I think if some of the young players can step up, i'd like to see zacka play exclusively off HFF, reckon its ideal for him as it will utilise his goal sense, as well as pick up the ball and give some good delivery into F50.
IIRC didn't he win his B&F playing HFF?
Check out the world premiere of 'Zaka's Video Diary', and inside, unedited look into the life and times of Bomber Young Gun David Zaharakis. This week pasta carbonara, schnitzel + family friends http://bombe.rs/ZakasDiary
@DavidZaharakis very good Zaka.
I luv ya posts Ivo .. but Zar Har ... is just so wrong. Where on earth did it even start?
It's never been zaha., & besides, If it's not ZAK - A ...... then how can it be AN ZAK day?
not in dispute, i'll probably still use zaha as an abbreviation of his name though rather than use his nickname
Ok. There was an argument here about it a while ago.
What about Zakha??? That way we'll both be happy. ;)
Zaha had a very good year the year he won it, but I would point out that 2 or 3 guys finished above him on votes per game (Watson and Hurley, IIRC Stanton as well but that could be wrong)Zaka was not impressive at all last year. He was carrying back / calf injury.In exactly what parallel world is Zaha close to Stanton's level?
IMO, at the moment we have
Guns: Jobe and BJ
Almost Guns: Hep and Zaka
On the way: Melks and Myers??
Workhorses: Stants, Buddha and Benny
Back-up: Merrett, Kav, Colyer, Hams, Brown, others
Have I left anybody out?? Chappy?
And maybe throw in Kommer.
I'm not unhappy with that as I expect Hep and Melks will improve again. Barring injury Zaka will be a force but we need Myers to take a big step upwards and some of the backup team to really make an impact when they get a chance.
With the departure of Crameri, Bomber will be looking for a big contribution of goals from the mids when we attack and a better defensive effort when we don't have the ball.
Let alone two levels above??
He's got a lot of talent but he wasn't overly impressive last year.
Stanton was as equally unimpressive last year IMHO. Also carrying injury.
Stanton is an elite runner but his disposal is not elite.
Zaka has won the best and fairest. Has Stanton?
Zaka is younger.
I agree if both fit Zaka is at least a level above.
Zaha had a very good year the year he won it, but I would point out that 2 or 3 guys finished above him on votes per game (Watson and Hurley, IIRC Stanton as well but that could be wrong)Zaka was not impressive at all last year. He was carrying back / calf injury.In exactly what parallel world is Zaha close to Stanton's level?
IMO, at the moment we have
Guns: Jobe and BJ
Almost Guns: Hep and Zaka
On the way: Melks and Myers??
Workhorses: Stants, Buddha and Benny
Back-up: Merrett, Kav, Colyer, Hams, Brown, others
Have I left anybody out?? Chappy?
And maybe throw in Kommer.
I'm not unhappy with that as I expect Hep and Melks will improve again. Barring injury Zaka will be a force but we need Myers to take a big step upwards and some of the backup team to really make an impact when they get a chance.
With the departure of Crameri, Bomber will be looking for a big contribution of goals from the mids when we attack and a better defensive effort when we don't have the ball.
Let alone two levels above??
He's got a lot of talent but he wasn't overly impressive last year.
Stanton was as equally unimpressive last year IMHO. Also carrying injury.
Stanton is an elite runner but his disposal is not elite.
Zaka has won the best and fairest. Has Stanton?
Zaka is younger.
I agree if both fit Zaka is at least a level above.
And that would be the only year - Zaha's played 5 pretty much full seasons now - that they've been close
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?tid1=6&pid1=1347&tid2=6&pid2=3129&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S
I urge anyone who's thinking along the same lines, to look at that link, and scroll back through the years.
Stanton lead him in kicks, disposals, marks, goals, tackles, inside 50s, goal assists, frees for, disposal efficiency, effective disposals, contested marks, marks inside 50... Shall I go on?
Zaha will be right, he is learning the cut and thrust of it, and he *may* end up going past Stanton's level if he really thrives in close spaces -which he hasn't yet, but neither has Stanton to any great degree.
But make no mistake, Stanton is a star already.
I prefer Zaha to Zaka, and will continue to use it.
I prefer Stanton to both, although I hope that Zaha can keep on improving and get to a similar position.
And I stopped that stupid clangers argument last year. With the exception of Pendlebury, ALL the highest possession getters are also the highest accumulators of clangers. It goes with collecting that much of the ball.
Zaha had a very good year the year he won it, but I would point out that 2 or 3 guys finished above him on votes per game (Watson and Hurley, IIRC Stanton as well but that could be wrong)
Zaka was not impressive at all last year. He was carrying back / calf injury.
In exactly what parallel world is Zaha close to Stanton's level?IMO, at the moment we have
Guns: Jobe and BJ
Almost Guns: Hep and Zaka
On the way: Melks and Myers??
Workhorses: Stants, Buddha and Benny
Back-up: Merrett, Kav, Colyer, Hams, Brown, others
Have I left anybody out?? Chappy?
And maybe throw in Kommer.
I'm not unhappy with that as I expect Hep and Melks will improve again. Barring injury Zaka will be a force but we need Myers to take a big step upwards and some of the backup team to really make an impact when they get a chance.
With the departure of Crameri, Bomber will be looking for a big contribution of goals from the mids when we attack and a better defensive effort when we don't have the ball.
Let alone two levels above??
He's got a lot of talent but he wasn't overly impressive last year.
Stanton was as equally unimpressive last year IMHO. Also carrying injury.
Stanton is an elite runner but his disposal is not elite.
Zaka has won the best and fairest. Has Stanton?
Zaka is younger.
I agree if both fit Zaka is at least a level above.
And that would be the only year - Zaha's played 5 pretty much full seasons now - that they've been close
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?tid1=6&pid1=1347&tid2=6&pid2=3129&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S
I urge anyone who's thinking along the same lines, to look at that link, and scroll back through the years.
Stanton lead him in kicks, disposals, marks, goals, tackles, inside 50s, goal assists, frees for, disposal efficiency, effective disposals, contested marks, marks inside 50... Shall I go on?
Zaha will be right, he is learning the cut and thrust of it, and he *may* end up going past Stanton's level if he really thrives in close spaces -which he hasn't yet, but neither has Stanton to any great degree.
But make no mistake, Stanton is a star already.
Interesting comparison data. Numbers don't lye.
Most interesting -Stanton has higher efficiency in disposal just but has more CLANGERS
They can be very damaging clangers!
Doesn't really say much.
Clangers tend to be pretty closely linked to number of disposals, often it's guys like Ablett who lead the stat.
Stanton ranked 72nd for total clangers (outside the top 100 in clangers per game) which is not bad considering he was 37th for total disposals (30th in disposals per game).
Back on topic, I don't think there's any issue with young blokes having to work their way into the team.
It has worked at Geelong, where guys like Duncan, Christensen, Motlop, Varcoe, Schroder, Stringer and Smedts have all had to work for their opportunities.
Thompson has a great record with midfield development.
Zaharakis will win the Brownlow this year.
But Stanton will still get more disposals, run more k's and and show the peripheral vision of a cyclops.
Where can we find the top 10 lists for the Chrichton medal (for years gone by)?
I'm pretty sure Stants is a regular but can't remember about Zaka.
Where can we find the top 10 lists for the Chrichton medal (for years gone by)?
I'm pretty sure Stants is a regular but can't remember about Zaka.
Stants has never won it though.
Neither did Lloydy but Adam McPhee did win one.Stants has never won it though.
Where can we find the top 10 lists for the Chrichton medal (for years gone by)?
I'm pretty sure Stants is a regular but can't remember about Zaka.
Where can we find the top 10 lists for the Chrichton medal (for years gone by)?
I'm pretty sure Stants is a regular but can't remember about Zaka.
Stants has never won it though.
I don't think Stanton's been out of the top 5 since his 2nd year. ie 9 years straight, which is pretty remarkable.
Zaha has won it, but I don't think he's had many other years up the top.
from his wiki
Matthew Lloyd 2005
3rd
2006
4th
2007
6th
2008
3rd
2009
3rd
2010
5th
2011
2nd
2012
4th
2013
7th
from his wiki
2005 3rd 2006 4th 2007 6th 2008 3rd 2009 3rd 2010 5th 2011 2nd 2012 4th 2013 7th
Looks like he is on the slide....de-list!
Fair points, but remember in the Swans best years they only played like 30 people in the year, cause nobody got injured. This created continuum, the team was settled, and they were powerhouse.
And yes, Pies and Cats could bring in kids who slotted in, but maybe cause the teams were so full of established players/stars it was easy, and they all understood and trusted the game plan. lets get to that point, maybe that is what Bomber's role will be.
We won lots of games last year, hard to drop people when you are winning. And I also think that with externals being so unstable the club wanted stability, and also maaaaaybe to protect the younger guys from palaver.
it was tough playing for us last year, can only get better this year.
I agree that melksham passed Zaka, or close to, who is still very good.
We lost Crameri got Chapman, similar in output tho Crameri took good defender. Hurley going back Jake forward will improve forward line efficiency.
Looking good.
Fair points, but remember in the Swans best years they only played like 30 people in the year, cause nobody got injured. This created continuum, the team was settled, and they were powerhouse.
And yes, Pies and Cats could bring in kids who slotted in, but maybe cause the teams were so full of established players/stars it was easy, and they all understood and trusted the game plan. lets get to that point, maybe that is what Bomber's role will be.
We won lots of games last year, hard to drop people when you are winning. And I also think that with externals being so unstable the club wanted stability, and also maaaaaybe to protect the younger guys from palaver.
it was tough playing for us last year, can only get better this year.
I agree that melksham passed Zaka, or close to, who is still very good.
We lost Crameri got Chapman, similar in output tho Crameri took good defender. Hurley going back Jake forward will improve forward line efficiency.
Looking good.
But may well have the opposite effect on intercept marks in the backline, what with his trampoline hands and so forth.....
#Hurleyforwardorback?
Has our midfield gone backwards under Bomber?
What happened to the Watson who would fight tooth and nail to win the clearance? Has Bomber instructed him to do something different?
Melksham: why is he been played fwd? He used to barge his way through packs to get the ball fwd. As evident in last nights match, has a beautiful kick too. Why not use it more often?
Howlett: Didn’t Howlett release from Centre bounces and lay some solid tackles as defensive pressure. Not seeing that.
Last one Heppell: He, when Jobe was injured, stepped up last year but for some reason is being forced to play HB instead.
So, is this a coaching problem or our midfielders just not as good as we’s think they are?
Has our midfield gone backwards under Bomber?
What happened to the Watson who would fight tooth and nail to win the clearance? Has Bomber instructed him to do something different?
Melksham: why is he been played fwd? He used to barge his way through packs to get the ball fwd. As evident in last nights match, has a beautiful kick too. Why not use it more often?
Howlett: Didn't Howlett release from Centre bounces and lay some solid tackles as defensive pressure. Not seeing that.
Last one Heppell: He, when Jobe was injured, stepped up last year but for some reason is being forced to play HB instead.
So, is this a coaching problem or our midfielders just not as good as we's think they are?
Watson looks a bit less dominant because the umpires are letting scrappy play go on and most of the ball winning is done far more randomly in pickupanddroptheballathons. Jobe still looks good when he wins it but there arre less readable, structured stoppages for Jobe to dominate.
Melks just pick up the pace and AFL match fitness and playing more forward while he does it.
Howlett has improved greatly on last year and is very impressive using his strength to win the scraps.
Heppell was tagged out of the saint game and we weren't getting much drive out of the back half so he went back to get involved. otherwise he's been quite good in the middle.
How has Howlett improved greatly? Been very, very ordinary in the last 5 games.Watson looks a bit less dominant because the umpires are letting scrappy play go on and most of the ball winning is done far more randomly in pickupanddroptheballathons. Jobe still looks good when he wins it but there arre less readable, structured stoppages for Jobe to dominate.
Has our midfield gone backwards under Bomber?
What happened to the Watson who would fight tooth and nail to win the clearance? Has Bomber instructed him to do something different?
Melksham: why is he been played fwd? He used to barge his way through packs to get the ball fwd. As evident in last nights match, has a beautiful kick too. Why not use it more often?
Howlett: Didn't Howlett release from Centre bounces and lay some solid tackles as defensive pressure. Not seeing that.
Last one Heppell: He, when Jobe was injured, stepped up last year but for some reason is being forced to play HB instead.
So, is this a coaching problem or our midfielders just not as good as we's think they are?
Melks just pick up the pace and AFL match fitness and playing more forward while he does it.
Howlett has improved greatly on last year and is very impressive using his strength to win the scraps.
Heppell was tagged out of the saint game and we weren't getting much drive out of the back half so he went back to get involved. otherwise he's been quite good in the middle.
I have a lot of time for Ben Howlett, but I think Kommer will take his spot when he's fit.
Howlett's gotta be a 22-25 player if we're gonna play finals.