Player Watch #44: Cameron Zurhaar

[kanga kanga kanga]

Have to brace myself before opening this thread

 

[DuckYeah]

Dunno, I reckon there's an interesting debate to be had here.

Has he had to bear goalkicking responsibilities with Larkey?

Yes.

Have those two decided to iron out some of their own strengths for whatever reason, perhaps self preservation? (Zurhaar: defensive verve shown as a 21 yr old, Larkey: leading ability as someone with a good tank?)

Yes.

One point that comes to mind is that traumatised people clam up and are unable to do things that previously they might've, or that they would be able to if their life kept something of a linear progression; essentially, their progress is stunted in life by whatever nasty event/s have/has happened to them.

I wonder if they're traumatised footballers. Genuinely. It's all been quite torrid, and neither of them has really come on from what they showed in 2019. Sure, Larkey is more prolific, but that's expected as the number one and sometimes only key forward. As players, you wouldn't say they have any more good traits now than they did then. They've stopped in their tracks.

You could actually apply the same logic to LDU. He should probably be a top three player in the league, but he isn't, is he. He's fickle. Doesn't have the consistent impact of the top players. It's not unfair to ask the question whether he's been stunted too.

With ferball, duck and chipscab on this one. Godspeed Sheezel and co., for it won't be the older gen moving the needle for us

I often wonder that. Part of it is a shit coaching set up and no stability for sure.

If Zurhaar had one decent coach watching him from the start he'd probably have been coached to change his lazy habits and take the "whole game" thing more seriously by 2021/22. As it is he had four coaches in his first four years of regular game time and six by the end of his fifth proper year.

If its a thesis on behaviour then they are insipid and weak as piss..

Wheres the heart, the passion, the drive to be successful? Wheres the hunger grit and determination?

I like to believe its the salary minimum tpp that these blokes have thought “gonna get paid because no one else will come”

North is easy street for an easy pay day. Has been for a decade. The pay deals have been, well I believe is the root cause of such shit attitudes and work ethic

 

[DuckYeah]

But lets not beat around the bush here. He’s a rookie and has performed well above his expectation. Actual vs expected, he’s blown it out of the water however, he has so many deficiencies that he cant be considered in our “best” team moving forward

 

[ferball]

If its a thesis on behaviour then they are insipid and weak as piss..

Wheres the heart, the passion, the drive to be successful? Wheres the hunger grit and determination?

I like to believe its the salary minimum tpp that these blokes have thought “gonna get paid because no one else will come”

North is easy street for an easy pay day. Has been for a decade. The pay deals have been, well I believe is the root cause of such shit attitudes and work ethic

Look as much as I give it to Zurhaar, every season he seems to come back in better shape. I was at the family day after he got drafted and he was as fat as I am. So I don't think its for lack of effort off field. I just think he doesn't really get what to do onfield and that's what I meant by better coaching may have helped him.

 

[gokangas]

I just expect more from Z. Maybe what we are getting is his best.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Look as much as I give it to Zurhaar, every season he seems to come back in better shape. I was at the family day after he got drafted and he was as fat as I am. So I don't think its for lack of effort off field. I just think he doesn't really get what to do onfield and that's what I meant by better coaching may have helped him.

This isnt just a Zurhaar problem.

There’s a critical mass of our side who struggle to read the play to a high enough level.

It’s why we get run through so easily when you combine it with a defunct defensive setup.

 

[ferball]

This isnt just a Zurhaar problem.

There’s a critical mass of our side who struggle to read the play to a high enough level.

It’s why we get run through so easily when you combine it with a defunct defensive setup.

For sure.

Between the start of 2019 and the end of 2023 we had six different senior coaches. I think that has a fair bit to do with it.

But I don't think its cos they are completely incapable of reading the play. Our midfield do well at winning clearances which needs a bit of that sort of instinctive ability to understand what's happening and unfolding around them. Its more they haven't been taught to read what the opposition are doing or taught any consistent plan of action when we have the ball or when they have the ball.

Watch Pagan's side (or even Scott's side tho they weren't as good.) They knew when someone (oppo or us) gets the ball in a particular situation they need to do one thing or another and they do it.

As you say its that higher level of reading the game, which imo is understanding structures - where the opposition will move the ball and what to do, where we should move the ball and what to do ... and all of that related stuff. Its all stuff that comes from consistent coaching (imo). Something we've only had a couple of years of.

I know I crap on about this alot but as of now Larkey, Zurhaar and Simpkin have just had their second period of two full seasons (ie pre season and playing season) under the same coach since their first two years at the club after being drafted. They're in their late 20s ffs.

LDU and X just had their first full period of two full seasons under one coach.

Ever!

The same as Curtis, Arch, Sheeze, Wardlaw, Kerch, Hards and even Duursma.

I'm hoping we see much better understanding of what's going on onfield this coming season as we get that extra year of stability.

 

[chubbspeterson]

But lets not beat around the bush here. He’s a rookie and has performed well above his expectation. Actual vs expected, he’s blown it out of the water however, he has so many deficiencies that he cant be considered in our “best” team moving forward

It's up to Brayden or Zane to grab the spot. Until that happens, he'll be best 23, despite his deficiencies.
Whilst frustrating, I'm not sure why everyone is so keen to get rid of Cam and Tom when there's a fair bit of uncertainty over Jy and other young guys contract situations.
I'm frustrated with both at times, but they aren't bad players to have as squad depth if that's all they become.
Plenty of other spuds we've got on the list that can go before these two imo.

 

[Chip Scab1]

It's up to Brayden or Zane to grab the spot. Until that happens, he'll be best 23, despite his deficiencies.
Whilst frustrating, I'm not sure why everyone is so keen to get rid of Cam and Tom when there's a fair bit of uncertainty over Jy and other young guys contract situations.
I'm frustrated with both at times, but they aren't bad players to have as squad depth if that's all they become.
Plenty of other spuds we've got on the list that can go before these two imo.

Simpkin
Daniel
McDonald
Stephens
Corr
Scott
Spargo
Fisher
CCJ
Hansen Jr
Stevens
Konstanty
Pink

There you are.

How anyone can thrown stones at Braydos or even the little ripper BGZ is beyond me when there is this much genuine garbage on our list.

 

[BrownPaperBag]

Simpkin
Daniel
McDonald
Stephens
Corr
Scott
Spargo
Fisher
CCJ
Hansen Jr
Stevens
Konstanty
Pink

There you are.

How anyone can thrown stones at Braydos or even the little ripper BGZ is beyond me when there is this much genuine garbage on our list.

As much as I think your list of cloggers is reasonably accurate neither George or durrsma have shown a ****ing thing and we can’t continue to back that without some form of return

 

[Chip Scab1]

As much as I think your list of cloggers is reasonably accurate neither George or durrsma have shown a ****ing thing and we can’t continue to back that without some form of return

Again, sure. But I'll back them in until they are the 2 biggest spuds on our list.

 

[shinboner magic]

I wanna see him up the ground a bit before I go postal on him. He had an ok year and there is certainly an element of what you say about him, but would love to see him on ball a few times a 1/4 - maybe on a wing running into the guts from the bounce - that sort of shit, Christ, even the odd stretch at HB possibly.

He's a big body and has a bit of height and grunt, maybe we can find a spot for him long term. It's only took Curtis a few months to go past him, let's see how Ducker Dovaston goes in 'his' position.

I’d like all out forwards to lead up the ground or it’s easier for their opponents if they know they’ll be parked inside 50.

Movement creates space for teammates and unsettles the defence.

 

[Themanbun]

I’d like all out forwards to lead up the ground or it’s easier for their opponents if they know they’ll be parked inside 50.

Movement creates space for teammates and unsettles the defence.

Yes and no. They can't hurt you from up the ground and you can press them much more tightly.