Zephaniah Skinner is not Superman but Rodney Eade says: 'He can leap tall buildings'

[The Coon Dog]

Mark Stevens - Herald Sun - 20 November


New Western Bulldogs draftee Zeph Skinner tries on his new jumper at TIO Stadium as he gets ready to join his new club.


ZEPHANIAH Skinner is not Superman, but the Western Bulldogs hope he may perform a decent impersonation on the big stage.

"The guy can leap tall buildings," coach Rodney Eade declared yesterday.

Every club was spruiking its picks after Thursday night's draft, but the recruit with the best name in football has undoubted X-factor.

The 21-year-old stands at 190cm, but played ruck for the NT Thunder this year, attracting the interest of the Dogs, Melbourne and Collingwood.

Melbourne was particularly keen to play Skinner alongside another indigenous freak show, Liam Jurrah, and had its sights set on him for next month's rookie draft.

Article in full...

[hujsh]

He looks about 28 in that photo.

Something about this guy that fills me with a bit more confidence than any of the other draft picks Dalrymple has had so far. Maybe it's just his relaxed demeanor.

[chef]

Nice rats tail

[The Underdog]

Nice rats tail

As if he didn't have enough head starts in the cult status stakes. The rat's tails just top it off.

[mighty_west]

Nice rats tail

Those rats tails are a bit special.

The way Rocket was speaking about him on the news tonight suggests they might stay as well, saying he might have a cult following amongst fans, they were certaintly flapping around by the small footage being shown in a drill at WO today.

Rocket also called him the Z-man.

[hujsh]

Those rats tails are a bit special.

The way Rocket was speaking about him on the news tonight suggests they might stay as well, saying he might have a cult following amongst fans, they were certaintly flapping around by the small footage being shown in a drill at WO today.

Rocket also called him the Z-man.

Now i want to call him Goku, but it's probably one step too far.

[LostDoggy]

He looks like Pippi Longstocking.

[Ghost Dog]

Those rats tails are a bit special.

The way Rocket was speaking about him on the news tonight suggests they might stay as well, saying he might have a cult following amongst fans, they were certaintly flapping around by the small footage being shown in a drill at WO today.

Rocket also called him the Z-man.

Rats tails. About time we had some class in this team. Between Dylan Addison, Liam Picken, Murphy Griff and co, what a team of scruff nuts. What, too busy training to get a haircut boys? Lead the way Z man. Go the rat.

[Mofra]

Something about this guy that fills me with a bit more confidence than any of the other draft picks Dalrymple has had so far. Maybe it's just his relaxed demeanor.

There just seems to be something about him, be it the coaches comments or most articles talking about a positive off field demeaner.
Given he has no wife & kids and has been to Melborune before, he seems way in front of where Thorne was last season.

[LostDoggy]

He looks like he is at least 24kg

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I hope he never loses that look in his eyes. The white bars give the impression he's looking out of prison.

[GVGjr]

Reminds me a bit of Stack when he first arrived at the club. Similar long limbed and lean build and of course the rats tails. A solid season in the gym might be an interesting adjustment for him.

[The Underdog]

Reminds me a bit of Stack when he first arrived at the club. Similar long limbed and lean build and of course the rats tails. A solid season in the gym might be an interesting adjustment for him.

Didn't Harbrow have the rat's tail? I only remember Stack's mo.

[BulldogBelle]

I hope he never loses that look in his eyes. The white bars give the impression he's looking out of prison.

"Good. Now that I finally broke out of prison, the first thing I'm going to do is murder Essendon on March 27, 2011"

It's all coming to plan.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

"Good. Now that I finally broke out of prison, the first thing I'm going to do is murder Essendon on March 27, 2011"

It's all coming to plan.

Ha, that's exactly what he looks like.
Of course it's all too easy to read stuff into an unknown character like Zephaniah and we need to be culturally sensitive even if we're enthusiastic about him. Favourite food of Bush Turkey and asking an interviewer " have you heard of The Bible" shows that his world and our world may be far apart. He would know and feel things we will never know or feel and vica versa. He comes into our world on our terms. We can never understand him using only our values and measurements and fairly, should always underpin our attitude to him and his culture with respect, knowing we are ignorant.