David Zaharakis

Last updated

David Zaharakis
David Zaharakis 2018.1.jpg
Zaharakis playing for Essendon in April 2018
Personal information
Full name David Zaharakis
Date of birth (1990-02-21) 21 February 1990 (age 34)
Original team(s) Northern Knights (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 23, 2008 national draft
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2009–2021 Essendon 226 (136)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of Round 21 2021.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

David Zaharakis (born 21 February 1990) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played 13 seasons for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Contents

Early life

Zaharakis attended Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School and finished Year 12 in 2008 at Marcellin College, where he also won the Terrence Cleary Memorial Sporting Award for sportsmanship and sporting excellence. [1] He played for the Northern Knights in the TAC Cup and junior football for Eltham in the Northern Football League. He was named in the under-18 All-Australian team, playing for Vic Metro.

AFL career

Zaharakis was drafted by Essendon with pick 23 in the 2008 National Draft, whom he supported growing up. [2] He was awarded the number 11 guernsey, which was previously worn by Damien Peverill. He made his debut against Fremantle in Round 2, 2009, and earned the Rising Star nomination on debut. [3] In Round 5, 2009, against Collingwood at the age of 19, he kicked the match-winning goal during the final seconds of the Anzac Day match to help the Bombers win by five points. [4]

During 2011, he was able to make the most of his opportunity in the midfield, with the ability to move forward and kick over 30 goals for the season, winning the W.S. Crichton Medal in the process. [5]

In Round 5, 2013, he won the Anzac Day Medal, where he recorded 34 disposals and kicked four goals. [6] It was revealed by his manager during 2013 that he did not take any part in Essendon's 2012 controversial sport science program that placed the club under scrutiny by the AFL and ASADA (Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority) due to him suffering from a fear of needles. [7] As a result, Zaharakis was found not guilty of using banned substances by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and was therefore able to participate in the 2016 season. [8]

He was delisted at the end of the 2021 season, [9] but he was enlisted as a COVID top-up player for the Melbourne Football Club for the 2022 season; [10] however, he did not end up playing any games for them.

Personal life

Zaharakis is currently studying a Bachelor of Property and Real Estate at Deakin University. [11] In November 2022, it was announced that Zaharakis was cast for Australian Survivor: Heroes V Villains as a member of the Heroes tribe. He made the merge, but was the first person voted out from the merged tribe on Day 29, finishing in twelfth place.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of Round 12, 2021 [12]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals  
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds  
  H  
 Handballs  
  M  
 Marks
SeasonTeamNo.GamesTotalsAverages (per game)
GBKHDMTGBKHDMT
2009
Essendon 111078875013747250.70.88.75.013.74.72.5
2010
Essendon 1120191817814131993521.00.98.97.016.04.62.6
2011
Essendon 11233117277195472103881.40.712.08.520.54.53.8
2012
Essendon 11137817111929043420.50.613.29.222.33.33.2
2013
Essendon 112191726621047673620.40.812.710.022.73.53.0
2014
Essendon 11231414332228560108850.60.614.49.924.44.73.7
2015
Essendon 11169314915130059630.60.29.39.418.83.73.9
2016
Essendon 11215628124152275990.20.313.411.524.93.64.7
2017
Essendon 112311143232675901071070.50.614.011.625.74.74.7
2018
Essendon 11177624019543585620.40.414.111.525.65.03.7
2019
Essendon 11206223816840699560.30.111.98.420.35.02.8
2020 Essendon 111094637914224200.90.46.37.914.22.42.0
2021
Essendon 1171243287118140.10.26.14.010.12.52.0
Career2261361192648207247209347750.60.511.89.221.04.13.4

Related Research Articles

Scott Lucas is a former Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League, and he is noted as being the other major forward for the Bombers along with Matthew Lloyd during Essedon's turn-of-the-century domination. Together, Lloyd and Lucas were affectionately dubbed the "twin towers" due to their height in the Bomber forward line.

The Crichton Medal is the name given to the best and fairest award for the Australian rules football team the Essendon Football Club. The naming of the award is in honour of Wally Crichton, a former administrator for Essendon. The voting system as of the 2017 AFL season consists of five coaches, giving each player a ranking from zero to five after each match. Players can receive a maximum of 25 votes for a game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jobe Watson</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1985

Jobe Watson is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Watson, the son of three-time Essendon premiership champion Tim Watson, was drafted by Essendon under the father–son rule in the 2002 national draft, and went on to become one of the best midfielders of the modern era. A dual All-Australian and three-time Crichton Medallist, he captained Essendon from 2010 to early 2016, and was the face of the Essendon playing group during the most turbulent period in the club's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Cloke</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1987

Travis Cloke is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club and Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heath Shaw</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1985

Heath Shaw is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club and the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). Heath grew up in Diamond Creek and played junior sport for Diamond Creek Football Club and Diamond Creek Cricket Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angus Monfries</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1987

Angus Monfries is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Monfries played as a forward pocket or half forward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Hille</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1981

David Barry Hille is a former Australian rules footballer with the Essendon Football Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent Stanton</span> Australian rules footballer

Brent Stanton is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire career for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Goldstein</span> Australian rules footballer

Todd Goldstein is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having played the bulk of his career with the North Melbourne Football Club. He was drafted from the Oakleigh Chargers with the 37th selection in the 2006 AFL Draft. In 2015 he became the first-ever player to reach 1000 hitouts in a season. He surpassed Aaron Sandilands for the most hitouts in VFL/AFL history in Round 17, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cale Hooker</span> Australian rules footballer

Cale Hooker is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Melksham</span> Australian rules footballer

Jake Melksham is a professional Australian rules footballer who has played for Melbourne Football Club and the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A midfielder, 1.86 metres tall and weighing 83 kilograms (183 lb), Melksham also has the ability to play as a defender, primarily as a half-back flanker. Growing up in Glenroy, Victoria, he played top-level football early when he joined the Calder Cannons' under 18 side in the TAC Cup at the age of sixteen. He spent three years playing for the Calder Cannons, winning a premiership in his final junior year. His achievements as a junior include state representation and the TAC Medal as the best player on the ground in the TAC Cup Grand Final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewart Crameri</span> Australian rules footballer

Stewart Crameri is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon, Western Bulldogs and Geelong in the Australian Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Hibberd</span> Australian rules footballer

Michael George Hibberd is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A defender, 1.87 metres tall and weighing 94 kilograms (207 lb), Hibberd plays primarily on the half-back flank. After spending the 2008 season with the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup, he missed out on selection in the 2008 AFL draft, which saw him spend two seasons in the Victorian Football League (VFL) with the Frankston Football Club. After winning Frankston's best and fairest and the Fothergill-Round Medal as the VFL's most promising young player in 2010, he was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the fourth selection in the 2011 pre-season draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaun Edwards (Australian footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer

Shaun Edwards is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants and Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Daniher</span> Australian rules footballer

Joe Daniher is an Australian rules footballer with the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Essendon Football Club from 2013 to 2020, having been recruited to the club under the father–son rule. Daniher won a Crichton Medal and All-Australian selection in 2017, as well as the 2017 AFL Mark of the Year and Anzac Medal for that season. He is a four-time Essendon leading goalkicker and a one-time Brisbane Lions leading goalkicker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Stewart (Australian footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer

James Stewart is a former professional Australian rules football player for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is the son of former Collingwood footballer, Craig Stewart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Merrett</span> Australian rules footballer

Zach Merrett is a professional Australian rules footballer, currently the captain of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) A medium-sized midfielder standing at 1.79 metres tall and weighing 83 kilograms, Merrett is able to contribute as a hard-running midfielder capable of collecting a large number of uncontested possessions whilst also being capable of winning a contested ball and clearance. He was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the twenty-sixth selection in the 2013 AFL draft and made his debut in the 2014 season. Merrett is a four-time Crichton Medallist and three-time All-Australian; in 2023, he was selected to be the 41st captain of the Essendon Football Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Hogan</span> Australian rules footballer

Jesse Hogan is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). A key forward, Hogan is 1.95 metres tall and weighs 100 kilograms (220 lb). He was a standout basketballer and footballer at a young age, representing Western Australia in both sports and played in the West Australian Football League colts competition with the Claremont Football Club. He was rewarded with All-Australian selection as a junior in the 2012 AFL Under 18 Championships and in turn, he was drafted by Melbourne with the second selection in the 2012 mini-draft, meaning he was ineligible to play in the 2013 AFL season. After a back injury ruined his 2014 season, he made his AFL debut in the 2015 season and won the Ron Evans Medal as the AFL Rising Star. In his first two playing years for Melbourne, he was the leading goalkicker in both seasons. In October 2018, he was acquired by Fremantle in a trade that sent him back home to Western Australia, however, after two unsuccessful years at the Dockers, Hogan was traded to Greater Western Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Kelly (Australian footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer

Jake Kelly is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having been initially drafted to the Adelaide Football Club. Kelly was drafted with pick 40 in the 2014 Rookie Draft, and is the son of former Collingwood player Craig.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darcy Parish</span> Australian rules footballer

Darcy Parish is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

References

  1. ↑ Merry, Mark (13 November 2008). "Year 12 Valedictory Awards". Marcellin College. Archived from the original on 16 September 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  2. ↑ "Malthouse fumes: we let Anzacs down". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Cook, Jessica (7 April 2009). "Zaharakis wins Round 2 Rising Star nomination". essendonfc.com.au. Bigpond . Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Connolly, Rohan (26 April 2009). "Bombers come from the clouds". The Age. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  5. ↑ Williams, Rebecca (8 October 2011). "Crichton Medal to David Zaharakis". Herald Sun . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  6. ↑ Rolfe, Peter (25 April 2013). "Essendon, led by Anzac Day medallist David Zaharakis, crushes Collingwood at the MCG". Herald Sun. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  7. ↑ Macgugan, Mark (31 July 2013). "Fear of needles: Zaharakis wasn't injected". AFL.com.au. Bigpond . Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "Bombers' Zaharakis avoids the needle and damage done". Neos Kosmos . 13 January 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Veteran Bomber's manager sheds light on client's delisting". www.sen.com.au. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Demons look to ex-Tiger, Docker for COVID top-up list". afl.com.au. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "Elite Athlete Program Profiles". Deakin University. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  12. ↑ "David Zaharakis". afltables.com. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.