AFL 2025: North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson to give forward Jack Darling every chance to play
Darling suffered an unusual cut leg from a rogue boot during the Kangaroos' 11-point win over Carlton last weekend.
The new Roo played through the pain of the gruesome wound but required stitches and has been held back from training this week.
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson said he would name Darling before putting the forward through his paces ahead of Saturday's match against Hawthorn.
'It was obviously a pretty significant injury as it turned out (and) enormously courageous for him to come back out onto the field,' he said.
'Our docs did a great job to be able to do that and his courage to accept it could be wrapped up, get back out on the ground and contribute to our win was really important for us.
'Needless to say he's had that stitched up and hasn't been able to do much training yet. Because of the stitches he's unable to get it too moist with sweating and stuff.
'He'll be a test, we'll select him tonight to play and hope that he gets up, but that decision might be made an hour before the game … he gives himself a chance to play but we won't know until an hour before the game, more than likely.'
Darling has kicked 13 goals over 14 games in his debut season at North Melbourne after 532 in 298 at West Coast.
Clarkson said the 33-year-old was eager to play and his fitness would come down to movement and expert advice.
'Yeah, yeah he wants to play, he said that right from the get-go even before he got it stitched up last week,' he said.
'We will wait and see what his function is like and more importantly whether the surgeon and the docs think him doing too much exercise or getting a knock on it might have the stitches bust.
'We need to be mindful of that. He might play with some sort of guard if he does play, but we will cross that on Saturday morning.'
North Melbourne defender Jackson Archer had a hamstring scare in the VFL and will also be put through a fitness test.
The Kangaroos, with four wins, are chasing their best season since 2019 when they tackle Hawthorn in Tasmania.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Nikita Tszyu raises eyebrows with bizarre birthing story after Aussie stops Lulzim Ismaili in one round
Nikita Tszyu's return fight was highly anticipated, but in the end, his bizarre and graphic post-fight speech lasted longer and made more headlines than the bout itself. On Wednesday night, Tszyu scored a one-sided first-round stoppage win over Lulzim Ismaili, who was dropped in the first before refusing to get off his stool to start the second. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. After travelling from Germany, Ismaili was completely outclassed and overpowered by the man known as 'The Butcher'. Ismaili was dropped with a huge left hand in the opening round, and moments after it looked as if he would be stopped as he turned his back and tried to protect himself before escaping back to the ropes A patient Tszyu then went hard to the body, breaking Ismaili's rib with the last punch of the first round. And from the moment he sat on the stool, everyone in the arena knew he wasn't going to get back up. But any fan who immediately felt they had been short-changed in entertainment due to the short bout was soon mistaken as Tszyu went on a wild rant, starting with a truly bizarre baby birthing story and ending with revealing he missed his rival Michael Zerafa's fight because he was going to the bathroom. Tszyu raised plenty of eyebrows last week when he revealed his wife's placenta in capsule form, and breast milk was part of his pre-fight diet. And when asked if he had a message for his baby Curiosity – who is named after a NASA Mars rover – Tszyu revealed his walkout song choice was actually a nod to her. Walking out initially to The Undertaker's theme, and then Thunderstruck by ACDC, that may seem like a weird dedication on the surface, but Tszyu revealed the ACDC song was actually the first thing the baby heard. 'Thunderstruck is the song she came out to as we were having her,' Tszyu revealed post-fight. But it soon got even weirder. 'As we were having a C-section, I had the nurse play it,' Tszyu continued, before explaining how that was why he walked out with his eyes closed. 'I was thinking about Curiosity,' he said. 'Seeing her naked body being pulled out of my wife.' You can watch his full post-fight interview in the player at the top of the page. Unsurprisingly, announcer Ben Damon was keen to move on from that conversation as he asked Tszyu about his troublesome hand and return to the ring before asking about his rival Zerafa. When asked about what he thought of Zerafa's performance on Wednesday night, after the journeyman demolished American Mikey Dahlman in the co-main, Tszyu said he didn't see it. 'I went for a piss during Zerafa's fight to be honest,' Tszyu said on Main Event. 'I came back and f**k, it was over.' However, a match-up between the pair is becoming increasingly likely, with Zerafa calling out both Tim and Nikita Tszyu for years. 'It's a very dangerous fight. There are a lot of question marks with me with my experience, he's very experienced,' Tszyu continued. 'But you've got to test yourself. There's no way to improve without beating someone who's better than you.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Diamonds vice-captain and Swifts' star Paige Hadley announces pregnancy, will remain part of the national squad and fully supported
Australian netball vice-captain Paige Hadley has left the door open to representing the Diamonds at the next year's Commonwealth Games and a home World Cup in 2027 after announcing she is pregnant. Hadley announced on Thursday she and fiance Jordan were expecting their first child next year something that will rule the 32-year-old out of the Diamonds' upcoming three-Test campaign against South Africa or the Constellation Cup against New Zealand. But she will remain part of the Diamonds squad and be fully supported throughout her pregnancy. 'Jordan and I are excited to be welcoming a little addition to our family,' Hadley said. 'I am unbelievably grateful for the support, leadership, and friendship of (Diamonds coach) Stacey Marinkovich, my teammates, and the Diamonds staff as we've shared this news. 'I am looking forward to remaining part of the Origin Australian Diamonds environment as the team prepares for their upcoming series' against South Africa and New Zealand, as well as the long-term goals leading into the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and 2027 Netball World Cup. Hadley said she had been grateful for the love and kindness she had received since finding out she was pregnant. 'I feel very fortunate to everyone, especially those within netball community who have been so supportive ahead of what's a really important and special time for my family and I,' she said. 'While it is definitely my aim to return to the court for both Swifts and the Diamonds, I am looking forward to some time away as Jordan and I begin our new journey together as parents. 'I still have some big goals I'd love to achieve at the Swifts and at international level, and will look to make these a reality when the time is right. But for now, it's time to focus on my family. I am so excited for the next chapter that lays ahead of me.' Marinkovich, who has spoken in the past about the importance of Hadley's leadership as well as her game-play for the Diamonds, said she was thrilled for her vice-captain and her partner. 'We are absolutely thrilled for Paige and Jordan for this joyful time and look forward to seeing them both thrive in this next phase of life,' Marinkovich said. 'Paige is not only an outstanding athlete and leader, but also someone who has given so much to the Diamonds program for over a decade. 'Navigating professional sport and parenthood comes with unique challenges, and our number one priority is to provide a supportive environment for all our athletes. 'We will continue to support Paige throughout her pregnancy and be ready to welcome her back when the time is right for her and her family.' The Swifts were without Hadley's co-captain Maddy Proud in 2025 while she was pregnant with daughter Lily, born in May. While they will welcome Proud back next season, they will be without Hadley but coach Briony Akle said all at the club were elated for the woman she rated as 'arguably the greatest Swift of the modern era'. 'First and foremost, this is joyous news for Paigey and Jordan. All of our playing group, coaching staff and wider club staff could not be happier for them,' Akle said. 'We will absolutely miss Paigey on the court but that feeling is quickly cancelled out by the joy we feel for her. 'This is a huge life milestone for Paige and I know she'll be wonderful at it. She is one of the greatest leaders in Australian sport and I know she'll bring that same energy as a mum. 'While Paige will have some very important time away to begin this new chapter, I know that down the line she still has big dreams she wants to fulfil in the red dress. 'She is arguably the greatest Swift of the modern era and, when the time is right, we'll do everything we can to help make them a reality.' While Hadley is a midcourter, she has been replaced in the squad by defender Rudi Ellis, who had an outstanding Super Netball finals campaign, helping the Melbourne Vixens to the premiership earlier this month. Marinkovich said Ellis deserved her call-up to the national squad. 'Rudi's selection is a reflection of her hard work, growth and impact over the Suncorp Super Netball Finals Series where she showed great presence under extreme pressure and challenging opposition,' Marinkovich said.
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The AFL is cracking down on homophobia, but only to a point
Is the AFL homophobic? For the most part, I would argue it's not, but with every on-field homophobic slur and ensuing sanction, the question becomes more difficult to answer with anything sounding remotely like conviction. I interviewed AFLW star Darcy Vescio on ABC radio this week, and asked them about homophobia in football and why the AFLW is so much more evolved than its male counterpart. I'm paraphrasing, but within their answer, Darcy referenced that women's football (before AFLW) was born out of the queer community. I wouldn't necessarily think the AFL was formed from the heterosexual community, but a hypermasculine one? We're getting warmer. This week Izak Rankine and the Adelaide Football Club are at the centre of the league's latest homophobia bonfire. The case could have been relatively straightforward. The offensive language was used on the field. There was no official self-reporting, and once the league's integrity unit found out about it, there is (unfortunately) a well-worn path that leads to a five-match suspension. Loading It could have been dealt with on Monday. Alas, the process was still going on Thursday afternoon. And the sanction, when it finally landed, was not five matches but four. So why the delay? It wasn't so long ago that another Crow, Taylor Walker, was in the spotlight for a racist slur. At the time, in 2021, the Crows were not in the mix to challenge for a finals position, let alone a premiership. The process was relatively quick. The Rankine process was more complicated, at least in football terms, because the Crows are on top of the ladder and Rankine is their wildly talented midfielder/forward. Immediately there were questions, some bigger than others. How many matches would he get, and what would it mean for the Crows' flag hopes? My question now is, what does four matches instead of five say about how men's football really feels about homophobia?
