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

 

[Yoda_]

Fast becoming one of the more under rated players in the competition imho. Statistically his best year in the AFL so whilst people were raving about Parish having a break out, Stringer getting back to his best, Walla showing spurts of being one of the best in the business inside F50 or that we had a number of kids break out into AFL players.

In the mean time, this bloke just quietly went about his business and put together his best year yet in the AFL. May never reach the heights of Petracca or Bontempelli but he surely needs to be spoken about in that next rung down. A genuine influencer on matches.

Star !

 

[Zach Package]

I wonder how much we'll see him at actual half back like a Sam Mitchell or Caleb Daniel

5

Caleb Daniel

Age

28

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

type setting up with his leg or whether he'll just be the outnumber midfielder that starts off the back of the square and just becomes another midfielder.

I also wonder whether that means we may select one less defender than the 7 we typically go with and instead just float McGrath and Merrett back through there a little.

It's certainly a good way to take a bit of physical pressure off him, get more class around the outside and probably incorporate Hobbs into his preferred role.

 

[TheUnicorn]

 

[ant555]

Worst 30 plus possession game I think I have seen. Virtually no effect on the game when the heat was on and zero defensive pressure. Just jogged along ball watching while he was not in the play and did not look like attempting to actually pick someone up or at least move into their area. Watched him a few times just jog down the fat side and park himself 40 meters out in defense with no regard for any Geelong players who where running into Dangerous areas or simply staying in the corridor un maned. Not sure how people gave him votes. He was bog average yesterday.
Guys like Heppell and Smith got burnt not for lack of effort but because they are just slow. Zak got burnt because he played lazy and did not work both ways.
Will be looking for him to turn it around quickly.

 

[NAB777]

Worst 30 plus possession game I think I have seen.

I'm old enough to have seen Gavin Keane play, but otherwise, you're close to the mark

 

[I Remember Bluey]

I bet Zach is not looking forward to being on AFL360 tonight, for players night.

 

[Vander18]

Worst 30 plus possession game I think I have seen. Virtually no effect on the game when the heat was on and zero defensive pressure. Just jogged along ball watching while he was not in the play and did not look like attempting to actually pick someone up or at least move into their area. Watched him a few times just jog down the fat side and park himself 40 meters out in defense with no regard for any Geelong players who where running into Dangerous areas or simply staying in the corridor un maned. Not sure how people gave him votes. He was bog average yesterday.
Guys like Heppell and Smith got burnt not for lack of effort but because they are just slow. Zak got burnt because he played lazy and did not work both ways.
Will be looking for him to turn it around quickly.

I’m pretty gutted by what he served up.

We are talking about the guy most see as our next captain. If I think of great captains, effort is always something that is non-negotiable with them. Selwood might have had some shockers but I don’t recall him lacking effort.

Not sure Zac is cut from that same cloth. At his best he hunts the footy and the man with real intent but that intent seems to come and go more than you would like from a potential captain.

 

[ant555]

I’m pretty gutted by what he served up.

We are talking about the guy most see as our next captain. If I think of great captains, effort is always something that is non-negotiable with them. Selwood might have had some shockers but I don’t recall him lacking effort.

Not sure Zac is cut from that same cloth. At his best he hunts the footy and the man with real intent but that intent seems to come and go more than you would like from a potential captain.

My concern is the same. Thought he had gone close to eliminating it from his game towards the end of last season but it was a backward step on Saturday.

 

[andleanback]

It’s games like that, which is why I’ve never thought Zach should be captain.

 

[CBombers17]

What can be missed is that at any level that sort of effort from a leader is far worse for team moral than if it's a regular teammate.

I would hate to be claiming to fix a playing culture whilst at the same time allowing that sort of leadership. He's not alone in this group of course which makes it even more alarming.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Merrett and Martin were both on AFL 360 tonight btw if anyone cares.

 

[Shane Heard]

He’s no Jason Johnson

Jason Johnson

Age

46

Ht

180cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.6

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

7.5

5star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.8

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.4

3star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.0

3star

that’s for sure

But I still have immense faith in him to bounce back this week with a super aggressive attack on the ball

 

[citizen-erased]

Merrett and Martin were both on AFL 360 tonight btw if anyone cares.

Anything of interest mentioned?

 

[TheUnicorn]

Anything of interest mentioned?

I'm not up to it yet, I'll let you know. I imagine their will be snippets around tomorrow that someone will link.

 

[Shane Heard]

Anything of interest mentioned?

Zac said “ We need to draw a line in the sand and be ruthless and not accept the absolute stinking pile of dog poo effort we dished up on Saturday. I for one went to the airport this morning and headbutted landing planes on the tarmac to harden myself up”

Then I woke up from an afternoon nap and realised it was all a dream ..

 

[SydneyBomber]

He was pretty underwhelming on 360.
Embarrassed, but no real anger discernible, and I'm disappointed Robbo didn't go a lot harder at him/efc.

Too many blokes just happy for a pay cheque these days. Same shit, just the names change

 

[Shane Heard]

He was pretty underwhelming on 360.
Embarrassed, but no real anger discernible, and I'm disappointed Robbo didn't go a lot harder at him/efc.

Too many blokes just happy for a pay cheque these days. Same sh*t, just the names change

Yeah nah…he’s quietly spoken and a strange cat

He has an inner rage

Let’s see if that is unleashed once again on Saturday

 

[CBombers17]

They should make a pact

 

[ant555]

That was more what you would be looking for as a leader. Worked hard to do his best as far as defending goes and was pretty physical.
Too bad he got a very late injury.

 

[Yoda_]

Reports it could be 8 - 10 weeks

 

[YEMOC NAYR]

oh shit

 

[Bunk Moreland]

For Christ’s sake

Who tf invented this syndesmosis shit? It sucks

 

[faible]

For Christ’s sake

Who tf invented this syndesmosis shit? It sucks

It’s always existed, used to be called a high ankle sprain, before that was ‘ankle’. At least now the mysterious Essendon 8-10 week ankle injury has a name.

 

[Yoda_]

I want to be pragmatic and say that it can only be a good thing with the impending return of Shiel and the introduction of Hobbs as midfielders.



The over reliance on Zac (and now Darcy) has been prevalent, with Merrett out, we need to find someone to pick up the slack.

 

[Yoda_]

It’s always existed, used to be called a high ankle sprain, before that was ‘ankle’. At least now the mysterious Essendon 8-10 week ankle injury has a name.

We should just call it Essendon - itis