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

 

[ghostdog]

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 .

Jobe was awarded the AFL's best Captain of 2012 and Merrett arrived in 2013. So I guess Merrett means not enough demonstrating leadership?

Leadership group for 2013 was Goddard, Winderlich, Heppell, Watson, Stanton, Hocking, Hurley and Zaharakis.

Goddard, Hurley and Hocking I would have walked into a burning house for. Then Winders.

I might be overthinking this, but it feels like Zach might be inferring to leading the players into a pharmcological environment.

 

[ghostdog]

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

Yep. Loved that. I think he might even have said he was mates with Cripps and Walsh but no one else.

 

[ghostdog]

I liked Jobe as a captain but I know he was not a captain that could / would really challenge the players with the blunt truth when it was needed at all times. Great leader from the front. Great player. Given a s**t burger by the club and did not really have a lot of role models to learn off or young leaders to come for the ride with him.

Didn't he? In the recesses of my mind I have an image of Jobe confronting a team mate and putting his index finger into the guy's chest in doing so... is my brain inventing that?

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Didn't he? In the recesses of my mind I have an image of Jobe confronting a team mate and putting his index finger into the guy's chest in doing so... is my brain inventing that?

God I was having Nick Maxwell flashbacks as I was reading the bolded.

 

[dnbassador]

At the gather round player meet today he lead the charge with himself, langers, Redman and Dursma the guys that were involved.

My 4 year old boy is only just understanding what’s happening and who and what AFL footy is about.

Merrett was great with him spent a minute or so just having a personal chat with him sitting next to him while he was so shy.

Then when my boy said bye all the boys were like “Oi where’s our high five” haha

Just a little sample size of the power these players have with the young ones and how Merrett likes to lead on and off the field.

Just a genuine great human I put langers into that bracket too imo he should be the vice captain

 

[yodellinhank]

Didn't he? In the recesses of my mind I have an image of Jobe confronting a team mate and putting his index finger into the guy's chest in doing so... is my brain inventing that?

I have an image of BJ grabbing Heppell by the dreads. Best captain we've had since Hird.

 

[jmoo wan]

I have an image of BJ grabbing Heppell by the dreads. Best captain we've had since Hird.

i think you’re confusing BJ with Merrett and Heppell with Nic Natanui

 

[yodellinhank]

i think you’re confusing BJ with Merrett and Heppell with Nic Natanui

To be fair, it's an easy mistake to make.

 

[Yoda_]

Is he the best captain in the AFL ?



The buy in from the skipper from ball winner and stat paddler to defensive general has not gone unnoticed. Perenially slow starter but his start to 2024 is symbolic of the new Essendon and one whom I hope the general can continue on with for another 20 weeks.

 

[mcgrath_truther]

Is he the best captain in the AFL ?



The buy in from the skipper from ball winner and stat paddler to defensive general has not gone unnoticed. Perenially slow starter but his start to 2024 is symbolic of the new Essendon and one whom I hope the general can continue on with for another 20 weeks.

he certainly leads by example, hard working and willing to sacrifice his game for the betterment for the team. to me this speaks so highly of his character as he wants the best for essendon and his side, not just his chances for a brownlow.

 

[owen87]

Is he the best captain in the AFL ?



The buy in from the skipper from ball winner and stat paddler to defensive general has not gone unnoticed. Perenially slow starter but his start to 2024 is symbolic of the new Essendon and one whom I hope the general can continue on with for another 20 weeks.

Richmond turned a corner lead by Cotchin changing his game to prioritise team-first actions. Maybe Zach is going to do the same.

Yes, I mean we're winning 3 Premierships in the next four years.

 

[Yoda_]

he certainly leads by example, hard working and willing to sacrifice his game for the betterment for the team. to me this speaks so highly of his character as he wants the best for essendon and his side, not just his chances for a brownlow.

Richmond turned a corner lead by Cotchin changing his game to prioritise team-first actions. Maybe Zach is going to do the same.

Yes, I mean we're winning 3 Premierships in the next four years.

I like this analysis, he's turned a corner, not in number but on impact, on productivity. He's really leading from the front and I love this from the best player ive seen since Hird.

 

[Yoda_]

Dal Santo giving him credit on "First crack"


No Dal, he's been doing this for 5 years, you blokes are just catching up

 

[Vindicater]

Is an absolute gun.

Deserves a flag. I hope we can snag one when he is in his early 30s.

 

[windyhill]

Boringly Brilliant.

 

[mcgrath_truther]

simply just a fantastic footballer, very mature and unselfish, might need to work on his goalkicking though

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Top 3 in the Brownlow is on the cards for Zerrett, elite in just about all facets of the game.

 

[Zach Package]

Just pushed his way up to second in the coaches votes with a 10 on the weekend.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Just pushed his way up to second in the coaches votes with a 10 on the weekend.

I'll have to find my excited gif

 

[Yoda_]

bout time everyone is catching up to how good he is. Output hasn't dropped much, just the recognition has increased

 

[outersanctum]

Kid will lead one day. One day.

From page 3. Early but correct call.

Merrett is the best captain since Hird for me. Does what needs to be done for the team. Is good enough, hard enough and competitive enough to drag them up when needed. Does everything within his power of influence to improve his team mates. When he kicked that goal to drag us level and then ran off the ground.. with full energy, high fives, and pump up fists to every single player on his way to the bench. Came off exhausted but you could just see the whole team really believe they could do it.

As I said during the Heppell years.. I never saw that from Hepp. never saw him drag the team up single handed week after week. The lowlight was the 'laugh/congrats' after Myers missed that shot after the goal. I realise it was a long shot but still.. it was a horrible look. I don't see any other EFC captain doing that. I want a captain that is fuming after any loss..

Hope we can build a better team around this bloke so he can get the plaudits he deserves. Has been ultra reliable and consistent over 10 years and is professional in everything he does.

I would rate him #2 captain for me.. hard to get past Bont in my mind.

 

[Runk]

From page 3. Early but correct call.

Merrett is the best captain since Hird for me. Does what needs to be done for the team. Is good enough, hard enough and competitive enough to drag them up when needed. Does everything within his power of influence to improve his team mates. When he kicked that goal to drag us level and then ran off the ground.. with full energy, high fives, and pump up fists to every single player on his way to the bench. Came off exhausted but you could just see the whole team really believe they could do it.

As I said during the Heppell years.. I never saw that from Hepp. never saw him drag the team up single handed week after week. The lowlight was the 'laugh/congrats' after Myers missed that shot after the goal. I realise it was a long shot but still.. it was a horrible look. I don't see any other EFC captain doing that. I want a captain that is fuming after any loss..

Hope we can build a better team around this bloke so he can get the plaudits he deserves. Has been ultra reliable and consistent over 10 years and is professional in everything he does.

I would rate him #2 captain for me.. hard to get past Bont in my mind.

Well notch me down for getting it so right!! HAHAHA

Temper that with the fact I thought Kobe Mutch would be a 200 gamer....

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Top 3 in the Brownlow is on the cards for Zerrett, elite in just about all facets of the game.

I got him at $41 around a month ago, he's into $13.

So obviously I'm biased but if he can stay out of trouble he's a big chance I reckon. He's a perfect Brownlow midfielder, in everything, gets plenty of the ball and uses it well. And a proven vote getter, since 2016 he's gone 19, 15, 10, 16, 13, 20, 17 and 17 votes.

 

[bombreys]

I got him at $41 around a month ago, he's into $13.

So obviously I'm biased but if he can stay out of trouble he's a big chance I reckon. He's a perfect Brownlow midfielder, in everything, gets plenty of the ball and uses it well. And a proven vote getter, since 2016 he's gone 19, 15, 10, 16, 13, 20, 17 and 17 votes.

We just need him to kick a few more snags - the umps love a goal kicking midfielder.