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

Remove this Banner Ad

07 - merrett.jpg

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2027
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 10, I Remember Bluey
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yet another solid performance. We just take it for granted.

As I was watching us getting our arse handed to us Saturday, with yet more injuries mounting up... I've never been surer that a bloke will leave. Don't blame him in the slightest. We're years away from something that might not come anyway. He's played some fantastic footy for us, often in ******* terrible sides, and has earned every cent he's been paid.

Reckon he'll be offered the captaincy and obviously a pile of cash, but can't see him staying. Absolutely no chance.

he's going to get his pile of cash no matter which club he plays for. The only thing hell get elsewhere is success. We cant offer that.

I agree with you, don't blame him in the slightest for leaving.
 

staaation

All Australian
Apr 26, 2015
992
1,787
AFL Club
Essendon
Yet another solid performance. We just take it for granted.

As I was watching us getting our arse handed to us Saturday, with yet more injuries mounting up... I've never been surer that a bloke will leave. Don't blame him in the slightest. We're years away from something that might not come anyway. He's played some fantastic footy for us, often in ******* terrible sides, and has earned every cent he's been paid.

Reckon he'll be offered the captaincy and obviously a pile of cash, but can't see him staying. Absolutely no chance.
not suggesting that it is, but if being made the captain is a deciding factor in whether he stays or goes then I'll pack his bags for him.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Well Hooker, Heppell and Hurley stayed and they had as good a reason as any to leave, but they showed leadership and (unreasonable?) loyalty. Maybe a great chance for Zach to do the same
 
Aug 21, 2016
11,496
11,800
AFL Club
Essendon
Well Hooker, Heppell and Hurley stayed and they had as good a reason as any to leave, but they showed leadership and (unreasonable?) loyalty. Maybe a great chance for Zach to do the same
Loyalty or fat pay checks. When we moreorless allowed those 3 to name a price there was a high chance they were going to sign on.
 
Loyalty or fat pay checks. When we moreorless allowed those 3 to name a price there was a high chance they were going to sign on.
Did we offer much more than other clubs? Hurley re-signed end of 2016 at rumoured $800k a year, a season from being All Australian. Dogs and Pies would’ve paid that or fairly close to it I’d imagine
 
Offered a lot more and all long term deals. Heppell is on way more than he’d get anywhere else aswell.
A year after Hurley signed Dees paid Lever just as much if not more.
 

BrunoV

Brownlow Medallist
May 5, 2009
21,620
28,992
AFL Club
Essendon
Did we offer much more than other clubs? Hurley re-signed end of 2016 at rumoured $800k a year, a season from being All Australian. Dogs and Pies would’ve paid that or fairly close to it I’d imagine


I have it on pretty good authority that Pies would have done De Goey + something for Hurley. The something would have been valuable, like first round valuable.

Admittedly De Goey was still in his first few years and wasn't setting the world on fire.
 
Huge fan of Merrett, but if we are truly rebuilding, do we want to resign him?
He'll be 26 for the start of next season and if we really are 3 years away he'll be at least 29, with a tonne of wear and tear, before we're looking to compete.
If winning isn't the main focus short term we can probably sign some B level stop-gaps to 'shelter' the kids and use Merrett to get more assets while letting him chase team success.
 
Sep 22, 2011
40,581
87,832
Your girlfriend's dreams
AFL Club
Essendon
Well Hooker, Heppell and Hurley stayed and they had as good a reason as any to leave, but they showed leadership and (unreasonable?) loyalty. Maybe a great chance for Zach to do the same

I think they’ve all been out of contract when the list has been looking fairly decent in terms of age and profile. For a long time that was pretty much the case. For all the rollercoaster, nearly every year there was some expectation we’d be alright. We played finals in 2009, 2011, qualified in 2013, 2014, 2017 and from those positions, there’s always the expectation you’re just a step from Top 4 and contending. We had some stars (them included) and particularly since 2017, topped up with more stars.

This is different. We’re clearly s**t and not going anywhere for a number of years.. We haven’t been this way since 2006-2008. And player movement is much more active now. I’d be very pleasantly staggered if Merrett stayed.
 
Jun 11, 2007
34,087
29,320
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Bayern, Milan, Boston Celtics
Huge fan of Merrett, but if we are truly rebuilding, do we want to resign him?
He'll be 26 for the start of next season and if we really are 3 years away he'll be at least 29, with a tonne of wear and tear, before we're looking to compete.
If winning isn't the main focus short term we can probably sign some B level stop-gaps to 'shelter' the kids and use Merrett to get more assets while letting him chase team success.
Mundy and Boak spring to mind. Selwood too. Mids can play into their 30s and play well.
Zach seems pretty durable.
Andy is providing good chop out. Parish too, disposal aside.
Whilst we rebuild through the draft, we should identify a couple of experienced mids to add some depth and support.

Watching yesterdays game, Sam Reid and De Boer types would suffice.
 
I think they’ve all been out of contract when the list has been looking fairly decent in terms of age and profile. For a long time that was pretty much the case. For all the rollercoaster, nearly every year there was some expectation we’d be alright. We played finals in 2009, 2011, qualified in 2013, 2014, 2017 and from those positions, there’s always the expectation you’re just a step from Top 4 and contending. We had some stars (them included) and particularly since 2017, topped up with more stars.

This is different. We’re clearly sh*t and not going anywhere for a number of years.. We haven’t been this way since 2006-2008. And player movement is much more active now. I’d be very pleasantly staggered if Merrett stayed.
Could well end up being that we finish last and he leaves with our blessing & best wishes with pick 1 & 2 coming back the other way.

Deadset though if Merrett leaves and we finish bottom two, I would start getting worried about the likes of McGrath, Langford and Ridley. At what point do they lose hope?
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Sep 22, 2011
40,581
87,832
Your girlfriend's dreams
AFL Club
Essendon
Mundy and Boak spring to mind. Selwood too. Mids can play into their 30s and play well.
Zach seems pretty durable.
Andy is providing good chop out. Parish too, disposal aside.
Whilst we rebuild through the draft, we should identify a couple of experienced mids to add some depth and support.

Watching yesterdays game, Sam Reid and De Boer types would suffice.

Merrett is extremely durable. Hasn’t missed many games.
 

westking

Cancelled
Apr 25, 2010
2,155
1,927
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Whoever happens to be winning
I have it on pretty good authority that Pies would have done De Goey + something for Hurley. The something would have been valuable, like first round valuable.

Admittedly De Goey was still in his first few years and wasn't setting the world on fire.

Not sure if I should laugh or cry.
 
Jul 23, 2018
6,479
7,553
AFL Club
Essendon
Its win/win for us in my opinion. Id love him to stay and be a 1 club player. But if he leaves we will obviously take the top 5 draft pick as compensation and continue our rebuild. Im not sure he's as good as gone. He looks invested to me. 3 years we should be challenging again and he should still have good footy in him barring serious injury. There's no guaranteed premierships out there either. I may be biased but i wouldn't look at Carlton, Pies, Hawthorn or St Kilda as better options right now. Geelong have loaded up to win it in the next 2 years so they might be interested.
 
Apr 26, 2007
14,519
2,259
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Aston Villa
Could well end up being that we finish last and he leaves with our blessing & best wishes with pick 1 & 2 coming back the other way.

Deadset though if Merrett leaves and we finish bottom two, I would start getting worried about the likes of McGrath, Langford and Ridley. At what point do they lose hope?
Right now, Ridley is the only A grade player amongst those 3.
 

fairbump_playon

Premiership Player
Jun 27, 2014
4,761
7,611
AFL Club
Essendon
This has all the hallmarks of a horrible terrible season where the last handful of games have some glimmers of hope

We will smash the pies in R23 to finish 4-18 and Merrett will sign for 5.
 

Here_we_come

All Australian
Nov 12, 2007
703
891
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Well Hooker, Heppell and Hurley stayed and they had as good a reason as any to leave, but they showed leadership and (unreasonable?) loyalty. Maybe a great chance for Zach to do the same

that would be nice, but what is in it for him if he does that?

the way I see it: if he leaves he will have certain cash and possible success. If he stays he will have certain cash but almost certainly won’t have success. He may also become an even better player when amongst good teammates.

I love the bombers but careers are short. If I were him I’d be out the door at the end of the year.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back