Retired Daniel Merrett (2002-2016)

[Pedro the Lion]

Another top notch performance from Big Red last night. I think we can safely say that Rocca is his bitch. Even with a couple goals gifted by the umps, it was a comfortable shut down in my books.

I noticed in his profile in the Record he says that goal kicking is his favourite training exercise. Wonder whether when the likes of Tyler and Collier develop we might be able to see him pinch hit in the forward line a la Leppitsch.

He's obviously way too vital down back for us over the next three years. But it would be interesting to see him on the lead up forward with his new found confidence and all that enjoyable goal kicking training under his belt.

 

[konstas_87]

What a legend, now the undisputed backbone of our defense.
Really impressed with his work WITH the footy so far this year too, great to see he has worked on his decision making coming out of defense.

 

[OldLion]

Without doubt the most improved player in the AFL - he was rock solid v Pies. He's got the focus, body and closing speed to spoil - now he needs to take that next step with disposal. Now - let's get some run out of the back line.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I didn't notice the incident watching the game, but AFL Gameday highlighted Rog's hit on Rocca which was off the ball. Darren Goldspink commented that he expects Rog to be suspended and an example made of him. In light of last year's tribunal decision's, i wouldn't be surprised if he is offered a forced week on the sideline's. I personally reckon there isn't much wrong with the incident, but if offered a week, i would accept and not risk the two - with a bit of luck the match review panel ignore it, but i am not hopeful after Goldspink's comments and being highlighted on the show (trial by media).

IF he cops a week, we can basically write off the Swans game as a loss. He's that important to us.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Goldspink is kidding himself. Happened right in front of me, will be a blight on the game if that is even reviewed.

 

[Grimreepah]

The problem is that Rocca stayed down for a while. If the tribunal deem contact to be deliberate he may well get done for charging. Running into someone is considered too rough these days.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Good record may be enough to get it reduced to a reprimand.

 

[Kochie 16]

Take the slap on the wrists Daniel!

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

"Barry was exceptional," said Matthews. "He didn’t get the goals on the board but with 14 marks he was just the real running centre-half forward.
"Roger had a bad one, he knows that.
"But Hall was fantastic - probably the best player on the ground."

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

Matthews reassures Merrett
Article from:
Robert Craddock
April 08, 2008 12:00am

LIONS coach Leigh Matthews plucked a skeleton from his own closet yesterday as he reassured Lions defender Daniel Merrett that everybody has a nut they cannot crack.
Merrett's confidence was jolted by Swans powerhouse Barry Hall, who emerged from a year of mixed form to torpedo Brisbane and Merrett at the Gabba on Saturday night.
Merrett has had mixed success in several outings against Hall but Matthews has assured him he is rated a crucial building block for the next generation, adding all players – himself included – had bogy men.
Merrett, 23, who has made remarkable progress after playing his first football match in his late teens, will play his 50th AFL match, against Port Adelaide, on Saturday night.
"Barry Hall is a difficult match-up – not an ideal match-up for him (Merrett) really," Matthews said.
"All of us look back at our careers and there were teams and players who had hold of us for a couple of years.
"I think back to the mid-1970s and when we (Hawthorn) used to play the Kangaroos I never used to get a kick off John Rantall for four years.
"You have to work your way through it. We have a few with the Swans, like Hall and Merrett. He has done really well on all his opponents but Hall has done well on him.
"What I like about Merrett is he will learn and accept he had a bad game but he will try to work out why it happened and not mope around and sulk.
"We like him. He will be one of the building blocks of our team for the long term.
"Hall was magnificent. His movement on Saturday was the Barry Hall of his prime – to be that big and move that well and cover so much ground that quickly. It was a far cry from the last year or two when he was still a good player but he did not have the same movement.
"He is a real top-notcher when he is playing well.
"Daniel did his best. When Daniel was able to be with him he mostly was pretty good. But with his run and movement Daniel was not quite able to do it. It was credit to Hall if anything, I thought."

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

Merrett learning from harsh lessons
Article from:
April 09, 2008 11:30pm

THE match video of Barry Hall's devastating last-round display for Sydney has been put on file by Brisbane fullback Daniel Merrett. But not in the horror section.

Merrett, 23, would be forgiven for wanting to erase all memory of Hall's staggering 14 marks, 23 possessions and two goals that inspired the Swans' 17-point AFL win.

But Merrett - rated by Leigh Matthews as the most enjoyable Lions player to coach for his eagerness to improve - eagerly snapped up the nightmare footage of his opponent.

He reckons it's the best way he can learn.

And Merrett is the first to admit he has some cramming to do before his AFL education is complete.

The big redhead will notch game No.50 away to Port Adelaide on Saturday night.

Not bad for a bloke who probably thought a "hard ball get" was a physical threat not that long ago.

Or Sherrin was the name of a Kiwi's girlfriend.

You get the idea.

Like most Queenslanders, Merrett's first love was rugby league.

But in high school playing league literally became a tall order indeed for the budding Gold Coast centre.

"When I got to year eight, everyone had a growth spurt and I didn't, the guys I was playing rugby league against were quite big so I gave that away," Merrett laughed.

Volleyball and touch football became the focus until the day 16-year-old Merrett attended a Surfers Paradise junior Aussie Rules game to watch a mate.

"They were short, they asked me to play and I was kind of 'ah, yeah, okay', I wasn't too sure but they organised some boots and socks and away I went," he said.

"I knew what direction we were going in, but positions on the field were a bit sketchy.

"I had missed the contact of rugby league, so I really enjoyed footy."

He hasn't stopped enjoying it - despite Hall's recent performance.

"I will keep that game on file, just see where I could have done better, learn from it, see where I can improve and next time I play Barry hopefully I will get on top," Merrett said.

"Every game I pick up something I can take on board. You learn from experiences, good or bad."

Matthews didn't bat an eyelid when asked at a Brisbane football luncheon last year who was the best player to coach.

The four-time premiership mentor spoke in glowing terms of Merrett, saying "he always listens and you have to tell him something once".

Matthews this week rated him a key player in the club's future, and expected him to bounce back quickly from the lesson handed out by a "magnificent" Hall.

"What I like about him is he will learn and accept he had a bad game but he will try to work out why it happened and not mope around and sulk," he said.

"He will be one of the building blocks of our team for the long term."

Such an attitude has kept Merrett in good stead since he was picked up as a project player at No.30 in the 2002 national draft, barely 18 months after he first picked up a Sherrin.

It took him another three years to make his AFL debut.

Matthews saw the raw potential of Merrett's 196cm, 102kg frame - now a far cry from when he was dwarfed in high school rugby league.

But what to do with the big carrot top.

He was first thrown in as a ruckman, then a forward.

Soon defence became the focus.

Then Merrett's learning curve got a whole lot steeper.

Two key planks in the Lions' defensive structure came loose. Justin Leppitsch retired and Mal Michael departed and resurfaced at Essendon.

Suddenly Merrett, nicknamed `Rog' after former Essendon and Bears namesake Roger, was their defensive focal point, lined up against the opposition's biggest and best forward each week.

But Merrett hasn't looked back.

"I feel it is where I can contribute most to the team," Merrett said of the fullback position.

"It took a while for me to find my feet.

"I need to listen and learn as quickly as possible, because I have not had that football background.

"It's been a slow, long road but I have enjoyed it."

 

[Hollow Knight]

We have a terrible record normally with milestone games.

Glad we could pull it off for the Lord of the Sauce.

Luke Power's 200th next week I think.

 

[ZoBlitz]

Also I think it did alright considering how badly we were smashed in the middle for most of the game.

 

[dmac_55]

Does anyone else love the gut busting runs Merrett does every now or then, to try and barge through the would be tackler...

Doesnt work everytime but is great and exciting to see.. Definitely due to his rugby background i reckon... Would be great if someone could find a youtube video on one of them??? Browndog could get off his ass and post another in his youtube roundup lol just kidding great effort with the videos..

 

[Vipertooth]

Also I think it did alright considering how badly we were smashed in the middle for most of the game.

it

 

[ZoBlitz]

it

You obviously don't know that Merrett is a defensive robot sent from the future to protect our goals...



But yeah, that should have been "he".

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews believes he has just the player to shut down Fevola, in a match that pits together two teams separated by just percentage after seven rounds, in full-back Daniel Merrett."Merrett has done well (in the past) on Fevola-type full-forwards," Matthews said on Monday.
"Most sides we have played in the last month haven't had top-notch full-forwards so we have been playing Daniel away from full-back, which doesn't suit him as well."
"But he (Merrett) has got height, speed and spoiling ability to be a good match-up on those guys so we have got someone to make Fevola earn his kicks."

 

[Grimreepah]

Merrett seems to be being beaten on the lead alot this year which is a little concerning.

Yeah, I don't think he has been as good defensively as he was last year.

 

[dlanod]

I'm getting the impression that while last year the big forwards were assuming that they could just burn him off and finding themselves mistaken, this year they have a better grasp on Merrett's game since they've pretty much all played on him once or twice. They seem to be going for shorter leads where that first metre's break makes the difference, using teammates to block Merrett, or crashing a pack where a spoil from behind often can't reach the ball when in a one on one it would.

 

[acuguy]

Merrett did a good job on Fev last night, they look for him heaps and he did get good delivery. Merrett forced Fev as wide as possible. The dome and that sort of game is a backmen's nightmare!

 

[Hollow Knight]

Had a few early errors, but after that, Daniel played a great game. Great defensively while showing some great run on the rebound, and his ability to hit a target by foot is way ahead of where it was last year.

 

[awesome_assassin]

Had a few early errors, but after that, Daniel played a great game. Great defensively while showing some great run on the rebound, and his ability to hit a target by foot is way ahead of where it was last year.

His disposal by foot has improved greatly, i no longer cringe when he kicks it

 

[Judge]

Did you see him actually hit his target with that left-footer? Disposal is definitely on the improve, along with his confidence when marking (leaving aside the obvious exception).

 

[Tim the Toolman]

I saw him gift two goals to the opposition with his attempt to mark the ball and with an errant kick so he needs a boot up the bum from Leppa who was the best 'punch' in the business and Daniel needs to concentrate on being a backman and not on the pretty side of his game as that's his weakness.

This worked for Kevin Sheedy who ended up one of the best coaches ever. Tommy Hafey used to tell Kevin "kick long, don't kick short" and Sheeds used to put notes on the ceiling, on his walls, everywhere with the simple message so he didn't lairise during the game and did the disciplined things. This sort of game plan made Leppa our most valuable player during the Golden Era no matter what argument you put up.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Dropping a simple mark in the goal square is not lairising. He just made a mistake