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

 

[faible]

Gee one week is a long time in football isn't it!
Just the 5.3 last week against LMAC

He was also selfish and off the pace last week, NM are just terrible.

 

[JuniorWatch]

He was also selfish and off the pace last week, NM are just terrible.

I mean but has 'selfless' and 'elite fitness' ever been involved in a Stringer related sentence even at his best?
PS. don't know why I'm arguing, he's been poor this year. Thought he was better last week but he always bashes North.

 

[faible]

I mean but has 'selfless' and 'elite fitness' ever been involved in a Stringer related sentence even at his best?
PS. don't know why I'm arguing, he's been poor this year. Thought he was better last week but he always bashes North.

He's always going to be a bit selfish, most elite goalkickers are, but when he's fit and playing consistently well he does often take the team option.

Similar with fitness, he's never going to be an elite runner, but he's obviously very under-done right now.

I suspect his body can't handle midfielder running loads which was what he did over the preseason before breaking down. Can't remember who it was that talked about it, but he had a very bad leg break as an U18 and every time we try to ramp his running loads to midfield levels he ends up breaking down by the end of pre-season.

Probably need to accept that his body won't tolerate that level of work, so getting him through a full preseason fit and healthy on lesser running loads is preferable.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Stringer seems way off the pace and has been selfish lately.

He's been inaccurate I feel. If he kicks those, people don't call him selfish, he is no Bailey Fritsch.

 

[citizen-erased]

And getting his head treated like a speedball

not even a fine.

 

[yodellinhank]

I don't blame him for being invisible after getting hit like that by Preuss in the first quarter.
He could very well have been fighting off concussion. The week before he was absolutely immense, and has been most of the season.
I just wish when our players are hit like that, that other players would come over and fight for their teammate, what ever happened to that?
Watch the Essendon premiership from 2000. Lloyd himself says he only has 3-4 people he considers really good mates at the club, but he would still go in and have a crack at anybody who would hit one of his teammates like Merrett was hit. Look at GWS, how they fought for each other on the weekend. Look at how Collingwood are fighting for each other at the moment.

Jam it bud. Now days free kicks are given away so easily. What would be the point of "flying the flag"? That sort of macho bullshit went out the door 20 years ago.

 

[faible]

Jam it bud. Now days free kicks are given away so easily. What would be the point of "flying the flag"? That sort of macho bullshit went out the door 20 years ago.

I don't think you need to fly the flag, but some level of assistance for a player being tagged and targeted would be appreciated I'm sure.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

I don't think you need to fly the flag, but some level of assistance for a player being tagged and targeted would be appreciated I'm sure.

Precisely, I am not saying "iron out your opposition". I am saying show your teammates that you have their back, and you're willing to battle with them.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

What would be the point of "flying the flag"? That sort of macho bullshit went out the door 20 years ago.

Winning a flag? Macho bullshit, lol "ok".

 

[ghostdog]

I don't think you need to fly the flag, but some level of assistance for a player being tagged and targeted would be appreciated I'm sure.

Dyson Heppell likes this.

 

[citizen-erased]

Cox lifted a clumsy knee into Gawn in a ruck contest on Friday night.
Every dees player in the vicinity was into him.

my guess is (like the Shiel/Paker incident) most or all of our players didn't see it cos they were too busy running forward for the ball.
Parish certainly was.
But even if they had, I reckon I could count on one hand who goes in to support.

Worth noting a lot of opposition clubs seem to target him like this. At least 2-3 times a year.
Wouldn't mind the club asking the AFL the question of WTF? why is he fair game.

 

[yodellinhank]

I don't think you need to fly the flag, but some level of assistance for a player being tagged and targeted would be appreciated I'm sure.

Dyson Heppell likes this.

If they seen it. Probably nobody seen it.

 

[faible]

If they seen it. Probably nobody seen it.

Quarter Time:

Ben Rutten: "Now guys, letting you know that Zach is copping the tag from Perryman this week, we'd like to see you keep an eye out and put a block on Perryman to give Zach some space when there's a chance around stoppages. We know teams like to tag Zach because he's so dangerous with the ball, we've practiced for this and how we can help him have an impact still. Also they've been bumping him around a bit, big Pruessy lined him up after a centre bounce. Don't do anything stupid, but make sure you help your teammate out and protect him if you can. Big Sammy Draper, make sure Preuss knows you're just as big as he is."

 

[Squeaky]

Quarter Time:

Ben Rutten: "Now guys, letting you know that Zach is copping the tag from Perryman this week, we'd like to see you keep an eye out and put a block on Perryman to give Zach some space when there's a chance around stoppages. We know teams like to tag Zach because he's so dangerous with the ball, we've practiced for this and how we can help him have an impact still. Also they've been bumping him around a bit, big Pruessy lined him up after a centre bounce. Don't do anything stupid, but make sure you help your teammate out and protect him if you can. Big Sammy Draper, make sure Preuss knows you're just as big as he is."

I wouldn't even mind if we did something stupid - once.
In our current predicament I'd be happy to give away a couple of frees to show something!

 

[Aido1979]

I wouldn't even mind if we did something stupid - once.
In our current predicament I'd be happy to give away a couple of frees to show something!

Some form of aggression either at the ball or the man would be nice to see!!!

 

[Squeaky]

Some form of aggression either at the ball or the man would be nice to see!!!

Yep - just anything done aggressively would be a start.

 

[yodellinhank]

Quarter Time:

Ben Rutten: "Now guys, letting you know that Zach is copping the tag from Perryman this week, we'd like to see you keep an eye out and put a block on Perryman to give Zach some space when there's a chance around stoppages. We know teams like to tag Zach because he's so dangerous with the ball, we've practiced for this and how we can help him have an impact still. Also they've been bumping him around a bit, big Pruessy lined him up after a centre bounce. Don't do anything stupid, but make sure you help your teammate out and protect him if you can. Big Sammy Draper, make sure Preuss knows you're just as big as he is."

Inspiring stuff. You think Truck said something, or should we sack him?

 

[Jobe Watson]

I don't blame him for being invisible after getting hit like that by Preuss in the first quarter.
He could very well have been fighting off concussion.

Vision showed no head contact. Looked more like Merrett trying to flop for a free kick to be honest.

 

[astrowizzle]

Vision showed no head contact. Looked more like Merrett trying to flop for a free kick to be honest.

So you happy to see that as no free kick. He was no where near the ****ing ball

 

[Jobe Watson]

So you happy to see that as no free kick. He was no where near the ******* ball

Didn't say it shouldn't be a free kick, but Merrett definitely played up the contact and threw his head back. There was no high contact either so no concussion issues to blame for his shit performance.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

not even a fine.

No reason it should be a fine

Watch the footage, Merrett throws the headback

 

[The Devils Advocate]

No reason it should be a fine

Watch the footage, Merrett throws the headback

Alright, we get it. New footage has come out whereby it's evident that Merrett throws his head back. We all understand timelines and evidence, now crawl back to your piss and poo-fueled nest. Bye now.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Alright, we get it. New footage has come out whereby it's evident that Merrett throws his head back. We all understand timelines and evidence, now crawl back to your piss and poo-fueled nest. Bye now.

Such Vulgar language,

Merely stating a fact for your board, which most reasonable Dons supporters seemed to understand and allow decent conversation

 

[fairbump_playon]

Quarter Time:

Ben Rutten: "Now guys, letting you know that Zach is copping the tag from Perryman this week, we'd like to see you keep an eye out and put a block on Perryman to give Zach some space when there's a chance around stoppages. We know teams like to tag Zach because he's so dangerous with the ball, we've practiced for this and how we can help him have an impact still. Also they've been bumping him around a bit, big Pruessy lined him up after a centre bounce. Don't do anything stupid, but make sure you help your teammate out and protect him if you can. Big Sammy Draper, make sure Preuss knows you're just as big as he is."

Then Dyson says "Yeah nah mate Preussy's a good knacker. Used to meet him down the local charcoal every Tuesday. His French Bulldog's a ripper. The misso said to tell him how's it hanging."

 

[Nifft]

Quarter Time:

Ben Rutten: "Now guys, letting you know that Zach is copping the tag from Perryman this week, we'd like to see you keep an eye out and put a block on Perryman to give Zach some space when there's a chance around stoppages. We know teams like to tag Zach because he's so dangerous with the ball, we've practiced for this and how we can help him have an impact still. Also they've been bumping him around a bit, big Pruessy lined him up after a centre bounce. Don't do anything stupid, but make sure you help your teammate out and protect him if you can. Big Sammy Draper, make sure Preuss knows you're just as big as he is."

This is why I think we should be targeting a player like Dunkley, to give us a bigger physical presence and show better leadership. I understand some say he's not the best age demographic for us, but I think getting a player like that who is in their mid 20s gives us leadership, and sets an example and standards for others to follow. It would go a long way to helping us build a better better culture in the group going forward.

After seeing Zach get knocked down I can understand how he'd be hesitant, he's not getting any protection. I cannot believe no other player saw that. I'd be happy to give away free kicks to let the other team know they cannot do that. Hell I would've been happy to see players run from everywhere and give it to Pruess. Make them think twice before they target our players. And Zach would feel a hell of a lot better knowing the rest of the team had his back.