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]

Can’t wait for the usually Zach talk tonight. Yawn

Sadly short of bringing in a captain from outside he is the best option next year. Hopefully it is a short reign and Hobbs takes over in 3 years.

 

[BomberFan355]

Going to be an awkward interview tonight.

 

[citizen-erased]

Robbo rubbing it in how well Geelong is run. Ouch
Hawkins being as magnanimous as he can.

poor Zach. probably would have been there primed for a premiership....

 

[andleanback]

 

[yodellinhank]

Sounds like someone who wants a trade?

 

[TheGrizz]

Sounds like someone who wants a trade?

Got a 6 year deal, that's gonna be a tad difficult. Besides, i imagine if Clarksom is the goal, and we get him, Zach might change his mind if that isnthe case.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Wouldn't be in this hole if the senior players had stood up better

 

[andleanback]

Zach might want to look in the mirror with a few of his mates. 5 times they’ve served up disgraceful efforts this year, maybe have a look at yourself and start calling out your team mates.

 

[Lore]

Glad to hear Merrett saying that Rutten brought it up with the players and cleared the air. “Brought the elephant into the room”.

The bloke is class. Wearenotworthy.gif

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Sadly short of bringing in a captain from outside he is the best option next year. Hopefully it is a short reign and Hobbs takes over in 3 years.

Disagree, Redman would be a better captain. Then I’d take Langford over Merrett, then McGrath over Merrett, then Laverde over Merrett, then I’d try and bring a captain in from outside, then maybe Merrett.

 

[ant555]

Disagree, Redman would be a better captain. Then I’d take Langford over Merrett, then McGrath over Merrett, then Laverde over Merrett, then I’d try and bring a captain in from outside, then maybe Merrett.

Langford is as bland as Heppell. Redman has never been in the leadership group.
McGrath does nothing on the field to inspire.
Merrett may have his faults but at least he can play at a level that win you a game.

 

[Lore]

Just can't be captain. Can't be.

That was such a disappointing interview.
The stock standard answers were embarrassing.

To qotue Zach from 360 - "The only thing we can really do is show actions Saturday night against a quality team and that's disappointing that we've only got one game to prove or show that we can adjust and actually behave in a way that is going to be in a consistent manner".

Nah mate. You've had more then one game. You've had all year. You've had years. We've had a decade and you haven't shown that once. And your right Zach, it did just sound like words tonight.

I think you’ve misunderstood him. “The only thing we can really do” this is present/future tense. The only thing we can do <now> and <going forward>.

He’s not a time traveller, he can’t change the past, nor was he trying to excuse it.

And I’m pretty sure he is capable of counting. If he was really talking about all the things they could’ve done differently in the last two years, do you really reckon he would’ve stopped counting at 1?

Truck has one game LEFT, the season has one game left, they’ve got one game left to represent him and themselves and show they’ve actually learned something by doing it.

He was pretty clear that it’s not enough to just talk. You have to do it in your actions and your behaviour, consistently. And I think he’s right… they do need to actually do it, if they are ever going to execute this game plan they’ve got one chance left to prove it.

And the thing that showed me tonight that he can't be captain was this question from Robbo - Do you want to? (Give feedback or your opinion to the club on what happens next)... the response... utterly pathetic...
"Umm, I think we're open to giving feedback, um but also respective that we're there as players and we'll give our advice if we need to but their role is to govern the club and um I guess be the voice for the members so um yeah I'm there if I need be but at the moment not required"

Staggering. Absolutely staggering.

Your the vice captain, long touted as the next captain of this club. A club in turmoil and you say your not required. Your there if you need be...

Your supposed to represent the playing group and be their voice. Surely you have something to say? Not only that, you may not realise this, but you also represent the members more then any one else for christ sake - your the players!!! Your the vice captain! Who do you think our members come to watch? Pay our hard earned money for season seats in the hope we can win a final and dream of a flag? Yep you. Your group. The group your supposed to be leading.

What exactly do you want him to say? “Yes I’m going to march into that board room and sort them out myself, ain’t no one sacking my coach without me”?

You can’t blame the vice captain for the president and directors being a bunch of ****ing idiots. It’s not country footy where the president is your dad.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Langford is as bland as Heppell. Redman has never been in the leadership group.
McGrath does nothing on the field to inspire.
Merrett may have his faults but at least he can play at a level that win you a game.

Not fussed about that level given his defensive deficiencies and not standing up much for others.

Happy to disagree.

 

[ant555]

Not fussed about that level given his defensive deficiencies and not standing up much for others.
Happy to disagree.

No one stands up.
At least Merrett is at a level that other sides continually try and knock him out of the game.
He is not really what I want either but he is better than the next lot who are as exciting as captain knackers she will be right mate.
At least he has put some effort into improving his defensive. Still average but it is a lot better than it was.

 

[Howard Moon]

I feel like they are trying extra hard to change him, but zach is zach, he's quiet, hes introspective, hes not a rousing speech giver or media tag liner. They want him to be captain (because of a lack of other options?) and began operation rebuild/rebrand Zachs personality but its not really happening.

Its a shame Hobbs is too young, we just need a bridging captain - a redman? a laverde? someone who looks lie they bleed for the cause?

 

[Old Campaigner]

View attachment 1479854

It's almost as if him and the rest of them hadn't put in a bunch of coach killing performances they would be in this mess right now

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

No one stands up.
At least Merrett is at a level that other sides continually try and knock him out of the game.
He is not really what I want either but he is better than the next lot who are as exciting as captain knackers she will be right mate.
At least he has put some effort into improving his defensive. Still average but it is a lot better than it was.

I’m not fussed that Redman hasn’t been in the leadership group. That says more to me about Essendon than it does about Redman. I think he’d be a much better captain than Merrett.

 

[FlyingV]

Merrett should be shaking his head. Nearly didn’t sign, got convinced to sign based off us backing our coach and having stability and consistency, and bam, back to square one 1 year later.

He gives a sh#t, he busts his ass for our club. Everything he is asking for and saying is perfectly reasonable.

 

[ant555]

I’m not fussed that Redman hasn’t been in the leadership group. That says more to me about Essendon than it does about Redman. I think he’d be a much better captain than Merrett.

Apart from playing a hard brand of footy what leadership has he had over his footy journey?
Maybe he is just a player that leads in the way he plays but does not want to take on the other aspects.
I have no issues with him coming into a leadership position but it is a big jump up into captain.
Sometimes having good deputies is half the battle.
He could make Merrett a better captain by leading the defence as a leadership group member.

 

[RearNaked]

Maybe he should start sticking tackles again instead of sooking like a little bitch

 

[frodos gardener]

No one stands up.
At least Merrett is at a level that other sides continually try and knock him out of the game.
He is not really what I want either but he is better than the next lot who are as exciting as captain knackers she will be right mate.
At least he has put some effort into improving his defensive. Still average but it is a lot better than it was.

I would rather have a captain who leads in mindset and application even if they’re not in the top 5-8 players in the team. Yes they need to be top 22 certainties and that’s what we have in someone like Redman, who has probably been top 5 for us this year anyway.

Perhaps the club needs to rethink the duties off-field for captain so that we get the right type when it comes to game-day leadership.

 

[cAsEy_18]

Would be well within his rights to ask for a trade.
Would be kicking himself over his decision last year.

 

[FlyingV]

For some perspective: Zach is a small bodied second round pick who has turned himself into a perennial Brownlow chance and best and fairest fancy. He needs support, he shouldn’t be responsible for being our top ball user, top two way runner, top tackler, top possession winner and only leader. He needs help, he got it last year in parish and stringer, this year… nothing.
Finger point all you like but this guy called us on bullsh!t last year, we promised him we had learned from the past and now here we are.

 

[andleanback]

I’m not fussed that Redman hasn’t been in the leadership group. That says more to me about Essendon than it does about Redman. I think he’d be a much better captain than Merrett.

You’re totally guessing on what Redman s personality is and whether he is fit to be a leader of the club full time. Prior to this season he was just as inconsistent as any player.

 

[Lore]

You’re totally guessing on what Redman s personality is and whether he is fit to be a leader of the club full time. Prior to this season he was just as inconsistent as any player.

Redman seems to be a bit of an odd man out. Whenever they talk about him on the various podcasts (including past ones like Don Air) he’s portrayed as a sort of odd character, not one they treat with heaps of respect idk.