1. Dayne Zorko was born on 9 February 1989 and is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.
22 Facts About Dayne Zorko
1. 2.
Dayne Zorko served as Brisbane Lions captain from 2018 to 2022.
3.
Dayne Zorko was born and raised on the Gold Coast, the second youngest of four children.
4.
Dayne Zorko's father began coaching the Surfers Paradise Demons and when his five year older brother Beau began playing in the under 8s, Dayne was just 3 years of age.
5.
Dayne Zorko became a club mascot and began training after complaining that he didn't want to be left at home.
6.
Dayne Zorko participated in Auskick at Surfers Paradise at the age of four.
7.
Dayne Zorko attended Benowa State High School throughout his teenage years.
8.
Dayne Zorko went on to play more than 250 junior and senior games for Surfers Paradise, which included an under-16 premiership where he played alongside future AFL players Ricky Petterd, Brent Renouf and Jesse White.
9.
Dayne Zorko captained Queensland during the 2007 AFL Under 18 Championships and was named Queensland's Most Valuable Player during the national carnival, but was overlooked in the 2007 AFL draft.
10.
Dayne Zorko remained at Broadbeach for the 2008 season and picked up his first senior best-and-fairest award but was again overlooked in the 2008 AFL draft.
11.
Dayne Zorko found himself at a crossroad when being offered contracts to play in higher standard state leagues outside of Queensland but eventually decided to stay at Broadbeach for the 2011 NEAFL season.
12.
Broadbeach coach Matt Angus knew Dayne Zorko had the skills to make it in the AFL but described his professionalism as "nowhere near that" required of an AFL player.
13.
Dayne Zorko later revealed his reason for staying in Queensland was the hope that the recently established Gold Coast Suns AFL team would draft him with their local access zone concessions.
14.
Dayne Zorko was recruited by Gold Coast in the 2011 AFL draft as a Queensland zone selection, before being on-traded to the Brisbane Lions.
15.
Dayne Zorko made his AFL debut against Collingwood at the Gabba in round 7,2012, and quickly made a name for himself as a small half-forward flank who could kick freakish goals, leading to the nickname "The Magician".
16.
Dayne Zorko quickly became a cult figure at the Lions despite the team's woes, with Michael Voss being sacked as coach before the end of the 2013 season and the Lions hovering around the lower reaches of the ladder for several seasons.
17.
Dayne Zorko went on to win the award in 2016 and 2017, as well as lead the Lions' goalkicking during those seasons, and was selected in the 2017 All-Australian team as a half-forward.
18.
Dayne Zorko replaced Beams as the Lions' captain during the 2018 season after Beams stepped down from the captaincy for personal reasons, with Harris Andrews taking over as vice-captain from Dayne Zorko.
19.
Dayne Zorko stood down as captain of the Brisbane Lions ahead of the 2023 season.
20.
Dayne Zorko won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal, awarded to the best on ground in the QClash, for the first time during round 8 of the 2024 season.
21.
Dayne Zorko's performance included a career-high Fantasy score with 40 disposals and 35 kicks.
22.
Dayne Zorko was part of the Brisbane Lions 2024 premiership winning team.