AFL draft 2022: Swan Districts young gun Darcy Jones reflects on senior debut, national under-18s carnival

Jordan McArdleThe West Australian
Camera IconDarcy Jones in action. Credit: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Darcy Jones has gone a long way to proving size doesn’t matter this season.

The Swan Districts pocket rocket is only 175cm tall and weighs about 63kg but he makes up for that in silky skills, pace and versatility.

“A lot of people I’ve spoken to had their doubts about me being drafted, saying size is a really big thing and if it’s basically going to hold up at the next level,” Jones told The West Australian.

“I’ve been doing it my whole life really and I know how to play against bigger players and made sure I took that into this year and use my speed and strengths to stand out.

“I’ve been putting that into action during the colts season and throughout the championships and my league debut.”

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Fresh of a brilliant national under-18s carnival campaign for WA, the 18-year-old showed he can match it with the big boys with an eye-catching senior debut for the Swans.

Jones booted two goals from 13 disposals including a brilliant soccer in the final term, and could’ve had at least another with Ryan Kemp marking one on the line early on.

Camera IconDarcy Jones playing for Swan Districts. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper/The West Australian

Another highlight was a chase-down tackle on dual Sandover medallist Jye Bolton.

“I did pre-season training with the league side and played a couple of trial games which helped,” Jones said.

“The one on the weekend was my first proper league game and it was good fun, I loved it.

“Pickers (coach Adam Pickering) spoke to me after the game and said I was a bit too unselfish if anything and told me to take the game on a bit more next time.”

The Kalamunda product credited his dad, former West Perth colt Darren Jones whose career was curtailed by a serious knee injury for being a massive influence on him.

“He has been really influential on my career, I’d be nowhere without him to be honest,” Jones said.

Jones said while getting drafted was his main aim, he would love to finish the season with a league final for the Swans who are currently percentage out of the top-five.

As for AFL interest, Jones said it had been ramping up since the championships finished but still was yet to speak with his favourite club West Coast who he’s supported growing up.

“I’m not really focusing on that too much, it’s great to get that interest but it does guarantee you getting drafted,” he said.

State 18s coach Ben Dyer urged AFL clubs to draft Jones, who he felt had “attributes that set him apart” and showed he can play a variety of positions including forward, inside midfield, wing and half-back.

“You’re always going to the concerns about a player’s size, but I think he’s got some attributes that set him apart from other kids which hopefully clubs notice,” Dyer said.

“His ability to run at the game and his lateral movement, he’s hard to tackle.

“He’s a real point of difference and his ability to get out of traffic and then feed to a player on the outside is really strong as well.

“We tried to get him forward to help with that forward pressure in the last quarter and I thought he did that too.

“It would be nice to have two of him, one playing inside and one playing forward as well.”

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