#3 Darcy "Darcy Parish" Parish - Shiel can play forward pocket instead

I think you might find the industry is on a bit of a hold because of the delays on the EBA which delays the final Salary cap position the clubs can have.

Except for all the players who are re-signing. Sure.

Someone wheel the cannon out onto the McCracken oval

The backline and going into the midfield

'A blood nose became a habit': Parish makes his mark Callum Twomey May 12, 2017 7:08 AM

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SUCH was Darcy Parishā€™s desire to create an impression as soon as he walked into Essendon, there was barely a week in his first few months at the club where he didnā€™t leave the training track with a bloodied nose

In his first few days at the club, at the end of 2015 after being that yearā€™s No.5 draft pick, Parish clashed heads at training and wore the brunt of the collision. But it didnā€™t dent his attack on the ball, as the midfielder set himself to prove he was worth the early selection Essendon used on him.

ā€œThere probably wasnā€™t a week where I didnā€™t have a blood nose in that first bit. Iā€™d be coming off every time putting the cotton buds up my nose to stop the bleeding,ā€ Parish told AFL.com.au this week.

ā€œIt became a bit of a habit and if I didnā€™t get one then training probably hadnā€™t gone too well. I wanted to get the respect off the boys and one way was to come out and compete and show a lot of effort at training. They definitely notice it.ā€

They did, as has the wider football audience since he made his debut in round one last season. Parish averaged 20 disposals in his debut season, came fourth in the NAB AFL Rising Star award, and quickly became one of Essendonā€™s most exciting and recognisable young players.

But his immediate impression on the top level has, in some ways, made it easy to forget Parish is not yet halfway into only his second AFL season. The flashy, hard-working, tough and instinctive midfielder has played 27 of a possible 29 games since landing at Essendon.

ā€˜I obviously have no intentions of leavingā€™

The notion that he was afforded extra opportunities in his first season because of the suspension-hit Essendon is misleading; he would have played anyway, perhaps just not in quite as prominent a role. But after being intent on winning a place in Essendonā€™s team last year, Parishā€™s focuses (and position) have slightly shifted in 2017.

The 19-year-old remembers feeling a little robbed when the likes of Jobe Watson, Dyson Heppell and David Myers ā€“ all members of the midfield group ā€“ were banned by WADA for last season, given he had learned so much from them in his first two months at the club.

The changerooms felt a little lonelier, too. Parish was handed the No.3 guernsey, and after that day in January last year, his locker mates ā€“ Michael Hibberd (No.1), Tom Bellchambers (No.2), Watson (No.4) and Brent Stanton (No.5) ā€“ vacated. ā€œIt was a weird time. We were only just getting to know them, and then they were gone,ā€ Parish said.

Having the majority of the group back has given Parish and the Bombers a boost. He watches Watson work his way around a stoppage and Heppell lift his arms to get out of trouble at training, and it has allowed Parish to not have to shoulder as much of the ball-winning duties on game-day.

Last season Parish had to be more of an ā€˜insideā€™ player just to get his hands on the ball. This year, heā€™s working hard to dash and dart away with it in his grasp.

ā€œThereā€™s obviously some great midfielders who have come back so Iā€™ve got to adapt my game and get more of a balance with outside and inside footy,ā€ Parish said.

ā€œItā€™s been a lot easier having those guys back, so I havenā€™t been getting as much contested footy as last year (average of 7.5 a game compared to 8.9 last year) so my balance is freeing me up a bit. Iā€™m not doing as much as work as I did, so itā€™s a bit easier on the body. I donā€™t mind it and itā€™s another aspect of my game I wanted to improve this year.ā€

Parish is a laidback and stress-free personality, but he is invested in the Bombers. He thinks plenty about the side and its room for improvement, as well as working hard to become the midfielder he believes he can be. His intensity at the club hasnā€™t lessened his casual demeanour, however, with people at Essendon still smiling at Parishā€™s ability to lighten a conversation with a laugh.

But he still wants his team to be good as soon as possible, and has found the ups and downs of the Bombers so far this year to be frustrating. They have lost four of their past five games since claiming wins in the opening two rounds.

ā€œThere are stages throughout games when you can see the way we want to play and the way we move the footy. But itā€™s just doing it more consistently through the four quarters,ā€ he said.

ā€œWeā€™re still learning each otherā€™s strengths and weaknesses. Come halfway through the year weā€™ll probably start to really play our best footy and work well with one another.ā€

Parish, who remains out of contract at the end of this season, knows he can help his team get there ā€“ not just this year, but beyond. Thatā€™s the aim, anyway.

ā€œI donā€™t want to play my best games of footy at the start of my career, I want to work to something,ā€ he said.

ā€œThat middle section of your career is where you want to be playing the best possible games you can be throwing out each week. Iā€™m definitely on the build to that and the last year and a half has flown by, but Iā€™m working towards being the best I can in a couple of yearsā€™ time. Hopefully Iā€™ll get there.ā€

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Can i adopt him?

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Parish to Brisbane for McLugg and J.Brown?

Parish 2 Parish

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Wut?

Takin da urine

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Watching him in the build up to each stoppage, His single best attribute imo is his timing and ability to hit the contest at pace. Another preseason or two for some core strength and heā€™ll be topnotch.

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Oh, and he clearly knows how to umpire better than the umps. He knew that ball was obviously touched and only an idiot would call it a markā€¦

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Absolutely love this kid - one of my favourites. Such a pleasure to watch a young player clearly developing into one of our very best.

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Didnā€™t realise S Lucas was his manager until tonightā€™s interview on The Run Home. Heā€™s going nowhere

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Overseas so didnā€™t see tonightā€™s match. Was he injured? Stats are well down this year. Is it because heā€™s not playing the same role with the others back?

Currently part of a rabid pack of dogs mauling the fluffy toy that is West Coast on the road

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They arenā€™t down on last year?

Why do people keep saying this?

Is playing a more high HFF rotating through the mid.

Has been better than last year, and is progressing just nicely.

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Played a good game. Was instrumental.

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He is an utter gun.

His disposal today was on point.

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You may find Parish will outplay Oliver in the second half of the season. Oliver has been thrown to the wolves in the first 8 rounds. Full credit to Oliver though, heā€™s been a gun, just not sure if its sustainable.

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