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Jack Darling
Darling playing for West Coast in July 2019
Personal information
Full name Jack Darling
Date of birth (1992-06-13) 13 June 1992 (age 32)
Original team(s) West Perth, West Coast Eagles (WAFL)
Draft No. 26, 2010 National Draft
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 95 kg (209 lb)
Position(s) Key Forward
Club information
Current club North Melbourne
Number 28
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2011–2024 West Coast 298 (532)
2025– North Melbourne 0 (0)
Total 298 (532)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Jack Darling (born 13 June 1992) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having previously been a premiership player with the West Coast Eagles. Darling was recruited from West Perth in the WAFL with pick 26 in the 2010 AFL Draft.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Darling was raised in Perth's northern suburbs and played junior football with Sorrento Duncraig Football Club representing Western Australia at both U16 and U18 level (in 2009).[2]

Too young to enter the 2009 AFL Draft, he was predicted during the 2009 season to be a top-five draft pick, but some off-field incidents, including being suspended from his school and spending time in hospital following a fight at a nightclub, saw him slip to the first selection of the second round in the 2010 Draft.[3]

AFL career

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Darling made his AFL debut for West Coast against North Melbourne in round 1 of the 2011 season, kicking 2 goals.

In round 6, Darling was nominated for the 2011 AFL Rising Star after an impressive 3 goal display against Melbourne.[4]

Darling was a part of West Coast's 2018 Premiership Side, which defeated Collingwood by 5 points in the 2018 Grand Final. He had a very quiet first half, failing to register a mark and having close to zero influence on the game. However, he turned that around in the third quarter and finished the game with 7 marks, 12 disposals and a goal, playing a pivotal role in helping West Coast achieve a remarkable comeback.[citation needed]

On 21 January 2022, the AFL's requirement for Western Australian-based players to get their first COVID-19 vaccine dose passed, with Darling initially being the only Western Australian player not to get his first vaccine dose. The AFL required WA players to get their second dose by 18 February 2022, but the Western Australian government requires players get their second dose by 31 January 2022.[5] Darling received his vaccination in time to play the 2022 season clearing both the AFL and local Government requirements. In the 2023 pre-season, Darling sued Seven West for defamation over their coverage on Darling's alleged vaccine hesitancy.[6]

Shortly after the conclusion of West Coast's 2024 season, Darling requested a trade to North Melbourne, where he had been offered a 2 year contract.[7] The trade request came after 14 seasons with the club, including 298 games and 532 goals. The trade officially went through on 7 October 2024.[8][9]

Playing style

[edit]

Whilst Darling predominantly played in the forward line early in his career, from 2014 onwards, he enjoyed stints in the midfield where he prospered in a tall half-forward role.[10]

As a forward, Darling is renowned for his tackling pressure and goal sense. He often creates unlikely goal-scoring opportunities through his unrelenting pursuit of opposition defenders in possession of the ball. His athleticism and endurance allow him to regularly find space from his opponents throughout the course of a game, and he continually strives to make himself a viable marking target inside his team's forward 50. He is just as effective on the ground as he is in the air. Darling has a black belt in martial arts and taekwondo,[11] and often performs rapid lunges to propel himself from the ground using his hips and torso. His father, David, teaches martial arts as a discipline in Perth.[11]

Jack Darling attracted comparisons to AFL greats Wayne Carey and Jonathan Brown.[12]

Statistics

[edit]
Statistics are correct to the end of round 13 2021[13]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2011 West Coast 27 23 24 11 165 119 284 103 93 1.0 0.5 7.2 5.2 12.3 4.5 4.0
2012 West Coast 27 24 53 25 198 68 266 131 68 2.2 1.0 8.3 2.8 11.1 5.5 2.8
2013 West Coast 27 21 42 27 168 80 248 96 58 2.0 1.3 8.0 3.8 11.8 4.6 2.8
2014 West Coast 27 22 39 29 208 106 314 106 86 1.8 1.3 9.5 4.8 14.3 4.8 3.9
2015 West Coast 27 15 26 18 108 63 171 78 46 1.7 1.2 7.2 4.2 11.4 5.2 3.1
2016 West Coast 27 23 44 21 156 125 281 123 61 1.9 0.9 6.8 5.4 12.2 5.3 2.7
2017 West Coast 27 23 43 25 184 93 277 119 67 1.9 1.1 8.0 4.0 12.0 5.2 2.9
2018† West Coast 27 21 48 27 188 88 276 129 50 2.3 1.3 9.0 4.2 13.1 6.1 2.4
2019 West Coast 27 14 59 18 114 48 162 51 32 2.3 0.8 8.1 3.4 11.6 4.1 2.3
2020 West Coast 27 18 30 12 112 57 169 64 35 1.6 0.6 6.2 3.1 9.3 3.5 1.9
2021 West Coast 27 13 29 12 110 56 166 76 30 2.2 0.9 8.4 4.3 12.7 5.8 2.3
Career 227 437 218 1673 888 2561 1061 620 1.9 0.9 7.3 3.9 11.2 4.6 2.7

References

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  1. ^ Washbourne, Michael (24 November 2010). "West Coast recruit Jack Darling tells critics to back off". Herald Sun. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  2. ^ Eagle Darling sheds his Jackass tag by Glen Foreman for News Corp Australia 29 April 2011
  3. ^ Quayle, Emma (17 November 2010). "Jack's not every club's Darling". The Age. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  4. ^ Holmesby, Luke. "Sweet Darling". afl.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 May 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  5. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (21 January 2022). "West Coast Eagles forward Jack Darling barred from club after refusing COVID-19 vaccination". The West Australian. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  6. ^ Burton, Jesinta (31 January 2023). "Eagles star Jack Darling sues Seven West for defamation over COVID jab coverage". The Age. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  7. ^ "The pick that could unlock Darling move as trade request becomes official". afl.com.au. 18 September 2024.
  8. ^ @AFL_House (7 October 2024). "Paperwork approved" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "Jack Darling: Roos land veteran forward". North Melbourne FC. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  10. ^ Hagdorn, Kim (16 February 2014). "West Coast's Jack Darling set for midfield stint in NAB derby showdown". Herald Sun. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  11. ^ a b Anderson, Jon (14 September 2012). "Eagle Jack Darling one of the great draft mysteries after slipping through net to pick 26". The Advertiser. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  12. ^ Malcolm, Alex (2014). "Young Eagle flying like giants". afl.com.au. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  13. ^ "Jack Darling". AFL Tables. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
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