#11 David Zaharakis - Surviving half-Ironmans

I thought he could’ve been one of our great hff/wingers.

Fair enough.

My biggest gripe is that he doesn’t kick enough goals for a guy who is pretty damn good at it.

Glad he hit that one on the run last night, that’s a big part of his game that’s been missing lately.

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People may know I’m sceptical of stats, but I’d suggest prejudices are blocking the view of what Zaharakis is doing;
33 possessions, 11 contested, 6 clearances, 5 tackles, 8 score involvements and 1 clanger is a bit better than an OK game.
If Langford produced those numbers he’d be hailed as the second coming.
And this is after similar figures last week.

As for corralling players, if done effectively, it allows others to shine, particularly from forcing the hook kick forwards which GWS mids did a bucketload of last night.

All good teams need those very good solid role players, and I think Zaharakis has found his niche there.
Not as spectacular as some may have hoped but in no way deserving the derision he seems to attract.

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2 posters as well, shouldve had 3 or 4 goals.

that last one on the handball receive from zerret was epic, like a training drill.

Reminds me of Stanton.

Good to very good over a long enough time to be considered a great of the club.

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I loved Stanton but zaca surely has him covered.

Maybe not for consistency but certainly for top end quality.

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Another point of difference this year was he didn’t go missing during our loss streak.

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I thought he typified our style last night, get it forward, grind it out, keep it moving. I loved his game.

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Up to two weeks ago what I said was true, but the last two weeks have been an incredible turnaround from everyone including Zakarakis. So good on him, I’m trying to work out where it’s been all year? If anything it further proves my point that he needs the side up and running to have an effect. I think the last few weeks from guys like Tippa/Heppell/Zaka/Zerrett have been chalk and cheese as all have been great the last few weeks. Would have liked him to have kicked those two posters but he’s been great the last few weeks.

Possession counts mean 10 fifths of fck all as we always get around 450 disposals with 6/7 players near or over 30, but I reckon he’s had far more dangerous/effective possessions in the last two weeks. I just wish him and his mates were playing this well from Rounds 2-8 but better late than never I guess.

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As I posted earlier I thought he wasted it a bit yesterday and just checked out the stats and found out he only went at 46% effectiveness with his disposal. Last week he was running at nearly 80%

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I liked watching the ‘down the ground’ replay of Zaka’s goal…you can see how all players are preparing to go to the GWS end, until the Tippa tackle…then Zaka responds so quickly to go on the offensive to get the chance at the shot.

It’s ok as long as you learned something from it.

He does what he does well, is how I see it. He is a decent user of the ball, but not great. He has become a very good pressure player. His inside work is nearing elite. His speed is still ok, though not super quick. He is a great link-up player and you add those elements up to have a very dangerous component of a functioning squad. His output as an outside player, when he’s doing that, depends greatly on others, as do all linking roles. He does not have the physique to be a crash/bash in and under for any length of time. Like a lot of role players in other teams - like Higgins, for example, or Smith - he can look ordinary when the wheels get wobbly.

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edit

Personally I reckon Stanton’s consistency gives him the edge. Especially given that he played plenty of top end quality games himself

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Yeah, there is not much between them.

I liked Stanton and until the last two seasons didn’t rate Zaca at all.

I think Zaca is getting close to elite status now though and that has him in front for mine.

Stantons best was ahead of Zaka’s.

Both are very under-rated by many Bombers supporters though.

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Yep, still shocks me that Stanton got booed.

Although that was played up by the media a little.

If you had told me that 2 years ago, I would have agreed.

Past two seasons, since Stants has gone, I reckon Zaharakis has really stepped up being that endurance mid who just keeps going and going and going all match and linking up for the full 4 quarters.

Zaharakis has a better attacking flair than Stants ever did, and their disposal is probably on par.

Stants has been more consistent, but the past two years, Zaharakis has produced better footy than Stants ever did.

Not a knock on Stants.

You would have to compare Stanton of 2012 with Zaka of 2017 I reckon.

Stanton played outside all of the time and Zaka played both insdie and outside. Hence I reckon Stanton was much more noticable, running down the wing in lots of space.

Both seem to cop a lot of criticism from some idiot Bomber supporters; especially Stanton. Both seemingly played with injuries. Stants had Jobe to take the heat, not sure who backs Zaka up.