AFL Player # 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett (c) - 3x AA 🏅🏅🏅 4x Crichton Medallist 🥇🥇🥇🥇

[Beerfish]

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

 

[essendon]

Are we strong enough as a club to publicly register an interest in OCC/RFA player.....seems ok for other clubs ......
Where is tough talking Brasher or our CEO to contra any arguments to give supporters some.insight on wtf is going on......or is it factual and he's gone and they already know......just saying....

 

[Ati Tude]

Are we strong enough as a club to publicly register an interest in OCC/RFA player.....seems ok for other clubs ......
Where is tough talking Brasher or our CEO to contra any arguments to give supporters some.insight on wtf is going on......or is it factual and he's gone and they already know......just saying....

It is only April. And last year we did pull the surprise of the trade period (maybe other than the Collingwood fire sale) with the move for Dunkley. Sure, we didn't get him as we wouldn't pay overs but it was a pretty sensational and we did line that up with him without anyone knowing etc.

A key problem for us if Zach goes is that it makes it difficult for us to go after other FAs as that would cancel our compensation for Zach.

 

[DallasCrane316]

Sam McClure saying that Merrett was actively trying to get to another club last year.

 

[the PILL]

Sam McClure saying that Merrett was actively trying to get to another club last year.

Took Lloydy by surprise a bit...

 

[eth-dog]

Sam McClure saying that Merrett was actively trying to get to another club last year.

So we know that isn't the case then.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

A compo pick after our 1st pick (say top 6) will probably be best we get for him. Rather that than 2 late 1st round picks from Port for example.

Depends on the club he chooses. A Carlton, Collingwood or Hawthorn would net us 2 x top 10 picks.

 

[ant555]

This will be the sticking point for mine. IF it came down to Zac leaving and we got a Band 2 comp then we’d need to match.


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No chance he is band 2. If he goes it will be multi year and $700k plus.

 

[ant555]

So we know that isn't the case then.

He was. If the Pies where not falling over themselves to make idiots of themselves he would have requested a trade to them.
It was seriously that bad around the club last year with a decent amount of in fighting.

 

[ant555]

Depends on the club he chooses. A Carlton, Collingwood or Hawthorn would net us 2 x top 10 picks.

Pies will not have two to offer.

 

[EnolaGay]

If he wants to chase success, then he’s rolling the dice. For every Lynch to Richmond/flag, there’s many more Jaeger to the Hawkes/oblivion.

Look at Geelong and Collingwood this year. Port’s window is open but could be closed in two years.

He’s 25, we have finally recognised our list issues and seem to be addressing them, are now picking players on merit/for the future, are building what seems to be a sustainable system, have a very strong coaching group aside from a rookie senior coach (who is starting to impress), play in marquee matches and have spongy floors in our hangar. He’s our VC now and could well be offered the Captaincy next season.


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[VelvetSledge]

If he wants to chase success, then he’s rolling the dice. For every Lynch to Richmond/flag, there’s many more Jaeger to the Hawkes/oblivion.

Look at Geelong and Collingwood this year. Port’s window is open but could be closed in two years.

He’s 25, we have finally recognised our list issues and seem to the addressing them, are now picking players on merit/for the future, are building what seems to be a sustainable system, have a very strong coaching group aside from a rookie senior coach (who is starting to impress), play in marquee matches and have spongy floors in our hangar. He’s our VC now and could well be offered the Captaincy next season.


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I laughed surprisingly loud at this

 

[The Donners]

I just feel he has more class, professionalism and integrity than some of the others that have left us recently.

I’ll say he stays and tries to win a premiership or 2 with us over the next 4-5 years.

 

[EnolaGay]

I laughed surprisingly loud at this

Hey, I'm a half glass full guy!


Yeah, he's gone.

 

[citizen-erased]

He was. If the Pies where not falling over themselves to make idiots of themselves he would have requested a trade to them.
It was seriously that bad around the club last year with a decent amount of in fighting.

the hub cost us a bit in the end i think

Combination of form dip, coaching issues & being in each others pockets 24/7 was not ideal. A lot of players spoke of how difficult it was. Kinda like when you go on camp in school....by the end of it you get a little sick of your bestie.
If he was out of contract this year, i'd imagine we'd have kept Saad. I think he bailed when he could rather than stick it out with a new contract and see how fresh faces in Truck & Mahoney go.

 

[Unfazed]

He was. If the Pies where not falling over themselves to make idiots of themselves he would have requested a trade to them.
It was seriously that bad around the club last year with a decent amount of in fighting.

Was Merrett the reason Pies got rid of Treloar? To free up salary space for Zach?

 

[Tazdog]

Was Merrett the reason Pies got rid of Treloar? To free up salary space for Zach?

It was to free up space to sign degoey and Moore and mihocek
Phillips and treloar on 500k and 900k respectively

 

[bomberlegend2007]

I’m really in two minds with this.

I would be shattered if he left. I think is a genuine star and the first we have had since Watson retired. If he signs on, I hope he is given the captaincy and in a few years time is rewarded by lifting the cup on Grand Final Day.

However, in the position we are in, if he does want to go, we have a real chance to build a era of success in two drafts. Say we finish 13th, we could have 5 or 6 Top 10 picks in two years. It would bloody hurt and I don’t want it to happen, but the silver lining is there.

Personally, I think he stays. Collingwood look like they maybe in our position in two years time, Port looks unlikely just because they are in SA, Carlton don’t have enough room in the cap I wouldn’t have thought, which leaves Melbourne and they are a mix bag. If and when he signs, I believe he needs to become captain of the club.

 

[Hird05]

I’m really in two minds with this.

I would be shattered if he left. I think is a genuine star and the first we have had since Watson retired. If he signs on, I hope he is given the captaincy and in a few years time is rewarded by lifting the cup on Grand Final Day.

However, in the position we are in, if he does want to go, we have a real chance to build a era of success in two drafts. Say we finish 13th, we could have 5 or 6 Top 10 picks in two years. It would bloody hurt and I don’t want it to happen, but the silver lining is there.

Personally, I think he stays. Collingwood look like they maybe in our position in two years time, Port looks unlikely just because they are in SA, Carlton don’t have enough room in the cap I wouldn’t have thought, which leaves Melbourne and they are a mix bag. If and when he signs, I believe he needs to become captain of the club.

Yeah well if our captain can't play more than a few games in the first half of the season you'd think he might get the offer sooner rather than later.

 

[justlookingaround]

Do we know why he was kicked out of the leadership group a few years back? Can’t imagine it’d be because he doesn’t set good examples at training or doesn’t answer teammates texts like Nat Fyfe.
guessing his leadership style is/was strongly influenced by Goddard and didn’t bode well with some during Woosha’s player empowerment era.

I’d be strongly against any captaincy incentives to re-sign. Usually doesn’t work out well.

 

[eth-dog]

Do we know why he was kicked out of the leadership group a few years back? Can’t imagine it’d be because he doesn’t set good examples at training or doesn’t answer teammates texts like Nat Fyfe.
guessing his leadership style is/was strongly influenced by Goddard and didn’t bode well with some during Woosha’s player empowerment era.

I’d be strongly against any captaincy incentives to re-sign. Usually doesn’t work out well.

Poor defensive running

 

[citizen-erased]

I’m really in two minds with this.

I would be shattered if he left. I think is a genuine star and the first we have had since Watson retired. If he signs on, I hope he is given the captaincy and in a few years time is rewarded by lifting the cup on Grand Final Day.

However, in the position we are in, if he does want to go, we have a real chance to build a era of success in two drafts. Say we finish 13th, we could have 5 or 6 Top 10 picks in two years. It would bloody hurt and I don’t want it to happen, but the silver lining is there.

Personally, I think he stays. Collingwood look like they maybe in our position in two years time, Port looks unlikely just because they are in SA, Carlton don’t have enough room in the cap I wouldn’t have thought, which leaves Melbourne and they are a mix bag. If and when he signs, I believe he needs to become captain of the club.

Our side has good young talent to work with.

The additional top 5-8 pick doesn't represent the best value for me.

I think more than the 3 last year, Merrett leaving would be a bad signal that we're not on track
So far this year it feels things are on the up. Everyone looks happier, playing better, performances are better.

We were 5-2 or something last year. I would take our 1-3 with the way we're playing vs the wins we had last year.

 

[citizen-erased]

Poor defensive running

Hence Shiel and Smith added
Front runner and headless chicken

 

[Lore]

Yeah they kept changing the parameters for the player vote. Guessing Smith and Shiel got in because they're more extroverted than Merrett is, and that was probably a larger part of what they were judging on that year (probably phrased as 'building relationships' or some similar malarky). Merrett would be lower in that area as well as being similar to them in terms of defensive running.

Commitment, professionalism, work ethic are the values they keep going on about, but I think Rutten also mentioned something about being able to inspire your teammates? I can't find it now but I thought there was something about that. So not just that they like you, but they want to follow you as well.

 

[eth-dog]

Leadership groups are stupid concepts anyway.

 

[ant555]

Was Merrett the reason Pies got rid of Treloar? To free up salary space for Zach?

Not directly. They backed themselves into a corner with Treloar as he was due to be on $900k plus for a couple of seasons after they backended his contract a few times .
That was a hole they had to fix with or without interest in Merrett.