Past #7: Jack Ziebell [Part II] - retires post-RFC game/280gm&183gl/6yr captain - Shinboner - assaulted post-RFC game& in hospital - get well soon JZ

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The more I think about it I would not actually care if his body did breakdown at the end of 2022 and we were paying him an extra year for doing nothing. The fact of the matter is that we need his leadership (whether that is in an official capacity or not) on and off the field next year.

Additionally, he has seemingly done an excellent job in keeping the lights on while we've gone through what is arguably the biggest transition period at the club this millennium. Has earned the right to be the exception to our newly established rolling one year contract for the 'senior citizens'.
He's the only stability the side has had since the end of 2018.
 
I seem to remember Rawlings retiring when he was still playing good footy, and I wonder if he has bought this attitude to some of the older guys now.

From memory I think he said he stepped aside so he would not be in the way of an up and coming player...and named mullet as a good replacement 🥺
Hopefully he's learnt from that.
 

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Jack Ziebell signs two-year deal

 

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Can’t believe the praise for JZ as captain. He’s led a side that has been the unfittest in the league for 10 years. Sure he leads by example with his attack on the ball, but it’s clear he doesn’t lead by example when it comes to training efforts.
 
Can’t believe the praise for JZ as captain. He’s led a side that has been the unfittest in the league for 10 years. Sure he leads by example with his attack on the ball, but it’s clear he doesn’t lead by example when it comes to training efforts.
Find that a bit of an odd comment. I would imagine our issues are more systems related rather than the captain bludging and everyone else following suit. FWIW I'm not sure JZ has been a fantastic leader overall (there a lot of different aspects to the role of captain and we only get to see a few of them as fans), however I think the commitment he plays with is inspirational (to team mates and fans alike) and the fact that we had 3 years of tumultuous transitions yet he was voted in as Captain by the players each time says a fair bit. At minimum I think he's been a good onfield leader during some difficult days, and that he clearly has his team mates respect. There's also been zero word of him sooking it up over the move to defence or anything like that either, so it seems he took the challenge being handed to him well. Hell I don't think I've ever heard any rumours about him other than a brief butting of heads with TT a couple of years ago?

Rereading what I've typed and actually, yeah, I do think he's been a fantastic leader for us. I think this last 12 months has really sealed the deal for me.
 
JZ is our captain, and has been for some very difficult years at NMFC. He deserves the respect of a two year contract on the back of that alone.

He's also been terrific since moving back, and was willing to play any role asked of his for the club.

Anyone critical of this re-signing can GAGF IMO.
 
We have an ugly fetish in this industry to wanna get rid of players when they're 30+.

Agreed and it's bizarre. With today's professionalism there is no reason why guys can't continue to play, and even improve well into their 30s. It's when the injuries start to mount up that guys in most other sports start giving an eye to retirement.
 
Agreed and it's bizarre. With today's professionalism there is no reason why guys can't continue to play, and even improve well into their 30s. It's when the injuries start to mount up that guys in most other sports start giving an eye to retirement.

There’s no reason that you can’t be playing good footy at 35 if your injury history is unblemished.
 
That's a pretty harsh read. It might be just as fair for the club to say that Tarrant leaving changes the cap plan enough that a two year deal for JZ isn't as big of a concern and the benefits now outweigh what were negatives when trying to keep both on separate 1 year deals. I don't think it has to be that big of a deal for us. As much as the club clearly respect JZ's on field and off field leadership I don't see it as a panic offer just because Tarrant has left - I just think there's now more wriggle room and slightly less risk for them. FWIW Noble doesn't strike me as the kind of coach that wouldn't make the hard call - captain, ex captain or otherwise - if a player's position was no longer tenable 2/3's of the way through a contract.

You're probably right, I felt like his approach was really mature this year and showed me up a bit as I've always been meh on him.

If he's really committed to guiding and nurturing the next gen of leader I'm on board.
 
This year could have come really unstuck. We were picked to go winless by lots of people.It could have got really ugly
To turn that round and watch the development of the younger players, plus hearing all the right noises about North becoming a force for the future is a massive tick on his captaincy IMO.
So glad he got 2 more years, and no chance he wont be captain next year
 

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