Retired Daniel Merrett (2002-2016)

[Grimreepah]

Round 11 vs Sydney

Having a rare off night was key defender Daniel Merrett, who stood unheralded Roberts-Thomson, who kicked three goals and a behind against one of the AFL’s premier backs. Longmire said the brief for the 27-year-old, who has recently made the move forward after spending time playing on the ball, was to keep pressure on Merrett, and the goals came as a pleasant surprise.
“He’s been doing a reasonable job on ball for us as well,” he said.
“He played forward and kept Merrett out of the game to a degree. That’s what we were hoping because Merrett is one of the key defenders in the competition. To get the goals was a bonus.”

Link

Lewis Roberts-Thomson enjoyed his sojourn to the forward line tonight booting three goals and making Lions defender Daniel Merrett look positively inept on a couple of occasions.

 

[Grimreepah]

Daniel Merrett in line for well-deserved spot in All-Australian AFL squad

• Alastair Lynch
• From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
• June 05, 2011 12:00AM

Merrett is the best defender in the competition and spoils the ball as well as anyone in recent times. He leads the competition in spoils and one percenters comfortably and, confronting the No.1 key forward in the opposition each week, has stepped up into the elite players in the AFL.

His speed is a real key. Generally, as old-timers say, you must play in front of your opponent at fullback. But when you've got elite closing speed like big Rog then eight times out of 10 his best starting point is from behind. That way he knows exactly what his opponent is doing and doesn't get lost, and can use his blistering speed in those last few steps to get a fist in and spoil a mark.

It's an odd site to see the 196cm, 104kg monster riding from his home at Camp Hill into the Gabba on a scooter. Even more so on the days when he's driven his car, when he gets from the carpark down Stanley St to the Lions on a skateboard. With his cap on backwards he's Bart Simpson all over.

 

[Doc Wieldon]

Just heard he's got an acute back stress fracture - gone for 10 weeks. Great.

http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/115736/default.aspx

 

[GingerGreatness]

Main board saying report was just on 3aw.

Injury report was released today with no mention... WTF?

 

[Express Yourself]

Annnnnnnnnnnd great.

 

[Jorgo]

That's a massive blow to our season. Best of luck with the recovery Daniel, you'll be sorely missed.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Sonofa....

 

[Grimreepah]

Link to article

"I felt that something wasn't right during one of the contests, but was able to play on - I didn't think it was anything too serious," Merrett said today."After the game, I felt a bit sore and went in for scans on Monday which showed the stress fracture.
"It's frustrating because obviously you want to be out there contributing to the team and we've had some very rough luck with injuries this year."
Given his side's fortunes Merrett may have played his last game for 2010, with the Lions unlikely to rush him back for a handful of meaningless games at the end of the season.

 

[paulige]

Link to article

I'd say Merrett has definitely played his last game for 2010.

It's 2011 I'm pissed about!

Feel bad for him too, he was well on his way to earning AA recognition... though, playing for us, not like they would have recognised his season anyway..

 

[Trjn]

There aren't enough asterisks in the world to censor out the stream of profanity that would come close to summarising my views on this.

Here's hoping for a swift recovery.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Our season is now irrevocably ****ed now. ****!

I knew there was no way Lewis Roberts Thompson could have outplayed a fit Merrett. Now we know he didn't.

Rest up Rog.

 

[Crimso]

What do you say, what can you say. Wheres the pursed lips while shaking head in disbelief thingy.

Season just went from gone to gonner!

 

[Balony_pony16]

Our season is now irrevocably ****ed now. ****!

I knew there was no way Lewis Roberts Thompson could have outplayed a fit Merrett. Now we know he didn't.

Rest up Rog.

yeah this explains a heap...and yeah the season is shot...has anyone seen any change to the lions odds for wooden spoon?

 

[Express Yourself]

Explains why he looked so slow.

Get better soon. Come back bigger and better in 2012!

 

[luthor]

I knew there was no way Lewis Roberts Thompson could have outplayed a fit Merrett. Now we know he didn't.

Rest up Rog.

My son and I were unfortunate enough to be at the game and at one point I said to him:

"You know we're going bad when LRT makes Merrett look silly"

Son's reply: "yeah but there's got to be something wrong with him (Merrett)

Good judge my son......unfortunately

 

[Nuggo]

Tough as nails...playing with a broken back. Good luck in the recovery. Hopefully you'll sneak in a game or two before the season finishes.

 

[Ceebee]

2011 has just become worse than 2010.
All the best Daniel you were our shining light this year

 

[Grimreepah]

Link to article

The loss of key defensive star Daniel Merrett is almost too cruel - his poise, aggression, leadership and strength is simply irreplaceable.

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[notting18]

You can really tell how far Merrett has come when his "poise" is referred to in articles!

 

[Grimreepah]

Jade Rawlings

Rawlings, the Lions’ defensive coach, said Merrett's loss for up to 10 weeks was huge.

"His form has been exemplary," Rawlings said of Merrett.

"Everyone's seen the improvement in his game this year, and the leadership he offers has been the other part.

"He was under duress the other night but he didn't let on to anybody until after the game so that's just another testament to his pain threshold and commitment to this group."

 

[Grimreepah]

Jonathan Brown

"(Merrett) is a big loss, an elite defender in the competition and that has been a real strength of ours this year - our defence," Brown said.

"Around the place he (Merrett) has become a real leader, others are going to have to step up to the plate."

 

[Grimreepah]

Brett Burton injury update

He’s going well. All we can do at the moment is rest, there’s no exercise at the moment. We’ve got to let the injury settle.

 

[Grimreepah]

Mid-season All Australian Team
Rohan Connolly
June 16, 2011

As the All-Australian selectors do, I've picked this team with a game in mind. That might raise a few eyebrows when it comes to a last line of defence consisting of three bona fide full-backs, but one thing Geelong champion Matthew Scarlett, the Brisbane Lions' Daniel Merrett and the Blues' Michael Jamison have in spades, is mobility, the latter's rebounding the key to his rapid rise in status this season.

If Merrett's name surprises, it shouldn't. Before a serious back injury all but ended the redhead's season the game before last, he was an absolute rock, outstanding in a Brisbane defensive set-up almost permanently under siege. Merrett led the AFL for marks from opposition kicks, was a leading rebounder despite his size and bulk, and as a negator has no peer, his average 11.6 spoils per game about 25 per cent better than the competition's next best.

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[growler]

Onya Sauce

 

[Grimreepah]

Graphic of Rohan Connolly's mid year All-Australian team: