Default Fans

Third Cat joins Rising Star list

Geelong youngster Darcy Lang is the Rising Star nominee for Round 21.

The second-year Cat earned the gong after collecting 16 disposals at 81 percent efficiency and three marks in the draw to St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Lang’s consistency has been on show in 2015 where he’s managed to feature in every game in a breakout year, averaging 13 disposals, three tackles, and three inside fifties per game.

The 19-year-old has added poise and pace around the midfield with an ability to impact the scoreboard where on three occasions he’s booted multiple majors this season.

The well balanced Colac product was taken with pick 16 by Geelong in the 2013 national draft after sustaining a broken leg in the Under-18 Championships while playing for Vic Country.

But it didn’t take long for Lang to make his debut last year, getting the call up for in Round 13 against St Kilda for his one and only senior appearance, gathering seven disposals and six tackles in the 96-point win after starting as the sub.

With the Cats transitioning through the next generation of players while still featuring key veterans this year, Lang has had the opportunity to learn off  some experienced and successful mentors.

He told afl.com.au much-loved and mercurial teammate Steve Johnson is teaching him the ropes of the forward half.

“I’ve worked with Stevie closely this year, just on forward positioning and running patterns and things like that,” Lang said.

“He’s been pretty good for me, learning the snappers and a couple of other things as well.”

Lang said the ultimate goal is to spend more time in the midfield but needs to develop a lot more physically to be able to do so.

“Having a couple more pre-seasons under my belt and building more of an aerobic base to have that extended time in the midfield is what I need to get to.”

“Even just that craft around the stoppages and getting a bigger body to win some contested footy, I need to keep working on that as well.”

Lang is the Cats 29th Rising Star nominee since the award’s inception in 1993 and follows Cory Gregson and Jackson Thurlow as the club’s third nominee in 2015 – the last time this was achieved by Geelong was in 2011.

The Cats have registered one winner of the award – Joel Selwood in 2007.