Player Watch #44: Cameron Zurhaar - North Melbourne has offered a five-year deal to stay at the Roos

Remove this Banner Ad

Zurhaar is more a David King or Lindsay Thomas than Anthony Stevens or Andrew Swallow.

Sometimes these guys with flair or dash need to be sat on their arse to get their heads straight.

His next game will give a hint as to how well he can refocus and plays his role.

And yes, it is only February but with the way Larkey and Zurhaar come across, I would be very surprised if he hadn't expected to dominate that game.
I think we'll learn quite a bit about Shaw 's coaching over the next two months.

Will he be seemingly soft on underperformers?

Play favourites?

Demote underperformers to the VFL in a rapid manner?

Put the onus on those underperforming to improve or face demotion?

How does he respond to tough losses?


I like to think, based on Hosie being demoted for missing a session, J Mac in the VFL last year and other actions, that he will not disappoint those of us who are looking for a more 'ruthless' coach, ala Clarkson.
 

disco_cowboy

Club Legend
Feb 18, 2020
1,262
2,958
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
I think we'll learn quite a bit about Shaw 's coaching over the next two months.

Will he be seemingly soft on underperformers?

Play favourites?

Demote underperformers to the VFL in a rapid manner?

Put the onus on those underperforming to improve or face demotion?

How does he respond to tough losses?


I like to think, based on Hosie being demoted for missing a session, J Mac in the VFL last year and other actions, that he will not disappoint those of us who are looking for a more 'ruthless' coach, ala Clarkson.
Yeh I hope this is the case. He seems more nurturing than Clarkson but I hope he makes the tough calls when needed.
 
Jun 9, 2001
37,651
145,103
Fogarty Street
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
St Johnstone
Yeh I hope this is the case. He seems more nurturing than Clarkson but I hope he makes the tough calls when needed.

I'd guess Clarkson is smart enough to do the nurturing while maintaining a clinical focus on the prize.

For a bloke who excels at pushing blokes out when they're not contributing to the greater good of his club, virtually none of his former players seem to hold a grudge.

Would suggest he builds very strong relationships while still keeping players very aware of their respective roles and values within his domain. ie "nobody bigger than the club".
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Pykie

Cancelled
10k Posts A Star Wars Fan Pokemon is Life North Melbourne - North 2007 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2013 Daw, Black and Gibson Player Sponsorship
Sep 17, 2006
20,605
45,615
Lord's
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
i guess it is minor, but it's so unnecessary. Even if the guy doesn't touch the ball in round 1 I wouldn't be worried.

It's not unnecessary, it's a discussion forum....

He had 13 touches and 3 tackles.

Which is a hell of a lot more than he has had of it in the 4 x pre-season games I've seen of him.


We all love him, we think he has huge potential. But if he turned out another game like that, I'd be tempted to start him in the VFL tbh. I doubt he's had a combined 30 touches in the last 7 hours of match practice.


Let's see how he responds in the next 2 matches...
 

Mjs94

Club Legend
Apr 24, 2016
1,412
4,290
AFL Club
North Melbourne
It's not unnecessary, it's a discussion forum....

He had 13 touches and 3 tackles.

Which is a hell of a lot more than he has had of it in the 4 x pre-season games I've seen of him.


We all love him, we think he has huge potential. But if he turned out another game like that, I'd be tempted to start him in the VFL tbh. I doubt he's had a combined 30 touches in the last 7 hours of match practice.


Let's see how he responds in the next 2 matches...
For what it's worth he averaged just over 12 touches and 3 tackles a game last year.
 

remfan101

Club Legend
Oct 23, 2015
2,533
8,294
AFL Club
North Melbourne
It's not unnecessary, it's a discussion forum....

He had 13 touches and 3 tackles.

Which is a hell of a lot more than he has had of it in the 4 x pre-season games I've seen of him.


We all love him, we think he has huge potential. But if he turned out another game like that, I'd be tempted to start him in the VFL tbh. I doubt he's had a combined 30 touches in the last 7 hours of match practice.


Let's see how he responds in the next 2 matches...
He actually had 7 tackles, most of which were seriously brutal for a preseason match. He might have been poor in our intraclubs, but I didn't think he lacked intensity or had 'got ahead of himself' on the weekend. It was his poor disposal efficiency that let him down, like our whole team.
 

disco_cowboy

Club Legend
Feb 18, 2020
1,262
2,958
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
For what it's worth he averaged just over 12 touches and 3 tackles a game last year.
He actually had 7 tackles, most of which were seriously brutal for a preseason match. He might have been poor in our intraclubs, but I didn't think he lacked intensity or had 'got ahead of himself' on the weekend. It was his poor disposal efficiency that let him down, like our whole team.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Pykie

Cancelled
10k Posts A Star Wars Fan Pokemon is Life North Melbourne - North 2007 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2013 Daw, Black and Gibson Player Sponsorship
Sep 17, 2006
20,605
45,615
Lord's
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
Are you implying we should lower expectations accordingly?

Yeah, we can't have it both ways.

Pump his tyres up, then excuse what appears to be poor form (pre-season i know!)

I'm holding him to the same standard of expectations as Thomas, LDU, Larkey etc.

Irregardless of what his draft position he was. His potential is obvious now.
 
Jun 9, 2001
37,651
145,103
Fogarty Street
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
St Johnstone
Yeah, we can't have it both ways.

Pump his tyres up, then excuse what appears to be poor form (pre-season i know!)

I'm holding him to the same standard of expectations as Thomas, LDU, Larkey etc.

Irregardless of what his draft position he was. His potential is obvious now.

I'm surprised his draft position was raised.

If that was the intended logic we'll need to hold LDU to the sword then.
 
Yeah, we can't have it both ways.

Pump his tyres up, then excuse what appears to be poor form (pre-season i know!)

I'm holding him to the same standard of expectations as Thomas, LDU, Larkey etc.

Irregardless of what his draft position he was. His potential is obvious now.

7 tackles tho. It's one thing to have a poor game, it's another to have a poor game but still push yourself enough to make that many tackles. More than double your last seasons average.

Everyone has bad games (and he wasn't alone in that on Friday,) but what you do when you have a bad game is important. Making 1%ers, tackles, shepherds and working for your teammates when you can't get the ball is a sign of some character in a player.
 
Apr 1, 2008
57,382
100,846
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Liverpool, Raiders, GSW, QPR, NYM
Or LDU starts delivering on what he's (and we as a club highly invested in) paid for?

Not too much to ask is it?

Has had as many 20+ possession games in his first 20 games as Judd did. With shoulder issues.

If he is producing this output at the 50-60 game mark. We can worry.
 

GunSchwatta

Senior List
Feb 23, 2020
223
316
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Has had as many 20+ possession games in his first 20 games as Judd did. With shoulder issues.

If he is producing this output at the 50-60 game mark. We can worry.

He was Martin before, now he's Judd.

I certainly hope you experts are right so yep OK.
 
Last edited:

Kimbo

Cancelled
Veteran 10k Posts
Dec 14, 2002
19,301
29,318
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Sturt, Liverpool
I'm holding him to the same standard of expectations as Thomas, LDU, Larkey etc.

Irregardless of what his draft position he was. His potential is obvious now.
:confounded: Okay Pykie, I let your 'should of's slide, but I draw the line here.

I'm holding you to the same standard of expectation as King Corey, regardless of the quality of your posting, and irrespective of your non-moderator status. :p
 

GunSchwatta

Senior List
Feb 23, 2020
223
316
AFL Club
North Melbourne
:confounded: Okay Pykie, I let your 'should of's slide, but I draw the line here.

I'm holding you to the same standard of expectation as King Corey, regardless of the quality of your posting, and irrespective of your non-moderator status. :p

In all seriouslyness it's unnecessary to pull up poor english. Your not correct.
 
Apr 1, 2008
57,382
100,846
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Liverpool, Raiders, GSW, QPR, NYM
He was Martin before, now he's Judd.

I certainly hope you experts are right so yep OK.

I am in no way comparing his playing style, or ability to either of those players or any others. The point I’m making is that if a player doesn’t meet your own lofty expectations early on in their career, it doesn’t make them a disappointment

But you know that already Saintly.

How about Adrian McAdam? After his first season, he was tracking to be the greatest player to ever exist. Didn’t quite pan out that way.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back