I love Zac ....

saintsRrising · Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:32pm

Ok Zac has been very good this year...but today I thought he was SUPERB.

Great contested play...combined with great run and attacjking flair. Hi disposal was good too.

Also what stood out was his QUICK decision making. The guy does not hesitate and makes GOOD deciosions.

Today was also the first game where I thought that he rates in front of Max. This is nbased on his all round game.

I also have him in front of Blake now as well.

Now this is ot knocking Max or Blake...but rather is acknowledging where Zac is at.

Moods · Post: # 764631Post **Moods** » Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:37pm

Agreed. However thought he struggled in the 1st quarter where he failed to get a body on a fwd - namely Riewoldt, a couple of times. After quarter time he was superb though. A couple of tap ons which don't register a stat, were as valuable as any hard ball get or handpass out of a pack.

PJ · Post: # 764632Post PJ » Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:37pm

Agree about Zac his decision making was spot on under pressure, he made the right choice first up, never second guesed. He always looks relaxed under pressure when some of the others looked a little wide eyed.

Takes a nice grab too.

perfectionist · Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:38pm

Now "love" is a very interesting word, but he is lovable because he enjoys the game so much. I gave him a vote because he took a couple of contested marks and kicked the ball to position so well. He does seem to pick the best option to lead to profitable attacks. Would have been nice to see him kick that goal but perhaps he, like Nick, only kicks clutch goals.

Solar · Post: # 764654Post **Solar** » Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:43pm

body use is getting alot better, the best of our defensive backman kicking wise. Really good example was when the ball went to the tigers half forward, the ball spilled into a pack, dawson controlled the ball, worked his back into the pack and held onto it long enough to spot the handpass to perfection. Then sheparded for the runner.

Great game and is improving all the time.

Moods · Post: # 764655Post **Moods** » Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:43pm

At the start of the year the commentators were saying that opposition teams should ty and isolate Zac with the ball and make him kick it. THat used to worry me a bit. Each game he looks more and more assured as his confidence grows. Now I'm more than happy for the ball to be in Zac's hands.

When Max went down today I thought, 'thank F*** we still have Zac out there.' In years gone by I would think Max was irreplaceable and couldn't remotely see who was on the horizon to fill his shoes. It's comforting to know that we may have another potential 'Max' on our hands for the next 8-10 years.

Cheers Hawks

battye · Post: # 764660Post **battye** » Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:47pm

Missed his first shot at goal for the Saints today

Sobraz · Post: # 764681Post **Sobraz** » Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:58pm

best fullback in the game...

cannot believe how much of a steal he has been... will have a wonderfully long career in the red white and black..

maverick · Post: # 764684Post **maverick** » Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:59pm

Zac is really growing on me, twice his 55m kicks to switch play from half back were super impressive.

Got out marked once I could remember, but for the rest of the time he defended very well.

Has to be cemented in our best 22 now...

mick13 · Post: # 764690Post **mick13** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 12:01am

Moods wrote:At the start of the year the commentators were saying that opposition teams should ty and isolate Zac with the ball and make him kick it. THat used to worry me a bit. Each game he looks more and more assured as his confidence grows. Now I'm more than happy for the ball to be in Zac's hands.

When Max went down today I thought, 'thank F*** we still have Zac out there.' In years gone by I would think Max was irreplaceable and couldn't remotely see who was on the horizon to fill his shoes. It's comforting to know that we may have another potential 'Max' on our hands for the next 8-10 years.

Cheers Hawks

Agreed. Max was probably our 2nd most important player last year. Funny how the only game we lost in the last half (or was it 2?) was the game he went down at Subi.

Was really worried when we didn't take Rance or Trengove in the last two drafts, Had no idea what the plan was. Thought taking Dawson was not a bad idea, but would have preferred to go with one of the aforementioned names...but goddam. It was a bloody brilliant idea!

Richter · Post: # 764694Post **Richter** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 12:08am

Yep, agree with all the above.

I'd also add in that I found it odd that Gilbert started up forward. We were much better with him down back.

Sammy G was also magnificent today.

Beekay · Post: # 764698Post **Beekay** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 12:08am

Close to All Australian or what ?

undecided · Post: # 764767Post **undecided** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:19am

What really impressd me was the tap one from 50 50 contests

Iceman234 · Post: # 764768Post **Iceman234** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:21am

A career PB 11 marks today...

felixleo · Post: # 764770Post **felixleo** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:27am

battye wrote:Missed his first shot at goal for the Saints today

read the sundays herald sun joke of the day about pessimists.

Moorabbin Saints · Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:28am

I came across these stats for Zac earlier.

- 3rd in the league for 1%ers behind Glass and Bower.
- A disposal efficiency of 91.25% which is the highest for a regular player.

Plus he has held his own against some decent full forwards.

What a pickup. Our full back until he retires.

MasonCJ2 · Post: # 764772Post **MasonCJ2** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:36am

I can't recall the sentiment at Saintsational with Dawson being selected as a Rookie - personally, given he was such a low pick in the ROOKIE draft, it wasn't a huge deal. But, obviously, he didn't have much of a rep and the Hawks couldn't even find a spot for him even though they have jack scheisen tall defenders and they are generally injured. For me, I think there was a fair bit of the 'why bothers' about it.

What a stroke of genius!! I can't believe it! Did Hawthorn actually see him play!! There's absolutely nothing wrong with him! Moves pretty well for a tall guy, good skills, good decision making. Bit of a howler when he ran under the ball that Roogen Jnr marked in Q1, which he's done before, but boy. Someone summed it up beautifully above when suggesting that when Max went down, we were still in good hands. I hope Max is still ok, though. Would be mightily peeved if he went back on and there is something there.

fingers · Post: # 764821Post **fingers** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 9:44am

Agree with everything above - I would only add that he doesn't shy away from laying a bump or dropping someone if it the opportunity is there. A couple of times you can see him do this and actually take action to ensure he is within the rules - ie turns his body or something similar. Good to see.

Sometimes reminds me of Brett Voss.

roxanne · Post: # 764905Post **roxanne** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 12:03pm

And he's got genuine pace. Something that's overlooked about him I think.

Shrappy · Post: # 764909Post **Shrappy** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 12:07pm

I would have had him in the votes yesterday...

I laughed when we took him and not Cuz... Now i am really laughing!!!!

Recruit of the year, no question...

How do you go from a Box Hill tryer to AFL gun in 6 months???

Strange World.....

aussiejones · Mon 29 Jun 2009 12:19pm

He seems so cool in a crisis . Also takes 1st option where others seem to overthink a situation.

Great kick too.

Would hate to be the guy at the Hawks who let him go !

saint vince · Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:17pm

In aotround three my old man said "he is going okay but I don't like him kicking it". I told him you watch he actually very good with the ball. Plays to his limitations. Doesn't try for a kick he can't make.

He is going great.

I rekon it all started when he put down Barry Hall in round one with a great shephard in the first quarter I think.

I rekon he just realised then that he was big enough and strong enough to play in te big time.

Go Zaccy you good thing.

mick13 · Post: # 765015Post **mick13** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:49pm

Hit BJ on the chest with a 50 metre pass in the first quarter.

Can't imagine Max has done that too often!

The roar woulda been massive if he kicked that goal lol.

joffaboy · Post: # 765024Post **joffaboy** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 1:59pm

And I thought Colm Begley was in front of him after watching both against the Dogs at Brown Paper Bag Oval in February.

Has done everything and more asked of him this season. has been terrific.

What ever happened to Saintspremiers2008 who used to bag the s.hite out of him?

Hurricane · Post: # 765031Post **Hurricane** » Mon 29 Jun 2009 2:10pm

Beekay wrote:Close to All Australian or what ?

Bloody close, in fact if the team was picked today he would at the VERY least be in the squad

BANG BANG