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

 

[mad_monkey_j]

I'd forgotten that he's actually pretty quick after seeing some of the chases and efforts he put in today.

 

[JayJ20]

I know draft picks are like shiny toys, but we can't afford to lose him even if we're rebuilding. There's no guarantee the draft pick will be as good as Merrett is.

Sydney have shown that things can turn around very quickly if the right decisions are made.

 

[Lore]

Got a nice robocall from Zachy this morning thanking me for attending the game last night and how great the crowd was haha

 

[Sanj48]

Got a nice robocall from Zachy this morning thanking me for attending the game last night and how great the crowd was haha

Haha so did I! He sounded stoked to be doing it...

 

[ant555]

Thought he was our best. They tried to run with him and he just out worked them. Played like a captain should.

 

[Lore]

Haha so did I! He sounded stoked to be doing it...

He certainly did! Legit sounded like it was recorded some time either last night or this morning

 

[ghostdog]

Thought he was our best. They tried to run with him and he just out worked them. Played like a captain should.

I know Seb Ross did to start with. Not sure who else. Merrett is a must keep.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Make him the Captain now.

 

[Megabattimus]

I'd be driving a dumptruck of cash up to his house right now. Simply have to re-sign him and give him whatever he wants.

 

[Don Won]

I'd be driving a dumptruck of cash up to his house right now. Simply have to re-sign him and give him whatever he wants.

If you can get the cash, I can get the truck.

 

[Bjchan13]

Make him the Captain now.

No secret he strives to be a leader and wants to be captain. On field he can already do it. Has been capable for a while. Off field was the work in progress. The fact that he went away in 2020 after being dumped from the leadership group (no secret that stung him) and kept his chin up and worked on everything while still producing a 2nd in the bnf on field speaks volumes about his character. Gem. He's back to VC now and he's stated he loves having Dyson there as a more extroverted personality to bounce off, i think this could be the final step in his transition to captain. He looks mature and invested, next year is the perfect oppurtunity for him to take over, if he stays. Pigeon is thereabouts as well but still only 22, so Merrett for 3 seasons into Pigeon looks natural to me.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The Herald Sun asked to interview Zach Merrett before the St Kilda game, but he declined. Because he has not re-signed at the club and is apparently using 2021 to determine if he stays or seeks a free agency, it was thought he best not speak to the media. You know, the questions might be too challenging. After the insipid display the week before against Port Adelaide, a few words from the acting captain would maybe help soothe Bombers fans’ frustration. As it was, he and the team let their actions do the talking and if those actions continue, perhaps Merrett sees a future at the Bombers. He and Darcy Parish

3

Darcy Parish

Age

26

Ht

180cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.4

5star

K

9.2

4star

HB

11.2

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

3.3

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

16.6

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

9.1

5star

M

1.4

2star

T

2.0

3star

CL

3.1

4star

D

22.2

5star

K

7.6

3star

HB

14.6

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

4.4

5star

CL

3.6

5star

put the Saints to the sword. Parish attended 25 centre bounces on Saturday, the second-most behind Merrett, and together they had 14 clearances and 17 score involvements. With Dylan Shiel

9

Dylan Shiel

Age

31

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.6

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

23.4

5star

K

13.6

5star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.2

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

6.4

5star

D

19.8

5star

K

8.4

4star

HB

11.4

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

3.8

5star

injured, Parish is playing inside mid, a position he should never again relinquish.

No Cookies | Herald Sun

No Cookies

www.heraldsun.com.au

In isolation, never a good sign.

 

[Bjchan13]

The Herald Sun asked to interview Zach Merrett before the St Kilda game, but he declined. Because he has not re-signed at the club and is apparently using 2021 to determine if he stays or seeks a free agency, it was thought he best not speak to the media. You know, the questions might be too challenging. After the insipid display the week before against Port Adelaide, a few words from the acting captain would maybe help soothe Bombers fans’ frustration. As it was, he and the team let their actions do the talking and if those actions continue, perhaps Merrett sees a future at the Bombers. He and Darcy Parish put the Saints to the sword. Parish attended 25 centre bounces on Saturday, the second-most behind Merrett, and together they had 14 clearances and 17 score involvements. With Dylan Shiel injured, Parish is playing inside mid, a position he should never again relinquish.

No Cookies | Herald Sun

No Cookies

www.heraldsun.com.au

In isolation, never a good sign.

So the HS asked to interview Merrett before the game and Merrett responded 'No, im not re-signed and im using this year to determine whether i stay or go, and i think your questions will be, you know, too challenging'. Please Slobbo. Surely taking the piss

 

[The Devils Advocate]

900k a season for 5 years and the captaincy please.
Barely has a weakness in his game - I cannot lose him.

 

[Jack Richards]

So the HS asked to interview Merrett before the game and Merrett responded 'No, im not re-signed and im using this year to determine whether i stay or go, and i think your questions will be, you know, too challenging'. Please Slobbo. Surely taking the piss

So much for Slobbo being an EFC supporter

 

[Lore]

The Herald Sun asked to interview Zach Merrett before the St Kilda game, but he declined. Because he has not re-signed at the club and is apparently using 2021 to determine if he stays or seeks a free agency, it was thought he best not speak to the media. You know, the questions might be too challenging. After the insipid display the week before against Port Adelaide, a few words from the acting captain would maybe help soothe Bombers fans’ frustration. As it was, he and the team let their actions do the talking and if those actions continue, perhaps Merrett sees a future at the Bombers. He and Darcy Parish put the Saints to the sword. Parish attended 25 centre bounces on Saturday, the second-most behind Merrett, and together they had 14 clearances and 17 score involvements. With Dylan Shiel injured, Parish is playing inside mid, a position he should never again relinquish.

No Cookies | Herald Sun

No Cookies

www.heraldsun.com.au

In isolation, never a good sign.

Not a good sign in isolation, but of course the HS wants us to look at it in isolation.

It's actually a bit disingenuous.

It's not up to Zach to agree to an appearance:

24. Game Development and Promotion
24.1 Player Appearances

(a) All Players shall be available for one half day per fortnight during each year of the Term of this Agreement save and except for periods of leave, to participate in bona fide appearances for development of the game of Australian Football as well as AFL and AFL Club promotion. Fifteen of such appearances shall be scheduled by the Player’s AFL Club and the remaining six appearances shall be scheduled by the AFL.​

https://www.aflplayers.com.au/app/uploads/2020/12/AFL_CBA_2017-2022-1.pdf

It's not hard to see why the club wouldn't want to inflame yet another debate around a player potentially leaving by wheeling him out for interviews after the last two years – especially in the context of the flogging Port gave us and the melts we had around here last week. Like let's just rub salt into the wound... If we start doing that now, are we going to put Zach up for contract status interviews every time we lose a game this year? Will the HS even want to interview him after a win? Or isn't that good enough as clickbait?

Secondly, just because he didn't say a few words to Robbo after the Port game doesn't mean he didn't say them: https://www.essendonfc.com.au/video...dal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1616835700001

The club also had Mahoney on both SEN and 3AW last week with the aim of recalibrating supporters' expectations: https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/893297/mahoney-progression-won-t-be-linear

 

[I Remember Bluey]

How do they pick who is to be captain when Doise is out, we had Zac & Pidge to choose from????

 

[VelvetSledge]

How do they pick who is to be captain when Doise is out, we had Zac & Pidge to choose from????

I'd guess runs on the board would dictate it's Zach first.

 

[Lore]

I'd guess runs on the board would dictate it's Zach first.

That and Andy had only been VC for a hot minute when Hepp was withdrawn. Never even been LG before this year

 

[thepokey]

Yeah if we can get Merrett to stay, offer him the captaincy with Pidge as VC. Takes the pressure off Hepp too and allow him to just focus on footy and maybe as a guide to Merrett. Do whatever we can to have him stay, he's worth it.

 

[boncer34]

Can't wait for him to leave and then blame our treatment of Jackson as the driver.

 

[srobbo]

Can't wait for him to leave and then blame our treatment of Jackson as the driver.

Who’s Jackson?

 

[Burzum]

Who’s Jackson?

His brother.

 

[quotemokc]

Can't wait for him to leave and then blame our treatment of Jackson as the driver.

What treatment? Being gifted games and being on our list two years longer than he should have been?

 

[Vander18]

That half was the most aggressive and physical footy I have seen from Merrett. Loved it.