NAB Rising Star Cameron Zurhaar on wearing Crocs, Ben Cunnington and broken ankles

He booted five goals on Sunday in a pair of Nike football boots, but North Melbourne’s Cameron Zurhaar’s choice of footwear is Crocs — which is creating a lot of debate at Arden St.

AFL — Port Adelaide v North Melbourne a Adelaide Oval. Cameron Zurhaar pushes aside Darcy Byrne-Jones. Picture SARAH REED

He caught the attention of the football world with a five-goal haul against Carlton on Sunday, but North Melbourne’s Cameron Zurhaar has had the attention of his teammates for some time.

Zurhaar’s love of Crocs does not go unnoticed at Arden St, with his fellow Kangaroos refusing to agree that they are a “fashionable” choice of footwear.

“The boys get stuck into me a bit. I guess I’m a little bit different,” Zurhaar said.

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“I don’t really care what the boys say so I wear them into the club. There’s nothing like some Crocs. I can’t get out of them.

“I’m fairly fashionable, I think.”

North Melbourne’s Cameron Zurhaar has been named the Round 7 NAB Rising Star nominee. Picture: SARAH REED

It was instead a pair of black Nike football boots which Zurhaar wore on Sunday in a breakout game against the Blues which earnt him the Round 7 NAB Rising Star nomination.

In just his 13th AFL game, the rookie-listed young gun booted 5.2 to go with 16 disposals and five marks.

But it is the mid-sized forward’s pressure and tackling game that has been his biggest focus as he tries to take after a pair of hard nuts in the North Melbourne midfield.

“I’ve tried to model my game a little bit on Jed Anderson and Ben Cunnington, the pressure and power that those guys give in a game,” Zurhaar said.

“That’s what I want to be.

“The last three games I’ve been putting my foot forward a little bit more and kicking my goals but I think the big thing at North in the forward line at the moment has been forward pressure and I think that’s been a badge for me at the moment.”

Zurhaar celebrates one of his five goals. Pic: AAP

Zurhaar, who turns 21 later this month, suffered a broken ankle in a Round 16 clash against Gold Coast Suns last year, forcing him off his feet for three months.

However, a self-funded two-week training camp to Utah in the United States with three teammates during the off-season helped get him back on track and set up Zurhaar to play more regular senior football this year.

“We went over just trying to get a bit of an edge,” Zurhaar said.

“It was mainly just because I was coming back from injury and I needed to get a bit of fitness back.

“It was good this year to get in the side in Round 4 though and be getting a bit of continuity at the moment playing a few games in a row.”