Senior Dayne Zorko (2011-)

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Zorko's Journey to 5000

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Dayne Zorko is officially the most prolific late-starter in AFL history.

Zorko’s 19 possessions before his hamstring injury in Saturday’s Gabba win over Fremantle earned him membership of the AFL’s 5000-Possession Club. And it’s a Gold Star membership.

He is the 168th player to have topped 5000 AFL possessions since official records began in 1965, and the oldest on debut. He was 23 years 93 days when his five-year wait to play at the highest level finally ended in 2012.

While 149 members of the 5000-Club were teenagers on debut, and a further 11 were 20, Zorko is one of only eight who debuted after their 21st birthday.

Hawthorn’s John Platten (23 years 14 days) was next oldest, followed by Carlton’s Craig Bradley (22/159), current Geelong player Isaac Smith (22/127), ex-Adelaide pair Tony McGuinness (21/329) and Mark Bickley (21/252), West Coast’s Matt Priddis (21/74) and Sydney’s Daryn Cresswell (21/51).

And while this statistical oddity will not compensate Zorko for the frustration of another injury, it does underline the enormous output of the 2007 Queensland Under-18 captain since his AFL debut in 2012 after he was overlooked in four consecutive drafts in 2007-08-09-10.

And it underlines the enormous worth of the trade via which the Lions secured Zorko from the Gold Coast Suns, who had rejected the then Broadbeach star but claimed him as a zone selection ahead of the 2011 draft with the intent of trading him up the highway to the Lions.

In a three-way deal, Brisbane sent pick #34 to Gold Coast and pick #52 to Melbourne and received Zorko and pick #47 from the Gold Coast after Melbourne sent Matthew Warnock to the Gold Coast.

That pick #47 amounted to nothing when Patrick Wearden did not play an AFL game was quickly forgotten as Zorko built a career that ranks him with the club’s very best.

Zorko, who reached 5000 possessions in his 236th game on Saturday, is the seventh Brisbane player 5000 possessions behind Marcus Ashcroft (2001), Nigel Lappin (2004, Michael Voss (2004), Simon Black (2008), Luke Power (2009) and Daniel Rich (2022).

Zorko was equal second-quickest of the Lions’ sextet, behind Black (220), equal with Voss (236) and ahead of Power (241), Lappin (242), Rich (247) and Ashcroft (256).
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“I Think It Speaks Highly of Those Two”: Lions Teammate Praises Courage of Rich and Gunston

Dayne Zorko has supported Brisbane teammates Daniel Rich and Jack Gunston in regards to stepping down from the senior side.

The veterans shocked the footy world late last week when they made themselves unavailable for selection for the next little period of time.

Rich and Gunston cited their form and the fact their ageing bodies were handling the rigours of the game were not up to standard, so reportedly told Lions coach Chris Fagan not to pick them.

Former club captain Zorko backed the decision of the pair, praising their courage and honesty for making such a call.

“Those guys have got the runs on the board to be able to do that,” Zorko said on SENQ Breakfast.

“They’ve both had fantastic careers. Jack’s a three-time premiership player, ‘Richy’ has played over 250 games and been a champion of our football club.

“They know when their bodies are not right and clearly their bodies have been under duress the last few weeks. For them to actually have the courage to go up to ‘Fages’ and say, ‘Hey look, I’m not travelling as well as I’d like to. We think it is detrimental to the team. Is it alright if have a couple of weeks off and get ourselves in absolute peak condition?’

“For them to do that, there was no way Fages was never going to not honour it with what they’ve done throughout their careers. I think it speaks highly of those two men to come up and do that.

“I don’t reckon a younger player would be doing that, that’s for sure.”

Fagan addressed the news on Fox Footy prior to his side’s clash with the Swans at the Gabba on Friday night.

He said it panned out slightly differently to what was first reported, but did admit both Rich and Gunston had floated the idea of them missing some footy.

“Jack, Richy and I had been talking about their form probably for the best part of the last two or three weeks,” Fagan said.

“They were acutely aware of the fact they were playing below the high standards that they’ve set in the past. We got to the bye and I was hopeful that week off would freshen them up and help get them back into some good form.

“As it turned out last week they both struggled again and I thought it was time to do something about that because we can’t keep going the way that we’re going.

“On Monday, Daniel Rich sent me a text and wanted to catch up and Jack was down at the club. We got those boys in separately and I indicated to them that it was going to be very difficult to pick them this week. They were in total agreeance with that. They understood where their form was at.

“My view is they needed to train so what we’ve worked out is they’ll do a training block and at some point in time they’ll come back into play, whether that’s in the reserves or straight back into the seniors. We’ll just have to wait and see.

“I wanted to respect those blokes, they’ve been great players. I always think it’s a great way if you can involve your players in that decision making and that we’re all on the same page.

“As it turned out, they were thinking the same thing that I was thinking and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Zorko said both Rich and Gunston underwent a tough training session over the weekend as the club strives to improve their fitness for the business end of the season.

“They worked pretty hard on Saturday morning alongside Hugh McCluggage and ‘Dizzy’ (Darcy) Gardiner who also missed through injury as well,” he added.

“They’re working really hard and this time away will obviously get them in the best shape possible and be erased to attack the back half of the season.”

With the omission of both Rich and Gunston, as well as the unavailability of injured duo McCluggage and Gardiner, it opened up opportunities to some younger players.

Father-son draftee Jaspa Fletcher made a promising debut of 13 disposals and one goal, while Kai Lohmann played his first senior game of the season and Deven Robertson played for the second successive week.

“He (Fletcher) was cramping a little bit late, but he was fantastic,” Zorko said of his emerging colleague.

“You don’t want too much more out of a debutant. His running goal and he had other opportunities to score as well.

“His running capabilities and powers are phenomenal. He’s going to have such a bright future in our game.

“Kai Lohmann came in as well. He’s been absolutely dominating in the VFL this year. He did some really nice things.

“Deven Robertson played last week as well, but he was a lot better for the run this week. I felt like he around the ball looked really comfortable and that’s a really good sign for ‘Dev’.

“All three that have come in were magnificent and Darcy Fort who came into replace Jack up forward to give us a little bit more height, he did his job as well.”

Zorko himself did not play in the weekend’s hard-fought 16-point win over Sydney, saying he “pulled a little bit lame” after training earlier in the week.

He is expecting to return for Friday night’s meeting with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.
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'It's a long year': Lions take cautious approach with ex-skipper

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DAYNE Zorko is fit to return from injury but will spend another week on the sidelines as Brisbane takes a cautious approach with its former captain.

Zorko has missed the past three matches with a calf problem, and although training strongly on Tuesday, coach Chris Fagan has opted against recalling him.

It continues the Lions' strong stance on their older players, after sending veterans Daniel Rich and Jack Gunston back for a "training block" two weeks ago.

Speaking ahead of hosting Richmond at the Gabba on Thursday night, Fagan said telling Zorko he would miss another match was difficult.

"He loves to play. Nobody loves to play more than 'Zorks'," Fagan said.

"It's a long year and we need to take sure he's right to go, so we'll just take that one more week.

"He's a really important player to us. We just want to make sure he's right because he's been on that merry-go-round of soft tissue injuries this year.

"He trained really well yesterday and he's absolutely keen, but common sense to prevail at this point in time."

Zorko missed the opening round with a hamstring injury, which he suffered again in the round seven win over Fremantle, forcing him to miss another week, before the recent setback.

Fagan said if the match was closer to finals, the dynamic midfielder would likely have been selected.

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The absence of Brisbane's veterans has not only exposed some young blood like Jaspa Fletcher and Kai Lohmann, but also prompted Fagan to do-away with his preferred three tall forward approach.
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Zorko: Bold and Brave

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Former captain Dayne Zorko says Brisbane needs to be "bold and brave" next time it's faced with a close finish.

The Lions conceded the final four goals of last Friday night's game against Melbourne to go from a seemingly impregnable position to losing the four premiership points in the space of seven costly minutes.

Speaking on Tuesday morning, Zorko said he was confident Brisbane had identified the problem areas late against the Demons and would be a different team next time it was in the same position.

"There was some contest stuff there we weren't really good at, but time management, game execution, skill execution, still being bold and brave when we needed to be," Zorko said.

"Especially in that last seven minutes, we fell away from what got us in that position.

"The boys seem confident they can fix up those areas and hopefully we don't have a repeat of that."

Zorko said kicking long down the line played into the opposition's hands and had been identified as one of the areas to improve when the heat was on.

"It's just backing our boys to go out there and execute," he said.

"There was a number of times in that last quarter where we just didn't take the right option, and Melbourne, being a really good side, made us pay.

"I'm glad we're getting the learnings now and not at the end of the season."

Zorko said while Brisbane was hell-bent on learning from the late collapse, it wasn't all bad news, with three-plus quarters of quality footy wedged between a slow start and finish.

The 34-year-old played his second match back from a hamstring injury against the Dees, continuing a frustrating season that has been hampered by soft tissue problems.

The veteran says there's been a positive in his up-and-down season.

"My body's in really good shape for this time of year, which is a blessing in disguise," he said.

"You don't often feel cherry ripe at round 18.

"Hopefully I can continue to help the team on our path forward."
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Dayne Zorko has a big role to play in September

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Now 34 and having stood aside as captain prior to the season, Dayne Zorko's role in Brisbane's push towards a premiership has never been more important.

With players like Lachie Neale, Charlie Cameron and Harris Andrews to flank him, Zorko might not be the prime five-time best and fairest winner he once was, but his influence on the field is still just as strong.

The final two rounds against Collingwood and St Kilda have shown this' playing primarily as a high half-forward and occasionally running through the midfield, Zorko's quick decision-making and elite kicking can fuel Brisbane's attack and help to pick through tight finals defences.

With his body now seemingly over the troubles that dogged him early in the season, Zorko is set for a big say in September.
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Zorko: The Team's in a Really Good Position

Win or lose in the next fortnight, Dayne Zorko doesn't want his incredible football journey to end this season.

Brisbane's former skipper is one win over Carlton away from celebrating his 250th game in a dream Grand Final at the MCG.

But the 34-year-old says his biggest lesson over the past five years of playing finals is to keep things simple, which is exactly what he plans on doing ahead of facing the team coached by his first AFL mentor, Michael Voss.

"It's about playing the game and not the occasion," Zorko said on Thursday.

"I think you can fall into the trap of looking too far ahead instead of just staying in the moment and getting the job done.

"That's something we addressed at the back end of last year.

"All those experiences and those defeats over the last four or so years will hopefully program into everyone's head what not to do and get the desired outcome."

Unlike fellow stalwart Daniel Rich, who announced his retirement at season's end last week, Zorko has no intentions of calling it quits.

After hamstring and calf injuries hindered him through the season, the dynamic midfielder/half-forward has been instrumental in the Lions' late-season push.

It's Zorko's impact more than his numbers that help Brisbane, with quick decision-making and incisive kicking often fuelling its attack.

"Have you got a contract for me?" Zorko joked when asked about his thoughts beyond this season.

"I'd love to play for as long as possible and the team's in a really good position.

"I got into the system a little bit later as Fages [coach Chris Fagan] tells me, hopefully that means at the back end I can play a little more."

He said playing a milestone game in a decider would be 'incredible'.

"To play one game of AFL is a massive achievement, but to reach a milestone like that … is going to be pretty special if it happens this year," he said.

Zorko said defender Jack Payne ran well at Brisbane's main training session, which was held behind locked gates at the Gabba.

Payne is fighting an ankle injury and will be given every chance to prove his fitness.
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Journey not over: Zorko inspired by former Lions greats

Unwanted in three consecutive AFL drafts, Dayne Zorko admits his journey to a grand final has been longer and more unlikely than most.

But the driving force of the Brisbane Lions' rise from 2017 wooden-spooners to 2023 contenders says it's far from over.

The 34-year-old will play his 250th AFL game on Saturday against Collingwood at the MCG, the stars aligning for a player who dominated the second-tier QAFL for four years before finally earning a crack as a 22-year-old.

"My journey's a little different to most but it makes it more special ... and it's not over yet," he said before the team flew to Melbourne on Thursday.

"We were coming from a long way back and even the first few years under Fages (coach Chris Fagan), we were building but not getting results we were chasing.

"But it turned quickly and you've seen in five years (of finals appearances without a grand final berth), the escalation of the group and how we've grown as players and people.

"To get an opportunity is unbelievable."

Off-contract beyond this season, the former captain is keen to play on and attempt to emulate what gave him goosebumps when the Lions' triple-premiership team of 2001-03 gathered for a club function this month.

"It spurs you on to try to recreate it," the Gold Coast product said.

"The friendships they built, the camaraderie in that group.

"To see those guys reunited gave us a real kick and lift of energy. I get goosebumps thinking about it."

Asked if he could have got odds of "one million to one" 12 years ago on playing 250 AFL games, Zorko replied, "Probably more than that".

Even this season, niggles threatened to scupper Zorko's push towards the milestone, not that his son was ever concerned.

"(My son) has been onto it for a long time," Zorko said of the prospect of his milestone coming in a decider.

"A few injuries ... it's had its challenges but he worked it out pretty quickly.

"Results could have gone differently but he was confident all along, I'll give him that."

Unable to fly due to a health condition, Zorko's father is en route to Melbourne in a car supplied by sponsor Hyundai and driven by teammate Noah Answerth.

"It goes to show the personnel at the club," Zorko said.

"(Answerth) has had his own horrid run of injures, offered to drive him and my uncle down - unreal."

The Lions completed their main session at the Gabba on Thursday before storms delayed their afternoon flight to Melbourne by about an hour.

Jack Payne (ankle) was unable to win back his spot after he missed the side's preliminary final win against Carlton, the key defender replaced by the experienced Darcy Gardiner.
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Zorko Marks 250 On Biggest Stage

In 2007 Dayne Zorko captained the Queensland Scorpions at the Australian Under-17 carnival in Melbourne. At 175cm he was the smallest member of the side but still a man among boys, having already finished school and begun work as a bricklayer on the Gold Coast.

It was a carnival where retiring Brisbane Lions draftee Daniel Rich, playing for Western Australia as a bottom-ager, won All-Australian honours in a side that won the division one title.

Queensland, coached by Danny Craven, former St.Kilda and Brisbane Bears player, adopted Queensland football stalwart and soon-to-be Queensland Football Hall of Famer, didn’t win a game in division two.

Zorko was named Queensland’s Most Valuable Player by carnival organisers but was beaten by Ben Gibson, son of ex-Fitzroy and Brisbane player Michael Gibson, for the Scorpions top award, as voted by Craven and a coaching staff that included ex-Geelong captain Damien Bourke, ex-St.Kilda defender Jamie Shanahan, and ex-Brisbane teammate Ray Windsor.

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Five Queenslanders were drafted. In the National Draft Brendan Whitecross went to Hawthorn at pick #29 and Sam Reid joined the Western Bulldogs at pick #35, while James Mulligan (Bulldogs), Rhys Magin (Essendon) and Jake Spencer (Melbourne) got a chance as rookies. Zorko was overlooked.

It was the first of a string of setbacks for Zorko, whose father was born in what was then Yugoslavia, fled the country by boat with his parents aged “six or seven” and discovered AFL football living first in Melbourne before settling on the Gold Coast.

Sixteen years on it is a setback long forgotten by a man who has made a wonderful AFL career out of proving the critics wrong. From the early football scrapheap he’s become not just a great player with the Brisbane Lions but a great player across the entire AFL. And a player who will post his 250th AFL game in Saturday’s grand final against Collingwood.

Was it the right collective call by AFL recruiters in 2007 or the wrong call?

Craven, who played 58 games with St.Kilda and Brisbane despite being even shorter at 162cm, says “probably right at the time” before adding “if everyone got a chance he would have found a way – as he subsequently has – but at the time, when they drafted so few, he probably hadn’t done enough – especially given he was an unfashionable size.”

Mark Browning, former Sydney Swans champion and Queensland football talent chief, admitted Zorko “wasn’t the best listener” at the time and “was always a bit of a lad”.

It was reflective code from both men for “too small and not quite dedicated enough”. Or at least not as dedicated as the ever-combative pocket dynamo he would later become. And there was no easy or quick fix.

For three years, as a host of other Queenslanders broke into the AFL, Zorko had to be content being a standout in the local competition. He was a State representative and club captain who won the Broadbeach best & fairest in 2008-09-10 but was overlooked in the AFL draft each year.

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Even in 2009, as the Gold Coast Suns started putting together a local training squad ahead of their entry to the AFL in 2011, some early interest went nowhere. He was overlooked again.

At the end of 2010, flooded with offers from interstate, he nearly left for the challenge of playing at a higher level in Adelaide. But with the help of newly-appointed Broadbeach coach Matt Angus and local fitness guru Gary Fox he stayed and put together a 2011 season that simply demanded an AFL opportunity.

Fox, who had been a member of the inaugural Brisbane Bears’ fitness staff in 1987, moving from Melbourne to Brisbane with coach Peter Knights, knew Zorko well. His son John had played with him at Surfers Paradise juniors. He took him on as a special project.

“He (Zorko) had a lot of things going for him but he was too small, too angry and had chronic groin problems. He was always heavily tagged at local level and wasn’t fit enough to deal with it,” Fox recalled.

So, with a full commitment from Zorko, he made it priority #1 to get him super-fit. Instead of starting Broadbeach pre-season training in February Zorko started in November. According to Fox, he accepted that if he was going to be smaller than his opponents he had to be fitter. He over-dosed of sustained running.

Angus, a West Australian football stalwart, took charge of Broadbeach in 2011. He knew the Zorko story well and says of the 2010 version “he didn’t have the fitness or temperament” to play at AFL level. “And it seemed like AFL recruiters had taken a position on him. He was too small,” Angus said.

But the 2011 version of Zorko was entirely different. So committed was he that relieved him of the Broadbeach captaincy to allow him to focus on his personal crusade to prove AFL recruiters wrong.

“He was a different person. He’d surrendered to Foxy over the summer and from day one it was reflected in his performance. He was outstanding. We played the Lions Reserves early in the season and he put on a clinic. I remember Vossy (Michael Voss) was Lions coach at the time and it sparked some interest with him.”

But Zorko’s big break came in June when Queensland, coached by Jason Cotter, played Western Australia at Mandurah, south of Perth. Rob Kerr, Lions recruiting and list manager at the time, made the trip west primarily to watch Irishman Niall McKeever, who was in his second season with the club but had not yet played at AFL level.

“I wanted to see him (McKeever) play at a higher level. At three-quarter time WA were well clear until this cheeky little fella (Zorko) played one of best quarters of football I’ve ever seen. He picked the team up and all but carried them over the line. They lost by a goal but Zorko had 30 (possessions) and kicked four (goals).

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“He did everything you wanted an AFL player to do … he attacked the ball hard, he followed up, he kicked it well, he tackled and pressured. He didn’t care who he was playing against – he was great.

“I went back to our (recruiting) staff and said ‘we’ve got to have a look at this guy’. Their initial response was ‘he’s too small’ but we kept going back and in the end he convinced us he was worth a chance,” Kerr said.

Browning, too, had lever lost faith. He was chipping away in the background, and finally he helped find a way. Not for the first time AFL Queensland, through then CEO Richard Griffiths, offered to help meet the costs of the Suns reject if the Lions would give him a chance.

Zorko, who had won a fourth Broadbeach B&F and the NEAFL Player of the Year Award, was zoned to the Suns, who had joined the AFL in 2011. The Lions had to trade for him, and in a three-way deal with Melbourne, they effectively gave up pick #34 for the unwanted Gold Coaster.

But still there was a hurdle. Having watched 34 players debut for the Lions during his four-year wait Zorko arrived at the Gabba fighting a debilitating case of osteitis-pubis, which was the trendy name at the time for recurring groin problems.

He watched as three new teammates get their chance – Ben Hudson, now the Lions VFL coach, Billy Longer, who soon became one of the famous ‘Go Home Five’, and Jack Crisp, who later was traded to Collingwood and will play against the Lions on Saturday.

Finally, on Saturday night, 12 May, Round 7 against Collingwood at the Gabba, Zorko made his AFL debut. He was the ‘new boy’ under coach Voss in a side which included Simon Black in his 302nd game, and Jonathan Brown in his 215th game. Plus Rich in his 69th game and McKeever in his 13th.

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Three months beyond his 23rd birthday, wearing the #15 jumper that through the golden years had been the property of Mal Michael, Zorko started as the substitute and played only 43% game time for eight possessions in a 58-point loss. But he was away.

Twelve years on he’ll play against Collingwood again in his 250th game as the Lions, who beat Collingwood to win the 2002-03 premierships, look to end a 20-year premiership drought since then.

He’ll be hoping it is the crowning moment of a career in which for 12 years he has compensated for his career-delaying lack of centimetres with a competitiveness second to none. Quick and skilful, hard and uncompromising, a leader of a side that at the time lacked leadership, he’s been a star.

He’s missed just 16 games since his debut – six this year and three last year after just seven in his first 10 years – and will become the 10th Brisbane player to reach 250 games, the 279th AFL player all-time to 250 games and the third to reach this milestone in a grand final after Luke Hodge (2014) and Zach Tuohy (2022).

Despite being overlooked in the draft by every club in the competition in 2007-08-09-10 he will be the first player from the draft pool of 2011 to 250 games. Next best are Richmond/Gold Coast wingman Brandon Ellis (247), Geelong utility Mark Blicavs (246) and Fremantle draftee turned Brisbane teammate Lachie Neale (245).

Brisbane players ahead of Zorko on the club games list are Black (322), Marcus Ashcroft (318), Voss (289), Luke Power (282), Nigel Lappin (279), Rich (275), Shaun Hart (273), Darryl White (268) and Brown (256).

With 5246 career possessions Zorko ranks seventh behind Black (7580), Voss (6143), Lappin (5911), Power (5884), Ashcroft (5848) and Rich (5631). He’s 11th for goals with 224 and seventh for Brownlow Medal votes with 85.

And in perhaps the single biggest statistical achievement, Zorko’s has won five Merrett-Murray Medals - the equal of Voss, the club’s triple premiership captain and all-time best player.

Only 12 players among 13,096 in AFL history have won more club best & fairest awards. And he’s one of 20 players all-time who have won five, which puts him in a group that includes just 0.24% of all players. Or more succinctly, one quarter of one percent of players. It’s a superstar list.

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AFL Club Best & Fairest Winners All-Time

9 – Kevin Murray (Fitz), Bob Skilton (SM)
8 – Leigh Matthews (Haw)
7 – Dick Reynolds (Ess), Bill Hutchison (Ess), Gary Dempsey (WB/NM), Scott West (WB)
6 – Nick Riewoldt (StK), Nathan Buckley (Coll), Matthew Pavlich (Frem), John Murphy (Fitz/SM), Gary Ablett Jnr (Geel/GC)
5 – Michael Voss (Bris), Dayne Zorko (Bris), Lachie Neale (Frem/Bris) John Nicholls (Carl), Len Thompson (Coll), Scott Pendlebury (5), James Hird (Ess), Alan Ruthven (Fitz), Garry Wilson (Fitz), Paul Roos (Fitz), Sam Mitchell (Haw), Brent Harvey (NM), Jack Dyer (Rich), Kevin Bartlett (Rich), Herbie Matthews (SM), Peter Bedford (SM), Norm Ware (WB), Ted Whitten Snr (WB), John Schulz (WB), Chris Judd (WC/Carl).

But all that counts for nothing this week. Like Neale, Zorko is one of 20 members of the five-plus B&F club who have never won an AFL premiership.

The former Lions captain and the current co-captain envy the likes of Bartlett, a five-time premiership player, and Leigh Matthews, Reynolds, Hutchison and Mitchell, who won four. And three-time premiership players Voss and Nicholls, two-time winners Ablett, Hird and Dyer, and one-time premiership players Judd and Pendlebury.

On Saturday it’s all about the premiership cup.
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Zorko: Not Taking This Opportunity For Granted

Dayne Zorko knows better than anyone how long and hard the journey has been to get to the 2023 Grand Final and isn't taking it for granted. It will also be the 250th time he runs out as a Lion.
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Zorko's Milestone

Lions former captain and one of the club's favourite players will notch up game 250 this weekend against Collingwood in the 2023 Grand Final
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Zorko the magician goes around for magical 13th season

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Brisbane Lions champion Dayne Zorko will continue his highly decorated career for a 13th season after signing a new one-year deal to play on in 2024.

Zorko, who played his 250th game in this year’s Grand Final, sits 10th for games played at the Lions – with the chance to move as high as seventh next year.

The veteran will also look to add to an impressive resume consisting of All-Australian honours, five Club Best and Fairest awards and two Club Leading Goalkicker awards.

The former Lions captain will start next season at the ripe age of 35, though is confident he will be able to help the Lions in their pursuit of further success.

“I am really happy to be going around again with a group that has so much potential and that is on the cusp of achieving something special,” Zorko said.

“I feel like I am still contributing to the team in terms of my on-field performances, and I believe I have plenty to offer this group off the field through leadership and my experience.

“After having a taste of playing in the Grand Final it has spurred me on to go again and I can’t wait to get back to work this preseason and prepare for an exciting 2024.”

Zorko finished off his 2023 campaign strongly and was at times one of the Lions best performed players, leading to the Club offering him a new contract.

Two of the 34-year-old’s best games saw him collect a season-best 25 disposals against Essendon, as well as 22 disposals and 12 marks against St Kilda.

The evergreen veteran’s continued performances stemmed from an inspiring pre-season that had him in top shape after shedding eight kilograms and running strongly.

Brisbane Lions General Manager of Football, Danny Daly, said the Club was thrilled to have Zorko pulling the boots on for another season.

“Dayne has worked incredibly hard over the last 12 months to make sure he continues to get the best out of himself and his football shows he has,” Daly said.

“While Dayne knows he isn’t getting any younger, as a club we believe he still has plenty to offer.”

Zorko has played 250 games and kicked 224 goals since making his debut in 2012.

He arrived at Brisbane after coming through with AFL Queensland talent pathway with Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

Zorko and the Brisbane Lions will return to the Club for pre-season training later this month.
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Zorko: We'll Try And Rewrite The Script

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Senior Brisbane Lions player, Dayne Zorko is putting no limit on how long he plays, after signing a one-year contract late last year.

Entering his 13th season, Zorko is now the equal longest tenured player at the Lions, alongside brother-in-law Ryan Lester, and says his body is as strong as ever.

With his 35th birthday just over a week away, the dynamic midfielder says the hurt of losing last year's Grand Final to Collingwood is driving him in 2024.

"I'm still chasing that premiership," Zorko said following a strong training session at Springfield on Wednesday.

"To come so close was disappointing, but it is what it is, and we've got the opportunity to go around again and try and rewrite the script."

And he intends on playing a big role.

Zorko played his 250th game in the decider and after hamstring, Achilles and calf niggles hampered him during 2021 and 2022, says his body is now in its best shape for years.

He has completed the entire pre-season and believes plenty of good football lies ahead.

"I will not be putting a limit as to how long I play on," he said.

"I feel great, the body is feeling great, so I will just take it as it comes.

"How old's LeBron (James)? Forty-odd? We'll just keep going until I completely break down or (football manager) Danny (Daly) comes and taps me on the shoulder.

"The way I'm feeling and pulling up after training … I feel fantastic.

"I'm a person who loves training, and thankfully over the last two pre-seasons, I've been able to do that which has allowed me to get the body back to almost 100 per cent and in a position to play games and play longer time."
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Zorko: How old is LeBron?

Dayne Zorko speaks to the media about all things footy, including last year's Grand Final and the Pre Season secrets that are keeping his body firing
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Zorko Defies Odds To Join Illustrious Group

Dayne Zorko will join the AFL’s “0.90% Club” on Friday night as the Brisbane Lions open their 2024 campaign against Carlton at the Gabba.

With a sell-out crowd set for a rematch of last year’s preliminary final, Zorko, who celebrated his 35th birthday on 9 February, will become just the 118th player aged 35 or more among an all-time AFL playing list that at stands at 13,096 prior to the new season.

Having last season gone past Simon Black to move into third spot on the Lions “golden oldies” list, the former captain and five-time club champion will be 35 years 28 days on Friday night.

Zorko trails only Alastair Lynch, who finished at 36 years 98 days in 2004, and Luke Hodge, who was 35 years 91 days in his last game in 2019.

Going into his 13th season, Zorko is poised to top Hodge in Round 9, and by the end of the season could be as high as 80th on the League’s all-time oldest players list.

And, in a statistic which underscores the enormity of his achievement, among the 25 players in the 35-plus club who have played 250 games he was the oldest debutant at 23 years 93 days.

Or, more succinctly, after a belated start to his AFL career, he’s done an extraordinary job to rank among the very best latecomers to the AFL all-time. And one of Lions’ best bargain recruits.

Overlooked in four consecutive drafts after he captained the Queensland Under-18 side in 2007, he was zoned to the Gold Coast Suns ahead of their entry to the AFL in 2011 and traded to Brisbane for the club’s second round draft pick.

Having played 106 AFL games in the last five years, Zorko ranks 51st among AFL players all-time for games beyond 30.

A further 20 games this year would see him inside the top 20 on a list headed by Carlton’s Craig Bradley (195) and the League’s four 400-gamers – Hawthorn’s Michael Tuck (190), North’s Brent Harvey (184), Essendon’s Dustin Fletcher (170) and Port Adelaide/Hawthorn player Shaun Burgoyne (168).

Zorko will play the 10th season-opener of his career on Friday night – the 15th Brisbane player to double-figures for Round 1 (or equivalent) games.

Daniel Rich, who played 15 Round 1 games without a miss throughout his career, heads the Lions list from Simon Black (14), Marcus Ashcroft, Shaun Hart, Nigel Lappin, Michael Voss, Darryl White (13), Justin Leppitsch (12), Jonathan Brown, Luke Power (11), Jed Adcock, Daniel Bradshaw, Daniel Merrett, Ash McGrath and Daniel Merrett (10).

Lachie Neale will play the 11th season-opener of his career and his sixth for the Lions.

The AFL’s 30-Plus Club will welcome two new members on Friday night - Lincoln McCarthy, who was 30 on 22 October last year, and Joe Daniher, who turned 30 on Monday (4 March) – as coach Chris Fagan considers a club record 30-Plus contingent.

With Daniher, McCarthy, Zorko, Neale, Ryan Lester, Jarryd Lyons and Darcy Fort, Fagan has seven options to pick from.

Even six will be a club record after the Brisbane Bears/Lions, who in 845 games have fielded five players aged 30 or more 26 times – including four times last year.
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Old Lion's zip and polish breathes life into injury-hit defence

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COMETH the hour, cometh the veteran.

When Keidean Coleman ruptured his ACL in the Opening Round, and Conor McKenna tore his hamstring the following week for the second time in 2024, Brisbane's attacking half-back stocks looked thin.

At the time, the bold selection choice was to re-purpose veteran Dayne Zorko from half-forward to half-back.

He'd played spot minutes there previously, even the odd game, but had been primarily used as a harassing defensive force in the front half of the ground that was a damaging kicker of the ball going inside 50.

Coach Chris Fagan decided Zorko's zip and exquisite skills could be best used in the defensive half, but the choice was not a slam dunk.

Now 35, Zorko has had a niggly body for the past three seasons and asking him to be the Lions' attacking architect was potentially a heavy burden.

There were younger options, and leaving the former skipper forward of the ball was not a bad thing.

"I haven't hidden from the fact I do like playing in the backline," Zorko said prior to his move.

"Defensively at times I've probably let myself down, but I do enjoy seeing the game from that point of view."

Brisbane took the punt, and three matches in, the decision looks like a home run.

The five-time best and fairest winner has gathered 30, 28 and 29 disposals, but more than that, he's given opponents reason to worry when Brisbane has the ball behind the centre circle.

It's the most possessions Zorko has gathered in a three-game stretch since the Lions stormed into the top four in rounds 21, 22 and 23 of the 2021 season with victories over Fremantle, Collingwood and West Coast.

He is using the ball superbly, going at 78 per cent efficiency over the three-week stretch, and gaining an average of 478m a game.

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McKenna is available again this week, but whether Fagan ushers the Irishman in against Geelong or waits five more days to unleash him against Greater Western Sydney, another tricky selection is coming.

Leave Zorko where he has added life, or return him to the forward line? Either choice would mean an unlucky omission elsewhere.

Like he has for much of his 255-game career though, Zorko has stepped up when his team needed him, and wherever he plays for the remainder of 2024, still looms as a vital cog in the Lions' machine.
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Zorko to discuss Petty taunt with Answerth, Lions' win 'pretty special'

BRISBANE veteran Dayne Zorko said he would speak to Noah Answerth after the defender taunted Melbourne forward Harrison Petty during the Lions' win.

Referencing a 2022 match-up where a Zorko comment – for which he later apologised – resulted in the Demon crying on-field, Answerth rubbed his eyes at Petty as if to suggest tears.

It was an incident that soured the Lions' impressive 22-point victory over Melbourne at the MCG on Thursday night.

Although coach Chris Fagan was reluctant to make comment on the incident until he had seen it in full, Zorko was strong when interviewed after the game.

"I'll probably go have a word with him. That's not the way we want to win," Zorko told ABC Radio post-match.

"Heat of the moment, stuff happens. I'm sure he'd have fixed it up after the game."
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