ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #876
Zorko's Journey to 5000
Dayne Zorkois officially the most prolific late-starter in AFL history.PLAYERCARDSTART15Dayne Zorko
- Age
- 35
- Ht
- 175cm
- Wt
- 77kg
- Pos.
- M/F
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 21.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.2
- 5star
- HB
- 8.2
- 5star
- M
- 3.6
- 4star
- T
- 6.0
- 5star
- CL
- 3.6
- 5star
- D
- 14.0
- 3star
- K
- 9.0
- 4star
- HB
- 5.0
- 3star
- M
- 2.0
- 2star
- T
- 5.0
- 5star
- CL
- 2.0
- 4star
- D
- 16.4
- 4star
- K
- 9.8
- 4star
- HB
- 6.6
- 4star
- M
- 5.2
- 5star
- T
- 6.6
- 5star
- CL
- 1.2
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Zorko’s 19 possessions before his hamstring injury in Saturday’s Gabba win over Fremantle earned him membership of the AFL’s 5000-Possession Club. And it’s a Gold Star membership.
He is the 168th player to have topped 5000 AFL possessions since official records began in 1965, and the oldest on debut. He was 23 years 93 days when his five-year wait to play at the highest level finally ended in 2012.
While 149 members of the 5000-Club were teenagers on debut, and a further 11 were 20, Zorko is one of only eight who debuted after their 21st birthday.
Hawthorn’s John Platten (23 years 14 days) was next oldest, followed by Carlton’s Craig Bradley (22/159), current Geelong player Isaac Smith(22/127), ex-Adelaide pair Tony McGuinness (21/329) and Mark BickleyPLAYERCARDSTART7Isaac Smith
- Age
- 35
- Ht
- 188cm
- Wt
- 83kg
- Pos.
- M/F
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 21.3
- 5star
- K
- 13.0
- 5star
- HB
- 8.4
- 5star
- M
- 5.5
- 5star
- T
- 2.9
- 4star
- CL
- 1.7
- 4star
- D
- 19.4
- 4star
- K
- 11.1
- 4star
- HB
- 8.3
- 4star
- M
- 3.8
- 4star
- T
- 2.5
- 3star
- CL
- 1.3
- 4star
- D
- 19.2
- 5star
- K
- 10.6
- 4star
- HB
- 8.6
- 5star
- M
- 7.6
- 5star
- T
- 2.0
- 4star
- CL
- 0.6
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND(21/252), West Coast’s Matt Priddis (21/74) and Sydney’s Daryn CresswellPLAYERCARDSTARTMark Bickley
- Age
- 54
- Ht
- 178cm
- Wt
- 82kg
- Pos.
- Mid
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 19.4
- 5star
- K
- 11.7
- 4star
- HB
- 7.8
- 5star
- M
- 3.3
- 3star
- T
- 2.7
- 4star
No current season stats available
- D
- 21.2
- 5star
- K
- 11.0
- 4star
- HB
- 10.2
- 5star
- M
- 3.2
- 4star
- T
- 3.8
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND(21/51).PLAYERCARDSTARTDaryn Cresswell
- Age
- 52
- Ht
- 183cm
- Wt
- 84kg
- Pos.
- Mid
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 23.0
- 5star
- K
- 14.2
- 5star
- HB
- 8.8
- 5star
- M
- 4.1
- 4star
- T
- 1.4
- 3star
No current season stats available
- D
- 19.8
- 5star
- K
- 13.0
- 5star
- HB
- 6.8
- 5star
- M
- 2.6
- 3star
- T
- 0.0
- 1star
PLAYERCARDEND
And while this statistical oddity will not compensate Zorko for the frustration of another injury, it does underline the enormous output of the 2007 Queensland Under-18 captain since his AFL debut in 2012 after he was overlooked in four consecutive drafts in 2007-08-09-10.
And it underlines the enormous worth of the trade via which the Lions secured Zorko from the Gold Coast Suns, who had rejected the then Broadbeach star but claimed him as a zone selection ahead of the 2011 draft with the intent of trading him up the highway to the Lions.
In a three-way deal, Brisbane sent pick #34 to Gold Coast and pick #52 to Melbourne and received Zorko and pick #47 from the Gold Coast after Melbourne sent Matthew Warnockto the Gold Coast.PLAYERCARDSTARTMatthew Warnock
- Age
- 40
- Ht
- 195cm
- Wt
- 94kg
- Pos.
- Def
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 11.7
- 3star
- K
- 5.4
- 2star
- HB
- 6.3
- 4star
- M
- 3.8
- 4star
- T
- 1.5
- 3star
No current season stats available
- D
- 8.0
- 2star
- K
- 4.0
- 2star
- HB
- 4.0
- 3star
- M
- 2.8
- 3star
- T
- 1.4
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
That pick #47 amounted to nothing when Patrick Wearden did not play an AFL game was quickly forgotten as Zorko built a career that ranks him with the club’s very best.
Zorko, who reached 5000 possessions in his 236th game on Saturday, is the seventh Brisbane player 5000 possessions behind Marcus Ashcroft(2001), Nigel Lappin (2004, Michael Voss (2004), Simon Black (2008), Luke PowerPLAYERCARDSTARTMarcus Ashcroft
- Age
- 52
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 83kg
- Pos.
- Def
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 18.4
- 5star
- K
- 11.1
- 4star
- HB
- 7.3
- 5star
- M
- 3.6
- 4star
- T
- 1.9
- 4star
No current season stats available
- D
- 8.6
- 3star
- K
- 5.6
- 3star
- HB
- 3.0
- 3star
- M
- 2.0
- 3star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND(2009) and Daniel RichPLAYERCARDSTARTLuke Power
- Age
- 44
- Ht
- 180cm
- Wt
- 79kg
- Pos.
- M/F
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 23.0
- 5star
- K
- 13.4
- 5star
- HB
- 9.6
- 5star
- M
- 3.9
- 4star
- T
- 3.9
- 5star
- CL
- 1.9
- 4star
No current season stats available
- D
- 16.6
- 4star
- K
- 10.2
- 4star
- HB
- 6.4
- 4star
- M
- 1.4
- 2star
- T
- 2.0
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND(2022).PLAYERCARDSTART10Daniel Rich
- Age
- 33
- Ht
- 183cm
- Wt
- 95kg
- Pos.
- Def
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 19.7
- 5star
- K
- 12.6
- 5star
- HB
- 7.0
- 4star
- M
- 3.4
- 3star
- T
- 3.2
- 5star
- MG
- 430.3
- 5star
- D
- 14.9
- 4star
- K
- 13.1
- 5star
- HB
- 1.8
- 1star
- M
- 3.8
- 4star
- T
- 1.0
- 2star
- MG
- 384.3
- 5star
- D
- 16.2
- 4star
- K
- 10.4
- 4star
- HB
- 5.8
- 4star
- M
- 2.6
- 3star
- T
- 5.2
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
Zorko was equal second-quickest of the Lions’ sextet, behind Black (220), equal with Voss (236) and ahead of Power (241), Lappin (242), Rich (247) and Ashcroft (256).