Retired #11: David Zaharakis - Survivin'

[Beerfish]

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

 

[mayhem20202]

Half way through the season and there was a ton of unhappy bomber bigfooty ppl with zaka....stella finish to the year and possibly our most consistent over this period.

They were well within their rights at the halfway point of the year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zahoorahkis]

It's great to see him stick effective tackles.

He is our most skillful midfielder, but if he adds some toughness to his repertoire he becomes out best midfielder, period.

Had he played the whole year as he has the second half, he would have had a second Crichton round his neck.

 

[blitzer]

With Zaharakis the challenge has always been consistency. I've loved his season as a whole after about the first 8 weeks. If he kept playing at his average level from then on in 2017 for the rest of his career I'd be delighted. I'm surprised we haven't re-signed him yet.

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

They were well within their rights at the halfway point of the year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah he was a bit off early this year..no where near 2016 levels or what he has been doing lately. But when he was off he was a whipping boy. I feel Hepp did not have a great game yesterday...and hepp has a few like that throughout the year..but I dont see everyone getting stuck into Hepp today. If that was Zakka that produced Hepps game..ppl would be kicking him in here...nothing surer.

 

[citizen-erased]

top 3 in BnF for me.
He is our get out of trouble player at the moment.
We start the link up and overuse it. Zaka gets it and gets us going forward

He and Parish will be very good together.

 

[ant555]

Going to go against the grain here. Worst defender in the midfield. If you have a look when the opposition is streaming down the field with 2 or 3 players Zaka is more often than not the bloke standing in no mans land watching it all unfold. On top of that he rarely makes an effort to rectify it. If we have 2 or 3 blokes defending 1 player Zaka is generally one of them.

 

[zahoorahkis]

Going to go against the grain here. Worst defender in the midfield. If you have a look when the opposition is streaming down the field with 2 or 3 players Zaka is more often than not the bloke standing in no mans land watching it all unfold. On top of that he rarely makes an effort to rectify it. If we have 2 or 3 blokes defending 1 player Zaka is generally one of them.

Some of that is to be expected though, considering that he is generally our most attacking midfielder.

Also often comes when one of his teammates butchers the ball going forward and we get stung on the counter.

He has the most tackles in the team after Merrett. That tells me he actually does put defensive pressure on in the midfield.

 

[ant555]

Some of that is to be expected though, considering that he is generally our most attacking midfielder.

Also often comes when one of his teammates butchers the ball going forward and we get stung on the counter.

He has the most tackles in the team after Merrett. That tells me he actually does put defensive pressure on in the midfield.

This always come up. I am not talking about putting pressure on. Totally different area of the game. I have no issue with the fact than he can tackle and does it pretty well. The fact you mention Merritt gives me another point of attack as he is ordinary with his defensive running/positioning as well.

I know players get caught out on the turnover. It is impossible to defend when we turn it over in the middle or back half. That is a given. No one is in position as we have to be thinking we will hold possession and attack. Otherwise you would never score.

What i am talking about is slow footy coming out of defense where we need to pick up the outlet players on a switch of play. Zaka has no idea and I have seen a lot of times where players have yelled for him to cover and he just continues to stand in space or jog along. At least 8 times I counted the Crows running forward on a switch of play and Zaka just guarding a 3m area of grass. He is not the only one. Goddard is just as bad as is Jobe. Heppell tries but often his reaction time is a fraction slow and he does not have the pace to shut it down.

The 2 areas stopping us from being a top side are continue physical pressure and poor team defense.

 

[zahoorahkis]

This always come up. I am not talking about putting pressure on. Totally different area of the game. I have no issue with the fact than he can tackle and does it pretty well. The fact you mention Merritt gives me another point of attack as he is ordinary with his defensive running/positioning as well.

I know players get caught out on the turnover. It is impossible to defend when we turn it over in the middle or back half. That is a given. No one is in position as we have to be thinking we will hold possession and attack. Otherwise you would never score.

What i am talking about is slow footy coming out of defense where we need to pick up the outlet players on a switch of play. Zaka has no idea and I have seen a lot of times where players have yelled for him to cover and he just continues to stand in space or jog along. At least 8 times I counted the Crows running forward on a switch of play and Zaka just guarding a 3m area of grass. He is not the only one. Goddard is just as bad as is Jobe. Heppell tries but often his reaction time is a fraction slow and he does not have the pace to shut it down.

The 2 areas stopping us from being a top side are continue physical pressure and poor team defense.

Yeah, he jogs along 10 metres behind a man on these occasions, but I rarely see his opponents break him apart when he does it.

I actually think it's quite smart because he is saving his energy for offensive output.

I think your definition of defence is a bit narrow from what you've said.

From my point of view, the number one thing stopping us from being a top team is having too many ball-butchers in the team who can't hit a target and open us up to defensive liabilities.

Just have a look at how many of the opposition's goals actually come from our fluffed offensive forays.

 

[ant555]

Yeah, he jogs along 10 metres behind a man on these occasions, but I rarely see his opponents break him apart when he does it.

I actually think it's quite smart because he is saving his energy for offensive output.

I think your definition of defence is a bit narrow from what you've said.

I actually think the number one thing stopping us from being a top team is having too many ball-butchers in the team who can't hit a target and open us up to defensive liabilities.

You do not watch closely enough then.

As far as my definition of defense goes. Think i will back mine given it has given me paid part time employment for 11 years.

Interesting that Zaka was one of the players who went at under 70% efficiency and was equal third in the clanger count.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Defense all over the ground will be focus this pre season Worsfold said as much in his post match last night.

 

[zahoorahkis]

You do not watch closely enough then.

As far as my definition of defense goes. Think i will back mine given it has given me paid part time employment for 11 years.

Interesting that Zaka was one of the players who went at under 70% efficiency and was equal third in the clanger count.

Rather than resting on your credentials, I'd prefer some actual evidence of how it has actually hurt the team, especially when you're making claims like 'worst defender in the midfield'.

Very rarely does he let his opponent through in the situations you mention. Nor is it the case that others then need to pick up his man as a result of it which breaks us down further down the chain.

Not sure if you're seriously trying to mount a case that Zaka is the cause of our ball using woes, or just having a passive aggressive dig. Yeah he made some errors last night, but it happens, especially when you're risking moves going into attack.

 

[Summer Nights]

You do not watch closely enough then.

As far as my definition of defense goes. Think i will back mine given it has given me paid part time employment for 11 years.

Interesting that Zaka was one of the players who went at under 70% efficiency and was equal third in the clanger count.

Lol dude. You always revert to reminding about your background in recruiting when someone counters you in debate. You're sometimes wrong, just like everyone can be. No need to be arrogant in your posting.

For what it's worth, I was a massive critic of Zaka last year and this due to his very soft side at a contest. He has really toughened up and I really value him in the side now. I still think he's decent bait for trade if the right deal came up, but I doubt that will happen.

I also agree his defensive running can be poor and I've been saying it for years. Jobe has always been lazy like that, as was Hille, Heppell early in his career, Melksham, McVeigh, Lovett and a number of other players who contributed to a lazy culture that has proven difficult to break. But I believe this based on what I see - you don't need to be a part time recruiter on bigfooty calling yourself The Oracle to see this.

Here's where you reply on a rant saying you don't give a **** what people on here think and you'll not post if people are going to have cracks at you when you're trying to offer insights from an industry employee's point of view.

In 3...2...1...

 

[ant555]

Rather than resting on your credentials, I'd prefer some actual evidence of how it has actually hurt the team, especially when you're making claims like 'worst defender in the midfield'.

Very rarely does he let his opponent through in the situations you mention. Nor is it the case that others then need to pick up his man as a result of it which breaks us down further down the chain.

Not sure if you're seriously trying to mount a case that Zaka is the cause of our ball using woes, or just having a passive aggressive dig. Yeah he made some errors last night, but it happens, especially when you're risking moves going into attack.

I like Zaka when he is on song but the thing stopping him from moving towards elite level is his efforts in the area I spoke of. It hurts the team as it allows sides to run forward in numbers at various stages. As I said he is not alone. BJ is close to being as bad and Jobe simply does not have it in his mindset. I can name one form last year that really stood out to start with.In one game Jake Long was yelling at him to cover closer, he did not bother and the ball was switched to the bloke Zaka did not cover and went down the ground for a goal. Now it does not have to be just covering a man. It can be not pushing over and ending up with two players defending one man and one still loose on the outside.

I have not the time to go through the replay again an pinpoint the exact times but I did write down that there where 8 times on a switch of play out of defense that Zaka was the bloke by himself. BJ 7 times, Jobe 7 times and Heppell 5 times. This is not from turn over footy. It was from not working hard enough off the ball or rolling over onto other players. It will never be perfect, sides always get out of position but it is the sides who react the best that are generally the top sides. If Zaka and the others cut that number by half then there is a chance we cut of 10 or so easy inside 50's that put pressure on our defenders.

As a group our midfielders are very poor defenders. The poor turnovers are something we need to work on for sure. You can not win games by giving the ball back over and over.

As for being narrow mined with defense , i would say i am the other way. There are many aspects to defense with many actions to do. With our team defense we try and play the most complicated style that relies on players rolling over onto other players. This is where we fall down as once one bloke does not roll over it fall over. A player may be jogging back 10 meters from a man but he needs to be looking where he is in the defense. We end up with two or three on one because we do not roll out.We do not look or concentrate and a few guys just do not have it in their DNA.

If you looked at the Crows they play a much more simple defense that I think would suite us better. They set up one on one in the back 6 when they can with one loose back to counter the bomb forward. It can come undone but not as easily as the team defense does.
The Eagles tried to build the ultimate team defense as well but now they are not going as well it falls down more often.

Getting back to Zaka, everyone has their weakness. For whatever reason Zaka's is the lack of consistency in the roll over defense. He is not the first bloke I have had a shot at it for. Stants was very much the same. Zack Merritt is not great at it either and the issue is unless you are Judd / Ablett in prime form you can not hide it in a team game.

 

[yaco55]

Like Ant to give some examples of players who are excellent at playing rollover defence.

 

[ant555]

Lol dude. You always revert to reminding about your background in recruiting when someone counters you in debate. You're sometimes wrong, just like everyone can be. No need to be arrogant in your posting.

For what it's worth, I was a massive critic of Zaka last year and this due to his very soft side at a contest. He has really toughened up and I really value him in the side now. I still think he's decent bait for trade if the right deal came up, but I doubt that will happen.

I also agree his defensive running can be poor and I've been saying it for years. Jobe has always been lazy like that, as was Hille, Heppell early in his career, Melksham, McVeigh, Lovett and a number of other players who contributed to a lazy culture that has proven difficult to break. But I believe this based on what I see - you don't need to be a part time recruiter on bigfooty calling yourself The Oracle to see this.

Here's where you reply on a rant saying you don't give a **** what people on here think and you'll not post if people are going to have cracks at you when you're trying to offer insights from an industry employee's point of view.

In 3...2...1...

I will cop arrogant but I have never said I am always right and when I am wrong I have always posted that I was.

As far as The Oracle goes, it was a joke from around 6 or 7 years ago that has remained.

 

[ant555]

Like Ant to give some examples of players who are excellent at playing rollover defence.

Not sure we have excellent but our back half is pretty good. McGrath does it pretty well.

The from the top line midfielders Sloan and Sellwood would be the best. As a group Sydney,s midfield would be the best.

Hawthorn used to do it really well and still do but the young blokes sometimes get caught out.

 

[DonsRule]

I will cop arrogant but I have never said I am always right and when I am wrong I have always posted that I was.

As far as The Oracle goes, it was a joke from around 6 or 7 years ago that has remained.

Always appreciate your little insights Ant, along with a few others. You pick on a lot of little details that I don't notice at all until someone like you points them out makes it interesting watching for.

 

[TheGrizz]

Not sure we have excellent but our back half is pretty good. McGrath does it pretty well.

The from the top line midfielders Sloan and Sellwood would be the best. As a group Sydney,s midfield would be the best.

Hawthorn used to do it really well and still do but the young blokes sometimes get caught out.

Sydney has the best team defence in the competition when it is up and going. It's why Aliir Aliir cant get a game cause he he keeps trying to fly for interecpt marks and doesnt roll over when he has to.
The Swans have one of the best defences in the competition whilst playing guys like Newman, Melican, Mills and Jones who have all played under 50 games. Their system and defensive running by their midfielders is at the very least elite, if not the benchmark.

 

[eDPS]

This always come up. I am not talking about putting pressure on. Totally different area of the game. I have no issue with the fact than he can tackle and does it pretty well. The fact you mention Merritt gives me another point of attack as he is ordinary with his defensive running/positioning as well.

I know players get caught out on the turnover. It is impossible to defend when we turn it over in the middle or back half. That is a given. No one is in position as we have to be thinking we will hold possession and attack. Otherwise you would never score.

What i am talking about is slow footy coming out of defense where we need to pick up the outlet players on a switch of play. Zaka has no idea and I have seen a lot of times where players have yelled for him to cover and he just continues to stand in space or jog along. At least 8 times I counted the Crows running forward on a switch of play and Zaka just guarding a 3m area of grass. He is not the only one. Goddard is just as bad as is Jobe. Heppell tries but often his reaction time is a fraction slow and he does not have the pace to shut it down.

The 2 areas stopping us from being a top side are continue physical pressure and poor team defense.

Yep saw this first hand live, Crows cut us up on the rebound we weren't quick enough both in body and mind to defend. Colyer is another that just guards nothing on the rebound.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Yep saw this first hand live, Crows cut us up on the rebound we weren't quick enough both in body and mind to defend. Colyer is another that just guards nothing on the rebound.

Yep was very frustrating to watch so many times the Crows took the ball the length of ground without us touching it.

 

[Ambrosia]

Not sure we have excellent but our back half is pretty good. McGrath does it pretty well.

The from the top line midfielders Sloan and Sellwood would be the best. As a group Sydney,s midfield would be the best.

Hawthorn used to do it really well and still do but the young blokes sometimes get caught out.

The problem with our group is once you're recognised as one of the better players it becomes acceptable to slack off defensively

 

[Vindicater]

Has he re-signed yet?

 

[Doss]

Nope.

 

[Heppellicious]

Ant do you rate freo' tom Sheridan?