Brisbane early 2000s, Geelong Hawthorn Sydney have all had hard tough sides.
Us when we had Hardwick, Solomon, Barnard, Johnson, Johnson ect
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Yeah, the bombers team and Lions of 20 years ago were stacked with tough players and the Geelong side after, but most of the really successful sides since are more precision teams. They have very tight structures and can hit consecutive targets by hand of feet.
I would argue that Sydney and the recent Geelong sides have suffered for having too many big bodied and that means they have struggled once the finals come around.
I can’t think of single side right now that I would consider tough and that’s just the way the game is played now. Sure the players can play through pain and can run all day but it’s hardly the gladiatorial game it used to be.
I to be honest couldn’t care less about how tough our players are if they can’t hit a target. That for me is our biggest concern and also the fact that we consistently field sides that struggle to execute the gameplan.
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Just on this, does anyone recall any memorable chase down tackles by Hird? I’m sure he did a fair few, I just don’t remember any.
Funny, because I remember just about every contested mark, goal and clutch clearance.
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Game versus Richmond, at fifty.
Richo then pushed Mal Michael in the back and cracked a tanty when the ump noted it as such. Not that it mattered, because Lloyd then kicked another goal right after the final siren (OK, if that kick was to win they probably would have protected the mark a bit better and forced him to kick from at least 65 out…)
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Good memory. Would love to see it to refresh mine.
Unfortunately the tackle and goal is immediately before this clip…
But it’s at exactly 4 minutes into this package! Definitely one of his big career highlights, there’s a reason the camera goes straight to him after the final siren.
Ump called play-on… WTF?!?
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no but i remember Fletcher on Garlett
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So with only 1 of Hird’s run down tackles recalled (great work DJR), I think it unfair to judge Zaka’s career on that criteria alone.
Hird and Zaka should never be used in the same sentence unless you are talking about a player who played with all heart and the other none whatsoever.
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Problem is the players who aren’t tough can’t hit a team mate 20 meters away.
Not only have we lost the tough guys of 2000, we have lost the silk of Mercuri, Long, Hird, Rama, Caracella, Fletcher, Lloyd, Rioli holy crap we had so many players who could kick a ball beautifully.
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Hird was so great that he didn’t have to worry about the defensive side of the game, but he still tackled and put his head over the ball when the time came
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There where plenty
Football today is so removed from back then that it’s difficult to compare.
They have far less time to make a decision now compared to then that poor skilled sides like ours get far more exposed.
Around the 2000 period it was still mostly positional but now it’s just a rolling scrum almost across the whole field.
Teams that can execute under pressure well tend to go in and dominate the comp. Hawthorn have done it and now Richmond look likely to do it.
Being tough just doesn’t register with me at all.
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Don’t really understand why he cops it so much from some. He’s not in the absolute top group of mids on the list but he’s a pretty handy 6th or 7th guy to have running around out there.
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I think you have answered your own question. To be 6th or 7th in one of the worst mid fields in the competition is not great praise.
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I think he cops it because often he is seen running past contests in close proximity, to receive the easy by himself chip from the backline (after losing the contest). eg his man is there contesting Zacha is jogging down the ground by himself…its BS, get over and put the pressure on IMO
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Thing is I rate zaka as one of out best tacklers in the technical sense. Once he does latch on he typically brings the player down and doesn’t allow the ball to pop out. It’s a shame it doesn’t happen more often.
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no doubt he could find the goals
I wouldn’t mind seeing him used Wing/Half forward in the latter stages of his career.
Zaharakis kicking goals is good for football. He is good at finding space.
Maybe a swap with Devon Smith each rotate Wing/Half forward or go forward when Smith is onball and McGrath move to the wing.