Darcy’s secure at last

SUNS pressure forward Darcy Macpherson has gone from having an annual threat of his AFL career being abruptly ended to having a sense of security he has never known.

Of the four Gold Coast players who penned contract extensions this week, Macpherson’s was perhaps the most significant due to what he has had to overcome and the dramatic change it has made to his career.

The 21-year-old spent three years on the rookie list fighting for a new deal in each of those years between injury.

Things took a turn at the end of 2018 when he had a twoyear deal and a spot on the senior list put in front of him.

Macpherson has had such an impact for Gold Coast in 2019 they tabled an extension until the end of 2022 that will mean he has three more years without worrying about his future. “It’s amazing and reward for effort I guess,” he said.

“My journey, being on the rookie list for three years and I’ve had my fair share of injuries too, it’s been tough.

“I had to have a bit of resilience in that to keep chipping away.

“In the past I was scraping the barrel to try to get a contract and roles are reversed.”

Macpherson has played 20 games this season and is now spending 40 per cent of matches in the midfield between his duties in the forward line.

Macpherson said it had been a steep learning curve with the in-form Sun crediting the role midfield coach Josh Francou has played.

“I have always seen myself in the midfield,” Macpherson said. “I’m always going to be a little small forward who can

pinch hit in the guts. That is my role in the team to put the pressure on. I’ll keep doing it.

“I’ve been working closely with Josh Francou. He has been massive for my development.

“He calls it ‘not drifting in the scramble’. Always being alert, never relaxing out on the field. Whenever you get to a stoppage you are always switched on because the game will go on around you if you don’t.

“Compared that to the forward line where you can see a bit more and you have more time to set up.

“It can drain you a bit (mentally). It’s part and parcel of it and best players are always switched on at every contest and that is where the game is won and lost.”