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

 

[DERO]

He is elite. When he is fit he is one of the best mids in the game. I don't care what anyone says.

 

[NAB777]

He is elite. When he is fit he is one of the best mids in the game. I don't care what anyone says.

No argument here. Elite was running through my head most of the game.

 

[buttsauce]

Hey guys,

Just wanted some thought on whats going on with Zach Merritt.

Have you guys noticed that woosha isnt playing him on the ball much over the last few weeks? He's playing fwd or wing most of the time and getting the odd centre bounce attendance.

Last weekend while the dogs were having their way with you in the 1st half, merritt started on the bench and barely played on the ball. Then woosha finally played him in the middle in the 2nd half and he was your best player by a mile.

Is he carrying an injury? He is your best player by a fair way imo and should be around the ball as much as possible, def not starting on the bench and not attending centre bounces at all.

Have any of you guys noticed this?

 

[Mikevk123]

Hey guys,

Just wanted some thought on whats going on with Zach Merritt.

Have you guys noticed that woosha isnt playing him on the ball much over the last few weeks? He's playing fwd or wing most of the time and getting the odd centre bounce attendance.

Last weekend while the dogs were having their way with you in the 1st half, merritt started on the bench and barely played on the ball. Then woosha finally played him in the middle in the 2nd half and he was your best player by a mile.

Is he carrying an injury? He is you best player by a fair way imo and should be around the ball as much as possible, def not starting on the bench and not attending centre bounces at all.

Have any of you guys noticed this?

You can have Merrett for Brown and Cunnington.

 

[BigEast]

You can have Merrett for Brown and Cunnington.

and a packet of marshmallows...

 

[Mikevk123]

and a packet of marshmallows...

And Brad Scott

 

[Xavier Menzies]

We are tanking

 

[HirdyLannister]

We are tanking

To give gws a better pick?

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Hey guys,

Just wanted some thought on whats going on with Zach Merritt.

Have you guys noticed that woosha isnt playing him on the ball much over the last few weeks? He's playing fwd or wing most of the time and getting the odd centre bounce attendance.

Last weekend while the dogs were having their way with you in the 1st half, merritt started on the bench and barely played on the ball. Then woosha finally played him in the middle in the 2nd half and he was your best player by a mile.

Is he carrying an injury? He is your best player by a fair way imo and should be around the ball as much as possible, def not starting on the bench and not attending centre bounces at all.

Have any of you guys noticed this?

He did spend more time on the wing, but still attended 11 CBA's compared to Shiel's 12, Stringer's 14 and Clarke's 22.

Woosha must be trying to throw the magnets around in some sort of last hoorah.

 

[Oraaaaazio]

Hey guys,

Just wanted some thought on whats going on with Zach Merritt.

Have you guys noticed that woosha isnt playing him on the ball much over the last few weeks? He's playing fwd or wing most of the time and getting the odd centre bounce attendance.

Last weekend while the dogs were having their way with you in the 1st half, merritt started on the bench and barely played on the ball. Then woosha finally played him in the middle in the 2nd half and he was your best player by a mile.

Is he carrying an injury? He is you best player by a fair way imo and should be around the ball as much as possible, def not starting on the bench and not attending centre bounces at all.

Have any of you guys noticed this?

Don't think there's anything wrong with him, don't know why he didn't attend as many centre bounces the last couple of weeks, maybe they're trying to develop other areas of his game & playing him in a bit different spot.. Though I did read some stats on twitter on Sunday and it said he still attended double figures (can't remember) bounces. Maybe with the lack of soldiers they want him shoring up another part of the ground. I don't really know why it's happening but I don't think he's injured. Still playing fine.

Edit: see above, attended 11 centre bounces which sounds a reasonable amount.

 

['51 Bewick]

Where do you get the thumbs down from?

 

[eth-dog]

Where do you get the thumbs down from?

If you hover over the like button you get all the other reactions on there

 

[buttsauce]

Don't think there's anything wrong with him, don't know why he didn't attend as many centre bounces the last couple of weeks, maybe they're trying to develop other areas of his game & playing him in a bit different spot.. Though I did read some stats on twitter on Sunday and it said he still attended double figures (can't remember) bounces. Maybe with the lack of soldiers they want him shoring up another part of the ground. I don't really know why it's happening but I don't think he's injured. Still playing fine.

Edit: see above, attended 11 centre bounces which sounds a reasonable amount.

He attended 2 in the first half. Woosha moves him into the middle after the game was gone.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

He attended 2 in the first half. Woosha moves him into the middle after the game was gone.

To be fair to Woosha, it is the worst part of his game. Often positions himself for the all or nothing clearances.

 

[yaco55]

I understand that the team want to get the ball in his hands as often as possible, but he needs to call for the ball when he is in better positions.

 

[Bombermania]

Hey guys,

Just wanted some thought on whats going on with Zach Merritt.

Have you guys noticed that woosha isnt playing him on the ball much over the last few weeks? He's playing fwd or wing most of the time and getting the odd centre bounce attendance.

Last weekend while the dogs were having their way with you in the 1st half, merritt started on the bench and barely played on the ball. Then woosha finally played him in the middle in the 2nd half and he was your best player by a mile.

Is he carrying an injury? He is your best player by a fair way imo and should be around the ball as much as possible, def not starting on the bench and not attending centre bounces at all.

Have any of you guys noticed this?

Not noticed him playing forward but he will often pick up a few kicks across the half back line and he can push forward to kick a goal.

 

[DERO]

I understand that the team want to get the ball in his hands as often as possible, but he needs to call for the ball when he is in better positions.

I struggle to hear him calling for it too.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

This help??

 

[calyam]

Can consider himself unlucky not to be named in the 40-man All Australian squad. Haven't been many midfielders better across the home and away season.

 

[DERO]

Can consider himself unlucky not to be named in the 40-man All Australian squad. Haven't been many midfielders better across the home and away season.

Stiff I think.

 

[Yoda_]

Can consider himself unlucky not to be named in the 40-man All Australian squad. Haven't been many midfielders better across the home and away season.

He's not in the top 10 midfielders in the game. Pretty easy to comprehend really

 

[yodellinhank]

Stiff I think.

Back or hamstring?

 

[calyam]

He's not in the top 10 midfielders in the game. Pretty easy to comprehend really

There were 19 midfielders selected in the 40-man squad. But thanks for your insight.

 

[DERO]

There were 19 midfielders selected in the 40-man squad. But thanks for your insight.

Brownlow medal odds are interesting. They have him at 14th favourite but you could argue that the Brownlow is a midfielder’s medal.

 

[PhoenixBonez]

Brownlow medal odds are interesting. They have him at 14th favourite but you could argue that the Brownlow is a midfielder’s medal.

With this in mind and with them opening up the AFL's very own Brownlow Predictor, I thought I'd check out how they predict Merrett will stack up against some of the AA squad selected mids (obviously only against the mids as the Brownlow is heavily favorable to this position).

Merrett - 17
Zorko - 16
Cunnington - 16
Treloar - 14
Shuey - 13
Prestia - 8
Gaff - 8
McCluggage - 6

So either the predictor is way off, the Brownlow is a horrible predictor of who had a good season or the AA squad selectors are terrible judges of quality midfield players. Especially when you compare Merrett to Prestia, Gaff and McCluggage. Yes they probably have more good players around them but they also had more wins...

I think he's a little bit unlucky.