JOE DANIHER'S domination of Melbourne shows he's ready to step up and become one of the AFL's elite key forwards, his Essendon teammate David Zaharakis says.
In his 50th career game, Daniher inspired the Bombers to a shock 13-point upset of the Demons after hauling in 15 marks and causing havoc in a fearsome display of his unbridled talent at the MCG on Saturday.
If not for the 22-year-old's wayward radar in front of goals – he kicked 2.4 and booted two out on the full – Daniher could've produced one of the most memorable individual games in recent times.
"He could have booted about six or seven today, we just kept kicking it to him and he just kept presenting," Zaharakis told AFL.com.au after the match.
"He didn't shy away from the fact he was missing a few. He still wanted the footy down forward and demanded it and that's what we need from him.
"If he can get his kicking straight he can kick five or six a week just because of his reach and presence he has in the forward line."
The 201cm spearhead's size and ability to crash packs from any position was too much for key defenders Tom McDonald and Col Garland to handle, with the exciting left-footer seemingly grabbing everything that came his way.
He took seven contested marks and nine grabs inside 50 and Zaharakis said it was a matter of time until Daniher started winning more matches off his own boot.
Daniher has only booted four goals or more in a match three times, despite regularly threatening to become a force in attack.
"Your first 50 games you are feeling your way in AFL footy … he is ready now he's had a feel of AFL. He took 15 marks today and a lot in the forward 50," Zaharakis said.
"If he starts kicking goals then people are going to start saying he's tearing the competition apart."
Upset win gives Dons belief, says Worsfold
Zaharakis, who took himself to an individual pre-season training camp in Boulder, Colorado in a bid to rebound from a disappointing 2015, was one of the best afield with 34 touches for the Dons on Saturday.
The 128-game veteran rated the triumph as one of the top handful of his career, including the 2009 Anzac Day clash when he kicked the winning goal and Essendon's backs-to-the-wall win over the Dockers in Perth three years ago.
"It's definitely up there with the top three or four wins (of my career). One was probably Anzac Day in '09, Fremantle in 2013 and probably this one – they're the ones you remember," an elated Zaharakis said.
"(They're) just games you never thought you were going to win … and then the whole build up this week with fans taking a stand at Federation Square and to then come from behind in the last quarter to win a game, it's definitely up there."
Zaharakis praised the Dons' young midfielders Zach Merrett (32 disposals, two goals) and second-gamer Darcy Parish (21, one goal) for their hand in Saturday's win, but also credited veteran Adam Cooney for his important nine-possession final term.
"When you've got Adam Cooney having a last quarter like today it turned back the clock a little bit," Zaharakis said.
"The young guys like Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish can't play in there (midfield) for four quarters, so if we can have BJ (Brendon Goddard) and Cooney that can play (well) in there it's going to help us."
Zaharakis said the Dons believed they could win after heading into quarter-time with a slender four-point lead and he hoped some of his 12 banned teammates got some joy from watching the performance.
"I know a few came up to Gold Coast last week and a few watched it at home, so they definitely are still watching us," he said.
"Hopefully they did today."
