southerncross
05-06-2007, 05:54 AM
Darcy's form struggle (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21849726%255E19775,00.html)
LUKE Darcy admits he is fighting to hold his place in the team he captained in 2005.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5512102,00.jpg
Dog tired: Luke Darcy (right) struggled on Sunday against Carlton young guns such as Jarrad White. He admits he is fighting to hold his place in the team he captained in 2005. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
The veteran Western Bulldogs ruckman/forward acknowledged he could be dropped for Saturday night's clash with the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
"I haven't thought about that (but) yeah, I suppose there is a chance," Darcy said last night.
"Will Minson played the house down (with VFL affiliate Werribee) on the weekend . . . I'd like to think I'll be there.
"You never ever take that for granted, that you're a walk-up start in this game or that you're not closer to giving it away than you were the week before.
"It's been a struggle (this year). I've felt I've offered a fair bit at times, and at times I've offered almost nothing, which has been frustrating.
"The thing I need to give the side is consistency, and I know that hasn't happened so far and I've got to be accountable for that, but I'm confident I'm going to be able to get there.
"It's almost been a triple-whammy: getting older, missing the amount of time that I've missed -- if it was 12 months it might have been a lot easier to adjust -- and the game's changed a fair bit and my role's changed a bit from what it was in the past."
Darcy, who turns 32 next month, is one of several players under scrutiny after the Bulldogs' successive losses to Sydney and Carlton.
The Dogs are 10th with five wins after 10 rounds. The former captain, club champion and All-Australian resumed his career this year after two knee reconstructions and almost 24 months on the sidelines.
Darcy first damaged the knee in Round 6 against Geelong at Skilled Stadium in 2005.
"I think maybe I underestimated how hard it was going to be: the pretty serious (knee) injury I had and two years out of the game," he said.
"You're always accountable for the way you play and I feel I haven't performed the way I was expecting to."
"I know exactly where I'm at and I know what's required. I'm genuinely still loving it, and I genuinely think I can still be a good player for us," Darcy said.
"To be honest, I actually feel really better equipped to handle the second half of the year than the first half."
Darcy said he and the team had been disappointing.
"We're certainly not executing our game plan anywhere near like we think we should," he said.
"Probably the thing we've taken for granted is that we execute our kicking skills almost as well as anyone in the competition, and that hasn't been anything like it's been in the past two years.
"On the weekend (against Carlton), I think we had 24 clanger kicks to 11, something like that, which I never saw happen in the two years I was sitting in the coach's box.
"There's a few things we think we can get right pretty quickly, but we need to start doing it this week.
"Last year, I thought we were probably the hardest-running side going around. Last two weeks, Sydney closed us down and outworked us, and Carlton outworked us on the weekend."
Darcy's 10 games have produced 93 disposals. He has taken 37 marks (four contested) and kicked 11 goals.
"There have been patches, time in the ruck, where I felt really confident, and time down forward, the Richmond game, part of the Melbourne game, the first game against Geelong, some of the time against Collingwood, I felt really competent in both areas, but I haven't been able to consistently do what I like to think I can still do," he said.
"I've probably had to adjust my own expectations, adjusting my expectations from when I was three years younger.
"I still think I can be of value to the side, that's the main criteria: Can I help us win each week?
"I haven't done that at times this year but I still feel I can."
Darcy said his knee and his body were fine, but added: "It definitely takes me a lot longer to recover.
"I probably took for granted I was a good player week in, week out prior to being injured.
"I'm genuinely a really positive person. I can't wait to get up there in Brisbane. I still love everything about the game. I love the training, I love the challenge of trying to be good.
"It can turn around pretty quickly and I'm pretty sure it will."
Darcy said his long-time teammate Chris Grant, who has also had a knee reconstruction, had been a strong support.
"Chris is someone I really appreciate around the club. Every now and then, he sidles up in his understated, modest way; just gives you a couple of lines," he said.
"He just says, 'It is tough', how he found it really tough the year after he did his (knee), but he got there."
LUKE Darcy admits he is fighting to hold his place in the team he captained in 2005.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5512102,00.jpg
Dog tired: Luke Darcy (right) struggled on Sunday against Carlton young guns such as Jarrad White. He admits he is fighting to hold his place in the team he captained in 2005. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
The veteran Western Bulldogs ruckman/forward acknowledged he could be dropped for Saturday night's clash with the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
"I haven't thought about that (but) yeah, I suppose there is a chance," Darcy said last night.
"Will Minson played the house down (with VFL affiliate Werribee) on the weekend . . . I'd like to think I'll be there.
"You never ever take that for granted, that you're a walk-up start in this game or that you're not closer to giving it away than you were the week before.
"It's been a struggle (this year). I've felt I've offered a fair bit at times, and at times I've offered almost nothing, which has been frustrating.
"The thing I need to give the side is consistency, and I know that hasn't happened so far and I've got to be accountable for that, but I'm confident I'm going to be able to get there.
"It's almost been a triple-whammy: getting older, missing the amount of time that I've missed -- if it was 12 months it might have been a lot easier to adjust -- and the game's changed a fair bit and my role's changed a bit from what it was in the past."
Darcy, who turns 32 next month, is one of several players under scrutiny after the Bulldogs' successive losses to Sydney and Carlton.
The Dogs are 10th with five wins after 10 rounds. The former captain, club champion and All-Australian resumed his career this year after two knee reconstructions and almost 24 months on the sidelines.
Darcy first damaged the knee in Round 6 against Geelong at Skilled Stadium in 2005.
"I think maybe I underestimated how hard it was going to be: the pretty serious (knee) injury I had and two years out of the game," he said.
"You're always accountable for the way you play and I feel I haven't performed the way I was expecting to."
"I know exactly where I'm at and I know what's required. I'm genuinely still loving it, and I genuinely think I can still be a good player for us," Darcy said.
"To be honest, I actually feel really better equipped to handle the second half of the year than the first half."
Darcy said he and the team had been disappointing.
"We're certainly not executing our game plan anywhere near like we think we should," he said.
"Probably the thing we've taken for granted is that we execute our kicking skills almost as well as anyone in the competition, and that hasn't been anything like it's been in the past two years.
"On the weekend (against Carlton), I think we had 24 clanger kicks to 11, something like that, which I never saw happen in the two years I was sitting in the coach's box.
"There's a few things we think we can get right pretty quickly, but we need to start doing it this week.
"Last year, I thought we were probably the hardest-running side going around. Last two weeks, Sydney closed us down and outworked us, and Carlton outworked us on the weekend."
Darcy's 10 games have produced 93 disposals. He has taken 37 marks (four contested) and kicked 11 goals.
"There have been patches, time in the ruck, where I felt really confident, and time down forward, the Richmond game, part of the Melbourne game, the first game against Geelong, some of the time against Collingwood, I felt really competent in both areas, but I haven't been able to consistently do what I like to think I can still do," he said.
"I've probably had to adjust my own expectations, adjusting my expectations from when I was three years younger.
"I still think I can be of value to the side, that's the main criteria: Can I help us win each week?
"I haven't done that at times this year but I still feel I can."
Darcy said his knee and his body were fine, but added: "It definitely takes me a lot longer to recover.
"I probably took for granted I was a good player week in, week out prior to being injured.
"I'm genuinely a really positive person. I can't wait to get up there in Brisbane. I still love everything about the game. I love the training, I love the challenge of trying to be good.
"It can turn around pretty quickly and I'm pretty sure it will."
Darcy said his long-time teammate Chris Grant, who has also had a knee reconstruction, had been a strong support.
"Chris is someone I really appreciate around the club. Every now and then, he sidles up in his understated, modest way; just gives you a couple of lines," he said.
"He just says, 'It is tough', how he found it really tough the year after he did his (knee), but he got there."