Zaharakis' Importance ...

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The Great Barry Besanko said:
Zaka's crucial, Winderlich is greatly underrated.
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I wouldnt mind trying to train Winderlich for a wing spot again. Still has never got to his best i feel the game suits him more than ever, unfortunatly he seems to always be effected by injury. I remember the days when he use to break those lines and kick long, if he was to be that wingmen next year it would help massivily. Mature body and adds to the depth.
 
Zaka reminds me of Shane Crawford. Runs all day. Great decision maker. Quick. In my opinion he is the most important player in our midfield. Pure class.
 

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Did anyone else notice Paul Roos' comments in the Sun yesterday? He reckons that if it wasn't for injury Zaharakis would be mentioned in All Aust calculation (not saying that he would get the spot).

It is why I am particularly pissed off with Connolly and Robinson in the last few weeks. Our midfield is rated on its performances from 03 to 10 without proper consideration being given to the players that are currently on our list.

Going into round 1 next year I say Zaha is our most important player. Not our best. Our most important.
 
OzBomber said:
Finally looked like the Zaka from the start of the season tonight. Had some of his pace back and looked like he had his movement again. Just a shame that it was the last game of the season and not round 16. If he can string together a full season next year he'll be a big threat. Maybe even a Dangerfield breakout type year.
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Paul Roos says this time next year he will be in AA consideration!
 
OzBomber said:
Maybe even a Dangerfield breakout type year.
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Zaka's breakout year was last year, you know the year he won our B&F.

Injuries stopped him this year. Next year he will be a force.

Will overtake Watson by the end of next year as our best midfielder... Lock it in.
 
BrunoV said:
Going into round 1 next year I say Zaha is our most important player. Not our best. Our most important.
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Well, I'd rather it be him than Buddha.

More improvement!
 
Childish Gambino said:
Zaka's breakout year was last year, you know the year he won our B&F.

Injuries stopped him this year. Next year he will be a force.

Will overtake Watson by the end of next year as our best midfielder... Lock it in.
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Blasphemy!
I hope you're right, because Watson is a gun, and having someone better would be...amazing.

Could definitely see his class against the Pies shine through. Quick decision-making and quick disposal. 2013!
 
Yeah it was a real body blow losing Zaka. A real instigator of play for us & usually is a very good kick.
Good to see him play out a good game to finish the year. Like the other post, I was worried about his last couple (even though he was underdone) moreso that he may have lost that explosive pace to break clear of the contest.
 
BrunoV said:
Did anyone else notice Paul Roos' comments in the Sun yesterday? He reckons that if it wasn't for injury Zaharakis would be mentioned in All Aust calculation (not saying that he would get the spot).

It is why I am particularly pissed off with Connolly and Robinson in the last few weeks. Our midfield is rated on its performances from 03 to 10 without proper consideration being given to the players that are currently on our list.

Going into round 1 next year I say Zaha is our most important player. Not our best. Our most important.
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Yep, reckoned given a good run with injury he'll be moving into the "elite" category of midfielder next season.

I was surprised he said that (other than he also had a sentence without mentioning the Swans), as the media predominately still refers to our midfield as a Watson/Stanton 1/2 punch without anything else.
 
Santoz said:
Round 11 I think it was when Zaha went down injured and from around then, our season has turned to muck.

Obviously there are other factors involved but do we rely on him more than I thought?

Food for thought ...
You'd think so, but when Zaka came back, we didn't seem to do all that much better

*My apologies if this has already been mentioned elsewhere.
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Childish Gambino said:
Zaka's breakout year was last year, you know the year he won our B&F.

Injuries stopped him this year. Next year he will be a force.

Will overtake Watson by the end of next year as our best midfielder... Lock it in.
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By breakout I mean into the elite A/A+ category along with Watson. He proved to Bomber fans he's a gun, but he still hasn't had that year like Dangerfield where the other fans finally take note and realise 'holy s**t he's a beast'.
 

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Myles Stedman said:
You'd think so, but when Zaka came back, we didn't seem to do all that much better

*My apologies if this has already been mentioned elsewhere.
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1. By the time he came back, we were in too much of a rut- the damage was irreversable.
2. I'm 99% positive he was still nowhere near right physically. He was brought back as a last ditch, desperate measure.
 
Dos23 said:
2. I'm 99% positive he was still nowhere near right physically. He was brought back as a last ditch, desperate measure.
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Yeh that.

Was pretty obv at the ground during the Carlton and Richmond games he could barely run without wanting to stop to catch his breath which would be the biggest reason he didn't have much of an impact in those games, could see in the Collingwood game he was able to cover a lot more ground and play like we know he can.
 
Drummer_19 said:
Yeh that.

Was pretty obv at the ground during the Carlton and Richmond games he could barely run without wanting to stop to catch his breath which would be the biggest reason he didn't have much of an impact in those games, could see in the Collingwood game he was able to cover a lot more ground and play like we know he can.
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I've been told that in the press conference after the Carlton match he said that he rushed back because finals were on the line. Reckons he wouldn't have played for another week or two had it been mid-season.
 
BrunoV said:
I've been told that in the press conference after the Carlton match he said that he rushed back because finals were on the line. Reckons he wouldn't have played for another week or two had it been mid-season.
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They interviewed him on Triple M after the game and he said if it was rounds 12 or 13 he wouldn't have played.
 
I think this thread needs a bump. I totally agree with its sentiment. In that we don't have any other players who have the speed and class of Zaka who play at the stoppage.

Who do you think we need to step up, draft in the PSD and/or be given more opportunity to develop in this role?

Probably someone like ant555 is the guy who would know most about potential draftees and young kids on our list not given a crack.

I would like to see Jetta given time in this role each week. While not his primary role for the game he should rotate through their at the very least. He has great evasion and skill. Not sure if I can remember him winning too many clearances but if he could get some understanding with Watson, Goddard, Myers and Heppell he could do some real damage getting on the end of a handball. I also think it would be great to give him his run when Paddy is on the ball, unless their famed friendship sees Paddy becoming too Jetta conscious.

Colyer has the running combination of being able to run through the middle and with pace. However, I don't think anyone would describe him as a classy user of the ball, nor would you say he has that hot step in traffic. Hopefully he gets a good run at it this year and can possibly provide some pace on a wing, flank or as sub but I don't see him as the guy we're looking for.

Kav has been mentioned as a wingman going forward. I could be wrong here but I seem to recall that prior to the draft he was seen as an inside/outside player. Perhaps he could be the man.

Winderlich has done this role effectively in the past, but with everything his body has been through in the last 2 years, after the back issues prior even that, I would like to see him settle up forward with defensive forward/lead up role.

Garlet is the guy I would take in the PSD for this reason. Obviously extremely doubtful a first year player could have any impact in this role in his first year, however, there is no reason that he can't get rotated through there in his second and potentially take a larger role in his third.

So for me I'd have Jetta play through there a bit this year, give Colyer a run if Jetta fails or misses games, consider Kav, play Garlett in a role like this for Bendigo and take someone for this role as our first pick in next year's draft.

I really think that this is the role we have the least depth in, along with that Betts/S.Jonston/Milne/Aker/Bewick style forward who can tear games apart and always have the opposition worried about it even if they're not. For this reason I want Tippa as our rookie pick. We can payout Steinburg and give him a spot in the new VFL side if no one picks him up.
 
It hasn't been a constant feature of his game by any stretch but if we could get him consistently working his way through stoppages like he has done on a few occasions (generally to kick goals) it would add a whole new dynamic to the midfield.

Off the top of my head I'd say that he is quicker than everyone on the list other than Winderlich, Colyer, Dempsey, Dalgleish, Davey (but Davey only over 20 or 30) and maybe Crameri.
 
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