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

 

[mike14]

I don’t want to sound harsh but that last play is exactly why he can’t be captain. Go and look and what he’s doing while Jones is taking his shot, poor leadership and zero game sense. He should be shouting out to every team mate on the ground to set up, instead he’s inside the 50 watching Jones walk in and does nothing. So so poor after such an outstanding game.

It's been said elsewhere, but we were pretty much setup correctly. Ham picked the wrong option, someone else hesitated, but the structure was sound, or as sound as our structure has ever been at defending the transition anyway . To guess either way about Merrett's contribution to that setup and execution seems like quite a stretch

 

[frodos gardener]

It’s a shame that he still has the occasional moments giving up. That “I’m so stuffed I can hardly run” chase on Josh Daicos

7

Josh Daicos

Age

25

Ht

178cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.6

4star

K

8.3

3star

HB

7.3

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.3

3star

D

16.2

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

7.0

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.5

4star

CL

1.5

4star

D

13.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

4.2

5star

CL

1.2

4star

is more of the Merrett we’ve seen in the past when he feels like he’s doing it all himself. I had hoped he’d got it out of his system but it seems it’s just something he will always do from time to time. No player is perfect but we can’t have a third captain in a row giving token chases. I want to want him to be our skipper next year but I can’t get behind him when he does that (not that what I think means anything but just saying).

 

[andleanback]

It's been said elsewhere, but we were pretty much setup correctly. Ham picked the wrong option, someone else hesitated, but the structure was sound, or as sound as our structure has ever been at defending the transition anyway . To guess either way about Merrett's contribution to that setup and execution seems like quite a stretch

We weren’t set up correctly at all

 

[mike14]

We weren’t set up correctly at all

Fair enough.
Using the info from the post game thread as a base (page 10 near the bottom, quote won't work for some reason) what didn't you like about the setup (other than Ham going the wrong option), what would you like to see, and what di you believe Merrett in particular should have done differently?

 

[andleanback]

Fair enough.
Using the info from the post game thread as a base (page 10 near the bottom, quote won't work for some reason) what didn't you like about the setup (other than Ham going the wrong option), what would you like to see, and what di you believe Merrett in particular should have done differently?

We had our 3 on ballers plus Mcgrath standing within 15m of each other inside the 50. Even if moore went straight down the middle it would’ve gone straight over all their heads. Merrett should’ve been screaming at every team mate to get into position, having players either side of the kick out so moore couldn’t play on and having a layered defense. Wright should’ve also been behind the ball along with Draper.

 

[mike14]

We had our 3 on ballers plus Mcgrath standing within 15m of each other inside the 50. Even if moore went straight down the middle it would’ve gone straight over all their heads. Merrett should’ve been screaming at every team mate to get into position, having players either side of the kick out so moore couldn’t play on and having a layered defense. Wright should’ve also been behind the ball along with Draper.

Based on the pics provided, it does look like if the ball went over their heads, it would be to a contested situation and the midfielders would have been pushing back to crumb/create a stoppage. Is this not what we want?
If those 3 push out, you run the very big risk of the corridor opening up (I'm assuming this is considered to be the greater risk from Truck's POV). It seems Ham was meant to be that layer, but he collapse instead of pushing back - the structure was there, he just didn't understand his role in it.

Completely agree it's weird there doesn't look to be any tall behind the ball, but I can't work who is who from the images supplied. Was Draper on the bench? Also very strange that someone wasn't busting their arse to get off so he could come on if so.

I think you can very clearly make an argument that our structure is ppor, as we haven't been able to defend the tasnistion for most of the year (which is why the last 30 seconds of yesterday is really no surprise). I'm just not convinced that you can say players were out of position based on Truck's directions/gameplan prior to the ball being kicked and Ham going the wrong way, and I'm really not sure how you can then lay that at the feet of Merrett; unless of course you want him to overrule the coaching directions, which I'm not necessarily against but it opens up a huge different problem/conversation

 

[The Prosecutor]

I don’t want to sound harsh but that last play is exactly why he can’t be captain. Go and look and what he’s doing while Jones is taking his shot, poor leadership and zero game sense. He should be shouting out to every team mate on the ground to set up, instead he’s inside the 50 watching Jones walk in and does nothing. So so poor after such an outstanding game.

What are you talking about, everyone had a man and the centre corridor was blocked off.

Don't get sucked in by David King trying to come up with some leadership narrative out of what was simply Ham making an error which was compounded by some brilliance from Elliot.

 

[andleanback]

What are you talking about, everyone had a man and the centre corridor was blocked off.

Don't get sucked in by David King trying to come up with some leadership narrative out of what was simply Ham making an error which was compounded by some brilliance from Elliot.

I watched the replay after being a the ground I haven’t watched first crack. 4 midfielders being in the middle of the 50 is not having the ground set up correctly, they’ll show the behind the ground vision on fox tonight and it won’t be pretty.

 

[The Prosecutor]

We had our 3 on ballers plus Mcgrath standing within 15m of each other inside the 50. Even if moore went straight down the middle it would’ve gone straight over all their heads. Merrett should’ve been screaming at every team mate to get into position, having players either side of the kick out so moore couldn’t play on and having a layered defense. Wright should’ve also been behind the ball along with Draper.

It was Pendlebury who took the kick in, not Moore.

As you can see from the below, we're essentially set up perfectly. The player who takes the mark from Pendlebury's kick in is Moore, who at this stage is not in play.

How this all means Merrett can't be captain is beyond me.

 

[andleanback]

It was Pendlebury who took the kick in, not Moore.

View attachment 1455849

In what world do you think that is a good set up. That’s looks horrible

 

[The Prosecutor]

In what world do you think that is a good set up. That’s looks horrible

I've edited in a better screen shot from when the ball went through the behind and the set up is in place before Collingwood players start moving.

 

[andleanback]

I've edited in a better screen shot from when the ball went through the behind and the set up is in place before Collingwood players start moving.

That’s still of the worst critical game time set up you’ll see, absolute no cohesion to what they’re trying to do, players are just at random spots, no type of layer defense. If pendles bombs it’s long then half the team is already out of the play. Also a lot of last minute end to end players tend to kick to the point if the square / flank first to create space which then frenzies the defending team. It’s very rare the bomb down the middle works.

 

[TheGrizz]

It was Pendlebury who took the kick in, not Moore.

As you can see from the below, we're essentially set up perfectly. The player who takes the mark from Pendlebury's kick in is Moore, who at this stage is not in play.

How this all means Merrett can't be captain is beyond me.

View attachment 1455852

We were essentially playing man on man which failed because:

1. Wright was caught out of position and couldn't get to Moore
2. Ham made a horrific position to leave his man and pressure a kick he was never getting to in time, and his man is suddenly 40m in space on the wing.
3. Laverde sees it and breaks his positioning to pressure Bianco (Hams man) and Langford is suddenly having to play last man in defence. If that is Laverde and not Langford, that ball is being belted 20 rows back, not being marked by Elliott.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

I love how he just gets 35 disposals a game, like it's no worry, and there's almost no mention of it. The thing is, most players who get that amount of the ball, don't get rid of it anywhere near as effectively as Merrett. One of the best kicks in the competition, and probably a top 20 kick since 2000.

 

[bombadeer]

His ball use was devastatingly good. The form he's in right now makes coaching in the forward half too easy - just get it to Merrett, it will fall into place from there.

 

[faible]

I love how he just gets 35 disposals a game, like it's no worry, and there's almost no mention of it. The thing is, most players who get that amount of the ball, don't get rid of it anywhere near as effectively as Merrett. One of the best kicks in the competition, and probably a top 20 kick since 2000.

I was surprised when they mentioned he was on 26 in the third, just cruises around doing what he does.

He's not a beast in the mould of Cripps or Bontempelli, or even Kelly all from the same draft, he just decimates teams with his consistency and ball use.

Since his 3rd season he hasn't averaged under 26 disposals and has only dropped under 400m gained per game once since then. Incredibly consistent player.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

I was surprised when they mentioned he was on 26 in the third, just cruises around doing what he does.

He's not a beast in the mould of Cripps or Bontempelli, or even Kelly all from the same draft, he just decimates teams with his consistency and ball use.

Since his 3rd season he hasn't averaged under 26 disposals and has only dropped under 400m gained per game once since then. Incredibly consistent player.

Death by a thousand cuts. Josh Carr style.

 

[faible]

Death by a thousand cuts. Josh Carr style.

Also a good chance to play 250 - 300 games given he's 26 and on ~ 180.

 

[bacon buster]

It was Pendlebury who took the kick in, not Moore.

As you can see from the below, we're essentially set up perfectly. The player who takes the mark from Pendlebury's kick in is Moore, who at this stage is not in play.

How this all means Merrett can't be captain is beyond me.

View attachment 1455852

yes we were set up perfectly. that's why Collingwood took it end to end in 15 seconds.

yes Ham ****ed up, but he's not the only one. also, how is Langford playing the sweeper in that situation??

it looked and felt like amateur hour.

 

[Alberto_Magnifico]

His kicking inside 50 yesterday was sublime

 

[I Remember Bluey]

I love how he just gets 35 disposals a game, like it's no worry, and there's almost no mention of it. The thing is, most players who get that amount of the ball, don't get rid of it anywhere near as effectively as Merrett. One of the best kicks in the competition, and probably a top 20 kick since 2000.

Agree:

No perfect scores… and no fails: Fox Footy AFL Report Card Round 18, 2022

No perfect scores… and no fails: The most bizarre AFL report card you’ll read all year

www.foxsports.com.au

Zach Merrett was the best player on the ground, racking up a game-high 38 disposals — eight more than the next best — 15 contested possessions, nine clearances and 630m gained in a dominant display through the midfield.

 

[Yoda_]

Should firmly be in the conversation of All Australian for this year. Even missing 4 games, he has been one of the best players in the league in his games played.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Hoping he's captain next year.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

It’s a shame that he still has the occasional moments giving up. That “I’m so stuffed I can hardly run” chase on Josh Daicos is more of the Merrett we’ve seen in the past when he feels like he’s doing it all himself. I had hoped he’d got it out of his system but it seems it’s just something he will always do from time to time. No player is perfect but we can’t have a third captain in a row giving token chases. I want to want him to be our skipper next year but I can’t get behind him when he does that (not that what I think means anything but just saying).

FFS. He probably is genuinely so stuffed he can hardly run at times.

It's a pretty easy game from the couch

 

[frodos gardener]

FFS. He probably is genuinely so stuffed he can hardly run at times.

It's a pretty easy game from the couch

Nah. He gave up.