Player Watch #44: Cameron Zurhaar - [AFL.com] NM offers 5yr deal - CZ interest from SYD/GC - CZ mgr says 'wants to see improvement' & 'team success'

Remove this Banner Ad

If that gameplan thing which gets bandied around here is true, it comes across as a massive blunder from the coaches. What the * were they thinking taking the reins of such an abjectly s**t team in all areas and not immediately doing the thing that has raised the floor of every team that's ever focused on it?
Spot on. I don't understand how it was decided (by the players apparently) that game plan would be the priority over fitness, when the players would first need fitness to properly execute any game plan.
It's been obvious for years that our fitness has been terrible.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

If that gameplan thing which gets bandied around here is true, it comes across as a massive blunder from the coaches. What the * were they thinking taking the reins of such an abjectly s**t team in all areas and not immediately doing the thing that has raised the floor of every team that's ever focused on it?
Viney said it in response to a member's questions but it sounded more like a smokescreen - him protecting the players. I mean, as if they weren't doing both as full time professional footballers - game plan and fitness. They still had the same time trials as this year and all the usual sessions - but the perennially low standards and poor culture meant the times being run etc were sub-standard.

Reckon Viney and Clarko didn't realise just how bad the fitness situation was but they found out alright. A few home truths told in exit meetings and a fair bit of micro-management of off season fitness programs - and rightly so. Trying to change the old culture of barely semi-professionalism. The good news is there's a whole lot of guys buying in and solid foundations for a new era of professionalism are being set in stone.
 
Viney said it in response to a member's questions but it sounded more like a smokescreen - him protecting the players. I mean, as if they weren't doing both as full time professional footballers - game plan and fitness. They still had the same time trials as this year and all the usual sessions - but the perennially low standards and poor culture meant the times being run etc were sub-standard.

Reckon Viney and Clarko didn't realise just how bad the fitness situation was but they found out alright. A few home truths told in exit meetings and a fair bit of micro-management of off season fitness programs - and rightly so. Trying to change the old culture of barely semi-professionalism. The good news is there's a whole lot of guys buying in and solid foundations for a new era of professionalism are being set in stone.
Great example is Wardlaw. Wanted to go to Europe with the older boys. The club suggested otherwise (which he wasn’t thrilled about), instead he went to the US with Harry and trained. Has set him up to have a full preseason.
 
Viney said it in response to a member's questions but it sounded more like a smokescreen - him protecting the players. I mean, as if they weren't doing both as full time professional footballers - game plan and fitness. They still had the same time trials as this year and all the usual sessions - but the perennially low standards and poor culture meant the times being run etc were sub-standard.

Reckon Viney and Clarko didn't realise just how bad the fitness situation was but they found out alright. A few home truths told in exit meetings and a fair bit of micro-management of off season fitness programs - and rightly so. Trying to change the old culture of barely semi-professionalism. The good news is there's a whole lot of guys buying in and solid foundations for a new era of professionalism are being set in stone.
The amount of half arsing would've been beyond belief for a so called professional organisation. To be that s**t, when the objective of all the time spent at the club is to remain on an upward trajectory, takes some doing. We can attribute some of it to coaching instability and whatnot but gee whiz, some of the boys clearly saw an inch of laxness/opportunity for slacking off and took a mile.

I'm encouraged by your last point too, and it's only now that I'm actually feeling that way rather than thinking that I should be feeling it. There seems to have been a genuine shift in attitudes. And I can't remember the last time we said that and didn't mean it negatively. Look forward to seeing the results in action
 
The timing of Zurhaar and Thomas' contract years is really perfect.

If those two guys have career-best seasons then we are in a position to be a very tough side to face.

As long as both sign to remain at the club


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Channel 10 had CZ on the news tonight. Body language was not that positive.

Just wondering what people think about what they saw and whether we should speculate on his ongoing commitment to the Roos.
 
Channel 10 had CZ on the news tonight. Body language was not that positive.

Just wondering what people think about what they saw and whether we should speculate on his ongoing commitment to the Roos.
Seemed positive to me. They asked him about his contract and commitment and he immediately flipped it around to essentially saying he hopes the club thinks he deserves an extension based on his footy. repeatedly said he loves the group, the staff and the club. Said all the right things imo, of course he wants to kick on and start winning more games and he seems committed to doing it at North.
 
Channel 10 had CZ on the news tonight. Body language was not that positive.

Just wondering what people think about what they saw and whether we should speculate on his ongoing commitment to the Roos.
Was a bit worried when he said he was tired of losing and his body language wasn't all that great either...
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Seemed positive to me. They asked him about his contract and commitment and he immediately flipped it around to essentially saying he hopes the club thinks he deserves an extension based on his footy. repeatedly said he loves the group, the staff and the club. Said all the right things imo, of course he wants to kick on and start winning more games and he seems committed to doing it at North.
Agree on his words but did you look into his eyes?
 
Channel 10 had CZ on the news tonight. Body language was not that positive.

Just wondering what people think about what they saw and whether we should speculate on his ongoing commitment to the Roos.
We don't like to discuss the ticking time bomb that is footballing incompetence-induced disillusionment (catchy term, I know) but it is there. Of course he's sick of losing. He broke through in 2019, which happened to be the final year before everything at the club went to complete s**t. For four years. Here's a grim graphic if you want it (Ben and Bailey both crack the top 10 of all time as it stands btw)
stra.png


I have complete confidence he'll re-sign IF the players drag themselves out of the doldrums at some point this year. The power is with them, and Cam is obviously part of that collective. IF we have another completely limp season (I'm actually not sure if that's statistically possible), concerned Bigfooty shrieks will rightfully reach fever pitch. But nothing we're seeing or hearing atm suggests that it'll be another nightmare season. Maybe a teething season before the wheels really start turning
 
Was a bit worried when he said he was tired of losing and his body language wasn't all that great either...
I don't know what the heck you two mean with body language, could mean literally anything and at a certain point it's just reading tea leaves. What do you expect him to say? "Yeah, losing's fine. I don't mind if we don't improve at all. I'm one of the senior players now, so I don't feel any additional responsibility to push this group forward into winning"?
 
Channel 10 had CZ on the news tonight. Body language was not that positive.

Just wondering what people think about what they saw and whether we should speculate on his ongoing commitment to the Roos.
Cam always sounds like he’s the most depressed man on the planet. Its just his relaxed WA nature. Relaxed WA folk are strange units, they’re so relaxed that they don’t bother opening retail on Sundays. Don’t read too much into CZ’s verbal and non verbal
 
The way I read it, he wants to start winning and stay with this group. If we are still bat s**t by the end of the season, he will consider his options.
Agreed, he put it pretty simply. Onus is on himself and the team to start improving. If we show strong signs on the field this year he'll definitely re-sign. Makes me excited but nervous.
 
I watched that video in the pre season thread. Nothing to worry about there. Just a determined bull thats sick of being down the bottom. We all are
He's gone. We'll be bottom 3 this year - guaranteed - despite additions such as Biggy & Pink, and the anticipated rise of Will Phill to Brownlow Medal fave. We all know this. The Bull will be shopping around by July - you can take that to the bank.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top