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

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Had a better game then Kav.

 

[Matthew_Lloyd]

Predictably got bullied off the ball by the bigger bodies, but he will be a very good player when he builds his body up. His ball handling was superb, especially considering the conditions. I'm ****ing excited for this kid

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Am i the only one who didn't rate his game tonight? fair enough he got a lot of the ball 17 touches but his Effective Disposal was very poor 41.2 DE% worst of any bomber player tonight. fail to see his "ELITE" skills. , in fact he had the worst Effective Disposal Percentage for the game. (inc suns players)

You're also the clown who labeled him and Fantasia a "fail" on draft night (and J Merrett for that matter) so forgive me for not giving a shit what you say about this kid.

 

[Old Campaigner]

You're also the clown who labeled him and Fantasia a "fail" on draft night (and J Merrett for that matter) so forgive me for not giving a shit what you say about this kid.

Some people won't be happy even if we draft the next Gary Ablett with pick 112.

 

[Paul_Barnard]

Am i the only one who didn't rate his game tonight? fair enough he got a lot of the ball 17 touches but his Effective Disposal was very poor 41.2 DE% worst of any bomber player tonight. fail to see his "ELITE" skills. , in fact he had the worst Effective Disposal Percentage for the game. (inc suns players)

Yeah he was poor, cant beleive he didnt have 35+ and kick 3 goals on he's debut...
Please check the vision of the pass he hit Hardingham's with on the run, then the follow up tackle he planted on an opponent double his size after he missed a handball..
You're in Lala Land... Kid will be a jet like he's brother...

 

[Andronicus]

Some people won't be happy even if we draft the next Gary Ablett with pick 112.

Fair enough too.

Should have got him in the rookie draft.

 

[rines]

I'm a big believer in the DE% stat.. but anyone who suggests that Zach didn't absolutely nail his debut performance has got rocks in their head..

I thought he was clearly the 'best' of the young kids (under 5 games) in our squad.. was hard at it.. clean hands, good pressure and knows how to find the ball.. was super super impressed..

Could have a real gem on our hands.. he and his brother look likely types..

 

[hurlygurdy]

Agreed. Just looks a footballer day one. His tackling was simply superb given age and size. The way he locked them up was like a pit bull!
Really surprised to see the poor DE score. Saw him get it wrong a few times but the times he got it right were golden. Staggering to think he really might break into the side this year...

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I'm a big believer in the DE% stat.. but anyone who suggests that Zach didn't absolutely nail his debut performance has got rocks in their head..

I thought he was clearly the 'best' of the young kids (under 5 games) in our squad.. was hard at it.. clean hands, good pressure and knows how to find the ball.. was super super impressed..

Could have a real gem on our hands.. he and his brother look likely types..

DE is rubbish.

A great example would be those two soccers off the ground - the first one would have been ineffective, because it was <30m and didn't hit a target. The second one would have been effective because it was >30m and didn't go directly to a Suns player.

 

[Ambrosia]

Could easily play 10+ games this year and if he is capable of that performance every week. He has probably leap frogged every young fringe player on our list except his brother.

 

[yaco55]

Has an element of class, though I would prefer he play the year in the VFL,unless he blitzes at that level.

 

[Kakkle]

Could easily play 10+ games this year and if he is capable of that performance every week. He has probably leap frogged every young fringe player on our list except his brother.

I can't see him playing a game let alone 10+

Give him a full year in the VFL to develop.

 

[rines]

Don't think he is 'Heppell-like' and will come straight in.. I can see him being given plenty of time in the VFL.. however he may crack 1-5 games in the seniors for experience.

I think he will adjust to the pace of it and given another 1-2 preseasons.. could be anything.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

The club are expecting him to take time.

 

[rines]

I still think they will be keen to get a few games into him for development.. perhaps end of the season when we are resting 'stars' for finals.. or around bye-week etc to give a player an extended break..

His brother benefited from playing seniors last year..

Having said that.. no way he plays major minutes and risks his small frame.. long term planning, long term planning.. we want a dynasty not just a premiership!!

 

[Whispering_Jack]

The club are expecting him to take time.

Any reason for that? He looked comfortable on Monday night. Is it just size and match fitness they want to get into him?

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Size - look at Jack Martin.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Size - look at Jack Martin.

I didn't think he was that small.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I must say, I was surprised how well he stuck his tackles, but he's definitely tiny.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

I must say, I was surprised how well he stuck his tackles, but he's definitely tiny.

I guess I shouldn't have been comparing him against Gleeson

 

[Old Campaigner]

I must say, I was surprised how well he stuck his tackles, but he's definitely tiny.

I thought this was great as well. The way he felled ruckmen twice his weight on several occasions was spectacular. Imagine how good he'll be when he's a 80kg ball of muscle.

 

[Jimmy1992]

Yeah and? i don't have to rate every player the same way you do.

would be a pretty boring forum if we all had the same opinion.

Don't rate either sorry to bust your bubble , Others do and good on them they are aloud to have a opinion.

I think more to the point is calling a pick a 'fail' when they haven't even played a game. How about you give them time before they are a pass or a fail. You can not rate a player all you want, but calling them a fail 3 months after picking them is a bit rich.

 

[Zach Package]

Ill wait and see then to label it a fail pick or not. At the moment i don't rate either. but good luck to the kid

with all due respect that's a dim witted attitude. you're allowed to not like it (I wouldn't have picked Fantasia either to be perfectly frank), but anything more than that and it's just tomfoolery

 

[Andronicus]

and seen the club only picked Merrett due to his brother playing at the club when i was i given info from someone inside the AFL world he wasn't really much chop skill wise and was questionable on a few things

Yeah.

I'm sure the people that know the most about this sort of stuff are in the position of leaking important info to the likes of you.

 

[Zach Package]

I also find it hard to believe we'd use the only halfway decent pick we had on a kind just because we already had his brother on the list as well.

Zac's one that i'm in the fortunate position to make an informed comment on, he's a talent. Deal with it. did he shag your daughter or something?