AFL Player # 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett (c) - Your ANZAC Day Medallist - 25/4

[Beerfish]

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

 

[Bunk Moreland]

He’s absolutely one of the best players in the competition and I hope he starts to be recognised as such. A player like Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

31

Ht

178cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

has been recognised as a two time Brownlow winner and I (probably being biased) think Merrett is at least his equal as a player. He’s tough, talented, irrepressible and a great leader. Not only does he get shitloads of the ball, he’s constantly the most impactful player on the ground. Absolute superstar who is heading toward being one of our all time greats.

 

[DERO]

He’s absolutely one of the best players in the competition and I hope he starts to be recognised as such. A player like Lachie Neale has been recognised as a two time Brownlow winner and I (probably being biased) think Merrett is at least his equal as a player. He’s tough, talented, irrepressible and a great leader. Not only does he get shitloads of the ball, he’s constantly the most impactful player on the ground. Absolute superstar who is heading toward being one of our all time greats.

If he stays on the park he is a red hot chance. Get on him.

 

[brain taylor]

i love this dude so much man

 

[VelvetSledge]

If not for Heeney’s ridiculous start to the year I’d have him leading the Brownlow

 

[Happyskeret]

I missed a bit of play and my mate said you should have seen that pass. I asked my mate was that Merrett? He nodded best field passer in the league.

 

[Donakebab]

He’s absolutely one of the best players in the competition and I hope he starts to be recognised as such. A player like Lachie Neale has been recognised as a two time Brownlow winner and I (probably being biased) think Merrett is at least his equal as a player. He’s tough, talented, irrepressible and a great leader. Not only does he get shitloads of the ball, he’s constantly the most impactful player on the ground. Absolute superstar who is heading toward being one of our all time greats.

The idiots in the mainboard gameday thread calling him a stat padder with no hurt factor is hilarious. I think even our own supporters under appreciate how good he is at times given his ridiculous consistancy. A decent game for him is a career best for many others. Absolute gun.

 

[andleanback]

He’s absolutely one of the best players in the competition and I hope he starts to be recognised as such. A player like Lachie Neale has been recognised as a two time Brownlow winner and I (probably being biased) think Merrett is at least his equal as a player. He’s tough, talented, irrepressible and a great leader. Not only does he get shitloads of the ball, he’s constantly the most impactful player on the ground. Absolute superstar who is heading toward being one of our all time greats.

Lachie Neale is a great player but I’d have Zach any day of the week. Imagine the damage Zach would do in a top 4 side

 

[bommer16]

The idiots in the mainboard gameday thread calling him a stat padder with no hurt factor is hilarious. I think even our own supporters under appreciate how good he is at times given his ridiculous consistancy. A decent game for him is a career best for many others. Absolute gun.

I’ve never under appreciated his effort each week he’s just Mr Reliable. I don’t ever need to worry about his commitment or contribution. Wish we had 10 of him.

 

[Happyskeret]

I always feel guilty when I don’t put him in the votes. Am I the only one who thinks it’s harder this year? The top 3 best used to be easy now I find it hard splitting votes against the top eight. It’s a good sign methinks.

 

[windyhill]

Boringly Brilliant.

 

[fairbump_playon]

I got him at $41 around a month ago, he's into $13.

So obviously I'm biased but if he can stay out of trouble he's a big chance I reckon. He's a perfect Brownlow midfielder, in everything, gets plenty of the ball and uses it well. And a proven vote getter, since 2016 he's gone 19, 15, 10, 16, 13, 20, 17 and 17 votes.

If he wins the Brownlow I’ll be stoked because we have probably won enough games to finish top 4.

 

[Happyskeret]

The connection between captain and coach felt strong today.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Boringly Brilliant.

Agree - a bit like me

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I'll always fondly recall that thread on the polls board in years past that put Merrett up against his peers as the best players out of the 2013 draft, along with Kelly, Cripps, and Bont; and how much everyone sneered and were so emphatic he wasn't fit to tie those other players' bootlaces.

Joke's on those campaigners. lol

 

[Vander18]

Well notch me down for getting it so right!! HAHAHA

Temper that with the fact I thought Kobe Mutch would be a 200 gamer....

I’m still waiting for Andrew Ukovic to come good….happens to the best of us.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

im still in disbelief that he was turfed out of the leadership group for joey and Raz, just shows where the club was then and how much work was required to change the culture.
Side note: also think the way woosh was not fussed with pushing goddard out was a sign of the poor culture. Goddard and Zach were great for the club during the 2016 season and they both have a high expectation of themselves as well as others which can rub some the wrong way, we needed people like that around the club holding others accountable.

Not a knock on Dys who I think has also helped the club a lot in his own way, I just think the two style complimented each other (as we are seeing this year).

 

[Vander18]

im still in disbelief that he was turfed out of the leadership group for joey and Raz

But finances were strong so everything was fine. Footy secondary.

Extraordinary in hindsight.

 

[bacon buster]

Get on him for the Brownlow

Leads by example, so consistent. Has gone up a level. His interview with Buckley showed him to be a great bloke too

 

[justlookingaround]

im still in disbelief that he was turfed out of the leadership group for joey and Raz, just shows where the club was then and how much work was required to change the culture.
Side note: also think the way woosh was not fussed with pushing goddard out was a sign of the poor culture. Goddard and Zach were great for the club during the 2016 season and they both have a high expectation of themselves as well as others which can rub some the wrong way, we needed people like that around the club holding others accountable.

Not a knock on Dys who I think has also helped the club a lot in his own way, I just think the two style complimented each other (as we are seeing this year).

It’s a massive testament to Zach as an individual the way he handled getting kicked out of the leadership group.
Let’s not forget it happened a year out from his contract season, he could've said '**** this place' and walked out for big bucks into a side ready to contend. Sliding doors moment, cos if he does that we'd be North level bad right now, I reckon.
Instead he stayed and worked on his game, then even when everything went to shit again worked even harder and is now leading the club incredibly from the front, sculpting a team's culture in his image alongside a coach that shares his ethos.

 

[ant555]

The idiots in the mainboard gameday thread calling him a stat padder with no hurt factor is hilarious. I think even our own supporters under appreciate how good he is at times given his ridiculous consistancy. A decent game for him is a career best for many others. Absolute gun.

Well some people see what they want to. He used to pad his stats with cheap back half kicks but now days there is none of that

 

[VelvetSledge]

Another 10 coaches votes.

He's just a sublime footballer.

 

[Yoda_]

He’s absolutely one of the best players in the competition and I hope he starts to be recognised as such. A player like Lachie Neale has been recognised as a two time Brownlow winner and I (probably being biased) think Merrett is at least his equal as a player. He’s tough, talented, irrepressible and a great leader. Not only does he get shitloads of the ball, he’s constantly the most impactful player on the ground. Absolute superstar who is heading toward being one of our all time greats.

Ive been yelling from the roof tops for 3 years that he is one of the most under rated players in the comp.

Absolutely worth being spoken about in the top 10 - 20 players in the comp now. He is that good

 

[Vander18]

Have said it before, will say it again….i was so, so wrong about this guys leadership capability.

Surely he’s in the mix for AA Captaincy.

 

[cAsEy_18]

Could not have begrudge the guy if he had chosen to leave a few years ago when he instead signed a 6-year deal.
Would’ve been one of the few that I would’ve genuinely wished well and still hoped to succeed.
The guy just deserves to win.

 

[Mercurial89]

I'd be putting him and any personality tests he's taken in front of our recruiting staff.

This is the type of mindset you need in players to Lift this club out of the shit we have found ourselves in.

Wants to win, loves football, watches other games because he's interested in the competition, has from the moment he walked in the door done things to improve, could have left and probably deserved better than what this club has given him.

All truly great players have those characteristics. You can go a long way with just those mental traits before you bring physical talent into it.
Get more of them, target it and we may be able to get to where we need to.