lol, are you serious? it was a clip about being soft. everyone knows it. what else did it mean? im not sure why people feel the need to rewrite history around things that happen, its some kind of weird defence mechanism their brains can’t comprehend when someone’s getting criticism. I think even zaharakis supporters know that quite often he’s on the soft side. fark, James Hird knew it!
I do agree that zaharakis cops plenty (too much, and unwarranted) and I have no problem with him playing at the moment. just thought I’d clear that up before im accused of being a keyboard warrior
Lets not attribute supreme importance of ruckmen in the outcome of games.
NicNat thrashes Phillips in hitouts clearances and possessions, we win.
Possibly the best ruckman in the AFL, Grundy, heads up a fall to 16th on the ladder, while pulverising every ruckman he opposes, in hitouts, clearances and possessions.
Yes they have, but Essendon’s game plan is much different to previous game plans which were all out attack with little ‘blue collar’ aspects to it. The past is past. Our game plan intuitively stands up much better in wet weather than in years past.
I don’t expect us to win. Richmond play a similar brand to ours in concept. The wet weather shouldn’t hurt us if we stick to it and continue our pressure, tackling and defensive structures.
Richmond should win, simply because they’re superior in skill, experience & physical size. If Richmond come to play and play to their ability, anything under 4 goals should be deemed a good result for us. If they don’t play well, and it’s wet then who knows what can happen!
I quoted from memory but almost exactly what Hird said. You and others have extended that to meaning zaka is soft. Hird also preceded with a comment about how much he loves zaka as a player.
There is a difference between calling a player soft and saying sometimes player X could go in harder.
You make a comment about rewriting history but don’t seem to realise that you are the one who has done it as you’ve provided your own selective interpretation of what Hird said.
Being soft is a very derogatory comment made by fans. If you think that is what Hird was trying to describe zaka as in a press conference then IMO you are mistaken.
It’s a bet each way for him. If they win he’s described us as "one of the in form teams of the comp’ and they look ready to kick off their finals tilt after putting us in our place. I suspect it’s more to motivate his side than it is to try and get us to crawl up our own azz holes.
By normal ‘life’ standards Zaka isn’t soft. In the sense that anyone who puts themselves out on a football field where they can hit pretty hard in what is a 360 degree game has to have a level of courage many others out there wouldn’t. That’s a given.
By AFL standards though, Zaka is definitely a softer sort of player who it’s plain to see dislikes contact.
I don’t think we were well prepared for it, but Brisbane were just freakish in that game earlier this year. Could not miss a shot at goal and hung onto absolutely everything overhead. Everything went their way early and it just got away. Bring the pressure to stop that happening, wet or not.
‘Dislikes contact’ is still removed from soft.
Most mountain climbers are scared of heights. That’s normal and rational as you might fall off.
Most people including footballers don’t like getting hurt. That’s normal. Footballers have a code that they put their body on the line ‘when it’s their turn’. Does zaka not follow this code?
What I find strange is that I never read any comment on here re zaka being soft until after Hird’s comment. Lots of perceptions on here were shaped by an interpretation of what Hird said, rather than what he actually said.
and they stash some on the breast of their jumper to re-apply later too.
I never like using that stuff - I didn’t like the ball sticking when you go to kick or handpass.
