Sarah Dargan Explained

Sarah Dargan
Birth Date:3 February 1999
Birth Place:Melbourne
Originalteam:Calder Cannons (TAC Cup)
Draftpick:No. 20, 2017 AFL Women's draft
Debutdate:Round 1, 2018
Debutstadium:Ikon Park
Height:165 cm
Position:Forward / Midfielder
Years1:2018–2020
Games Goals1:14 (2)
Years2:2021–2022 (S6)
Games Goals2:11 (2)
Years3:2022 (S7)
Games Goals3:9 (3)
Games Goalstotal:34 (7)
Statsend:2022 season 7
Careerhighlights:

Sarah Dargan (born 3 February 1999) is an Australian rules footballer who last played with Sydney in the AFL Women's competition (AFLW). She previously played three seasons with Collingwood, after being drafted to the club in the 2017 draft, and two seasons with Richmond after being traded to the club ahead of the 2021 season.

Early life and state football

Dargan grew up in Melbourne with a family who love Australian rules football, kicking a ball around the backyard with her older brother, Matt. Dargan started out as a basketballer, before playing junior football for Pascoe Vale in division one of the Northern Football League, excelling as a mid-sized forward. Ahead of 2015, she joined Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup and played senior football with them for three years, being touted as a superstar.[1] [2] While playing with Calder Cannons, she also represented Vic Metro for 3 years. In 2015, she helped Vic Metro win the 2015 AFL Youth Girls National Championships title, scoring a goal in the Grand Final at Bendigo Bank Stadium, where they beat Queensland by seven points.[3] This followed her two goals against Queensland in their opening match preceding it.[4] In 2016 she was part of the Vic Metro team that won the 2016 AFL Youth Girls National Championships title.[5] In 2017, Dargan was named one of Vic Metro's best in their opening loss to Vic Country, but due to this loss they lost the 2017 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships title to Vic Country despite winning their remaining games.[6] In April 2018, Calder Cannon's coach, Alicia Eva, labelled Dargan as a "special kind of player" and predicted her being drafted to an AFLW club.

AFL Women's career

Dargan was drafted by Collingwood with their third selection and twentieth overall in the 2017 AFL Women's draft.[7] Collingwood's coach, Wayne Siekman, said "she is clean off the ground, has a good change of pace and knows where the goals are."[8] Her selection defined her as a bolter, having not being invited to the combine or the draft itself.[9] She made her debut in the eight point loss to Carlton at Ikon Park in the opening round of the 2018 season.[10] In the winter of 2018, she played three games for Collingwood's VFL Women's (VFLW) team, before rupturing her Lisfranc ligament in her left foot, which required a long period of rest and rehabilitation. At the beginning she was upset not being able to play, but looking back she appreciated being able to see the coaches' box angle of the game which helped develop her knowledge. In round 2 of the 2019 season, Dargan kicked her first professional goal against Melbourne, which was Collingwood's first AFLW goal at the club's spiritual home, Victoria Park.[11] In round 4 of the season, she was nominated for the AFL Women's Rising Star award, following her move to the midfield and her performance in Collingwood's nine point loss to Greater Western Sydney. She finished the game with a career-high 16 disposals, as well as laying six tackles and kicking a goal.[12] She was surprised by the nomination, but honoured and happy to see her hard work pay off.[13] Dargan played a key role for Collingwood in the 2019 season.[14] In April 2019, she re-committed to Collingwood, alongside Brittany Bonnici, Ruby Schleicher, Erica Fowler, Sophie Alexander, Eliza Hynes, and captain Steph Chiocci.[15] In August 2020, Dargan was traded together with Sarah D'Arcy to Richmond in a deal which saw Collingwood receive Aliesha Newman.[16] [17] In May 2022, Dargan joined expansion club Sydney for their inaugural season.[18] In March 2023, Dargan was delisted by Sydney, having played a key role in their forward line.[19]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to round 3, 2022 season 6[20] |- style="background-color: #eaeaea"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018|style="text-align:center;"|| 46 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 6 || 9 || 1 || 3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 3.0 || 0.3 || 1.0|- | scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019|style="text-align:center;"|| 46 || 7 || 2 || 2 || 51 || 21 || 72 || 10 || 28 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 7.3 || 3.0 || 10.3 || 1.4 || 4.0|- style="background-color: #eaeaea"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020|style="text-align:center;"|| 46 || 4 || 0 || 1 || 8 || 20 || 28 || 2 || 10 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 2.0 || 5.0 || 7.0 || 0.5 || 2.5|- | scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2021|style="text-align:center;"|| 17 || 8 || 0 || 1 || 19 || 21 || 40 || 3 || 20 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 2.4 || 2.6 || 5.0 || 0.4 || 2.5|- style="background:#EAEAEA"| scope="row" text-align:center | 2022 (S6)| | 17 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 5 || 4 || 9 || 2 || 1 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 5.0 || 4.0 || 9.0 || 2.0 || 1.0|-|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 23! 3! 4! 86! 72! 158! 18! 62! 0.1! 0.2! 3.7! 3.1! 6.9! 0.8! 2.7|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TAC Youth Girls Academies announced. AFL Victoria. 30 October 2014. 7 May 2020.
  2. Web site: Female Football In The EDFL - The Dream Is Real. Julia. Montesano. Essendon District Football League. 8 April 2018. 7 May 2020.
  3. Web site: Vic Metro Win Youth Girls National Champs. AFL Community. 9 May 2015. 7 May 2020.
  4. Web site: Vic Metro prevail over Queensland. AFL Queensland. 7 May 2015. 7 May 2020.
  5. Web site: Vic Metro claims National Youth Girls title. Callum. O'Connor. AFL Victoria. 7 May 2016. 7 May 2020.
  6. News: Calder Cannons fail at the finish. Northern Star Weekly. 20 June 2017. 7 May 2020.
  7. News: Collingwood recruit Sarah Dargan ready to make her mark in second season of AFL Women’s. Michell. Tim. 31 October 2017. Herald Sun. 3 February 2018.
  8. Web site: AFLW Draft: Meet the new Magpies. . Telstra Media. 18 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225104726/https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2017-10-18/aflw-draft-as-it-happens. 25 December 2017. dead.
  9. Web site: AFLW: Pies draft bolter relishes 'underdog' tag. Sarah. Black. Telstra Media. Australian Football League. 19 January 2018. 7 May 2020.
  10. News: AFLW Round 1 teams named: Stars set for second season. Salemme. Kate. 1 February 2018. Herald Sun. 3 February 2018.
  11. News: No joy for Magpies in return to Victoria Park as Demons dominate. Peter. Ryan. The Age. 9 February 2019. 7 May 2020.
  12. Web site: Great footy bloodlines in round four Rising Star nominee. Sarah. Black. Telstra Media. AFL Women's. 26 February 2019. 6 May 2020.
  13. Web site: AFLW: Dargan wins rising star nomination. Alanna. Mullan. Telstra Media. Collingwood. 26 February 2019. 7 May 2020.
  14. Web site: 'She's got a bit of X-Factor': Collingwood Magpies AFLW Preview. Elly. McNerney. The Women's Game. 7 February 2020. 7 May 2020.
  15. Web site: Seven is Heaven: Pies re-commit for 2020. Tash. Lewis. Telstra Media. Collingwood. 9 April 2019. 7 May 2020.
  16. Web site: Newman to don black and white in 2021. Tash. Lewis. Telstra. Collingwood. 4 August 2020. 4 October 2020. 8 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201008011116/https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/788995/newman-to-don-black-and-white-in-2021. live.
  17. Web site: Tigers welcome trio. Telstra. Richmond. 4 August 2020. 4 October 2020. 8 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201008091644/https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/788846/tigers-welcome-trio. live.
  18. Web site: Experienced Lochland and Dargan join Swans AFLW list. Telstra. Sydney Swans. 27 May 2022. 29 May 2022. 27 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220527053542/https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1135996/experienced-lochland-and-dargan-join-swans-aflw-list. live.
  19. Web site: Sydney makes three AFLW list changes. Telstra. Sydney Swans. 10 March 2023.
  20. Web site: Sarah Dargan - Player Stats By Season. Australian Football. 25 January 2022.