Good lord. Someone said a first year player improved on something in his second year. Heppell shirked a marking contest in his first year, then didn’t do it again. Doesn’t mean he never did it. Learned from it, is now a better player for it. That’s all fine. It’s development.
Learning to kick better, learning to run both ways, learning to take a hit, every young player has to learn something, and as long as they learn it it doesn’t matter what it is.
Plus, shirking is an easy call for someone sitting in the grandstand with only one perspective on the event.
If you’re not an apple you’re a banana.
This sort of comment is the nadir of blitz.
The old “leave it” can sometimes make a player look ordinary in my experience, as can 100,000 baying supporters to a 1st timer as well, most of us can only imagine. personally, I have seen Darcy Parish play many many times in the juniors and one thing he don’t do is “shirk it”. As far as having a dud year in 2017 goes, don’t get me started. Playing half forward most of the time and running around unmarked like Heppell & Merrett do; well thats comparing chalk and cheese aint’t it. It’s a like comparing Joy’s 15 possessions 4 goals to an onballers 30 possesions…Joeys 15 should be getting him the 3 votes EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, but doesn’t. Seriously farked up voting system.
Did he though?
SIDESTEPPELL
I watched a lot of footy this year.
And my observation was that Parish was mainly used on the defensive side of the contest / inside mid. And was an average ball winner but struggled a bit to effectively clear the ball from the contest (engine room stuff, heavy lifting, split second chances, etc - but less obvious work to the average viewer).
Fella posted his heatmap another thread and it was midfield centered for '17.
A strange thread - Parish is tracking along beautifully - We have a future B and F winner on our hands and possibly an AA player.
Parish and McGrath seem to have bulked up a bit.
he did. remember it clearly. then followed it up a few games later with a great mark against traffic with only eyes for the ball in the defensive 50…
Round 1 2012 vs North Melbourne. I remember it well, his first game of his second season. He pulled out and it was highlighted a bit after. Then later that season, he took a very courageous mark running back with the flight of the ball. Almost recklessly.
To be honest, it’s the only time I have ever seen him pull out of a contest. I feel he may have been called out of it incorrectly (sucked in by an opposition player pretending to be a teammate) but who knows?
Yep.
Once.
And never did it again.
Which is all you can ask.
We shouldn’t compare players, it never ends well. That being said. Darcy is basically Daniel Kerr without the bad habits
That’s why Norfs 4 fans call him Shortsteppell
Gee, the kid is tracking beautifully. Clearly, had less time in the middle. Was given a forward type role to help development. Going to be fun next year seeing the young guys play a more prominent role.
With those dropped marks didn’t he in the same game park himself under a ball, take the hit + mark? Showed how in game the kid has the capacity to identify and correct faults
Yet
Hird always talked about how he squibbed it against St Kilda and was mortified when Spud Frawley told Tim Watson how embarrassed he must be playing with such a squib.
I think he learnt his lesson. He was almost crazy-brave.
That kick to Watson against the Dogs was a ripper.
The little bloke outmarks 2metre Peter; that, from a kid who is no good overhead ?