Retired #11: David Zaharakis - Survivin'

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2021
Last Game Played: Round 19, 2021 (omit)
Injury Status: n/a

 

[Yoda_]

Best game of the year from Zaka

 

[lamaros]

Best game of the year from Zaka

Yet still a poor game by his past standards.

 

[Yoda_]

Yet still a poor game by his past standards.

An improvement and something to build on.

 

[Pweter]

well I brought him into my SC side last week under the assumption that his form has to turn at some point. Last week he made some strides, he just needs to explode now for the benefit of primarily my SC side, but also for the Dons midfield to start clicking.

 

[Paul_Barnard]

Needs to add more goals to his game.. He used to be our best finisher on the run, cant remember the last goal he kick liked that.. Maybe Dreamtime last season?
How many has he kicked this year?

 

[BrunoV]

Still think that something is wrong physically.

If he can get near the player or the ball he seems to be able to put up a fight but he is so far off the pace at the moment he isn't close enough anywhere near enough.

 

[DonsRule]

On the Footy Show tonight.

 

[Beerfish]

Clearly riveting.. or nobody watches tfs.

 

[Zach Package]

Clearly riveting.. or nobody watches tfs.

It's competing with back to back episodes of Law and Order SVU...why the hell would you?

 

[Doss]

It's competing with back to back episodes of Law and Order SVU...why the hell would you?

More importantly, IT'S THE FOOTY SHOW.

 

[Yoda_]

Haven't watched the 'Footy' show for probably 2 years now. Why the hell would you?

 

[Drummer_19]

I went to it at the end of the 2012 season, never again will I be roped into that.

 

[Zephyr Effekt]

Get him playing more of a hf role with short periods in the middle, maybe a 75/25 split.

His marking was top notch for a bloke his size, will get to kick a few goals, build some confidence.

 

[JDavey]

Failing to even get 20 disposals a game. The rate at which he has regressed this year is outstanding. At what point do you stop hoping he will come good and instead give him a week or two in the seconds?

 

[eth-dog]

Failing to even get 20 disposals a game. The rate at which he has regressed this year is outstanding. At what point do you stop hoping he will come good and instead give him a week or two in the seconds?

Um, he's gotten 20+ disposals in all bar 2 games and is averaging 21 disposals a game.

 

[JDavey]

Um, he's gotten 20+ disposals in all bar 2 games and is averaging 21 disposals a game.

So to my point he is failing to get 20 a game, 2 of the last 3. Has averaged 19 disposals over the last 3, and 20 over the last 6. Not good enough.

Take into consideration that he only managed 16 against Brisbane.... damn.

 

[Matthew_Lloyd]

His confidence has gone down the toilet (as with Carlisle's). Very worrying

 

[Kakkle]

Is this the same player who kicked 50 goals over 2 years?

 

[Zach Package]

i'm torn, on the one hand you want him running forward with the pill (which we're beginning to see more of), and on the other, the penetration in his kicking just isn't there at the moment. Would have guessed he was struggling with something before hand, him having 3 pings at the goals from inside 55 on the run and not making the distance once pretty much confirms it

 

[BrunoV]

So to my point he is failing to get 20 a game, 2 of the last 3. Has averaged 19 disposals over the last 3, and 20 over the last 6. Not good enough.

Take into consideration that he only managed 16 against Brisbane.... damn.

The BS regarding his position in the side started earlier than three weeks ago.

If it is the last three weeks what is the problem? Had 23 and 6 tackles last week for god's sake.

Punters just can't wait to sink the boots in because he is a pretty boy and is known for finishing well. Quiet as Zaharakis has been in the last three weeks he has laid 17 tackles (which is just short of 6 a game). There is no doubt that everyone wants more but even limited by whatever physical issues is undoubtedly troubling him Zaharakis is still twice as influential as any of the young payers we could bring in to replace him.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

The BS regarding his position in the side started earlier than three weeks ago.

If it is the last three weeks what is the problem? Had 23 and 6 tackles last week for god's sake.

Punters just can't wait to sink the boots in because he is a pretty boy and is known for finishing well. Quiet as Zaharakis has been in the last three weeks he has laid 17 tackles (which is just short of 6 a game). There is no doubt that everyone wants more but even limited by whatever physical issues is undoubtedly troubling him Zaharakis is still twice as influential as any of the young payers we could bring in to replace him.

His position is safe you'd imagine, but you can understand the frustration when you consider he kicked 50 goals in two seasons and won the Crichton in 2011.

 

[JDavey]

The BS regarding his position in the side started earlier than three weeks ago.

If it is the last three weeks what is the problem? Had 23 and 6 tackles last week for god's sake.

Punters just can't wait to sink the boots in because he is a pretty boy and is known for finishing well. Quiet as Zaharakis has been in the last three weeks he has laid 17 tackles (which is just short of 6 a game). There is no doubt that everyone wants more but even limited by whatever physical issues is undoubtedly troubling him Zaharakis is still twice as influential as any of the young payers we could bring in to replace him.

So if theres something troubling him do you give him a couple weeks rest and hope he can start to find some 2011 form? There has been a massive drop in production over the last couple seasons. It's not about whether or not he can be replaced with a youngster, its about how the club moves forward to start fufilling potential.

 

[BrunoV]

His position is safe you'd imagine, but you can understand the frustration when you consider he kicked 50 goals in two seasons and won the Crichton in 2011.

The footy he played in the first half of 2012 and 2013 was much better than the footy he played in 2011.

 

[BrunoV]

So if theres something troubling him do you give him a couple weeks rest and hope he can start to find some 2011 form? There has been a massive drop in production over the last couple seasons. It's not about whether or not he can be replaced with a youngster, its about how the club moves forward to start fufilling potential.

Sure you can rest him if it will help but he's not playing VFL.

Like Jack Package said about he can hardly kick the ball 40m at the moment. Something is clearly wrong.

 

[calyam]

The BS regarding his position in the side started earlier than three weeks ago.

If it is the last three weeks what is the problem? Had 23 and 6 tackles last week for god's sake.

Punters just can't wait to sink the boots in because he is a pretty boy and is known for finishing well. Quiet as Zaharakis has been in the last three weeks he has laid 17 tackles (which is just short of 6 a game). There is no doubt that everyone wants more but even limited by whatever physical issues is undoubtedly troubling him Zaharakis is still twice as influential as any of the young payers we could bring in to replace him.

If punters are sinking their boots in it is only because they are fully aware of what he is capable of. Despite getting plenty of the ball, he is not having the same impact that he used to with a similar amount of the ball.

I don't necessarily think he should be dropped - what are the legitimate alternatives? - but it is fair to want more out of him and to call him out when he fails to deliver. At 24 he should be a much better player than he was at 21 and so far he's not even close.