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

 

[owen87]

Wow I am shocked.

actually I am not.

I blame Matthew Lloyd

 

[Old Campaigner]

May have gone under the radar because of the 2MP thing but Nathan Buckley is doing an in depth interview featured with Zac Merret that'll go to air this weekend.

In the preview I saw, Zac touched on the lack of leadership that was thrust on the younger guys from when he first reached the club. Going to be a ripper watch cause if that's in the brief

Is the lack of leadership due to Watson?

 

[ant555]

I blame Matthew Lloyd

Would be a place to start.

Is the lack of leadership due to Watson?

Not sure if Jobe was ever a great leader a such but even his introduction to leadership was Matthew LLoyd blowing up at the coach in a leadership meeting after round 1.
Jobe did what he could but he was never a strong vocal leader as such. More of a lead by performance guy .

 

[I Remember Bluey]

It is on ch504 this Saturday @ 2.50pm.

Zach speaks about the differences between Jobe, Goddard, and Hep amongst other things.

 

[windyhill]

I’m loving the fact that many in the media are just catching on to Zach’s apparent appetite for tackling. He’s been our best tackler since he arrived at the club and is the best tackler in the league.

 

[Yoda_]

For the older generation, how highly does Zac rate if the Essendonians top 50 was to be done again?

 

[Loonerty]

I think the Scott/Merrett combo is a perfect match in terms of philosophy. He's really set the standard in terms of pressure this season. Having an excellent year so far.

 

[andleanback]

Great interview with Buckley

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Got to say I was a tad disappointed with the lack of love for "my boy" in this thread for his great game against the Aints, but then I checked the MVP votes and noted Zach has 19 out of 36 3votes so far.

So unreserved apologies to all of you that I silently cursed for not stroking my ego acknowledging his performance.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Got to say I was a tad disappointed with the lack of love for "my boy" in this thread for his great game against the Aints, but then I checked the MVP votes and noted Zach has 19 out of 36 3votes so far.

So unreserved apologies to all of you that I silently cursed for not stroking my ego acknowledging his performance.

hes a victim of his own consistency.
But I heard David King call him the best captain in the league this morning which made me spit out my coffee. Hopefully Kingy isnt trying to put the mozz on Zach.

 

[NAB777]

For the older generation, how highly does Zac rate if the Essendonians top 50 was to be done again?

I can only find the top 25 list, & he'd be getting close.

 

[justlookingaround]

Great interview with Buckley

He talked about feeling jealous seeing Carlton in finals - he said he was happy for Cripps and Walsh bit no one else… but of a swipe at Saad maybe

 

[Pweter]

 

[owen87]

I can only find the top 25 list, & he'd be getting close.

I assume this is the list?

Official AFL Website of the Essendon Football Club

The official AFL website of the Essendon Football Club

www.essendonfc.com.au

There's some much loved names on there but Zach's ability to just be outstanding week in, week out is right up there.

AFL Tables - Brownlow Medal Career Totals

He's ahead of Hird for Brownlow votes already, and is 4th for EFC behind some serious Essendon names; Hutchison, Reynolds and Madden. He'll almost certainly surpass Madden, likely Reynolds and Hutchison is within reach.

Crichton Medal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

B&F wise he's on par with Madden and Tim Watson with 4, behind Hird (5), Reynolds & Hutchison (7 each). Fair chance he'll equal Hird there.

This hasn't been the strongest era for Essendon, but Zach has been truly exceptional and almost certainly walks in to the all-time best EFC team for me. His field kicking would be close to the best and most reliable ever to pull on the jumper.

 

[Chucks]

Would be a place to start.

Not sure if Jobe was ever a great leader a such but even his introduction to leadership was Matthew LLoyd blowing up at the coach in a leadership meeting after round 1.
Jobe did what he could but he was never a strong vocal leader as such. More of a lead by performance guy .

What was the incident re Lloyd blowing up at a coach? Not sure if I've heard about this or if it's just slipped my mind!

 

[ant555]

What was the incident re Lloyd blowing up at a coach? Not sure if I've heard about this or if it's just slipped my mind!

It is actually in his book but it was basically around Lloyd not agreeing with Knights about how he wanted him to play and the team to play and there was a blow up in the leaders meeting after round 1.

 

[NAB777]

I assume this is the list?

Official AFL Website of the Essendon Football Club

The official AFL website of the Essendon Football Club

www.essendonfc.com.au

There's some much loved names on there but Zach's ability to just be outstanding week in, week out is right up there.

AFL Tables - Brownlow Medal Career Totals

He's ahead of Hird for Brownlow votes already, and is 4th for EFC behind some serious Essendon names; Hutchison, Reynolds and Madden. He'll almost certainly surpass Madden, likely Reynolds and Hutchison is within reach.

Crichton Medal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

B&F wise he's on par with Madden and Tim Watson with 4, behind Hird (5), Reynolds & Hutchison (7 each). Fair chance he'll equal Hird there.

This hasn't been the strongest era for Essendon, but Zach has been truly exceptional and almost certainly walks in to the all-time best EFC team for me. His field kicking would be close to the best and most reliable ever to pull on the jumper.

Madden & Watson's B&Fs were won during an era that contained each other, plus a bunch of other players that made the 25, which makes them pretty exceptional.. and Reynolds/Hutchison's 7 each is amazing.

I'd be surprised if ZM doesn't win at least 1 more.

 

[NAB777]

I assume this is the list?

Official AFL Website of the Essendon Football Club

The official AFL website of the Essendon Football Club

www.essendonfc.com.au

There's some much loved names on there but Zach's ability to just be outstanding week in, week out is right up there.

AFL Tables - Brownlow Medal Career Totals

He's ahead of Hird for Brownlow votes already, and is 4th for EFC behind some serious Essendon names; Hutchison, Reynolds and Madden. He'll almost certainly surpass Madden, likely Reynolds and Hutchison is within reach.

Crichton Medal - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

B&F wise he's on par with Madden and Tim Watson with 4, behind Hird (5), Reynolds & Hutchison (7 each). Fair chance he'll equal Hird there.

This hasn't been the strongest era for Essendon, but Zach has been truly exceptional and almost certainly walks in to the all-time best EFC team for me. His field kicking would be close to the best and most reliable ever to pull on the jumper.

Also...just on the top 25, both my father & father in law both had/have Coleman as the greatest player they ever saw.
Both were born in the 30s; my dad saw nearly every game Coleman played & my in-law played against him.
But...they could totally understand why Reynolds was #1.

 

[Chucks]

It is actually in his book but it was basically around Lloyd not agreeing with Knights about how he wanted him to play and the team to play and there was a blow up in the leaders meeting after round 1.

Ahhh that's right, cheers it's coming back to me a bit now, was this after the Port game in 09 maybe? I vaguely recall something about Spike chirping to Knights as well.

 

[owen87]

Also...just on the top 25, both my father & father in law both had/have Coleman as the greatest player they ever saw.
Both were born in the 30s; my dad saw nearly every game Coleman played & my in-law played against him.
But...they could totally understand why Reynolds was #1.

Longevity isn't everything, but it's something.

Coleman's career is obscene when you think about it; 5 full seasons, 5 time league leading goalkicker and was easily on track to win it 6 on the trot before he did his knee (was going at a lazy 7 goals / game in 1954). Grand total of 98 games.

Reynolds meanwhile racked up 320 games, 3 Brownlows, 7 B&Fs and over a decade as Captain.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Great interview with Buckley

Watched the replay again last night and a couple of things stood out.

Jobe, Just get the job done type - Great leader

BJ - Very Calm but direct - Very caring off field. (Try telling that to the pretzels)

Hep - Very Caring ect ect.

What do you want to be remembered for - Consistency.

Life after footy - Coaching or Administration.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Longevity isn't everything, but it's something.

Coleman's career is obscene when you think about it; 5 full seasons, 5 time league leading goalkicker and was easily on track to win it 6 on the trot before he did his knee (was going at a lazy 7 goals / game in 1954). Grand total of 98 games.

Reynolds meanwhile racked up 320 games, 3 Brownlows, 7 B&Fs and over a decade as Captain.

It was a tragedy he just missed out on father / son

 

[owen87]

It was a tragedy he just missed out on father / son

If Sheeds was around he would have just stuck him on the bench for those extra two games

 

[Blind Turn]

For the older generation, how highly does Zac rate if the Essendonians top 50 was to be done again?

The tricky thing with Zach is exposure to big games such as finals. At this point I would still have Mercuri ahead of him despite not having the BnFs or the consistent output. Mercs was big in a number of finals and he had one of the best seasons by a Bomber midfielder of all time in 99.

For an attempt at best 25 in my time (since around 1980) I’d go;
Hird
T Watson
Madden
Lloyd
TD
Fletcher
Long
J Watson
Mercuri
Z Merrett
Salmon
Wanganeen
Lucas
Harvey
Neagle
N Daniher
Thompson
Van Der Haar
Baker
Johnson
Misiti
Bewick
Heppell
Hooker
Hurley

Those likely ahead of him from pre-1980;
Reynolds
Coleman
Hutchison
Fraser
Thurgood
Clarke
Fitzmaurice
Buttsworth
Burgess
Busbridge

That makes him around 20-25 in my reckoning which is pretty good.

 

[doug85]

Mercury named 4th best for us in the 93’ GF aged 19