’s role in the leadership group will help him take his game to another level.
Last season, the player who was handed the number 32 guernsey worn by club greats Mark Ricciuto and Patrick Dangerfield booted 34.23 from 21 matches.
His goal tally was just one better than 2022 when he slotted 33.14 from 17 games, but he took 25 more marks and had 70 extra disposals in 2023.
Fogarty says joining the leadership group is recognition he has come a long way.
In his first four campaigns, he played 10, four, 10 and 17 AFL games, kicking nine, nine, eight and 24 goals.
“It’s obviously really humbling to be in this leadership position and something I’m really looking forward to,” he says.
“It was a little bit of surprise at the start, but now it’s pure excitement to have a bit more responsibility in the year and help Dawse (captain Jordan Dawson) push the team in the direction he and everyone want to go in.
“I’ve still got some creases that I need to iron out in my game and week-to-week stuff.
“Nicksy (senior coach Matthew Nicks) has pushed me to be the best version of myself and help some of the younger boys learn, now that I’m one that has to set the example.”
Fogarty’s authenticity is part of his leadership appeal.
“I try to be genuine and people might be attracted to that,” he says of why others follow him.
“I just try and be myself as much as I can and that’s where the unfiltered bit can bite me in the arse sometimes.”
There are similarities between Fogarty and another key forward from the country, Taylor Walker.
When Phil Walsh surprisingly appointed Walker as skipper ahead of the 2015 season, the coach praised the ex-North Broken Hill Bulldog’s influence on the group and his authenticity.
Walker and Fogarty are both said to be very demanding on their teammates but can also switch to joke mode.
Crows assistant Michael Godden says like Walker, when Fogarty talks, everyone listens.
“They don’t tend to say a lot but when they speak they need to be heard,” he says.
“There’s a lot of similarities in lots of ways.”
Fogarty recognises there are some, but he thinks there also a plenty of differences.
“I’m definitely not trying to mould my leadership on him because then I’ll lose my authenticity,” he says of Adelaide’s skipper from 2015-2019.
So what are the main differences?
“Where do I start? Obviously he’s got 250 games and about 700 goals, so there’s a couple of differences,” Fogarty says.
Walker, the Crows’ all-time leading goalkicker, has in fact kicked 612 majors.
Fogarty ranks 23rd in club history with 117.
They are somewhat similar players: 194cm forwards and sharpshooters with beautiful kicks on both feet.
Fogarty has learnt plenty from the elder statesman in their six years as teammates.
Walker was a sounding board as Fogarty learnt that to get in better shape, his off-season was not a time to simply unwind, it was a pre pre-season.
“It definitely took a couple of years to work out how important the off-season is,” Fogarty says.
“It’s the most important time of year I think because if you don’t get ahead there, you’ll never catch up.
“I probably wasn’t going about it the right way when I was on my own, so that’s why there was a conscious effort to stay in Adelaide a bit more and train with others to help get through those hard sessions.”
Fogarty has followed Walker’s lead by joining him in the pool a few times a week during the off-season.
“Tex has got into his swimming later in his career,” he says.
“It blows the lungs up a little bit, getting a little bit of work through the body with your arms and chest, but then your legs pull up fine.
“Tex has got me covered – he’s a good swimmer – I’m a bit like a rock out there.”
Walker, who progressed quicker early in his career than Fogarty, ascended to the captaincy in his seventh season.
Fogarty is unsure if he wants to skipper the club one day.
Adelaide’s captain Jordan Dawson is entering his second season and is just two years older than him.
“Early in my career I was striving for leadership and I wanted that,” Fogarty says.
“But the more I go, I think things happen organically and that happened with Dawse.
“I don’t think anyone expected him to excel as much as he has.
“The best things happen on their own.
“If I continue to be myself, whatever happens, happens.”
As for the team, Fogarty says it is hungry to end its finals drought.
He was drafted two months after the side’s last major-round appearance, the 2017 flag decider, and had been one of the faces of Adelaide’s rebuild from a wooden spoon in 2020.
“We don’t want to just play finals, we want to win finals,” he says.
“The rebuild seems like it’s done but we’re still a young side and still learning, and improving.”
So too is Fogarty.
“He’s growing into leadership and is having a lot more to say,” Godden says.
“But players generally have more to say when they know what to say.
“With time in the game he’s learnt to do what’s right, what he needs and what the team needs.”
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