Zaharakis - Get him in the guts

[Smyth94]

Enough is enough - Knighter...The kid is just too damn good to be playing across the HFF/FP - he's pretty much the best passer to a moving target in our side - the kick to Lonergan in the first quarter was magic.

Get M Williams back in the side and put Zaka on a wing please. I want to see Zaharakis putting the footy on to the breasts of Hurley, Gumby and Willo.

 

[Childish Gambino]

+1 to this

 

[Yoda_]

Listening to me hey Smyth

Called this ages ago now.. Glad someone else is finally seeing the light

 

[dave_27]

He definitely needs to spend more time up on the wing, his goal kicking may not be great but get him in space passing the ball to our leading forwards and he is deadly by foot.

Amongst all the doom and gloom I would consider this year a major, major positive if Knights gives guys like Zaharakis, Melksham, Dempsey and Myers every opportunity to prove themselves in the midfield.

 

[stay true]

Said this after the Pies game.

 

[Houli2Gumbleton]

His best game was his first one. He played in the midfield and on the wing where he dominated against Fremantle. Since then, Knights has used him as a small forward.

We potentially can have a good midfield with good skills.

Myers, Houli, Zaharakis, Melksham, Dempsey and even Jetta need to be given the opportunity to be played through the midfield and on the wing.

 

[james_omahoney]

I called this before he was born.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I'm going to go against the flow here.

While he's unquestionably a long term prospect in the middle, while his body is still developing, I'm happy for him to stay as a small forward. He's providing a quality target inside 50, and has a real sense for where the ball will be (albeit not where the goals are, just yet). His ability to spot up a target when he's out of range is pretty much second to none in our team.

Short term, he's doing exceptionally well as a forward, and I see no reason to change.

 

[stay true]

No doubt he's doing exceptionally well as a small forward, but we're struggling big time in the midfield with out disposal. If we can bring in Williams and Jetta they can cover Zaka's output and release him into the midfield to add some pace and skill that we desperately need.

Add Zaka to the list of players we need 2 of with Hurley.

 

[LeeARM]

Has he spent any time in the midfield this year? I can't remember seeing him in there.

 

[Smyth94]

I'm going to go against the flow here.

While he's unquestionably a long term prospect in the middle, while his body is still developing, I'm happy for him to stay as a small forward. He's providing a quality target inside 50, and has a real sense for where the ball will be (albeit not where the goals are, just yet). His ability to spot up a target when he's out of range is pretty much second to none in our team.

Short term, he's doing exceptionally well as a forward, and I see no reason to change.

We're crying out for some top notch disposal in our midfield. That should just be reason enough.

M Williams can and should be playing the role Zaka is playing now.

If Melksham with his praying mantis body can be playing midfield, why can't Zaka? He's definitely a bigger body than Melky.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

We're crying out for some top notch disposal in our midfield. That should just be reason enough.

M Williams can and should be playing the role Zaka is playing now.

If Melksham with his praying mantis body can be playing midfield, why can't Zaka? He's definitely a bigger body than Melky.

I probably should have covered that in my first post.

Zaka and Melksham are both too small to be the cornerstones of our midfield at this stage. We can only really carry one in there at the moment, and Zaka offers more up forward IMO.

I'm certainly not opposed to bringing Jetta in and rotating Zaka through the middle more, but I think he is too important as a forward ATM.

 

[Kong]

Yep, called this a fair while ago.

You could see from his debut game he directs the forwards where to play with his precise kicking inside 50.

 

[dirtywhitepacker]

Interesting, would love to see him run through the midfield more too. But maybe this is one of the reasons why we're having less soft-tissue injuries than before. Melksham plays a few good games in the midfield, then has a rest. Zaharakis, who is proving dangerous up forward, stays in the forward line, builds fitness up and then maybe Knights will release him into the midfield for the second half of the year and give someone like Winderlich maybe more time forward. Just a thought...

 

[yaco55]

I probably should have covered that in my first post.

Zaka and Melksham are both too small to be the cornerstones of our midfield at this stage. We can only really carry one in there at the moment, and Zaka offers more up forward IMO.

I'm certainly not opposed to bringing Jetta in and rotating Zaka through the middle more, but I think he is too important as a forward ATM.

I understand your argument but feel that we should give Zaharakis some burts in the midfield.

Its seems a waste to have Melksham in the midfield - AT THE MOMENT - because he can't run out games.

 

[daffo]

He'll get there soon. I don't think he has the engine just yet but I wouldn't say no to seeing him thrown in for a couple of centre square contests every game.
Even through he misses a lot of set shots currently I believe that when he gets his confidence up he'll be a dead eye dick in front of goals.

 

[Towno78]

Considering he received a rising star nomination in his first game as a midfielder, and was recruited as a midfielder... I can't believe the number of people trying to claim they called this first. big lols.

Yes, he should spend time between midfield and forward. Eventually developing as a full-time midfielder.
No idea why he hasn't been used in the guts yet this year.

 

[Walesy]

Can anyone comment on Zaka's tank at the minute?

While he has been playing great in that small forward role, if he's tank isn't up to it- he's just going to go backwards with a move into the midfield.

 

[beev]

Not permanently at this stage, but he should have bursts through the middle. I want to see Zaka and Myers (if he gets picked) in the centre square at some stage against the saints.