Essendon’s David Zaharakis quits Twitter to switch off fan abuse

Essendon midfielder David Zaharakis hasn’t tweeted since Round 1 and there’s a good reason why. He hasn’t looked at the app and doesn’t plan on going back any time soon.

Essendon's David Zaharakis. Picture: Michael Klein

Essendon midfielder David Zaharkis has revealed he quit Twitter to avoid the toxic abuse on the social media platform.

Zaharakis copped a barrage of abuse following Essendon’s 72-point loss to GWS in Round 1 and decided enough was enough.

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“I was sick of the social media ride you go on with Twitter and how anyone can say anything, so I quit it ... post Round 1. I was just sick of it,” he said on The Footy Show.

“You go on there and you just cop things from anyone because anyone can say anything.

“I haven’t had it for seven or eight weeks now and I don’t even want to go on it, I don’t even look at my phone and think about it.”

David Zaharakis was sick of the ‘social media ride’. Picture: Michael Klein

Zaharakis, who hasn’t tweeted since March 27, said it was easy for fans and Twitter uses to forget that while AFL players are professional athletes, “we are humans also”.

“The scrutiny in the AFL, you open up so many things these days with social media and anyone can say anything to you,” he said.

“If you’re having a bad day and all of a sudden you cop that, it feels like your world is crashing down around you.”

He said he felt for St Kilda’s Jack Steven, who has taken an extended break from the game to deal with mental health issues.

“It’s something that’s always going to be there in society and footballers aren’t immune from that. It’s great that (Steven) has taken leave from the game to get himself right.

“Hopefully for him, he can get time away and recoup and come back a better person and a better player.”