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Player Watch Welcome to Port Adelaide Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
- Thread starter Grave Danger
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- Sep 25, 2013
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Who would have thought that leaving a developing key back to take the number one key forward each week, whilst your team applies zero midfield pressure would result in BZT having bags kicked on him?
Whilst it’s still early days, he is showing there is something to work with there. What has impressed me is that he hasn’t let the forwards have an easy jump at it and has won the one on one despite not always having a second defender coming in to help. And has looked solid despite our defence being a disorganised mess.
Whilst it’s still early days, he is showing there is something to work with there. What has impressed me is that he hasn’t let the forwards have an easy jump at it and has won the one on one despite not always having a second defender coming in to help. And has looked solid despite our defence being a disorganised mess.
Chad Cornes on his early impressions of new recruit Brandon Zerk-Thatcher:
“Zerk-Thatcher I hadn't seen a lot of him play, if I'm being honest. So, I didn't really know what to expect when he came to the footy club. But you can tell from day one, the way he trains against the forwards, how he loves beating them up and how physical he was at training. He's just transferred that into games, and he's one of those guys that you'd hate to play on in game. The job he did on (Tom) Lynch, he probably couldn't have done it better. He's been outstanding."
“Zerk-Thatcher I hadn't seen a lot of him play, if I'm being honest. So, I didn't really know what to expect when he came to the footy club. But you can tell from day one, the way he trains against the forwards, how he loves beating them up and how physical he was at training. He's just transferred that into games, and he's one of those guys that you'd hate to play on in game. The job he did on (Tom) Lynch, he probably couldn't have done it better. He's been outstanding."
They are very different types of defenders. McKenzie is a gem when fit. Total pro & total team man. Talented too.
philreich
TheBrownDog
- Mar 2, 2014
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Are you saying we'll get rid of Ken before they get rid of Dodoro?
How do you pick up a player as a DFA if they’re not delisted? I don’t think he was even close to being delisted either. Strange call.
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Highly rate Lyon
Excellent game by BZT, very disciplined & played his role perfectly. Has good closing speed & good concentration. Is working really hard for his team.
TeeKray
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There's not much reason why Burton should be picked ahead of him.
Last year at the Gather Round I purposely came early for our game so that I could watch, in person, BZT when his mob took on the D’s and I was suitably impressed. I reckon his influence on the game was the catalyst that enabled Essendon to produce the upset of the round. The D’s were never in it!
Not BZT in particular, my point was i thought he looked like the standard of player you could get each year as DFA, or from the local leagues like Toby Pink.
Not thrilled that our forwards coach is out there saying he hadn't seen much of a fullback who played 50 odd games for an opponent.
RussellEbertHandball
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A defender who defends first rather than plays, zone off, guard the grass, footy. Whats going on??
Ford Fairlane
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Thought he was very good again against a completely different type of player in Fritsch. Conceded a couple of goals, but the second was a con job by the ump and curbed his influence throughout the game, with Fritsch only having 7 disposals. BZT also picked up a dozen touches at 92% and lent a hand a few times in marking/spoiling contests.
bomberclifford
Importer/Exporter
Was the first time I'd had a chance to watch him behind the play and he impressed. Seems very cool headed to me.
He didn't go full berzerk but he was pretty close and did a very good job overall.
He very much works in our defensive structure. Sav and Aliir have had crucial roles in all three games but BZT has been our most consistent defender and has performed on first and second string forwards. Big win on that trade.
I like him, have since he got here and even more now after a couple of games. Plays his role with no fuss . I like how he’s nice and tall
RussellEbertHandball
Flick pass expert
I saw one interesting bit of play in the 2nd quarter that I don't think I have seen for a long long time at AO, at least from my elevated seat position in the eastern stand.
Charlie took the ruck ball up about 30m from our goal. Ee-varn jestered to Esava that he would go and stand on Brown who was standing on the outer side centre square line maybe 15-20m back from the NE corner of the square.
Esava then sprinted to the centre circle and took the man BZT was standing at the time. It wasn't Fritsch so it might have been van Rooyen and BZT then went and placed himself like a goal keeper and positioned himself between the CHB side of the square line and Melbourne's F50m arc so he was about 25m behind the last Melbourne player, van Rooyen.
I'm sure its happened before, but I don't remember Lycett or Ryder doing this sort of play and then BZT forcing himself to go back and sit so far back from an opponent under the Hinkley high, high press regime.
I've seen our defenders be 40m back from their opponent, but that's driven by the forward sprinting off to go and get close to the contest. What BZT did was very deliberate and very defensive action.
Charlie took the ruck ball up about 30m from our goal. Ee-varn jestered to Esava that he would go and stand on Brown who was standing on the outer side centre square line maybe 15-20m back from the NE corner of the square.
Esava then sprinted to the centre circle and took the man BZT was standing at the time. It wasn't Fritsch so it might have been van Rooyen and BZT then went and placed himself like a goal keeper and positioned himself between the CHB side of the square line and Melbourne's F50m arc so he was about 25m behind the last Melbourne player, van Rooyen.
I'm sure its happened before, but I don't remember Lycett or Ryder doing this sort of play and then BZT forcing himself to go back and sit so far back from an opponent under the Hinkley high, high press regime.
I've seen our defenders be 40m back from their opponent, but that's driven by the forward sprinting off to go and get close to the contest. What BZT did was very deliberate and very defensive action.
Windy Cindy
Premiership Player
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Been our best pick up..
Plays in those types which we have struggled to cover in the past.
Hope his form continues.
Plays in those types which we have struggled to cover in the past.
Hope his form continues.
Interesting! Our defensive structure def vastly improved ... And will only get better as they work together more. Zerk is a big part of that. Besides him being my man, I am stoked to have him. Still young, and has heaps of growth left .
Chewy316
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I'm sure we've seen McKenzie do the same multiple times over the years? From what I've noticed so far this year, BZT has been the last line defender which McKenzie has more or less played over the last 4 seasons.
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