Jack Darling can’t pinpoint trigger for career-best year but is excited for another chance at Grand Final
FINALS are defining for any player and club but it’s unlikely West Coast forward Jack Darling will ever have a more critical period in his career than the next week or two.
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JACK Darling has long been something of a riddle.
A junior star who slipped through to No.26 in the 2010 national draft. Too short to play key forward, but too strong not to.
An inconsistent player who consistently averages two goals a game throughout his career. A black belt taekwondo exponent and commanding on-field presence who speaks as softly as a librarian off the field.
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A match-winner but also the fall guy.
Finals are defining for any player and club but it’s unlikely Darling will ever have a more critical period in his career than the next week or two.
With West Coast’s midfield hurt by the absence of ruck talisman Nic Naitanui and workhorse Andrew Gaff and the backline forced to reshape without Brad Sheppard, the Eagles’ full-strength forward line looms as their primary weapon.
It is now tasked with carrying the club to what would be an extraordinary fourth premiership.
Having transformed into a blue and gold Superman in front of our eyes in a rampaging first half of the season, Darling’s stunning six-goal haul against Richmond in the top-of-the-table clash at Perth Stadium in Round 9 had him sitting equal second in the AFL Coaches’ Association Player of the Year Award.
In the eyes of the coaches, he was level with Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn and behind only Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe among the competition’s most influential players.
His career-best purple patch was brought to a halt in an instant.
Landing from a marking contest on the foot of St Kilda defender Logan Austin in Round 11, Darling’s ankle injury would have been avoided if his right boot had landed just a couple of centimetres away.
Instead, the setback probably cost the 26-year-old maiden first All-Australian guernsey and also put the brakes on his claims for a first John Worsfold Medal as West Coast’s club champion.
“It is what it is. I wasn’t that devastated by it. I just knew that it was four weeks off, then I’d come back and hopefully have a good crack for finals,” Darling said.
“I don’t really think about it. I just think about the position we’re in now. It doesn’t bother me too much.
“It’s a bit disappointing. I could have had a good year, but I’m just really excited to get a chance to play in another Grand Final.”
Darling’s two final-quarter goals in the qualifying final against Collingwood were crucial in keeping the Eagles on track for the last Saturday in September.
His second was a set-shot with 3min 40sec on the clock and came after he took a strong mark when he had looked like being caught out of position. It put West Coast 10 points clear and with one foot into the preliminary final.
Darling was reluctant to draw a contrast with key moments in past finals series which saw him make headlines for the wrong reasons but he did enjoy the responsibility that came with taking the shot in front of a record West Australian footy crowd of 59,585.
“I had a shot around that mark a bit earlier in the game that I missed to the left. I just went through my routine and made sure I kicked through the footy and I sort of enjoyed the responsibility a bit,” he said.
“The whole last quarter, I think all of us were just really predictable to each other. All our structures were good. We played our way in the first and last quarters and it was really on in the second and third.”
It was Darling who was really on early in the season, booting 28 goals in the first nine rounds to be a major reason behind the 10-game winning streak that set up West Coast’s flag assault.
“I’ve always had it in me. And it’s probably the frustrating thing,” he said.
“I can play good quarters or good halves, but I haven’t been able to be consistent over the four quarters.
“Even this year when I’ve played my good games, I’ve kicked 4.3 or 3.3 and stuff like that. “So probably the next step for me is to really, when I have a good day, make sure I’m capitalising on the scoreboard as well.”
Darling finds it difficult to pinpoint the reasons for the most exhilarating form patch of his career. He said his summer was strong but that they generally are, and there was little hint of what was to come during the JLT Community Series.
“I didn’t do that well in the pre-season games. I went goalless,” he said.
“It was just pretty much me playing to my strengths. Just my focus points going into games are what I stick to and if I do that and I’m doing them for four quarters, I’m going to be in the game in some way.
“I think it’s just knowing the game plan and where we’re going to kick it so I can get myself in good spots. It was good confidence and I’ve still got that confidence. And I’ve got pretty good self-belief. And hopefully I can bring it out for the next couple of weeks.”
Darling is confident his form from early 2018 was no flash in the pan and hopes it will be his new normal.
His consistency is growing. He has booted three or more goals in 11 of his 19 matches this year on the way to 44 goals for the season.
“Definitely. I’ve worked out my game. What my strengths are and just how to be consistent. So I’m looking forward to keeping that consistency up for the rest of my career,” he said.
“My numbers stack up. But I think this year I just had a bit more presence and impact on games as well.”
Darling and key forward partner Josh Kennedy have played in 137 matches together, but only 11 this season as both battled injury. Darling knew West Coast’s win-loss record this season in games where they were both out there: “Yeah, 11-straight.”
The West Perth product said Kennedy’s return to the team had a variety of flow-on benefits.
“It frees me up a little bit to get up the ground a bit more rather than just sitting deep,” Darling said. “Being able to get up the ground and beat my opponent back to goal with work rate.
“We know where each other likes to lead, so we’re careful of each other’s space most of the time. We like to try to block for each other as well, try to get a free run and jump at the footy.
“And he takes probably the better defender as well, so that helps me. He’s just important for our structure. Not having to get to as many contests — we sort of back JK in and leave him one-out so you save a bit of energy as well.”
Originally published as Jack Darling can’t pinpoint trigger for career-best year but is excited for another chance at Grand Final
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