AFL Player # 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett (c) - 5 time Crichton Medallist! 🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2027
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 10, I Remember Bluey

 

[JDavey]

35 possessions for no impact.

Did almost nothing with the ball.

As ant555 has been saying for a while now Merrett has gone from a damaging kicking player to a hunter of cheap possessions.

He's been completely Essington'd.

1 tackle

Had a really well rounded game I thought, sure there wasn't many dagger passes to a leading target i50, but he was clearly doing more work on the defensive side and was running hard to get to the right position in contests.

Zerrett:

• 9 coaches votes
• Led Essendon for contested possessions (9, tied with McGrath, Draper, Cutler)
• Most ground ball gets (9, next best Zac Williams 7)
• Most pressure acts for Essendon (22)
• Most rebound 50's (7)
• 2nd most i50's (5, only better was Saad 6)
• 2nd for meters gained with +658 (only better was Saad 758)
• 2nd most score involvements for Essendon (5, only better was Saad 7)
• Most intercept possessions for non-defenders (5)

 

[Lore]

9 votes means 5 from one coach and 4 from the other. Doubt the opposition coach marked him as best/2nd best on ground because he played a role.

He had 33 touches, which if it had been 100 minutes of football would have been over 40 disposals. 650 metres gained from those 33 touches too, and wasn't even our best on for that stat with Saad going over 750 on Friday night. Most of the rest didn't make more than 200, which means most of our forward momentum came from Saad (15%) and Merrett (13%). Few rebounds and a few score involvements without any goal assists or inside 50s, and with a relatively low contested possession rate.

Indicates a fairly effective job done on the wing/back flank area when the rest of the team bar Saad wasn't providing much attack at all.

Watching the StatsPro replay of his game corroborates that, he was pretty clearly best on for us. Both his free kicks were from Mumford trying to wipe him out, first time at the start of the first quarter with a late bump (helped him up):



Then right on half time looked like Mumford went for Snelling but he was late, Snelling had already released the ball and he missed him/glanced off him and went straight through Merrett, which looks like high contact but hard to tell as he knocked him clean out of frame while the camera was following the ball 15-20 metres further up the wing. Got the free for it but the replay that they showed is not of the incident. You can only see it in this weird out of focus bit behind the play:



Got another smack in the head in a marking contest at the start of the third quarter too, but got back up and got the next touch, which is good to see considering the issues he's had with concussion in the past. Also the free against him when he tackled Mumford is total bullshit, got called 'in the back' when he wrapped him up quite legally.

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From what I can see the disposals that weren't marked as effective disposals, or just outright resulted in turnovers include:
- kicking into 50 to McKernan and the defender beating him, ball ended up out of bounds
- kicking into 50 to McKernan with Langford there to crumb, bounced off McKernan's hands and then out of Langford's before going out of bounds
- looking for a forward in the goal square right after Townsend got taken out (and was still lying on the ground in the goal square), Zaka wasn't quite tall enough to mark it so the ball went over/through his hands and then through for a behind
- went to go inside 50 and Stewart went up for a hanger but didn't mark it and it resulted in a turnover
- a nice little kick from the forward pocket to the middle of F50 that got intercepted resulting in a turnover
- kick in, long kick to the near-side flank, 3 bombers Stewart (199), McKenna (184), Smith (174) against 3 giants Ward (187), Hately (190), Keeffe (200). Ball was intercepted and came back for a clean mark and shot at goal.
- a contested pos on the inside, which was a ground ball get, got tackled while doing a superman dive style handball, which resulted in a clanger, turnover
- weird kick off the ground in congestion that then rebounded off the opponent before Smith picked it up and got it out. Basically turned into pinball, 0-all draw.

So mostly going inside 50 (plus a kick in) where the tall forwards got beaten by the defenders. Guessing Townsend would've been in there instead of Smith if he hadn't had his face caved in, though idk whether that makes enough of a difference. Plus a couple of bits in congestions that were under pressure, make what you will of those.

Having a forward line that can actually get in the right spots, take a mark and kick straight would make Merrett and probably most other players look a lot better for their efforts.

I'd like to see how many of the scores we concede atm are from centre bounces and how many chains are starting in our forward line. Probably a lot of the latter.

 

[DERO]

Had a really well rounded game I thought, sure there wasn't many dagger passes to a leading target i50, but he was clearly doing more work on the defensive side and was running hard to get to the right position in contests.

Zerrett:

• 9 coaches votes
• Led Essendon for contested possessions (9, tied with McGrath, Draper, Cutler)
• Most ground ball gets (9, next best Zac Williams 7)
• Most pressure acts for Essendon (22)
• Most rebound 50's (7)
• 2nd most i50's (5, only better was Saad 6)
• 2nd for meters gained with +658 (only better was Saad 758)
• 2nd most score involvements for Essendon (5, only better was Saad 7)
• Most intercept possessions for non-defenders (5)

THIS IS AWESOME.

I love the so-called un-appreciated experts of Essendon who post codswallop every week. Never change!

Let's trade our best midfileder!

 

[BrunoV]

THIS IS AWESOME.

I love the so-called un-appreciated experts of Essendon who post codswallop every week. Never change!

Let's trade our best midfileder!

Watch the stats pro highlights, watch it honestly so that your assumption Merrett is using the ball like it's 2015-2017 is broken down and then tell me that it was a good game.

Bearing in mind the reality that the role, and freedom to sweep back is what wins the ball.

 

[DERO]

Watch the stats pro highlights, watch it honestly so that your assumption Merrett is using the ball like it's 2015-2017 is broken down and then tell me that it was a good game.

Bearing in mind the reality that the role, and freedom to sweep back is what wins the ball.

When you have kids Bruno and your little bloke kicks 5 goals for the day, I sincerely hope you acknowledge that he played well rather than asking why he didn’t kick 6.

 

[boncer34]

Watch the stats pro highlights, watch it honestly so that your assumption Merrett is using the ball like it's 2015-2017 is broken down and then tell me that it was a good game.

Bearing in mind the reality that the role, and freedom to sweep back is what wins the ball.

Hi Bruno you seem to have missed this post that explains why your assessment that he "Did almost nothing with the ball" is flawed. Bigfootys glitched a bit lately so maybe you missed the notification.

Had a really well rounded game I thought, sure there wasn't many dagger passes to a leading target i50, but he was clearly doing more work on the defensive side and was running hard to get to the right position in contests.

Zerrett:

• 9 coaches votes
• Led Essendon for contested possessions (9, tied with McGrath, Draper, Cutler)
• Most ground ball gets (9, next best Zac Williams 7)
• Most pressure acts for Essendon (22)
• Most rebound 50's (7)
• 2nd most i50's (5, only better was Saad 6)
• 2nd for meters gained with +658 (only better was Saad 758)
• 2nd most score involvements for Essendon (5, only better was Saad 7)
• Most intercept possessions for non-defenders (5)

 

[Mercurial89]

I actually thought he set the tone early. Won a free kick for a holding the ball on the 50 when he was by himself against 2 players.

He doesn't seem to be kicking as good but for alot of what we are doing I'm beginning to think he is just kicking it to a pre determined spot and it's on the other player to get there.

 

[quotemokc]

I actually thought he set the tone early. Won a free kick for a holding the ball on the 50 when he was by himself against 2 players.

He doesn't seem to be kicking as good but for alot of what we are doing I'm beginning to think he is just kicking it to a pre determined spot and it's on the other player to get there.

Are we suddenly running a west coast offense?

 

[windyhill]

To be booted out of the “leadership group” and to respond with his unbelievable performances is a credit to him. One highlight in a season that is going down the gurgler.

 

[yaco55]

there will be melts on this board if he again wins the B and F.

 

[JayJ20]

His second quarter in particular was back to 2017 level. Hopefully we see more of that.

 

[windyhill]

there will be melts on this board if he again wins the B and F.

He will romp it in. Shiel, McGrath fill the placings.

 

[Seb78]

I actually thought he set the tone early. Won a free kick for a holding the ball on the 50 when he was by himself against 2 players.

He doesn't seem to be kicking as good but for alot of what we are doing I'm beginning to think he is just kicking it to a pre determined spot and it's on the other player to get there.

In fairness I cant think of a current forward (other than Langers) that leads to direct the ball carrier and present an opportunity. McKernan seems to run around in circles until they pop it on his head. Stewart needs a bit of time but for a big bloke seems to prefer going for ground balls, and Tippa can look dangerous at times but lately tends to be more reactive to the last play rather than going for it initially. Add Stringer, Raz, Joey and all of a sudden you watch guys like Merrett, McGrath, Hepp & Shiel's kicking be much more effective going inside 50. They'll have team mates presenting, rather than waiting.

 

[BrunoV]

Just out of curiosity is anyone going to watch the highlights or are you just going to quote stats I'm already aware of.

Why are people so impressed by handballing the ball to a player 2m away. Opinion is going cold here because McGrath hacks the ball. Merrett hits a few targets by foot and is routinely just hacking the ball.

Nothing about that performance required Merrett to play it. It could have been done by anyone else we allow the freedom to roam around. In my view the mark of good players is that only they could pull off the performance in question.

No matter how many time you all look at the stat sheet and thereis virtually no correlation between stats and wins you all keep coming back with the same stats.

 

[citizen-erased]

Just out of curiosity is anyone going to watch the highlights or are you just going to quote stats I'm already aware of.

Why are people so impressed by handballing the ball to a player 2m away. Opinion is going cold here because McGrath hacks the ball. Merrett hits a few targets by foot and is routinely just hacking the ball.

Nothing about that performance required Merrett to play it. It could have been done by anyone else we allow the freedom to roam around. In my view the mark of good players is that only they could pull off the performance in question.

No matter how many time you all look at the stat sheet and thereis virtually no correlation between stats and wins you all keep coming back with the same stats.

our entire team just hack the ball.
I'm a tad reluctant to put it on a player when it seems to be a game plan thing.

Langford, Ridley and Francis seem to be the only ones assessing options.

 

[yaco55]

He will romp it in. Shiel, McGrath fill the placings.

Saad,Hurley and Ridley will do well.

 

[CBombers17]

Just out of curiosity is anyone going to watch the highlights or are you just going to quote stats I'm already aware of.

Why are people so impressed by handballing the ball to a player 2m away. Opinion is going cold here because McGrath hacks the ball. Merrett hits a few targets by foot and is routinely just hacking the ball.

Nothing about that performance required Merrett to play it. It could have been done by anyone else we allow the freedom to roam around. In my view the mark of good players is that only they could pull off the performance in question.

No matter how many time you all look at the stat sheet and thereis virtually no correlation between stats and wins you all keep coming back with the same stats.

Put Parish in that role and you lose nothing IMO. In terms of the future/upside - he's a better mark and he can hit the scoreboard as well.

It was a much better game by Merrett but i don't see the damage he does that others on here do. I thought he was headed there a few years ago but he doesn't hurt the opposition with his disposal. I don't think Parish does either but that's the problem we face.

If we had an elite kicker/decision maker in this role, getting this amount of ball, Ridleys inside 50 bullet to Cahill from weeks ago wouldn't stand out like dogs balls.

Mclugagge is a player with the hurt factor. His game on Saturday was all sorts of pain for the Dogs. 21 possessions (10 kicks, 11 handballs), 5 tackles, 5 marks and 2 goals. If he gets another 4 or 5 touches a game he will be in top tier because they mostly inflict damage.

 

[astrowizzle]

Had a really well rounded game I thought, sure there wasn't many dagger passes to a leading target i50, but he was clearly doing more work on the defensive side and was running hard to get to the right position in contests.

Zerrett:

• 9 coaches votes
• Led Essendon for contested possessions (9, tied with McGrath, Draper, Cutler)
• Most ground ball gets (9, next best Zac Williams 7)
• Most pressure acts for Essendon (22)
• Most rebound 50's (7)
• 2nd most i50's (5, only better was Saad 6)
• 2nd for meters gained with +658 (only better was Saad 758)
• 2nd most score involvements for Essendon (5, only better was Saad 7)
• Most intercept possessions for non-defenders (5)

Free kick Cameron front on contact

 

[JDavey]

Watch the stats pro highlights, watch it honestly so that your assumption Merrett is using the ball like it's 2015-2017 is broken down and then tell me that it was a good game.

Bearing in mind the reality that the role, and freedom to sweep back is what wins the ball.

Stats Pro doesn't always tell the full picture. Look at the below for example:



Merrett puts pressure on the kicker (Perryman) leading to a poor kick to the wing where Draper contests Langdon (which is an amazing contest by Draper, like holy moly he should not be winning those).

Between them is Finlayson/BZT/Redman. Perryman and Merrett both run hard to follow up the contest from the kick.

Perryman gets sucked up to the ball, Merrett runs to the right position giving Draper an easy outlet disposal (which is very important for a ruck!). Which he then dumps off to an open Redman.

Draper sucks up Langdon + Perryman. Merrett draws Kelly + Finlayson = uncontested kick for Redman back into the corridor.

So you have Merrett going:
- Pressure act
- Follow up effort
- Makes the right decision
- Uncontested handball receive
- Handball
- Opens up Redman for an uncontested kick into the corridor

What you see on Stats Pro:
- Uncontested handball receive
- Handball

 

[faible]

He's been showing more the last month, but his best and worst games are much further apart than they seemed to be in previous seasons to me, but that could be a function of team performance.

He's marked a bit harshly given he was in the discussion with Cripps & Bontempelli a couple of years ago, but probably hasn't reached the heights of either since.

I think he's the kind of guy who needs support around him to get the best out of him, whereas Cripps is the midfield beast you build the team around.

I'm not quite sure what kind of player Merrett is analogous to; he's not a Dangerfield or Martin explosive beast, he's not a Neale or Mitchell inside beast. He's not an Ablett Jnr who combines all of the above with elite ball use.

With his kicking I think we all hoped he'd be that outstanding inside-outside player that hits up targets by foot, but he doesn't seem to be doing that lately.

Perhaps he's suffering from not having the protection in the midfield from a genuine big-bodied clearance player, and that we're seemingly playing games in our back half means that his metres gained are from the less damaging end of the field by default.

 

[JDavey]

Another really good game by Zach.

 

[Kakkle]

0 tackles! I would say that is either the first or second time he's gone with out a tackle in a game.

 

[boncer34]

0 tackles! I would say that is either the first or second time he's gone with out a tackle in a game.

2nd.

The other was Round 15 2014 v Geelong. Came on as the sub.

 

[DERO]

2nd.

The other was Round 15 2014 v Geelong. Came on as the sub.

Impressive

 

[boncer34]

Impressive

I remember saying after the game "that Zach kid better learn to tackle."

Or it took me 30 seconds on Google. One of those stories is true.