AFL Player 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett - Stepping down as captain for 2026

[joey_jo_jo]

Sorry man too pixelated

I dont know how to embed pics

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Alright everyone calm down (although unwin does have a "get this ****er away from me before he convinces me to buy more of his shitty apparrel" look on his face):

"Big smile Rhys... everybody's happy..."

 

[ghostdog]

Real? Getting beyond a joke if so

He's within his right.

 

[DonsRule]

Clearer photo and a bit more info

 

[Zach Package]

JUDAS AT THE CLUB!

Escariot Football Club

 

[Howard Moon]

Does he still stink of Mitchell's house?

 

[Unfazed]

Does he still stink of Mitchell's house?

Judging by Unwin's face, yes.

 

[Zach Package]

The Unwin photo was taken right after Zach told him 'The kids can call you Cob-Ju'

 

[Phone]

Clearer photo and a bit more info

he's not even brave enough to look into the camera. probably looking at the exit sign. disgusting

 

[Bunk Moreland]

He's within his right.

Well yeah I guess he is. But I’d love to hear why a senior player - he’s still actually our captain - would choose to have a training session off site with a player who has left the club - rather than grabbing one of our own young blokes who could learn a shitload off him and would be up for it…

His behaviour still stinks despite him literally having zero choice but to play at Essendon. It doesn’t bode well for how he’s going to conduct himself.

They should name the new captain next week and get it over with.

 

[thepokey]

Clearer photo and a bit more info

Unwin really has the vibes of "too young to understand mum and dad's marriage is in trouble" look

 

[Lore]

Well yeah I guess he is. But I’d love to hear why a senior player - he’s still actually our captain - would choose to have a training session off site with a player who has left the club - rather than grabbing one of our own young blokes who could learn a shitload off him and would be up for it…

His behaviour still stinks despite him literally having zero choice but to play at Essendon. It doesn’t bode well for how he’s going to conduct himself.

They should name the new captain next week and get it over with.

Not to defend judas or anything but it could just be that he flew home that morning from wherever he was and missed the start of training. Being at the club is mandatory for 1st-4th year players now, so they'd end up training double if they did that.

And as far as I know Laverde isn't at any other club yet... he's supposed to be joining GWS as a rookie but they'd have to draft him for that. It's not exactly consorting with the enemy to do a make up session with a former teammate that also needs to train somewhere.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Not to defend judas or anything but it could just be that he flew home that morning from wherever he was and missed the start of training. Being at the club is mandatory for 1st-4th year players now, so they'd end up training double if they did that.

And as far as I know Laverde isn't at any other club yet... he's supposed to be joining GWS as a rookie but they'd have to draft him for that. It's not exactly consorting with the enemy to do a make up session with a former teammate that also needs to train somewhere.

Yeah… I just feel like it’s starting to stack up now and his attitude seems poor. He was always going to have to make a special effort to reconnect with everybody and it feels at this stage that there’s little evidence he is doing that. It’s the second time in a couple of weeks he’s been doing sessions with non-Essendon players at another venue. For that sort of stuff I’d expect a captain to grab a young bloke or two and put them through their paces. Get something out of the session beyond just himself and build a bit of connection. Instead he’s off acting like an unsigned free agent.

It’s more through the lens of supposed leadership I find it all pretty disappointing. He seems intent on proving he’s not a leader’s arseh*le.

 

[ghostdog]

Well yeah I guess he is. But I’d love to hear why a senior player - he’s still actually our captain - would choose to have a training session off site with a player who has left the club - rather than grabbing one of our own young blokes who could learn a shitload off him and would be up for it…

His behaviour still stinks despite him literally having zero choice but to play at Essendon. It doesn’t bode well for how he’s going to conduct himself.

They should name the new captain next week and get it over with.

I'm interested in the weasel words he comes up with, too, just because talking weasels are interesting to me. But nothing about this situation should be expected to be as it was in my opinion.
There are two prevailing positives for mine;
1. The club that tried to **** us ****ed up their trade period and came out worse.
2. The player who deceived us and conspired with that club to **** us, also ****ed up and embarrassed himself.

I don't care if he plays VFL now, because the above two things have happened. If he wants to continue being a dick, so be it. It's a long season. I'm interested to see the extent to which he cares about his legacy.

Time will tell.

 

[ydc55]

We should have traded him.
What done is done.
The fact is he is on our list for 2026 and will be part of the team we support.
As hard as it is we have to get over it.

 

[ghostdog]

We should have traded him.
What done is done.
The fact is he is on our list for 2026 and will be part of the team we support.
As hard as it is we have to get over it.

I'm glad we didn't trade him.
Happy to let him search his conscience and find humility in the twos. He will understand leadership without captaincy, and Hawthorn will understand integrity without Merrett.

 

[doug85]

I'm glad we didn't trade him.
Happy to let him search his conscience and find humility in the twos. He will understand leadership without captaincy, and Hawthorn will understand integrity without Merrett.

He’s as much of a chance playing 2s as I am playing seniors

 

[MiguelM]

Hoping the club announces a new captain sooner rather than later so everyone can move on.

Glad the club made a stand TBH.

Seems clubs are sick of being held to ransom. Think there will be fewer long term contracts in the future IMO.

 

[ghostdog]

Hoping the club announces a new captain sooner rather than later so everyone can move on.

Glad the club made a stand TBH.

Seems clubs are sick of being held to ransom. Think there will be fewer long term contracts in the future IMO.

Not sure about fewer long term contracts, given the big $ now, but definitely agree about clubs being held to ransom.

 

[Howard Moon]

Could be a rather unique rd one where an Essendon player is booed by ess fana and cheered by hawthorn fans

 

[DonsRule]

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Decided to do today’s training at the club where he’s captain. Onya Zach

 

[boncer34]

Decided to do today’s training at the club where he’s captain. Onya Zach

He's back early.

 

[dank420_]

 

[maskmcgee]

Expecting his first press conference will go somthing like this