AFL Player # 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett (c) - Your ANZAC Day Medallist - 25/4

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2027
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 10, I Remember Bluey

 

[rumply]

 

[Beerfish]

It's funny that last line. I thought the exact same thing when I was listening to the guys talking about it on the podcast last night. It really doesn't feel like we're 2-5.

 

[jmoo wan]

It's funny that last line. I thought the exact same thing when I was listening to the guys talking about it on the podcast last night. It really doesn't feel like we're 2-5.

All aboard the Hype train!!

 

[Hak94]

It's funny that last line. I thought the exact same thing when I was listening to the guys talking about it on the podcast last night. It really doesn't feel like we're 2-5.

We should be 3-4 or 4-3 as we shouldn't have lost thw Hawthorn game and probably should have won the Sydney game too. I think it doesn't feel like we're 2-5 because what's being conveyed is that it's less about the win-loss this year, rather about building that team cohesion, figuring out our gameplan and having players learn it + getting experience/game time into our young team. I think once you bring in a few new players too, that really takes away from everything else especially whilst they're young. Seeing them flourish, it tends to steal the light from everything else in a positive way as you can hopefully see the future. Plus, what's been really exciting is a few of the players who have been on the list for a number of years have really come into their own with new direction, change of position and just being backed in i.e Laverde off half back, Francis finally showing himself (if he can just stay fit), Parish being played in the middle fulltime, Stringer looks healthy/fit, Ham looks to be improving week in week out on the wing, Jones up forward is growing with confidence weekly + the pick up of Hind off half back + a few others. It's all little things right now that are piecing together for a bigger picture.

I think I'm not alone in saying that I haven't felt this excited to watch us play every week in many years. Sure, I'd love more wins on the board & this Merrett talk to be put to bed and have him signed up but I'm not really stressed about sitting 2-5 in comparision to other years as it genuinely excites me to watch our players grow every week.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

If you read footy articles for insight good luck with that. You might as well analyse goose entrails. You'll get just as much out of it

But this is an interview directly quoting him. Not sure too much can be taken out of context in that particular article. If he is undecided wants more time we can only wait and hope.

 

[BrunoV]

Can't say I begrudge the approach but as a general rule the longer it takes for a player in his position to sign the more likely it is that we have a problem.

 

[rumply]

If Zac wants to hold out until he's convinced as he can be that the club is headed in the right direction, no problem with that.

 

[YEMOC NAYR]

I absolutely want him to stay, but we are heading for a bottom 4 finish so if he does decide to leave for a club in a window for a premiership I can't begrudge him. He's going at it the best way possible- he's demanding the club be better and I think most would agree the club is looking better this year.

He leaves and we get a top 10 pick again. Not all doom and gloom- we are year 1 on a 3-5 year path.

 

[ant555]

Not much new but the article was an okay read.
At the end of the day it is the first big contract negotiation he is heading into so he has asked his manager to give / find him all the info on offers from other clubs before he makes a choice. IMO it is still going to be based on if he see's a decent future with us going forward and climbing back up the ladder or if he wants to chase the premiership. The coin will not come into it as we can match any offers.

 

[NAB777]

Anyone else see Mumford fall on him & knee him in the back about 3 seconds after the ball moved on?
Should get weeks for it, the dog.

 

[Beerfish]

Mumford spent all game doing dirty s**t like that

 

[NAB777]

Mumford spent all game doing dirty sh*t like that

Correct. Can't stand him.

 

[Megabattimus]

Correct. Can't stand him.

Bright side is GWS are utterly ****ed whenever he retires.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Mumford spent all game doing dirty sh*t like that

He’s the biggest cheap shot merchant in the game and has been for years.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Back on Merrett though, actually staggered how open he is about his future and how he doesn’t know if he’ll stay or go. But for me, it sounds as positive as it could at this point.

“The season is unfolding how we hoped. The clarity and alignment from all staff and the players is through the roof, the best I’ve seen since I’ve been at the club. By a mile.’’

The article is kinda funny, you can tell Robbo would be trying to think how can I analyse his words and get him to slip up and give me an exclusive... and he just comes out and tells him what he’s thinking.

 

[Bombermania]

Back on Merrett though, actually staggered how open he is about his future and how he doesn’t know if he’ll stay or go. But for me, it sounds as positive as it could at this point.

“The season is unfolding how we hoped. The clarity and alignment from all staff and the players is through the roof, the best I’ve seen since I’ve been at the club. By a mile.’’

The article is kinda funny, you can tell Robbo would be trying to think how can I analyse his words and get him to slip up and give me an exclusive... and he just comes out and tells him what he’s thinking.

The thing I thought was interesting was that he was enjoying the focus on the club's history and was soaking it up. This could mean nothing but it could also show a growing attachment to the club.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The thing I thought was interesting was that he was enjoying the focus on the club's history and was soaking it up. This could mean nothing but it could also show a growing attachment to the club.

He sounds like he kinda loves footy clubs and their history. Good for him.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Ron The Bear if you’re interested it’d be cool to see where he sits in terms of youngest to get to 150 games. In Essendon history (there’d obviously be a few ahead of him who started young) but also among current AFL players

 

[Ron The Bear]

Ron The Bear if you’re interested it’d be cool to see where he sits in terms of youngest to get to 150 games. In Essendon history (there’d obviously be a few ahead of him who started young) but also among current AFL players

Top few + Essendon players

#	Age	Player	Club	Year	Round
1	22y287d	Watson, Tim	Es	1984	5
2	23y249d	Madden, Simon	Es	1981	EF
3	23y300d	Martello, Alan	Ha	1976	15
4	23y350d	Walls, Robert	Ca	1974	14
5	24y15d	Hart, Ben	Ad	1998	17
6	24y49d	Greene, Russell	Ha	1981	16
7	24y52d	Lappin, Nigel	Br	2000	EF
8	24y85d	Newland, Ken	Ge	1973	17
9	24y113d	Grant, Shannon	NM	2001	19
10	24y125d	Burke, Nathan	St	1994	12
	…
45	25y24d	Lloyd, Matthew	Es	2003	7
47	25y33d	Stanton, Brent	Es	2011	11
73	25y103d	Hawker, Glenn	Es	1986	14
76 eq	25y111d	Fletcher, Dustin	Es	2000	PF
107	25y186d	Lucas, Scott	Es	2003	14
108	25y187d	Misiti, Joe	Es	2000	10
112	25y217d	Merrett, Zach	Es	2021	8
113	25y226d	Monfries, Angus	Es	2012	23
115 eq	25y234d	Stoneham, Allan	Es	1981	3
121	25y254d	Payne, Charlie	Es	1970	17

Current players

#	Age	Player	Club	Year	Round
18	24y223d	Birchall, Grant	Ha	2012	QF
29 eq	24y319d	Atley, Shaun	NM	2017	19
29 eq	24y319d	Parker, Luke	Sy	2017	EF
41	25y	Ellis, Brandon	Ri	2018	20
51	25y40d	Martin, Dustin	Ri	2016	20
52	25y44d	Gaff, Andrew	WC	2017	19
54	25y48d	Selwood, Joel	Ge	2013	16
60	25y67d	Hannebery, Dan	Sy	2016	6
68 eq	25y88d	Darling, Jack	WC	2017	EF
70	25y90d	Pendlebury, Scott	Co	2013	2
75	25y110d	Franklin, Lance	Ha	2012	8
81	25y131d	Cotchin, Trent	Ri	2015	20
85 eq	25y134d	Hill, Stephen	Fr	2015	QF
87	25y139d	Dangerfield, Patrick	Ad	2015	21
88	25y140d	Sidebottom, Steele	Co	2016	9
89	25y144d	Bontempelli, Marcus	WB	2021	5
94	25y162d	Betts, Eddie	Ca	2012	6
100 eq	25y174d	Jones, Nathan	Me	2013	16
112	25y217d	Merrett, Zach	Es	2021	8

 

[Loonerty]

Zach Merrett is good at football.

 

[Vindicater]

Reckon he stays.

Rutten and him seem pretty tight.

 

[astrowizzle]

Mumford spent all game doing dirty sh*t like that

All career he's a duty piece of s**t that the afl allows to do it

 

[Mercurial89]

Reckon he stays.

Rutten and him seem pretty tight.

The stuff Truck has been implementing with regards to club history, culture etc seems to be a big deal for Zach, he mentioned these things as important in that Herald Sun piece.

At the end of the day it will be a tough decision to make. Will be getting astronomical numbers thrown at him from every club and some of it will be clubs with much more recent and maybe quicker short term success than us.

There has been several false dawns here, so I think if we can convince him to stay then fans can probably be relatively happy that internally things are different and on the right path.

To be honest,
Wouldn't mind a couple of our players players doing this over the next 1-2 years. Make sure the pressure is put on the club not to stray or get complacent.

 

[Old Campaigner]

I want him to stay mainly because it's probably the best indication we'll get from the outside that the club is on the right track.

I'd love another high draft pick though.

 

[blitzer]

Merrett's a terrific player and I really hope he stays. Yes if he is going to leave this is probably a good year since we'll get a high draft pick but I'd much much rather he stayed.

I hope that we can show him a club that is moving in the right direction with exciting young talent and he stays because he wants to be part of that.