🦁 EXCLUSIVE | Dayne Zorko Reveals How the Lions Celebrate Father's Day

**Kip Wightman** (0:05)
Tomorrow night, at the SCG, the Mighty Lions taking on the Swans in the finals. We are joined by the great man, Dayne Zorko. Hello, Zork.

**Dayne Zorko** (0:15)
Morning all, how are we?

**Susie O'Neill** (0:16)
Good, where are you at the moment? Are you down in Sydney yet?

**Dayne Zorko** (0:19)
Yeah, down in Sydney. You can probably hear the trucks moving, people are out and about. It's a beautiful day here. How is it in Brisbane?

**David Lutteral** (0:25)
Sensation on 8, a bit warmer today, but I think the top of 31 or something, isn't it? So pretty good for Riverfire tomorrow.

**Dayne Zorko** (0:32)
Oh, beautiful.

**David Lutteral** (0:34)
Let's talk this qualifying final. So a week off Zork. It was an interesting one because, do you reckon, because obviously Sydney played North Melbourne, then we got some Lions music or something. I want a bit of fanfare here.

**Dayne Zorko** (0:47)
It just feels a bit...

**David Lutteral** (0:49)
Yeah, they played last week and do you reckon has played, I think it's, they played probably one of their best games of the year, the Swans, and I reckon that's a good thing for you guys, just to realise because they've been to Howland back with a lot of the stuff happening with those guys at the moment. Obviously on field, they're playing some great footy and you're going to have to bring your A game to beat them tomorrow.

**Dayne Zorko** (1:10)
Yeah, absolutely, mate. We need to be absolutely conscious of their best football and no matter who they bring in or who they choose to play, we know they've still got some incredible players that are in their side and they've got multiple Australian players in there. So yeah, we're definitely weary of the wounded soldier. And for us, I think it's just about going out there, doing our process. And that's what final football is all about, to be honest with you. Just play your game. Don't let the occasion play you.
So yeah, we know what we need to do. And for us, it's about going out there and just executing that.

**Kip Wightman** (1:42)
I like that. Don't let the occasion play you.

**Dayne Zorko** (1:44)
100%.

**Kip Wightman** (1:45)
That's a good one. And Zork, you're playing 315
Do you enjoy the afternoon games? Is that better for you than a night time?

**Dayne Zorko** (1:52)
Beautiful time slots for me. Absolutely unreal. Given that me and a few of the other dads in the team have been up since 5.3 this morning.
We're three coffees deep at the local cafe.

**Susie O'Neill** (2:06)
Do you take your kids down with you? What do you mean?

**Dayne Zorko** (2:09)
No, we're just early risers. Oh, you're used to getting up early.

**Susie O'Neill** (2:13)
I was like, jeez, times have changed. You travel with your kids out of games.

**Dayne Zorko** (2:16)
Seems probably not.

**Susie O'Neill** (2:17)
No way, Jose. Okay, used to getting up early.

**Kip Wightman** (2:20)
Are you doing anything for Father's Day, actually?

**Dayne Zorko** (2:22)
Well, it will be determined by the result. We'll just have to wait and see what happens, but either way, hopefully get a couple of cuddles in bed from the kids and can enjoy hopefully what will be a great Father's Day for all.

**Susie O'Neill** (2:35)
Talking about the result, it feels very much to me like the early 2000s and the lines back then.

**Dayne Zorko** (2:40)
Certainly a synergy.

**Susie O'Neill** (2:41)
Do you have any contact with those players from back then? I mean, a lot of them are coaching now, aren't they? But do you ever get the old players in and they chat to you guys from the early 2000s? Yeah, we do.

**Dayne Zorko** (2:50)
Yeah, we do. Obviously, Brownie's still got a massive part in, obviously, Fox Footy, so he's always around with the broadcast stuff. But Simon Black comes in, he's with our academy now, working in the academy, same with Jason Acomanas. So we do see some of the older players floating around. And I think the biggest joy that I get is seeing how much they're excited for us and what we've been able to achieve over the last few years. So it's been really special creating bonds with them. And they kept always saying to us after we run the first one, oh yeah, just wait until you win three, you're still nowhere near us. I reckon they're getting a little bit nervous now. So it's a good spot for us to be in and hopefully we can replicate something that they did back in the early 2000s. But there's a lot of water to go under the bridge until then. But yeah, we're in a good headspace as a team in the moment, we're playing some good footy and we've just got to carry that forward.