It is out of place to be critical of Fremantle Dockers ruckman Sean Darcy.

Negativity Around Fremantle Dockers Ruckman Sean Darcy is Misplaced

The sun was setting over Optus Stadium, casting long shadows on the freshly manicured grass, as Sean Darcy sat on the bench, reflecting on the week that had just passed. It had been a tough one. Headlines had dominated the sports section, with the rumblings of discontent growing louder every day. Critics had begun questioning his form, his impact on the game, and whether he was truly the right fit for Fremantle’s ruck position in a team striving for greater success.

But Darcy knew one thing: this negativity was misplaced.

Since he first stepped onto the field for the Dockers, there had always been pressure. Being a ruckman in the AFL was never going to be easy, and being one with the physical presence and style of Darcy meant that the spotlight would inevitably fall on him. It came with the territory—being a young player with immense talent but still developing into the force he was destined to become.

Despite all the external chatter, Darcy felt the weight of support from within. The coaching staff, the players in the locker room, even the fans in the stands—they all saw the dedication he poured into the game. They knew the heart and hustle he brought every single week. But out there, in the eyes of some critics, those things were often overshadowed by his occasional mistakes or less-than-stellar performances in certain matches.

“I think people forget just how much Sean has improved in such a short time,” said Andrew, a fellow ruckman from the team, who had known Darcy since their junior days. “He’s learning, adapting, and becoming more consistent. What’s frustrating is that they focus on one off-game, but they overlook the countless efforts where he has outmatched his opposition and given us so many opportunities.”

The whispers around Darcy had intensified after a tough loss in round 8. The Dockers had struggled, and Darcy had struggled with them, finding himself outclassed by a more seasoned opponent. The match had left him frustrated, but that was part of the journey—growth was never linear. He knew there would be setbacks, and he wasn’t going to let one defeat define him.

That night, as he replayed the game in his mind, Darcy recalled how he’d battled through the contest, how he’d pushed himself in the ruck and around the ground despite the game slipping away from Fremantle. He knew the critics had seen the few missteps—the errors that cost them a goal, the moments when he’d missed a tap to a teammate—but he also knew the countless hard contested marks, the work he’d done to nullify his opponent, and the tackling pressure he’d applied when the ball hit the ground.

“All it takes is one match to turn things around,” said Fremantle’s coach, Justin Longmuir, when asked about Darcy’s form in the post-match press conference. “Sean’s the kind of player who thrives on challenge. He’s young, but the upside is immense. What’s being overlooked right now is that his potential is far greater than what’s being critiqued. It’s easy to miss the forest for the trees when you focus only on the small bumps along the way.”

By the time the next round came around, Darcy had made his adjustments. He had worked closely with his teammates and coaches