Toast Where will Zorko be regarded among Lions greats?

Where will Zorko be regarded among Lions greats once he retires?

  • Amongst the very best

    Votes: 11 15.9%
  • Club Champion

    Votes: 37 53.6%
  • Loyal servant

    Votes: 15 21.7%
  • Just another player

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Will depend on future finals performances

    Votes: 6 8.7%

  • Total voters
    69
Great player. Watching a media vid the other day made me think about how much he's grown as a leader which lead me to wonder about his career as a whole. Late starter that had an immediate impact and has been consistently among our best players since debut. How will he be regarded when he hangs up the boots?

All-Australian and a four time best and fairest is an immense achievement for any player. Stuck it out with the club during the hard times and now leading it as a flag contender and seems hungrier for team glory more than ever. I guess some of his legacy may depend on how he and the club performs in finals at this point but curious for other's opinions.
 

X AE A12

universalmagnetic
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Hope he and all the boys who have been through the mud to get where they are now taste the ultimate success. He will be captaining them and deserves to be remembered among the greats
 
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Great player. Watching a media vid the other day made me think about how much he's grown as a leader which lead me to wonder about his career as a whole. Late starter that had an immediate impact and has been consistently among our best players since debut. How will he be regarded when he hangs up the boots?

All-Australian and a four time best and fairest is an immense achievement for any player. Stuck it out with the club during the hard times and now leading it as a flag contender and seems hungrier for team glory more than ever. I guess some of his legacy may depend on how he and the club performs in finals at this point but curious for other's opinions.
He's been a champion.

For whatever reason fans seem to be really hard on him every time he makes a misstep and has never gotten the accolades he deserved.

He's also one of those players the opposition supporters seem to pick on and hate.

It's a shame he seems to carry around a reputation for diving/staging when for someone his size he's always put his head over the ball and been a really tough resilient player. Half the Geelong team are worse stagers for free kicks.

Has to get a place in the best ever Brisbane lions team and possibly a bench spot in the alltime Fitzroy/Brisbane team with 4 b/f's.
 
If he captains us to a premiership he'd be one of the greats.

If he doesn't I think he'll continue to be underrated, at least in part because while he has occasionally won a game off his own boot it's been rare and only rarer now that he's deferring to Neale through the middle, along with the up and comers like McCluggage and Berry.
 

Sanchez365

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For as good as Zorko has been, I've never really thought of him as someone that would be up there with the best mids we have ever had, but looking at his best season (2017) vs akers brownlow winning season (2001) and his numbers hold up.

I think the main reason I dont think of him right up there is that he has always had another kid over shadowing him. Whether that was a Hanley or Rockliff or now a Neale, he probably hasn't spent a lot of time in my mind as our No 1 mid. Add onto that coming into the scene late (at 23?) And he's really just snuck under the radar. If he had gone through those years of 18-22 on our list, and racked up another 80-100 games. He would be joining our 300 club and be right on top of everyone's list.

All that said, he's currently positioned (if things go right) to be only our second premiership captain, an achievement that I think would make myself and a few others around the afl really stand up and take notice of what he's achieved.
 

Sanchez365

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If he captains us to a premiership he'd be one of the greats.

If he doesn't I think he'll continue to be underrated, at least in part because while he has occasionally one a game off his own boot it's been rare and only rarer now that he's deferring to Neale through the middle, along with the up and comers like McCluggage and Berry.
Snaked me by 1 min you dog ;)
 
As others have said, at his best, up there. I would probably rank him just below our greatest in Vossy, Brown, Lynch, Aker, Lappin and Black. Neale will almost certainly make that grade, if he hasn't already.
 

jjami15

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Alright, I can’t help it and call me out if you will. I think this is a massive overreaction. He has been there for some of our tough times granted and he has won multiple B+F’s but I think we lose sight of how truly great some of our past players were. I consider him a loyal servant who has helped us through some tough times but he can’t sit along some of the those names that are being put up as equals by some.
 
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Alright, I can’t help it and call me out if you will. I think this is a massive overreaction. He has been there for some of our tough times granted and he has won multiple B+F’s but I think we lose sight of how truly great some of our past players were. I consider him a loyal servant who has helped us through some tough times but he can’t sit along some of the those names that are being put up as equals by some.
Well we were spoilt by having 8 or 9 champions in the one team weren't we jjami.

You can't tell me he wouldn't have been a champ in that team where he would've had a free rein and not have to do all the donkey work like he has in poor sides. Maybe he might have been considered a freak with that opportunity. Sometimes it's how good and consistent you are when you have to play in a poor side that's just as decent a guide as to someone's value compared to not having to worry too much if you have an off day in a team of guns.
 

briztoon

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Well we were spoilt by having 8 or 9 champions in the one team weren't we jjami.

You can't tell me he wouldn't have been a champ in that team where he would've had a free rein and not have to do all the donkey work like he has in poor sides. Maybe he might have been considered a freak with that opportunity. Sometimes it's how good and consistent you are when you have to play in a poor side that's just as decent a guide as to someone's value compared to not having to worry too much if you have an off day in a team of guns.
Have a crack at listing the Brisbane Lions best mids post merger.

1. Voss
2. Black
3. ???
4. ???

To work out where you would slot Zorko in.
 

knaf

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if you look at the 3peat sides Zorko is probably completing with players like McRae Hart and Brad Scott For a place In the side. Always difficult to compare players from different eras.

Scott was a better defencive mid, but Zorko has him covered in most other areas. (BScott was also an excellent set shot at goal). But Scott keeps his place given his ability to shut down players. Eg Hird 01 GF.

Zorko/ Hart comparison is the closest I reckon. Hart is one of my all tome favourite Lions. Gave everything he he’d every game. I am guessing he and Zorko would have similar average possession numbers across their careers. Probably Zorko just edges out Hart on X factor.

for me Zorko is potentially a much more damaging forward than McRae and probably could have been used more in the mid field. Zorko’s defensive efforts particularly in recent years have had the same intensity as McCrea. So nothing lost there in terms of forward pressure.

In my opinion Zorko would be selected ahead of McRae and probably edge out Hart. High praise from me. Certainly a club campion, but probably not an all time great.
 

M Malice

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if you look at the 3peat sides Zorko is probably completing with players like McRae Hart and Brad Scott For a place In the side. Always difficult to compare players from different eras.

Scott was a better defencive mid, but Zorko has him covered in most other areas. (BScott was also an excellent set shot at goal). But Scott keeps his place given his ability to shut down players. Eg Hird 01 GF.

Zorko/ Hart comparison is the closest I reckon. Hart is one of my all tome favourite Lions. Gave everything he he’d every game. I am guessing he and Zorko would have similar average possession numbers across their careers. Probably Zorko just edges out Hart on X factor.

for me Zorko is potentially a much more damaging forward than McRae and probably could have been used more in the mid field. Zorko’s defensive efforts particularly in recent years have had the same intensity as McCrea. So nothing lost there in terms of forward pressure.

In my opinion Zorko would be selected ahead of McRae and probably edge out Hart. High praise from me. Certainly a club campion, but probably not an all time great.
Yer, if Zorko was around from 2001 to 2003 he would have made those sides no doubt... IMO.
 
Have a crack at listing the Brisbane Lions best mids post merger.

1. Voss
2. Black
3. ???
4. ???

To work out where you would slot Zorko in.

I'd have him behind the Fab Four, Rocky, Beams, and about even with Power (which I wouldn't have thought until this exercise) as fairly similar players albeit with different strengths and weaknesses.
 
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I'd have him behind the Fab Four, Rocky, Beams, and about even with Power (which I wouldn't have thought until this exercise) as fairly similar players albeit with different strengths and weaknesses.
It's really difficult to compare players of different eras but Zorks has won 4 b/f's and IIRC a couple of seconds in his 9 seasons.

I really don't think Beams is anywhere near him in terms of on field impact and durability for the club , nor really Rocky but that's just my impression. I'd have him ahead of Hart and Macrae in my team as a forward of centre mid . It's really hard to compare with Power who was a very consistent player over a long period but I think in a really good side Zorks is the player you would pick over all those guys for the X factor.

Presuming he goes around as Captain again the impact he has and the success the club has in 2021 may determine how his legacy is perceived.
 

knaf

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It's really difficult to compare players of different eras but Zorks has won 4 b/f's and IIRC a couple of seconds in his 9 seasons.

I really don't think Beams is anywhere near him in terms of on field impact and durability for the club , nor really Rocky but that's just my impression. I'd have him ahead of Hart and Macrae in my team as a forward of centre mid . It's really hard to compare with Power who was a very consistent player over a long period but I think in a really good side Zorks is the player you would pick over all those guys for the X factor.

Presuming he goes around as Captain again the impact he has and the success the club has in 2021 may determine how his legacy is perceived.
I agree it’s hard to compare Zorko and Power. Power kicked over 50 goals as a small forward in 2000. My memories of how he actually got those goals is pretty vague, but I feel it was just by being a clever footballer and reading the play, rather than any X factor. If there was only one spot iin the side as a small forward, it would be very hard to pick between Zorko and Power. Both excellent footballers but bringing very different strengths to the team.
 

briztoon

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I agree it’s hard to compare Zorko and Power. Power kicked over 50 goals as a small forward in 2000. My memories of how he actually got those goals is pretty vague, but I feel it was just by being a clever footballer and reading the play, rather than any X factor. If there was only one spot iin the side as a small forward, it would be very hard to pick between Zorko and Power. Both excellent footballers but bringing very different strengths to the team.
Umm, debating between Zorko and Power for small forward...

 

Milux

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I voted loyal servant. But the will depend on future finals performances is just as relevant. I like zorks. But he can showboat around a fair bit and some of his actions have cost us.

No doubt he gives the club 100% though.
 

Scubaveg

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Alright, I can’t help it and call me out if you will. I think this is a massive overreaction. He has been there for some of our tough times granted and he has won multiple B+F’s but I think we lose sight of how truly great some of our past players were. I consider him a loyal servant who has helped us through some tough times but he can’t sit along some of the those names that are being put up as equals by some.

Yeah, agree. I saw the thread a while back and my immediate thought in response to the opening question was ‘he won’t be’. He’s been a fantastic player for us. Very loyal and been through some rough times with the club but I don’t consider him to be a club great. Certainly not beside the likes of Voss, Lappin, Black, Power, Akker etc. Off the top of my head I can’t see him actually getting a game in the 2001-2003 side. Who would he replace?


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Scubaveg

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Yer, if Zorko was around from 2001 to 2003 he would have made those sides no doubt... IMO.

Common Jason, Harte is a Norm Smith medalist. Best in ground in the GF. Zorks doesn’t replace him, and Fly, Na Fly was deadly in front of goal particularly on the run beyond 50. Zorko unfortunately let’s himself down in front of goal.


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M Malice

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Common Jason, Harte is a Norm Smith medalist. Best in ground in the GF. Zorks doesn’t replace him, and Fly, Na Fly was deadly in front of goal particularly on the run beyond 50. Zorko unfortunately let’s himself down in front of goal.


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I'd have him in the side for all 3 GF wins.

Dayne Zorko in.

2001- Tim Notting out.
2002- Aaron Shattock out.
2003- Richard Hadley out.

Too much emphasis should not be placed on grand final wins when determining the greatness of a player IMO, plenty of great players never played in a flag side eg. Tony Lockett, Gary Ablett Snr, Nick Reiwoldt, Robert Harvey, Kevin Murray, Bernie Quinlan.
 
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