Should Darcy Fogarty play as a forward or a back?
It’s been a highly debated question in 2019 and one that Adelaide coach Don Pyke says his coaching staff will have to answer in the near future.
Fogarty joined Adelaide in 2017 as a strong-bodied forward, a role he maintained until he was moved into the backlines during the pre-season.
The 19-year-old has played his first five SANFL games in defence, a positional shift Pyke believes will do the young Crow wonders in the future, regardless of where he plays.
“Darc has gone back and he’s played some good footy,” Pyke told reporters on Friday.
“It took him a little while to adjust, but we think it’s going to be good for him in the long-term.
“He gets to learn how to play as a back and give us that option and flexibility, but he also learns what forwards do as well so he can take that if we move him back forward.”
FOG’S TAKE: The reason behind his move
According to Pyke, Fogarty has taken the change well and identified the opportunities it creates.
“Obviously when Tom [Doedee] went down in the first game he saw there was an opportunity,” Pyke said.
“As I said to him, you’ve got to be playing at SANFL level in the role to give us confidence to put you in.
“The pleasing part is that now, the conversation around Darc is that we can see him playing back at AFL level, which is great.”
As to when the coaching staff were likely to make a decision, Pyke said it was an ongoing conversation.
“It’s been a learning [curve] this last six weeks for Darc and we’ve probably got a decision to make, whether we leave him back or put him forward in the future,” Pyke said.
“I’ve been happy with how he’s developed down back, he reads the game really well, he’s a strong competitor.
“At some point, we’ll look at him forward again but it’s nice to have a guy who we know can play back and forward - we don’t have too many on the list that can do that.”
Fogarty was named in Adelaide’s 26-man extended squad ahead of Round Seven.
The Crows’ final team will be named at 4:30pm ACST on Friday.
