Dayne Zorko

Dayne Zorko

Zorko at a game for the Lions against Richmond in April 2015
Personal information
Full name Dayne Zorko
Date of birth (1989-02-09) 9 February 1989
Place of birth Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Original team(s) Broadbeach (NEAFL)
Draft Zone Selection, 2011, Gold Coast
Height/Weight 170 cm / 77 kg
Position(s) Forward / Midfielder
Club information
Current club Brisbane Lions
Number 15
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2012– Brisbane Lions 81 (78)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2015 season.
Career highlights

Dayne Zorko (born 9 February 1989) is a professional Australian rules football player for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Zorko was born and raised on the Gold Coast. His father moved from Yugoslavia to Melbourne in his younger years before settling on the Gold Coast. His brother Beau is the former senior coach of the Surfers Paradise Demons. He attended Benowa State High School through his teenage years.[1]

Junior football

Zorko began playing his junior football for the Surfers Paradise Demons at 4-years-old but later switched to the Broadbeach Cats. He captained Queensland during the 2007 AFL Under 18 Championships but was overlooked in the 2007 AFL Draft. Zorko remained at Broadbeach and picked up his first best and fairest in 2008 but was again overlooked in the AFL draft. It is believed the main reason Zorko wasn't picked up in the 2007/08 drafts had to do with his 175 cm frame.

By the end of the 2010 season, Zorko had picked up a third consecutive best and fairest award at Broadbeach but still failed to capture the interest of any AFL clubs. He found himself at a crossroad when being offered contracts to play in higher standard leagues outside of Queensland but eventually decided to stay at Broadbeach. Newly appointed Broadbeach coach Matt Angus knew Zorko had the skills to make it in the AFL but described his professionalism as "nowhere near that".[2]

In 2011, after winning the NEAFL's Syd Guildford Trophy, as the Football Record Player of the Year, and a fourth consecutive best and fairest, he was put back on AFL recruiters' radars. He was recruited by the Gold Coast as a local zone selection, before being on-traded to Brisbane for National Draft pick #34.

AFL career

He made his debut in Round 7, 2012, against Collingwood at The Gabba.[3]

In 2015 he was the joint winner of the Merrett–Murray Medal as Brisbane's best and fairest, alongside Dayne Beams, Stefan Martin and Mitch Robinson.[4]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2014 season[5]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team # Games G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
Totals Averages (per game)
2012 Brisbane Lions 15 16 16 14 168 146 314 74 103 1.0 0.9 10.5 9.1 19.6 4.6 6.4
2013 Brisbane Lions 15 22 26 27 193 139 332 57 117 1.2 1.2 8.8 6.3 15.1 2.6 5.3
2014 Brisbane Lions 15 21 18 16 222 244 466 59 115 0.9 0.8 10.6 11.6 22.2 2.8 5.5
Career 59 60 57 583 529 1112 190 335 1.0 1.0 9.9 9.0 18.9 3.2 5.7

References

  1. ↑ IN THE BOTTLE - THE GREAT ZORKO
  2. ↑ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/brisbane-midfielder-dayne-zorkos-path-to-the-afl-stage-has-been-different-than-most/story-e6frf9jf-1226597570170
  3. ↑ "Round seven AFL teams". The Age. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  4. ↑ Whiting, Michael (12 September 2015). "Four Lions share top honour at best and fairest". AFL.com.au (Bigpond). Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  5. ↑ http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/D/Dayne_Zorko.html

External links

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