Jack Ziebell is North Melbourne’s turnover king, so would he be better as a forward?
BRAD Scott says “heart and soul” captain Jack Ziebell is needed on the ball but would the turnover king better serve his club as a permanent forward?
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JACK Ziebell tries too hard.
The North Melbourne captain is hell bent on winning the ball, setting a standard and trying to create something from nothing, but often it is to his detriment — especially out of congestion.
Ziebell, 25, has committed the most turnovers of any Kangaroo this season regardless of pressure.
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He leads forced and unforced “giveaway” counts, which AFL number cruncher Champion Data translates as turnovers that give the ball straight back to the opposition.
A cardinal sin in the modern game when sloppy turnovers create the simplest of scoring drives.
But the Kangaroos have options and 10 games to see what works and what does not work.
The safe and preferred option is coach Ziebell to look for easy options.
Lower the eyes at the coalface to avoid those unceremonious roosts out of stoppages.
The second option needs a spinning of the magnets to work.
Push Ziebell forward for longer in games, allowing his trademark (at times dangerous) attack on the ball to crunch packs and create scoring opportunities.
A prodigious long kick and strong mark overhead, Ziebell could create mismatches in dangerous positions.
This would also release Mason Wood, an elite runner, to play further up the ground and double back in a Jack Gunston mould.
JACK OF ALL TRADES (% of time spent on field)
Since 2012, Ziebell has won 67 times (22.4 per cent) one-on-one marking contests inside 50 to be ranked seventh in the league among midfielders.
Patrick Dangerfield, Nat Fyfe and Dustin Martin are the best one-on-one midfielders up forward, while Brisbane ball magnet Tom Rockliff boasts the best winning strike rate (31.5 per cent) since 2012 from limited opportunities.
Kangaroos coach Brad Scott told the Herald Sun this week that Ziebell would spend “significant amounts of time forward” in the future, but for now, a specialist midfield role suits best.
TURNOVER KING
Statistics: Champion Data
“We know he can do that, but as captain and heart and soul we like him around the ball,” Scott said.
“We could very quickly clean up his kicking efficiency by just getting him to take the easy option more often, but we’re looking for him to take the game on and make something happen.
“He’s just got to keep on that balance as to when there’s an easy one for him to hit and when he’s got to try and create something special.”
Scott praised Ziebell for the “intangibles”, which cannot be measured, he brings to the regenerating Kangaroos midfield which welcomes back former skipper Andrew Swallow against the Western Bulldogs.
“This game is so well qualified now in terms of numbers and analysis but the intangible that Jack provides us around the ball should never be underestimated, his hardness and his toughness, his leadership and his organisation,” Ziebell said.
“We prefer him certainly around the ball but there are times where we’d like to use him elsewhere.”
Ziebell, who played his junior footy forward, averaged 121 rankings points, 18 disposals, eight score involvements and two goals in his final season (2008) at TAC Cup level.
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