THERE is a steely determination to Darcy Jones.
It's a determination that was evident in the 24 hours before this month's NAB AFL Draft Combine, where the young West Australian set himself some lofty goals to impress onlooking club recruiters.
Sprinting and agility would be his pet events, so Jones wanted to knock them out of the park. But he'd also targeted the 2km time trial, and the vertical leap tests, as areas where he could catch the eye of AFL scouts.
But Jones didn't just catch their eye. He also caught their ear. If the clubs in attendance weren't already monitoring his efforts, then the applause when his time of 7.702 seconds in the agility test was read out over the loudspeaker soon grabbed their full attention.
Jones had smashed a 14-year record, previously set by Fremantle's Stephen Hill in 2008, in the agility test. He also won the vertical jump test, reaching 75cm, and finished fifth in both the running vertical jump (87cm) and the 20m sprint (2.912 seconds).
"I just wanted to do my best," Jones told AFL.com.au.
Standing at a diminutive 174cm, and weighing only 63kgs, Jones' determination has stemmed from having to prove people wrong. Given his slender frame, he knows he has to be tougher, braver and faster than the rest. And, for the most part, he has been.
"People have talked about my height a lot," Jones said.
"I've kind of made an effort to prove that it's not a massive thing, especially nowadays. There are attributes that can help you work around it and make you stand out from the rest, which I try to show off on game days."
Jones has stepped up to every level asked of him this season. Having dominated Colts footy in the WAFL with Swan Districts, he played three senior games – including one against a West Coast side stacked with AFL-listed talent – throughout the year.
He won 19 disposals, seven marks and kicked two goals from five scoring shots against the Eagles, further enhancing the crafty small forward's standing as a likely top-30 prospect ahead of next month's NAB AFL Draft.
It followed a Colts campaign where Champion Data notes Jones averaged 26 disposals, 13.7 contested possessions, 6.2 clearances, 5.2 score involvements, 4.7 tackles and a goal per game. Such impressive numbers ultimately led to his senior debut.
"The only thing that changed for me was the speed and the pace of the game," Jones said.
"I've been playing against bigger bodies my whole life and I've had to adjust to that. I've worked my way around it and used my attributes to help me. But it was the pace of the game that was a bit different.
"I just fit in straightaway. They were so good to me, they treated me like I had been there for five years. They didn't care that I was coming up from Colts, they just welcomed me and made it easy for me to fit in and play my best footy."
Jones' determination stretches beyond the field as well. This season the teenager has mixed football with a university prep course in physical education, work in both a cidery and a sports store, and shifts as an education assistant at a primary school with his mum.
"I'm basically just helping kids with special needs, teaching them how to learn and helping them with their reading and writing and all of that sort of stuff. I just help out with that where I can," Jones said.
"Mum loves it. She's been doing it for over 10 years now. It's a pretty rewarding job. You see kids progress and you're helping them get through school and become adults. She quite enjoys it."
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On the field, Jones' feats at the Draft Combine are likely to continue pushing him higher up AFL scouting boards. But his reputation had already been established courtesy of his performances and the versatility he has displayed throughout the year.
A monster 44-disposal game through the midfield against Perth at Colts level back in April was followed by a three-goal display as a forward the next week against Claremont, highlighting his ability to play multiple positions.
Combining the two has also been a strength of Jones' during the year, as evidenced at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships with Western Australia where he averaged 19.7 disposals, 5.3 score involvements and 1.3 goals per game.
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"I probably see myself as a small forward, or potentially on the wing," Jones said.
"I'd say inside midfield would be my favourite position, just because you're always at the ball and you get a lot of it. But, to be realistic, if I was lucky enough to get picked up it would probably be as a small forward or as a wingman.
"I've played in so many different positions, so I try to model myself on someone that plays similar roles to me. I like to model myself around Shai Bolton. Or if I'm on the wing, I look at Bradley Hill. He's so fast and good with his skills."
A big West Coast fan growing up, Jones has admirers from all over the country. Only a handful of clubs didn't meet with him during the Draft Combine, with Hawthorn and Greater Western Sydney among those to request multiple interviews.
"Anywhere would be nice, to be honest," Jones said.
"I've come to terms with the fact it's more likely I'll be going over east. But you never know what's going to happen. If I'm lucky enough to go over east, then certainly I'll be over the moon."
