#3 Darcy Parish - signed to 2027

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
9039

What is this nonsense. Darc is one of our best clearance players, an area we’ve been shaky in of late, and these idiots can’t see him making the team???

“I THINK HE’S GOT A POINT”: CHAMPION DATA REINFORCES BIG QUESTION MARK ON ESSENDON’S PARISH

BY SEB MOTTRAM 11 HOURS AGO

Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne believes it will be difficult for Darcy Parish to break back into Essendon’s best side, going in depth to the former star’s downfall in 2024.

Parish’s season has been heavily interrupted by multiple soft tissue injuries and the 26-year-old is currently sidelined with a calf issue.

He hasn’t played since Round 9 and is expected back in three weeks. But the question of whether he will be back in Brad Scott’s side was raised by Kane Cornes on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“It’s been a problem they’d be happy to have… I’m just not sure Darcy Parish gets back in,” Cornes said on Monday night.

“I think a hard call is looming… there’s no way you are leaving any of (Zach Merrett, Sam Durham, Jake Stringer, Jye Caldwell and Archie Perkins) out of that centre bounce group for Darcy Parish.”

Parish was an All-Australian in 2021 but his clearance numbers have dropped off year-on-year since.

Since debuting in 2016, his 2024 score involvement numbers are the second lowest he’s recorded across any season.

The 2015 No.5 draftee has played seven games in 2024 and Hoyne is eager to see if Parish will play more.

“Purely based on 2024 form… I think Kane has got a point,” Hoyne told SEN’s Sportsday.

“He’s not the player that we’ve seen Darcy be in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“At his best, 2021… he was a top-15 player in the competition. We constantly talk about impact and not just volume and that’s why he was able to turn his game around in 2021, to be a damaging, impactful midfielder… and average 7-8 score involvements a game, the top end of all midfielders.

“Whereas this year it’s around 24 disposals, he’s not winning contest, he’s not winning clearance, then his scoreboard return is well down as well.

“Whether or not Parish can get back to the form of those three years will be interesting to see.”

Cornes added: “Largely my point was around the mix that they’ve discovered as well, with Durham and Caldwell in particular, but also Perkins and Stringer… and then what Zach Merrett has done.

“So it’s about the mix as well as what Darcy Parish hasn’t done. He doesn’t look quite well enough conditioned, he’s not running with any sort of speed… he’s now just an accumulator who is not damaging.

“I hadn’t looked at any stats, the eye would tell me that you’re pretty happy with how young the Essendon midfield mix is looking.”

9040

Guarantee, we get belted at clearances over the next month, these fkwits will be the first going “they are just too reliant on Parish, they can’t handle him not being there”.

4 Likes
9041

Enough said. He’s written it to generate clicks and arguments. Same with 90% of what Kane Cornes says as well (I think he also had a headline about Parish not being best 22)

2 Likes
9042

Darcy started slow this year when he came back into the side, no doubt — but he had a couple of very good games before he went and re-injured himself. I thought he was within our best 5-6 for a stint there.

He is an absolute walk up start when he is fit - our clearance game since he’s been injured has been terrible

1 Like
9043

Interesting that Scott said Parish will come back through VFL. They must be a bit nervous about recurring injury.

2 Likes
9044

I’d have parish over Perkins 10/10 times when he’s fit. Especially if we have bigger bodies with Caldwell Durham then stringer running through there. It’s such nonsense being written.

2 Likes
9045

Hoyn is a data war criminal

3 Likes
9046

Parish, Shiel and Tsatas is going to be just about the best vfl midfield of all time

4 Likes
9047

Check out his mid year all Australian team it’s bonkerz!

image
image1170×1466 282 KB

1 Like
9048

Parish back into the middle allows Merrett more time on the flanks where he can get himself into more dangerous positions with his ball use.

Still think Merrett would be better than Martin as the designated kicker. But if parish can give Zach more flexibility it will set the captain up for more longevity in the game as he will have addition experience at not being the main guy in middle. Could see him extend his career the way Pendlebury has.

2 Likes
9049

I could see an argument Parish’s defensive efforts could male it hard for him to break back into an in form midfield

2 Likes
9050

Plenty of nuffies on here have said the same.

Edit: oh look ^ ^ right on cue

1 Like
9051

Stupid statement.
Made for clicks.
Parish is in our best 18.
The day he isn’t, then we have farking elite core midfield and depth. We don’t have that yet.

It is good that difficult decisions need to be made at selection every week (shows how important a semi decent injury list is). It’s also good that we are developing some flexible pieces in our 23 so player continuity can actually occur.

2 Likes
9052

He averaged more clearances last year than in 2021… What a stupid ■■■■■■■ article.

2 Likes
9053

If someone offered a first rounder you would take it.

1 Like
9054

You lost me at this point.

4 Likes
9055

EFA

9056

l wouldn’t.

1 Like
9057

In what universe is Parish not in the best 23?

2 Likes
9058

Parish playing VFL he would rack up 40+ disposals with 15 being contested lols