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

 

[jmoo wan]

Like junior’s game. Just goes about Hos business week in and week out.

 

[DERO]

*hoes

 

[Call Me Cake]

I heard he was taken out of the leadership group because he was a bit too hard on everyone.

Of course now that we have hindsight in our favour and knowing what we know now - that the football department was less focused on results and more on keeping everyone "happy" - aka; bludge - we can see that the mantra of "she'll be right m8" would have conflicted with Merrett's competiveness entirely.

That's not to say that Merrett wasn't too harsh sometimes, but in that context, those occasional moments seem over the top overall.

However, no doubt he's matured since, decided to stay because he saw potential, and has hopefully learned to balance demanding success and leading by example with a bit of Dyson-"no worries m8"-BS appeasenent thrown in for a little measure.

No one respects the person that lets them do what they want. But they'll respect Merrett. Loved his game.

 

[eth-dog]

I heard he was taken out of the leadership group because he was a bit too hard on everyone.

Of course now that we have hindsight in our favour and knowing what we know now - that the football department was less focused on results and more on keeping everyone "happy" - aka; bludge - we can see that the mantra of "she'll be right m8" would have conflicted with Merrett's competiveness entirely.

That's not to say that Merrett wasn't too harsh sometimes, but in that context, those occasional moments seem over the top overall.

However, no doubt he's matured since, decided to stay because he saw potential, and has hopefully learned to balance demanding success and leading by example with a bit of Dyson-"no worries m8"-BS appeasenent thrown in for a little measure.

No one respects the person that lets them do what they want. But they'll respect Merrett. Loved his game.

It was because he was demanding a standard of defensive running that he wasn't living up to at that point in time.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

lead from the front and brought the pressure whilst being tagged.

g u n

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I am not being facetious, but I actually can't remember the last time an Essendon player successfully broke a tag

 

[andleanback]

It was because he was demanding a standard of defensive running that he wasn't living up to at that point in time.

It was also because of his lack of connection between him and a lot of the group so they didn’t really see him as a leader, rather just one of our best players.

 

[andleanback]

I am not being facetious, but I actually can't remember the last time an Essendon player successfully broke a tag

He didn’t break the tag on Sunday either

 

[yodellinhank]

It was also because of his lack of connection between him and a lot of the group so they didn’t really see him as a leader, rather just one of our best players.

The club made the mistake of thinking the issue was zach not connecting with the group, they had it arse about.

 

[andleanback]

The club made the mistake of thinking the issue was zach not connecting with the group, they had it arse about.

That was the issue..

 

[yodellinhank]

That was the issue..

Nonsense. Our lack of standards has been well publicised.

 

[andleanback]

Nonsense. Our lack of standards has been well publicised.

That’s not the reason the players didn’t vote him in though, and not the reason why there were doubts over giving him the captaincy this team, when again he didn’t poll that well.

 

[yodellinhank]

That’s not the reason the players didn’t vote him in though, and not the reason why there were doubts over giving him the captaincy this team, when again he didn’t poll that well.

Tail wagging the dog. The club is beginning to see the light but are still pretty far away. At least it's being spoken about, that's a start.

 

[andleanback]

Tail wagging the dog. The club is beginning to see the light but are still pretty far away. At least it's being spoken about, that's a start.

Tail wagging the dog? Most clubs have there players vote on their leadership group. It’s the norm and it had nothing to do with driving standards, that’s fact.

 

[yodellinhank]

Tail wagging the dog? Most clubs have there players vote on their leadership group. It’s the norm and it had nothing to do with driving standards, that’s fact.

And what makes you think a group that doesn't have high standards would vote for the guy who's trying to drive them?

 

[Lance Uppercut]

He didn’t break the tag on Sunday either

Oh right. I guess it was just going so well that they figured what the heck, let's just let Merrett be one of the best players, that will help us win; and stopped tagging him

 

[andleanback]

And what makes you think a group that doesn't have high standards would vote for the guy who's trying to drive them?

It was around his ability to communicate, connect and convey whatever he was trying to say when he spoke. If you don’t ever speak to large portions of the playing group outside of being on the field, it’s hard for them to think of you as a leader, when you aren’t ever communicating with them. That’s what Zach himself admitted he needed to work on, and still he’s not the greatest at it, Mcgrath is a much better leader overall but he isn’t at the level of a player that you would make captain. No one doubts zachs desire to win and push himself and everyone to be better, he’s one of the more highly driven players essendon has had on their list in a long time. You could say the same about shiel, but again that doesn’t make someone a great leader in the eyes of the group as a whole. Fyfe had the same issue at freo, he was their best player and made captain through the rebuild, but at the same time poor interpersonal skills and more insular in doing everything possible to get the best out of himself, but not the group as a whole.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Tail wagging the dog? Most clubs have there players vote on their leadership group. It’s the norm and it had nothing to do with driving standards, that’s fact.

The tail wagging the dog wasn't the issue. The laziness and complacency of the tail was the issue. Surprised it could wag at all.

More likely the tail was telling the dog "She'll be right cobber, just chill, we'll get a few scraps later".

 

[quotemokc]

Why is he such an awful kick at goal?

 

[Lore]

Why is he such an awful kick at goal?

is he?

 

[ant555]

is he?

Would not say awful. 56.55 career and 0.2 this season. like a lot of really good field kicks he is very 50/50 with his goal kicking although I do not have the break down on set shots v shots on the run.

 

[quotemokc]

Would not say awful. 56.55 career and 0.2 this season. like a lot of really good field kicks he is very 50/50 with his goal kicking although I do not have the break down on set shots v shots on the run.

Your stats don't factor in the amount of shots he has that don't make the distance.

 

[Lore]

Would not say awful. 56.55 career and 0.2 this season. like a lot of really good field kicks he is very 50/50 with his goal kicking although I do not have the break down on set shots v shots on the run.

I would suggest he has less set shots as a defender/midfielder than he did in his early days when he played off the half-forward flank.

 

[Call Me Cake]

misses one shot yesterday
"why is he so bad at kicking for goal?"

 

[citizen-erased]

misses one shot yesterday
"why is he so bad at kicking for goal?"

Was under pressure too, which is often how his shots are taken
Zach will look to pass before he shoots often as a last resort