How David Zaharakis almost landed at Hawthorn, Damien Hardwick talks about his wife and The Whisper
THE SCORE: How a Bomber almost became a Hawk, Damien Hardwick’s wife back on the press conference agenda and The Whisper.
Essendon
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IT’S fair to say Hawthorn have had a good run when it comes to pulling the right moves at the draft table.
Four premierships in eight years is evidence enough but there is one star who slipped through their grasp at the last minute.
Essendon‘s David Zaharakis was seconds away from becoming a Hawthorn player at the 2007 national draft before the intervention of Alastair Clarkson who wanted Port Adelaide’s Stuart Dew with the club’s final selection.
This was revealed by Zaharakis on the RSN927 breakfast show when a text message alerted hosts Michael Christian and Mick McGuane about the draft scenario who then questioned their studio guest.
It turns out the Hawthorn recruiting team had met the then 17-year-old Zaharakis several times and had him pencilled in for the No. 45 pick until the coach intervened.
“I knew I was in the frame for that pick,” Zaharakis said. “And on draft day they asked for extra time twice, I was watching this and my head was spinning.
“But in the end he wins them a premiership so that’s a great choice by them.”
The following year Zaharakis was drafted by the Bombers at No. 23 although he still gets reminded about what might have been with the brown and gold by those who know the story.
“Split second decisions change your life, the next year I was lucky enough to get drafted by Essendon, the team I barracked for, so in the end it worked out perfectly for me but it could have been a lot different.”
MRS Hardwick has become a semi-regular in press conferences conducted by her husband.
She got another mention Thursday when the Richmond coach was talking about how Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley had tried to reach out to him.
Buckley rang AFL Coaches Association boss Mark Brayshaw asking for Hardwick’s number.
“He (Buckley) thought he was ringing me, he was actually ringing my wife,” Hardwick explained
“He’s rung Mrs Hardwick. Mark Brayshaw gave him the wrong number. Why Mark Brayshaw’s got my wife’s number, I’m not too sure.”
Hardwick went on to explain how there was a brotherhood between the coaches and he regularly catches up with his old mentor Alastair Clarkson.
“That’s not to say I don’t want to kill Clarko this weekend,” Hardwick said.
“Every week I rock into his house he’s got his three premiership medals or four premiership medals on the mantelpiece, it kills me every time.”
MULTIBET
AFL — Richmond +42.5 $1.85
AFL — Fremantle +23.5 $1.80
AFL — Western Bulldogs U/39.5 $2.45
NBA — Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5 $1.90
Odds = $15.50
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