Delisted #20: Jackson Merrett - not offered a contract for 2019 - 22/8

[Cyrus]

He's pretty terrible. Who are the plenty worse out there?

Not many 24 year olds get another go after not coming top 10 in a VFL best & fairest.

Geez I agree he's pretty rubbish, but there are so many players worse than him.

Just look at some of the players running around in the red and black for the last seven years (not counting the top up year): Kommer, H & T Slattery, Steinberg, O'Brien, Giles, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I think he should have been delisted, just think this call was way too harsh.

 

[hurlygurdy]

I've done my best, but i've got to go conspiracy theory on this. There is just no rational explanation available. He has clearly peaked and is an average AFL player at the most generous. What place for him is there within the framework of our current list? Who would you play him in front of? We would have to have about 10 injured through the midfield and forward line for his name even to start coming up.

 

[FlyingV]

Wtf.

 

[dnbassador]

So Essengton it hurts would of preferred to keep Ricky Dyson tbh.

In fact he's the new age Ricky Dyson!

 

[vast]

So Essengton it hurts would of preferred to keep Ricky Dyson tbh.

In fact he's the new age Ricky Dyson!

Jerrett wishes he was Ricky Dyson.

 

[Capt Hindsight]

I've done my best, but i've got to go conspiracy theory on this. There is just no rational explanation available. He has clearly peaked and is an average AFL player at the most generous. What place for him is there within the framework of our current list? Who would you play him in front of? We would have to have about 10 injured through the midfield and forward line for his name even to start coming up.

No need to go conspiracy theory when the answer is plain obvious by looking at who was delisted and under what circumstances.
Three retirements to old players being Watson, Kelly and Stanton.
Three delistings of old honest (all over 29 years old by round 1 2018) players that spent most of the season in the VFL being Hocking, Bird and Howlett.
Morgan left for opportunity at North Melbourne after rejecting a 1 year deal at Essendon.
Eades delisted due to off-field issues.
Everyone else was retained.
Essendon have only intentionally moved on old players this off season. With Essendon's first 2 live picks in the national draft being 48 and 67.
Jackson Merrett beats a prospective pick 85 in a supposedly 'weak' draft, as Essendon can use both pick 48 and 67 and sign a delisted free agent or grab an extra rookie instead.
Would I of delisted Jackson Merrett and chased 2 delisted free agents? Yes, however it is likely the club either is only interested in 1 or no delisted free agents.

 

[CBombers17]

Congratulations Jackson if you're reading!!

 

[MarkG]

Jackson can do some nice things. Happy retaining him.

 

[Duckworth]

J. Merrett > J. Green. Would have preferred Jerrett in Green's role this year. I'm sure he could have covered the 12 possessions and 0 goals as a forward pocket.

 

[Snake Charmer]

If we have to keep him around to keep his brother happy it speaks volumes of our club, or Zac character. I don't buy any of thah s**t. It's a weak draft. Better off keeping in someone that knows the system and will work well in VFL than drsft a random kid who wouldn't make it any way.

 

[The Donners]

He will be competing for a spot. Nothing wrong with a 24 year old with 50 games competing for a spot in a top 8 side.

 

[Vindicater]

If we have to keep him around to keep his brother happy it speaks volumes of our club, or Zac character. I don't buy any of thah s**t. It's a weak draft. Better off keeping in someone that knows the system and will work well in VFL than drsft a random kid who wouldn't make it any way.

This

 

[boncer34]

J. Merrett > J. Green. Would have preferred Jerrett in Green's role this year. I'm sure he could have covered the 12 possessions and 0 goals as a forward pocket.

Except of course Green averaged a goal a game.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

I still believe. Not sure what alternative I have.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Was a fan early but stagnated and seemed to be the same player. Major problem is he's a ball watcher and doesn't get involved enough. Doesn't sum it up quick enough with ball in hand also.

Last chance saloon. Very rarely do guys turn it around from here and it would be a minor miracle.

 

[Zach Package]

No issue with this.

Merrett is a weird one, it seems as though we've spent all this time trying to make him into a proper winger or even a half back flanker when to me he's always been as genuine a happy snapping small forward as you're ever likely to see. I would have had him in the AFL side at the expense of Green this year at one particular juncture, Woosha didn't pull the trigger on it and then he broke his leg. He has to do absolutely everything right from here on out, needs things to go his way the next time he's playing well and is around the mark.

Would actually be curious to see what he could do as a fully grown man and as a component of what is now an exceptional forward line, instead of as a 70 kilo child playing in the worst forward line in the AFL.

 

[Duckworth]

Except of course Green averaged a goal a game.

I rounded down because of the number of 'Josh the Gooses'. (looking up the stats I actually overestimated is possessions as well).

 

[bombreys]

Geez I agree he's pretty rubbish, but there are so many players worse than him.

Just look at some of the players running around in the red and black for the last seven years (not counting the top up year): Kommer, H & T Slattery, Steinberg, O'Brien, Giles, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I think he should have been delisted, just think this call was way too harsh.

Nah I meant players who have been on our senior list for 7 years (not the worst player we've had on our list in the past 7 years).

We realised the players you listed above were no good and gave them the chop pretty quickly.

 

[hurlygurdy]

I love all the positive vibes, no really i do. Might as well look on the bright side etc... I guess he was gone if Morgan had stayed?

Funny thing is that i was relentlessly optimistic about him in his first few years. But i always feel that when someone as optimistic as me has given up the ghost it really is time to make the call. A long shot from late in the draft is much more likely to make it from here than Jackson and everyone on this board and at the club must know that is true. We are not playing the percentages on this decision and that is something that no club can afford in my opinion.

 

[Knox Harrington]

Nah I meant players who have been on our senior list for 7 years (not the worst player we've had on our list in the past 7 years).

We realised the players you listed above were no good and gave them the chop pretty quickly.

Id say Sam Lonergan and Henry Slattery were worse players than Jacko and each had 7 seasons or more.

That said, i am surprised he was retained. Club must have a plan for him, which surprises me given he played only 11 games in the 2016 year and was a peripheral part of the team.

Keen to see how he goes.

 

[bombreys]

Id say Sam Lonergan and Henry Slattery were worse players than Jacko and each had 7 seasons or more.

That said, i am surprised he was retained. Club must have a plan for him, which surprises me given he played only 11 games in the 2016 year and was a peripheral part of the team.

Keen to see how he goes.

You could be right on Slattery, but Sammy was far better than Jack for mine (and we cut him after six).

At the end of the day, all three were on the list for far too long.

 

[Vindicater]

Re-signing Jackson Merrett has more to do with our compromised draft situation than Jackson Merrett.

Jackson Merrett for 1 year.

Or

Pick 102 for 2 years.

 

[hurlygurdy]

Re-signing Jackson Merrett has more to do with our compromised draft situation than Jackson Merrett.

Jackson Merrett for 1 year.

Or

Pick 102 for 2 years.

Out of curiosity, what pick would it have ended up being? Particularly given most clubs wont use later picks, it probably would have been in the 60's?
It should be remembered that we took Hartley at 68 a couple of years back so its not that impossible.

 

[maskmcgee]

 

[maskmcgee]

Seriously, spineless decision. Couldn't even get a game in 2016. Has a broken leg. Should have cleared the list space.

Only reason they could possibly be keeping him around is to avoid angering Zerrett.