AFL Player # 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett (c) - Staying at Essendon! -16/9

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2027
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 10, I Remember Bluey

 

[yodellinhank]

Would Jack Billings

14

Jack Billings

Age

29

Ht

185cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.3

3star

D

19.7

5star

K

11.7

5star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.7

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

2.3

4star

D

13.8

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

4.6

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

and pick #5 be around the mark?

 

[DERO]

McGarth to Capitan?!

You know it makes sense.

 

[giveitime]

trading out the one bloke who has openly tried to change the shit show culture this football club is absolutely brainless



If he were to go, the football club is even more stupid than I had (not wanted) to give it credit for.


DO NOT TRADE OUT YOUR CAPTAIN. EVER!!!

Same bloke who wants to give Stringer & Lav longer term deals cause they are mates. Let him go

 

[BEEG]

I don’t think Zach would go.
However he is linked to Lyon - he wanted the club to hire him after Rutten was sacked and in the past has gone to him seeking guidance on his game (also went to Buckley, Selwood and so on).

If there is legitimate tension between ZM + Scotty at the moment I’ll be a bit worried about how this plays out. 0% chance the club lets him go, but really don’t want a Petracca situation

Scotty has issues with all 3 of Merrett, Leverde, Stringer.

He wants Merrett out of the wolfpac.

Merrett is filthy that the Wolfpac are on the way out.

Maybe the leak today is a message to Scott.

 

[katana]

Scotty has issues with all 3 of Merrett, Leverde, Stringer.

He wants Merrett out of the wolfpac.

Merrett is filthy that the Wolfpac are on the way out.

Maybe the leak today is a message to Scott.

interesting. you've posted this for a while. i've always found it hard to imagine those three as friends but the way the last few weeks have played out, it looks on the money.

 

[Duckworth]

This is the old bait and switch plan for the Saints to get Laverde. Well played Saints, he's yours.

 

[The Donners]

I wouldn’t like to see Zach go but is it a piece to the puzzle that is Harley Reid?

 

[justlookingaround]

interesting. you've posted this for a while. i've always found it hard to imagine those three as friends but the way the last few weeks have played out, it looks on the money.

Merrett, Lav and Stringer are close friends - that's not even a question

 

[Kong]

Good on the Saints. Miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

- Michael Scott

 

[katana]

Merrett, Lav and Stringer are close friends - that's not even a question

i'm not disputing that part, the part that the club is trying to break them up is clearly of note.

 

[ghostdog]

Bullshit.

 

[JayJ20]

I'll fully melt if Zach leaves. Zach's ability to kick a football is the only reason why we've been semi competitive for the last 8 years. If he leaves, we're done. And who is supposed to be our captain? That's even more laughable.

 

[justlookingaround]

I'll fully melt if Zach leaves. Zach's ability to kick a football is the only reason why we've been semi competitive for the last 8 years. If he leaves, we're done. And who is supposed to be our captain? That's even more laughable.

Yup, I was completely dejected after we lost Daniher, Saad and McKenna.
But if we lose Merrett I think I'll feel similarly about the club as I did in 2016.

 

[84859300]

Honestly - I'm 50/50 about it.

Con - he's a hard worker, our current best player and would be hard to replace next year

Pro - he doesn't play in our next flag, we'd be looking to reduce his CBA over the next 2 years to preserve his body and the draft capital we could source would help us to rebuild quicker

 

[Foxx]

Honestly - I'm 50/50 about it.

Con - he's a hard worker, our current best player and would be hard to replace next year

Pro - he doesn't play in our next flag, we'd be looking to reduce his CBA over the next 2 years to preserve his body and the draft capital we could source would help us to rebuild quicker

Wouldn't surprise me to see him still playing at 36.

 

[BomberFan355]

If he requested a trade you let him go, wasted enough of his career with us. Money would be nice but I’m sure he just wants to win a final.

 

[Howard Moon]

Honestly - I'm 50/50 about it.

Con - he's a hard worker, our current best player and would be hard to replace next year

Pro - he doesn't play in our next flag, we'd be looking to reduce his CBA over the next 2 years to preserve his body and the draft capital we could source would help us to rebuild quicker

I'm not sure any person playing in our next flag is born yet

 

[ant555]

Not seeing him go to the Saints. It will not be about the money. If he goes it will be to a team that is in contention to win a flag.
If we go full rebuild then I have no issues if we let him chase some finals success but that is not likely to be known until mid next year.

 

[ant555]

Bullshit.

Why bullshit ?
I would not be shocked if a couple of others are not asking his manager if everything is all good with him at Essendon.
They can offer.

 

[ant555]

I do not think I would be talking out of school to say that the dynamics are changing.
Heppell / Shiel / McGrath were pretty close. Heppell gone and Shiel will be before 2026 season.
Zacks boys in the same boat. Not sure that Merrett / McGrath are all that aligned. Bit like the left and right of a political party.

 

[ghostdog]

Why bullshit ?
I would not be shocked if a couple of others are not asking his manager if everything is all good with him at Essendon.
They can offer.

Because there's no story.
They're 'preparing' an offer. So, there is no offer.

It's a 'godfather offer', whatever that is, because there is no offer.

Has he even met with them? If there's a meeting I might pay attention. Until then, it's crap.

 

[Old Campaigner]

I do not think I would be talking out of school to say that the dynamics are changing.
Heppell / Shiel / McGrath were pretty close. Heppell gone and Shiel will be before 2026 season.
Zacks boys in the same boat. Not sure that Merrett / McGrath are all that aligned. Bit like the left and right of a political party.

It's hard to say with certainty from outside the club but Merrett and the coach seemed to be very much on the same page with regard to leadership and culture.

Anyway, it's probably just trade season clickbait. I have no doubt most gun players in the comp have 'godfather' offers from rival clubs.

 

[bomberlegend2007]

Because there's no story.
They're 'preparing' an offer. So, there is no offer.

It's a 'godfather offer', whatever that is, because there is no offer.

Has he even met with them? If there's a meeting I might pay attention. Until then, it's crap.

100%. Seems like a Tom Morris fill in the blanks type of story.

No doubt he talked to his source at St Kilda and said something like “any others you’re looking at?”

“yeah, like, we would love a player like Merrett”

“really? What would you offer him?”

“Oh, it would have to be a godfather like offer I would assume”

Morris edits it, you have a story.

 

[ghostdog]

100%. Seems like a Tom Morris fill in the blanks type of story.

No doubt he talked to his source at St Kilda and said something like “any others you’re looking at?”

“yeah, like, we would love a player like Merrett”

“really? What would you offer him?”

“Oh, it would have to be a godfather like offer I would assume”

Morris edits it, you have a story.

It's as likely as not.

 

[Old Campaigner]

100%. Seems like a Tom Morris fill in the blanks type of story.

No doubt he talked to his source at St Kilda and said something like “any others you’re looking at?”

“yeah, like, we would love a player like Merrett”

“really? What would you offer him?”

“Oh, it would have to be a godfather like offer I would assume”

Morris edits it, you have a story.

You're all over the process, have you considered a career in sports journalism? With natural talent like this you'll climb the ladder in no time