Million Dollar question…
Why don’t the coaches trust Zerk and give him some big jobs ?
Could have played him on McKay, yet they rushed Stewart back after 2 months out.
Could have played him on Hawkins tonight, yet got dropped again (for what, the 4th time this year)
They don’t trust him in Lockdown roles.
He is nearly 23 and in Year 4.
It needs to happen for him soon.
They clearly aren’t fans of him, hence why they are going for Stewart. Perhaps the system they are trying to bring in relies heavily on defenders being excellent kicks of the ball and Zerk’s disposal is “ok”.
Zerk reads the play very well and is good 1 on 1, but perhaps the disposal aspects lets him down?
Essendon defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher is yet to be signed for next season. Picture: Michael Klein
Essendon defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher remains unsigned for next season as he works to cement his position in the Bombers’ back line.
Zerk-Thatcher, who is from South Australia, is coming to the end of his two-year deal and is yet to agree to terms on an extension.
The 195cm intercepting defender is keen to secure more senior opportunities after managing only six games under Ben Rutten this year, down from 10 matches in 2020.
Even without Michael Hurley in the team and Cale Hooker playing as a permanent forward Zerk-Thatcher, 23, has not been an automatic selection despite being widely considered one of the best young defenders in the state league system.
Zerk-Thatcher has been on rivals’ radars since he signed his latest deal at Essendon in 2019 and Sydney were among the clubs who liked the Bomber.
But Tom McCartin has since stepped up sensationally in a defensive role at the Swans after missing out on former Pie Tom Langdon and losing Aliir Aliir.
Zerk-Thatcher is the next priority signing for Essendon after working hard to lock away gun midfielders Darcy Parish, Zach Merrett and Jake Stringer this year in the face of strong interest elsewhere
I didn’t think that could possibly be true but then I looked at our list of uncontracted players and, yeah, I guess he is.
Might come down to other interests. If a club is very keen to offer him a deal then i think he would be tempted. He would know with Reid to come in next year he is not in our top 8 defenders in Trucks mind.
Priority signing??
He gets dropped at the drop of a hat and has fkn James Stewart ahead of him.
I just assumed he’s already been told he’s being delisted at years end.
Who wrote that?
I mean I’m not against the fact we want to sign him up again. I’m still hanging on to that sliver of hope. I’m just…confused is all.
He isn’t best 22 nor is he in the delisting category, so let’s wait til trade week and see what clubs may offer for him.
For example, if we can get Crows 2nd rd pick for Zerk and our 3rd I would do it
That’s true and also there’s nobody I’d say is higher priority to re-sign either.
I had the same thoughts about a deal involving Zerk and a third for a second, not sure a club would do that now that he’s barely played this year
Our treatment of zerk has been bewildering. Persisting with STUZ over him will bite us in the ■■■
You’d think the coaches would give him a chance now, with finals out of reach and Stewart being pretty awful the past two weeks. Then again, I didn’t think he’d be dropped after any of his games this year. I also reckon he’s a good match-up for Naughton. I’m a fan, will be very disappointed if he switches clubs.
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I reckon Durham, Baldwin and Phillips are a higher priority. In my mind anyway.
Although there have to be serious doubts over what happens to Francis. If he leaves for some reason (I’d prefer he stays and starts playing like he was in the first half of this year) then Zerk becomes far more important to sign imo.
I’ve been very disappointed he has not been given more of a go. In the reserves, he has sometimes reminded me of Steven May in the way he has been able to come from behind to kill the ball with a big spoil and hurt the opposition forward in the process. It really has been quite gratifying to atch.
It hasn’t always translated into the firsts, but with a bit of faith, I think it could. In his absence, I’ve always been a bit nervous that Stewart and Francis would be pushed off the ball or that they would go for a mark when they should have punched.
Anyway, if he is overlooked this week, I fear this really would be a good chance we make Josh Bruce look like Tony Lockett. There is something just morally wrong about that.
Seriously blokes in this thread need to realise he isn’t competing with Stewart. He is competing with Rids and Lav. Stewart is in the side solely because he has the height at 200cm to take on the bigger forwards. Zerk is 195. Whilst it doesn’t seem like a lot that’s the thinking down at bomber land and further emphasised by having a bunch of blokes in the 190-195 range. Hence why Stewart seems untouchable. Reid is literally his only competition at the moment.
I forgot rookies. Agree on them.
Our previous key position gorilla taker Chook is only 196cm
Zerk would fit nicely into Sydney, bulldogs, Port, Fremantle, Lions possibly also Giants Backlines. They don’t have to trade with us he could be picked up after being delisted or pre season.
We have left him in VFL playing key position but when played in seniors is given flank roles. he has lost his natural one on one defensive instincts, His last two pre-seasons he has struggled in his running sessions, he has slow top end speed but his first 5-10 meters is reasonably quick, he just doesn’t have any acceleration to maintain that over distance and those longer leading forwards.
not to disagree with your premise, cos it is prolly correct, it does seem odd that is the coaches premise yet thinking back LAV started on hawkins, Lav got buddy, and hard to tell/remember who he got against north and GWS, so it seems even the coaches aren’t giving stewart the big main forwards, while continuing to pick him just cos.
