Zach Merrett

Zach Merrett (born 3 October 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer, currently the captain of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) A medium-sized midfielder standing at 1.79 metres (5 ft 10 in) tall and weighing 83 kilograms (183 lb), Merrett is able to contribute as a hard-running midfielder capable of collecting a large number of uncontested possessions whilst also being capable of winning a contested ball and clearance. He was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the twenty-sixth selection in the 2013 AFL draft and made his debut in the 2014 season. Merrett is a four-time Crichton Medallist and three-time All-Australian; in 2023, he was selected to be the 41st captain of the Essendon Football Club.

Zach Merrett
Merrett playing for Essendon in August 2018
Personal information
Full name Zachary Merrett
Date of birth (1995-10-03) 3 October 1995
Place of birth Cobden, Victoria, Australia
Original team(s) Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)/Melbourne Grammar (APS)/Cobden Football Club
Draft No. 26, 2013 national draft
Height 179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Essendon
Number 7
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2014– Essendon 206 (64)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life and junior football

He grew up in Cobden, Victoria, before boarding at Melbourne Grammar School on a cricket scholarship. Merrett participated in the Auskick program at Cobden.[1] As a junior, Merrett played for Cobden Football Club and as a kid supported the Western Bulldogs. After a promising junior cricket career, Merrett focused on his football and had a breakout year. He played every game for Vic Country and impressed in many; he took that form into the end of the TAC Cup season, where he was a consistent contributor for the Sandringham Dragons. Known as a ball-winner in the TAC cup, he averaged 25.7 disposals a game during the tournament.[2] He is the younger brother and former teammate of Jackson Merrett.[3]

AFL career

Essendon (2014–present)

After predictions Merrett would be drafted inside the top thirty in the 2013 national draft,[4] he was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with their second selection and twenty-sixth overall. Merrett made his debut in the opening round of the 2014 AFL season against North Melbourne.[5] He was named as the substitute and came on late in the game, replacing Martin Gleeson.[6] He was rewarded with a nomination for the 2014 AFL Rising Star after he collected 22 disposals, three tackles, and two goals in the round 11 win against Richmond.[7]

The 2015 AFL season saw Merrett spend more time in the midfield.[8] In August, following Essendon's 87-point loss to the Western Bulldogs in round 18, it was announced that he would miss the remainder of the season with a major stress fracture in his foot.[9]

In round 21, 2016, he became the third-youngest match-day captain in Essendon history when he led the side against Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium. Under his leadership, they won just their second match for the season, defeating the Suns by six points.[10] He won the W.S. Crichton Medal as the club's best and fairest player for 2016, becoming the youngest player in 35 years to win the award.[11] His magnificent season was capped off by polling 19 votes in the 2016 Brownlow Medal. This was the third-most votes for a player whose team won three or fewer games, and the most for a Bombers player since Jobe Watson polled 30 votes (although Watson's award was later rescinded due to the Essendon Football Club supplements saga).

Merrett handballing during the 2018 AFL round 20 match against Hawthorn

Merrett was named vice-captain for the 2017 AFL season. He had another fantastic season, collecting 659 disposals, receiving his first selection in the All-Australian team, and being named vice-captain in the 22under22 team for the second year in a row.[12][13]

His 2018 season failed to reach the heights of his previous, after being concussed in the opening round against the Adelaide Crows.[14] He was continuously tagged throughout the year, but he showed signs of improvement as Essendon worked towards a resurgence.[15]

In January of the 2019 pre-season, Merrett injured his ankle, resulting in the use of a moon boot for 2 weeks; however, he was available for selection in round 1. Merrett went on to return to near his best football during the 2019 season, which was capped off with a second club best and fairest award, comfortable suppassing new Essendon recruit Dylan Shiel.[16]

The Essendon midfielder produced another brilliant season in 2020, averaging 26.3 disposals and 4.3 marks, a statistic ranked elite by Champion Data, in shortened quarters to finish second in the Crichton Medal. His 13 Brownlow Medal votes from 16 games, equal 11th overall, saw him rise to 12th position on the club's all-time votes leaderboard.[17]

Before the start of the 2021 AFL season, Merrett was re-added to the club’s leadership group with fellow Bombers Michael Hurley, Andrew McGrath and club captain Dyson Heppell. This was after being removed from the club leadership in the 2020 season, which was seen by some as a surprising move.[18] Merrett started the 2021 season in great form with 31 disposals and a goal in Essendon's round 1 loss to Hawthorn. With injuries to key midfielders Jye Caldwell and Dylan Shiel in Essendon's Round 2 lost to Port Adelaide, much of the midfield load was placed upon Merrett.[19] Merrett would share most of the midfield responsibilities with fellow emerging talent Darcy Parish, as both of them announced themselves as one of the most damaging midfield duos of the 2021 AFL season. This fact was made apparent in Essendon's round 11 win over the West Coast Eagles, where the duo would combine for 73 disposals, 13 inside-50s, 12 clearances, and 9 tackles. The performance would earn both Merrett and Parish 9 coaches votes each. After continuing his good form through to the midway point of the season, Merrett, on June 17 2021, re-signed with the Essendon Football Club on a 6-year deal until 2027.[20] After finishing the 2021 home-and-away season with 694 disposals (going at an average of 31.5 disposals a game, ranked elite by Champion Data) and 103 tackles (going at an average of 4.7 tackles a game, ranked above average by Champion Data), Merrett was awarded with his second All-Australian blazer.[21]

In 2022, Merrett had another consistent season, finishing runner-up in the Best and Fairest behind first-time winner Peter Wright. This was Merrett's sixth top-three finish in the Crichton Medal of his career, which included three wins.[22]

On February 21 2023, Merrett was named the captain of the Essendon Football Club, succeeding Dyson Heppell.[23] Merrett won the Yiooken Award for his best-on-ground performance in Essendon's 1-point win over Richmond in the 2023 edition of Dreamtime at the 'G.[24]

Player profile

Merrett plays as an outside-inside midfielder with the ability to win the ball at the source of the contest.[25] He was regarded as one of the best footy decision-makers out of the 2013 AFL draft pool and uses his left foot as a penetrating weapon to spot up teammates inside the 50-metre arc. Merrett is also known for his defensive work efforts and, as of July 2023, averages over 5 tackles a game.[26]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2023 season[27]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2014Essendon27 2011217013430467790.60.18.56.715.23.44.00
2015Essendon7 174418619538160980.20.210.911.522.43.55.81
2016Essendon7 22773493086571101360.30.315.914.029.95.06.219
2017Essendon7 2298382277659951220.40.421.411.830.06.44.815
2018Essendon7 2257281309590691320.20.312.814.026.83.16.010
2019Essendon7 23810338313651901240.30.414.713.628.33.95.416
2020[lower-alpha 1]Essendon7 162222119942069550.10.113.812.426.34.33.413
2021Essendon7 2347361364725971120.20.315.715.831.54.24.920
2022Essendon7 196629727557275820.30.315.614.530.14.04.317
2023Essendon7 228103362986341121210.40.515.313.528.85.15.5
Career 206646329212672559384410610.30.314.213.027.24.15.2111

Notes

  1. The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and achievements

Individual

References
  1. AFL Record. Round 1, 2022. pg 70
  2. Twomey, Callum (12 November 2013). "Draft in focus: Zach Merrett". AFL. AFL. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  3. Quayle, Emma (9 December 2013). "Brothers Zach and Jackson Merrett to play with the Bombers". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  4. Twomey, Callum (12 November 2013). "Draft in focus: Zach Merrett". AFL. AFL. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  5. "AFL teams: Essendon names three debutants as a weekend of milestones awaits". ABC Online. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  6. Bowen, Nick (21 March 2014). "Veterans lead charge as Dons dispatch flat Roos". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  7. Landsberger, Sam (2 June 2014). "Essendon youngster Zach Merrett the Round 11 AFL Rising Star nominee". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  8. Twomey, Callum (29 April 2015). "Zach Merrett: Quality over quantity". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  9. Lerner, Ronny (4 August 2015). "Foot injury could bring Essendon youngster Zach Merrett's season to an end". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  10. Conway, Simon (14 August 2016). "Merrett seeks out Selwood". EssendonFC.com.au. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  11. Twomey, Callum (31 August 2016). "Young gun Don a runaway winner at Crichton Medal". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  12. Waterworth, Ben (31 August 2017). "AFL All-Australian team for 2017 AFL season announced: Alex Rance named skipper of star-studded side". Fox Sports.
  13. Waterworth, Ben (12 September 2017). "AFLPA's 2017 22under22 team revealed: Marcus Bontempelli named captain of young gun side". Fox Sports.
  14. Morris, Tom (23 March 2018). "Essendon star Zach Merrett collected in brutal collision with Adelaide's Richard Douglas". Fox Sports.
  15. Jackson, Zane (15 July 2018). "Continual improvement required". Essendon FC.
  16. "Stand-in Dons skipper scores his second Crichton Medal". afl.com.au. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  17. "Zach Merrett". Essendon FC. 15 July 2018.
  18. Twomey, Callum (20 January 2021). "Zach is back: Dons reveal streamlined leadership group". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  19. Laughton, Max (27 March 2021). "A star is born; AFL's new bump normal is revealed: The 3-2-1". Fox Sports..
  20. Twomey, Callum (17 June 2021). "Gun free agent turns back on rival interest to sign MASSIVE deal". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  21. Laughton, Max (27 August 2021). "Demons' stunning 10-year All-Australian first as entire position ignored AGAIN: AFL Awards wrap". Fox Sports.
  22. "Wright claims maiden Crichton Medal". essendonfc.com.au. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  23. "Merrett appointed Bombers Captain". essendonfc.com.au. 21 February 2023.
  24. "Scott: "Zach got his just reward tonight."". essendonfc.com.au. 21 May 2023.
  25. "CA leader of Merrett: How Zach's role has changed at Essendon". The Age. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  26. "Zach Merrett". AFL Tables. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  27. "Zach Merrett". AFL Tables. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
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