NORTH Melbourne midfielder Jack Ziebell concedes he is not protecting himself enough at contests and will follow advice from club great Glenn Archer in a bid to avoid the regular collision injuries he has suffered in recent seasons.
Ziebell was most recently injured in round three, suffering bruised lungs when he charged open-chested into the back of Port Adelaide midfielder Ollie Wines.
Just a month earlier the North vice-captain was concussed in a collision with Richmond’s Alex Rance during the NAB Challenge.
Archer said last week that Ziebell had to change the way he attacked the ball or he would keep suffering similar injuries.
“I think it's just simply doing a bit of work on the track to be able to change your technique to actually turn yourself a little bit and use your shoulder … instead of your chest,” Archer told Fox Sports.
Ziebell told NMFC.com.au on Wednesday that he aspired to emulate Archer's courage and durability.
"He played the way that I'd love to be able to play to the n-th degree and making sure that you're always being so desperate and trying to attack every contest like it's your last," Ziebell said.
"He was (also) so durable over a long period of time; it's something that I aspire to be.
"The last two times I've been injured I've left myself open a little bit, but it's interesting because I've been working on changing my technique.
"I've just got to strike the balance between what I've been doing before and what I'm doing now.
"What I'm doing now is not working and I'll really need to spend more time on the ground and not be injured, which I'm really confident in doing."