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

 

[ant555]

Nah. He gave up.

Think he was stuffed and gave away the chase before realising he had to make an effort.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Nah. He gave up.

 

[blitzer]

Frankly I can forgive him his chase effort when he won as much ball and used it as well as he did in that game. Way too much focus on a single chase.
Was still the best player on the ground.

I would make Merrett our captain next year. The only real candidates are him and McGrath and if you compare them Merrett is locked away for many years and will comfortably be one of our best players for that whole period. I couldn't be as confident with McGrath who is still getting shifted around. Merrett seems much safer.

If you can't have an out and out leader then picking your best player is not a bad method. Who knows maybe Merrett will grow as a player with the responsibility. Wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Albertross]

Would like to see more footage as to where Zach came running from to put the chase on Daicos. Either he was gassed from the distance he had to cover, or maybe it was all too hard. IDK!

I put all of this on Hind more than Zach. Hind ran towards the middle of the ground, forgot all about the man who bamboozled him on the boundary. Just one of many poor defensive efforts from him on the day.

 

[faible]

Frankly I can forgive him his chase effort when he won as much ball and used it as well as he did in that game. Way too much focus on a single chase.
Was still the best player on the ground.

I would make Merrett our captain next year. The only real candidates are him and McGrath and if you compare them Merrett is locked away for many years and will comfortably be one of our best players for that whole period. I couldn't be as confident with McGrath who is still getting shifted around. Merrett seems much safer.

If you can't have an out and out leader then picking your best player is not a bad method. Who knows maybe Merrett will grow as a player with the responsibility. Wouldn't surprise me.

People will hate this comparison but Merrett reminds me a little of when Sam Mitchell was Hawthorn Captain for a couple of years. Hodge was the obvious long-term leader of the club but wasn't there yet.

Merrett is a great player, consistent as they come, ultra-professional but doesn't strike me as a natural leader of people.

Hobbs looks like the guy who'll be a long-term Captain for me.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Interesting he only started 35% of CBA’s last week without Parish. Shiel in amazing form, Caldwell playing a run with role and Stringer playing more midfield time. Is he a pinch hitter in there with Hobbs now? What happens when Parish returns?

 

[I Remember Bluey]

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.

Interesting, we have a coach who was coaching from the boundary, yet nowhere have I seen before or after video of him screaming his tit"s off at the players telling them to get into position, so I'm not sure why the players are copping all the criticism but the coach isn't.

 

[Lore]

Interesting he only started 35% of CBA’s last week without Parish. Shiel in amazing form, Caldwell playing a run with role and Stringer playing more midfield time. Is he a pinch hitter in there with Hobbs now? What happens when Parish returns?

It’s an interesting one…


Both Merrett and McGrath have commented recently about having changed roles and playing more half forward and half back respectively. I think those moves are effectively permanent unless they are suddenly needed in the middle, which I think is the explanation for Merrett’s 85% in R14 and R18. I’d expect him to level out around 65% CBAs, which is his average anyway.

Caldwell playing a run with role has picked up most of Parish’s minutes, with Shiel and Hobbs increasing their load a little as well. Stringer also has a bit of it last weekend. So I’d say Shiel, Hobbs and Stringer will have less minutes in the midfield once Parish is back.

Perkins is another one to consider too.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

It’s an interesting one…
View attachment 1459722

Both Merrett and McGrath have commented recently about having changed roles and playing more half forward and half back respectively. I think those moves are effectively permanent unless they are suddenly needed in the middle, which I think is the explanation for Merrett’s 85% in R14 and R18. I’d expect him to level out around 65% CBAs, which is his average anyway.

Caldwell playing a run with role has picked up most of Parish’s minutes, with Shiel and Hobbs increasing their load a little as well. Stringer also has a bit of it last weekend. So I’d say Shiel, Hobbs and Stringer will have less minutes in the midfield once Parish is back.

Perkins is another one to consider too.

Makes you wonder how much do we really need another midfielder. I like the mix at the moment. It seems Shiel takes the biggest hit in his game when Parish is in the side, been a bit of a blessing for him since his injury…

 

[Old Campaigner]

Makes you wonder how much do we really need another midfielder. I like the mix at the moment. It seems Shiel takes the biggest hit in his game when Parish is in the side, been a bit of a blessing for him since his injury…

I think we could still use midfield depth and diversity (i.e. someone who isn't 180cm), but to get that in the best 22 without causing issues with team balance they need to be guys who can play multiple positions.

 

[The Donners]

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

They’re protecting the corridor from a long kick and that’s it. Since when has Pendlebury ever kicked long from the kick in? In fact, it’s rare that any kick in Is long in this day and age.

 

[lamaros]

Gee he was good today.

 

[Yoda_]

10 tackles and about 3 of those ended up being holding the balls. Brilliant !


Can argue all you want but he should firmly be in the conversation for another All Australian Guernsey

 

[Yoda_]

Gee he was good today.

Id argue he is the best bomber since Hird. Yes, better than Jobe who won a Brownlow but Zac has been better for longer and turning more matches

 

[naraku]

Great to see him back to his best.

 

[jmoo wan]

All in for the skipper’s pre game address…

 

[citizen-erased]

All in for the skipper’s pre game address…

View attachment 1462005

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Was basically tagged by the whole North midfield today, particularly in the first half. They were on top early but that second half was some of the best footy you will see from a midfielder. Absolutely sublime.

Also I really noticed his on field leadership today. Was constantly giving feedback to players and structuring up the side to make sure everyone was playing their role. He demands a lot from his teammates and he’d have to be an absolute lock as captain next year.

 

[MiguelM]

Never seen him tackle more than the last few weeks, and he is sticking them.

In the past he could at times be hunted out of games. Seems he is now taking the approach of the hunter.

 

[blitzer]

When he's tackling like that - you know he's playing some of his best footy.

Another fantastic game from Merrett. Definitely gets taken for granted a lot because he's so consistent.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

10 tackles, he was so hungry yesterday, he and Redman really set the tone. How we could possibly keep Heppell as captain when Merrett is doing this kind of stuff, I don't know.

 

[Squeaky]

Never seen him tackle more than the last few weeks, and he is sticking them.

In the past he could at times be hunted out of games. Seems he is now taking the approach of the hunter.

The tackle that he launched into on Zurhaar was a ripper. No holding the ball but to hold him up was important and a really strong tackle.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Was basically tagged by the whole North midfield today, particularly in the first half. They were on top early but that second half was some of the best footy you will see from a midfielder. Absolutely sublime.

Also I really noticed his on field leadership today. Was constantly giving feedback to players and structuring up the side to make sure everyone was playing their role. He demands a lot from his teammates and he’d have to be an absolute lock as captain next year.

Fantasy form watch: Cat and mouse games can't hold back a TRUE pig

Club tricks at selection threw a spanner in the works for many, but not all

www.afl.com.au

​

Fantasy Pig of the week​

At half-time it looked like it was going to be a quiet outing from Zach Merrett, who had a nice match up and had been in terrific form. His score of 37 had his coaches sweating, especially those who had put the C on him. Well … what happened from that point will go down in history as one of the all-time great finals performances in what was a display of pure piggery. He bounced back after half-time with the biggest score of any player this year in the third term with 75, before literally playing his little tail off until the final siren for a whopping score of 172 for the future Fantasy Hall Of Famer. Merrett finished with 38 disposals, 10 tackles, six marks and a goal. OINK.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Fantasy form watch: Cat and mouse games can't hold back a TRUE pig

Club tricks at selection threw a spanner in the works for many, but not all

www.afl.com.au

​

Fantasy Pig of the week​

At half-time it looked like it was going to be a quiet outing from Zach Merrett, who had a nice match up and had been in terrific form. His score of 37 had his coaches sweating, especially those who had put the C on him. Well … what happened from that point will go down in history as one of the all-time great finals performances in what was a display of pure piggery. He bounced back after half-time with the biggest score of any player this year in the third term with 75, before literally playing his little tail off until the final siren for a whopping score of 172 for the future Fantasy Hall Of Famer. Merrett finished with 38 disposals, 10 tackles, six marks and a goal. OINK.

he hasnt gone under 130 since the eagles game in supercoach. I brought him in after the bye round as a POD and thought Id made a bad call after the blues/saints game but since then hes probably been my best midfielder along with Laird.

 

[bombreys]

Tell you what, for any punters out there Zachy would be absolutely flying home in the Brownlow. Something like last 5 rounds or similar markets would be worth a look. Reckon he'd have 10+ votes in the past 5 rounds.