Jack Darling being linked with Western Bulldogs

Ben Madden

Jack Darling being linked with Western Bulldogs image

Star West Coast forward Jack Darling is in the sights of the Western Bulldogs following a six-goal haul on the weekend.

Darling destroyed the Dogs in a best-on-ground display, with the Dogs unable to find a defender to match him in their game at Optus Stadium.



It wasn't a once-off either with Darling having kicked 38 goals against the Dogs in 14 games through his career so far.

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Speaking on 6PR, Kim Hagdorn said that the Dogs were keen to move Aaron Naughton back into defence and target Darling to boost their forward line.

Naughton has been the Dogs' target up forward this season, but was drafted as a key defender.

"The Western Bulldogs will target a trump key forward, so that Aaron Naughton can play more in defence" said Hagdorn.

"It's no coincidence that a big, strong West Coast Eagles key forward, who's a restricted free agent at the end of next season had a blowout game against the Bulldogs last Sunday.

"The Western Bulldogs, for mine, will jockey to get into bargaining for Jack Darling."

Hagdorn suggested that Darling could be in line for a significant pay rise in order to consider the move to the Dogs.

“He’s on $800,000 a year, which I don’t think often he earns" Hagdorn said.

“But what your value is to someone else as to your current employer can often be quite a stretch different.

“So $1.2-1.3 million a year for a four or five-year deal for someone... might be very appealing for a key forward.”

Darling is averaging over two goals a game this year, and has kicked 2+ goals in 5/11 games so far this season.

His six-goal haul was just the second time in his career he's kicked a bag of six, with the last instance coming against Richmond during West Coast's premiership year in 2018.

Ben Madden