“Greatest motivator ever”: The real reason Cornes believes North forward is in career-best shape
Kane Cornes finds it strange that the penny is only now dropping with North Melbourne’s Cam Zurhaar.
Cornes was reacting to comments from Kangaroos champion David King regarding the pre-season physique of the powerful 25-year-old.
After attending a training session at North, King posted on X that Zurhaar appears to have had a ‘Christian Petracca-like off-season’ in that he has lost about 5-7kgs.
3/3
— David King (@davidking34) January 10, 2024
if Comben can avoid the rehab group for a sustained period, maybe. Track watchers also spruiking young Maley as potential wildcard, been impressive.
Zurharr looks to have had “the Petracca off-season”, appears 5-7kgs lighter.
Just an opinion - it’s early (very early) 👍
It prompted Cornes to ponder why Zurhaar has only now opted to get himself into prime shape.
The 99-game forward, who at times has bursts in the midfield, is out of contract in 2024 and Cornes feels that situation may have forced his hand when it comes to training standards.
“He (King) said from training he (Zurhaar) looks to have had the Christian Petracca pre-season where he has dropped five or six kilos,” Cornes began on SEN Breakfast.
“Nothing motivates a player more than being out of contract. It is the greatest motivator ever.
“This goes back to my theory about long-term deals where players get sucked into the false sense of security and regardless of what happens they know financially they’re fine.
“So, Zurhaar has finally woken up after seven years in the system, ‘I’m out of contract, I better get fit’. What a joke that all of a sudden it has struck him that he needs to strip the weight and get fit.
“He could be anything.”
SEN Breakfast co-host Sam Edmund asked: “But was he unfit before?”
Cornes continued, indicating that he believes Zurhaar could have been in better shape in previous seasons, particularly in 2023 when he kicked 20 goals in 16 games.
“He was overweight,” Cornes added.
“For a footballer’s standards he was definitely overweight. His performance backed that up.
“He could go into the midfield for three to five minutes but he’d absolutely cook himself.”
Edmund chimed in: “Can I play devil’s advocate for a moment because players like he, and to some extent Jake Stringer, are cut from a different cloth, I think.
“I’m no high performance coach, but they are power athletes and that is their strength. They bust tackles, they are burst players, that is their one wood.
“Would he perhaps have been reluctant to strip that weight and go away from what he knows and what his strength is and potentially lose that piece of his skillset?”
However, Cornes does feel that the example Geelong set with Patrick Dangerfield and his mid-season training block prior to winning the premiership proves that things can be changed.
“I just think there’s weight, and there’s weight,” he said further.
“For Kingy to go and instantly recognise that he looks lean and much better…
“Geelong did the same for Dangerfield and he’s a power athlete. In the middle of 2022 they gave him a full pre-season. He had calf issues and all of that but he definitely stripped the weight and got fitter.
“Jake Stringer you mentioned, Petracca is an excellent example. I reckon Dustin Martin, when he’s looked his best he’s been at his leanest. He’s still powerful and can do what he can do.”
Regarding the contract situation specifically, Cornes also alluded to Zurhaar’s comments towards former teammate Jason Horne-Francis when he departed for Port Adelaide after just one year at Arden Street.
“I always chuckle to myself when, ‘I’m out of contract, I have nowhere near reached my potential as a footballer, I’m going to finally start trying’. That’s what strikes me with Zurhaar,” the Power great continued.
“The other one on him is that he’d want to re-sign soon because remember he was mocking Jason Horne-Francis for leaving. He wouldn’t even want to think about leaving North Melbourne, would he?”
Edmund added: “I’m not sure he is”.
Cornes concluded: “Well, he should sign soon then and get pen to paper because he was mocking someone else for leaving his footy club.
“I hope he puts pen to paper soon.”
Zurhaar has played seven seasons with the Kangaroos after he was selected in the 2016 Rookie Draft.
He has kicked 133 goals in 99 matches in royal blue and white.