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

Take your point, but it’s not like I’m in here to do that.
I just have an problem with garbage points made on the run to suit a certain narrative.

‘Timed it perfectly’ is becoming a blitz meme.
Not in a good way.

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I think we’ll need at least one of them in the backline as we need their class and composure coming out of defense and going into F50. They’ll likely rotate in match and depending on matchups on oppo forwards.

But as for Darcy, 2 elite matches in favourable conditions doesn’t make a breakout season. He’ll need to back those performances up in the second half of the season before I’ll call it a break out season.

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I just hope Langford follows him!

This was always my thinking. But lately teams are backing in first/second year kids and it seams to be paying off. Are there many examples of kids being thrown in the guts and breaking/burning out? I’m sure there probably are i just can’t think of any off the top of my head.

Forget ‘don the sash’, I reckon you’ve just nailed the EFC slogan for the next 10 years and probably beyond.

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Garbage points hey.
I consider Gary Ablett Jnr & Pat Dangerfield 2 of the midfieldiest midfielders that ever midfield.

Guess what they did in their first 4 or 5 seasons?
I’ll give you a clue, they played a both played a bit of HFF & wing, besides being on the ball.

Parish will spend the next 8 seasons on the ball, I’m not sure what more you want.

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Yes.
Yes, they are.

Ablett was lazy and Dangerfield was quite deliberately held back by Adelaide.
Danger is in fact the polar opposite of…well…I was going to say ‘what happened to’ Parish.

And why not.

Ablett and Dangerfield were also good and contributed when played forward.

Good theory, but he played more midfield in his first year then he did until recently.

I think what the realistic case is Worsfold using Shiel, Heppell and Zerrett in a vast majority of time in the midfield (backed by stats) and we’ve rotated guys like Stringer/Tippa in when they’ve needed a rest. We’ve also been using Zaka down back and forward more in recent weeks so a few spots have opened up.

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I wonder if there were any unusual circumstances in 2016?
If Darcy was built like Cripps from FC, I’m sure we wouldn’t have be in any hurry to move him out of the guts.

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So if he wasn’t physically ready until a few weeks ago, you’re saying we sacrificed his well being in his first season out of team necessity? Because he definitely wouldn’t have been ready in his first year.

Shiel and Stringer have been injured, Zaka has had reduced midfield time and Myers has dropped himself resulting in more chances for guys like Parish and Clarke.

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You don’t need a big body to be an effective midfielder or to survive in there. It’s the biggest myth on Blitz. There are stacks of players of a similar size & even smaller than Parish who have been gun mids this year, last year & ages ago.

He was played outta position. Simple as that. Once played in his natural position, he has dominated. Learning new roles, protecting his body. These are all speculative rubbish for mine. And, boy, am I enjoying watching him rip it up. Long may it continue. #insidemid #signhimup

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‘s’all I’m saying.

And also, there’s a touch of ‘you can’t have it both ways’ about his first year.
In fact his whole career.

I’m not going ‘mismanaged, booooo!’
But I’m not having this perfect preparation tailored exactly to his needs guff, either.

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Also - and just sayin - they both ended up at Geelong. I don’t want to start anything, but…Geelong :wink: :wink: :wink:

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I hear ya.

I mean, that is the limit of that particular communication, but…taps nose

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I think this is pretty arguable.
Our outside mid stocks are far, far weaker than inside (and that’s been the case for 4-5 years).

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Sam Walsh having a decent year alongside Crippy boy.

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Who said anything about him not being ready being ready until a few weeks ago. That’s right I didn’t say that. I’ve been calling him our next Daisy Williams for a couple of years, which means I’ve wanted him the guts all along. But he wasn’t big enough & his kicking needed more polish, so the powers to be decided that playing mainly on HFF with stints on the ball was better for his development.
And yes we did play in the guts out of necessity in 2016 & we were lucky that he didn’t get bashed around like Rory Sloane did in his first few seasons. Check out Rory’s injuries in his first 3 seasons, it’s not pretty viewing,

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Loading up on him for the Norm Smith. Only thing stopping him is time on the half forward flank!

This joint would’ve gone mental when Hird a) started in the forward line then b) got moved to midfield