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

 

[Lore]

Dual All-Australian | Merrett 'very humbled'

Zach Merrett speaks about his second All-Australian selection and what helped him achieve it.

www.essendonfc.com.au

Interview + highlights

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Absolutely loved the physicality of his last quarter. Should be the base line standard for physical play we bring every week across the board.

 

[WindyHillWarrior]

Looked understandably pissed in that last quarter.

 

[Phone]

Based on Hodge, I think Zach thought he gave away the free for Weightman's fourth, and spent the rest of the third and the fourth very mad. It was funny, until the end where it seemed he was one tackle away from getting himself banned for R1 (it was Gleeson who caught the umpire's eye)

 

[TheGrizz]

Secretly loved how pissed he was.

Its morbidly reassuring to at least visibly see that he feels what we do, only i imagine far more sharply.

Hope the lads can bottle it going into pre season

 

[HirdyLannister]

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

His turnover inside F50 which resulted in a goal down the other end was a critical turning point in the game but other than that I can't fault his efforts today or this year for that matter, he has been phenomenal.

 

[ghostdog]

I dunno. I reckon the free to Weightman after being tackled was what started the momentum and Zach's anger.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Loved the aggression but needs to learn to not get distracted by it (easier said than done, but part of maturing).

 

[Donakebab]

You've all got it wrong. Zach got really mad after he was belted in the guts by Young.

 

[Phone]

You've all got it wrong. Zach got really mad after he was belted in the guts by Young.

Yeah but that happened because of an incident in which Zach gave a dogs player an extra push after disposal, which I put down to Zach being frustrated because of the free-kicks, which led to Young coming over and whacking Zach.

I dunno. I reckon the free to Weightman after being tackled was what started the momentum and Zach's anger.

If we what to go down this path....just before the two Weightman free-kick goals, there was a contest near the 50m line on the boundary line between Treloar & Hunter. Snelling just had to tie Hunter up but Hunter broke the tackle and got the ball inside 50. This led to a series of events including the two free-kicks, Zach being mad and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

 

[lenny2013]

I loved the way he played the game out today. Tried to make every contest count right to the last siren.
I wish we had a few more with this attitude.
Great game Zach.

 

[Lore]

This acc is usually very pro-ump fwiw

 

[Phone]

I've seen that account and.........unless you're showing the footage, or referencing it, I think it's a poor effort. The account holder could be doing a lot more. In this case, the umpire clearly says "push" after the free-kick is awarded and the account isn't even mentioning that. It's nothing to do with Merrett and his contact, Gleeson telegraphed his push and got pinned. It's one of those extremely annoying free-kicks: Gleeson didn't need to do it (but every player in the comp loves to push an opponent after disposal), and the umpire didn't need to pay it. awful all-round

 

[ghostdog]

Yeah but that happened because of an incident in which Zach gave a dogs player an extra push after disposal, which I put down to Zach being frustrated because of the free-kicks, which led to Young coming over and whacking Zach.



If we what to go down this path....just before the two Weightman free-kick goals, there was a contest near the 50m line on the boundary line between Treloar & Hunter. Snelling just had to tie Hunter up but Hunter broke the tackle and got the ball inside 50. This led to a series of events including the two free-kicks, Zach being mad and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

What are you saying? Zach was mad because Snello didn't stick the tackle?
So the ball went i50, Zach defended and there should have been a stoppage instead of a freekick. Apples and oranges. Incorrectly awarded freekick + resulting goal = anger and frustration.

 

[Lore]

I've seen that account and.........unless you're showing the footage, or referencing it, I think it's a poor effort. The account holder could be doing a lot more. In this case, the umpire clearly says "push" after the free-kick is awarded and the account isn't even mentioning that. It's nothing to do with Merrett and his contact, Gleeson telegraphed his push and got pinned. It's one of those extremely annoying free-kicks: Gleeson didn't need to do it (but every player in the comp loves to push an opponent after disposal), and the umpire didn't need to pay it. awful all-round

He live tweets during games so no it’s not a gif because who has time for that while watching games? He included a pic so you know what incident he’s talking about.

What he’s saying is that the action that Gleeson made that was picked up by the umpire was insufficient for a free kick, but it looked worse to the umpire because the guy went flying (due to Merrett’s bump) hence calling a free against Gleeson.

 

[Phone]

Zach was mad because of the free-kicks that put an extreme dent in our chances to winning, one of which he felt was mistakenly against him (probably coz he was told to stand the mark). then following the centre clearance after the Dogs 3rd goal (the one from Gleeson's turn-over), he gave away a dinky high free-kick and, clearly in frustration, gave the Dogs player an extra push to the ground after they played on. Young then came in and flew the flag and got Zach a free-kick back, but Merrett already had the shits (as did I'm guessing every Essendon supporter). Funnily enough, of all the free-kicks in this 15 minute passage, that shove into the ground was probably one that should have actually been paid, although since they had played on, they couldn't pay 50 so maybe the umpire just over-looked it.

The Snelling thing is just a sliding doors thing in regards to the overall 'momentum' of the game. If he sticks that tackle, the course of the game is different, including Mad Merrett

He live tweets during games so no it’s not a gif because who has time for that while watching games? He included a pic so you know what incident he’s talking about.

What he’s saying is that the action that Gleeson made that was picked up by the umpire was insufficient for a free kick, but it looked worse to the umpire because the guy went flying (due to Merrett’s bump) hence calling a free against Gleeson.

Gleeson's push motion starts before he even make contacts with the player which I think drew the attention once Gleeson made the slightest touch. Truly reckon we could remove Zach from the scene and the (dumb) free-kick gets paid all the same.

edit: made some edits.

 

[Lore]

2k fine for dangerous tackle (careless, low impact, high contact)

Zach Merrett, Essendon, has been charged with Rough Conduct (Dangerous Tackle) against Tom Liberatore, Western Bulldogs during the fourth quarter of the Elimination Final between the Western Bulldogs and Essendon, played at UTAS Stadium on Sunday, August 29, 2021.

In summary, he can accept a $2000 sanction with an early plea.

Based on the available evidence, the incident was assessed as Careless Conduct, Low Impact, High Contact. The incident was classified as a $3000 sanction as a first offence. The player can accept a $2000 sanction with an early plea.

Match review: Stringer learns fate after striking big Dog

The AFL has released the match review for Sunday's game

www.afl.com.au

 

[11kgm]

once again he gets targeted once again he gets fined or suspended

 

[boncer34]

 

[eth-dog]

Yes Zachy!

 

[Lore]

 

[ghostdog]

Triple Crichton Merrett!

 

[DERO]

Fair to say that he is a reasonable upgrade on Josh Green.

 

[The Donners]

Fantastic season, back to his best. Thought he was gone, very much thankful he isn’t! Can’t wait to see him running around in round 1, 2022.