Zach Merrett

Zach Merrett
Personal information
Full name Zachary Merrett
Date of birth (1995-10-03) 3 October 1995
Original team(s) Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 26, 2013 national draft
Height / weight 180 cm / 80 kg
Position(s) Midfielder / Forward
Club information
Current club Essendon
Number 7
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2014 Essendon 59 (22)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2016.
Career highlights

Zach Merrett (born 3 October 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the 26th overall selection in the 2013 national draft.

AFL career

Merrett made his debut in the opening round of the 2014 AFL season against North Melbourne.[1] He was named as the substitute and came on late in the game, replacing Martin Gleeson.[2] 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.[3]

The 2015 AFL season saw Merrett spend more time in the midfield.[4] 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 after scans revealed a major stress reaction in his foot.[5]

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.[6] In addition, he won the W. S. Crichton Medal as the clubs best and fairest player, becoming the youngest player in 35 years to win the award.[7] A magnificent season was capped off by polling 19 votes in the 2016 Brownlow Medal. This was the 3rd most votes for a player who's team won 3 or less games, and the most for a Bombers player since Jobe Watson polled 30 votes.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2016 season[8]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team # Games G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
Totals Averages (per game)
2014 Essendon 27 20 11 2 170 134 304 67 79 0.6 0.1 8.5 6.7 15.2 3.4 4.0
2015 Essendon 7 17 4 4 186 195 381 60 98 0.2 0.2 10.9 11.5 22.4 3.5 5.8
2016 Essendon 7 22 7 7 349 308 657 110 136 0.3 0.3 15.9 14.0 29.9 5.0 6.2
Career 59 22 13 705 637 1342 237 313 0.4 0.2 12.0 10.8 22.8 4.0 5.3

References

  1. "AFL teams: Essendon names three debutants as a weekend of milestones awaits". ABC Online. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  2. Bowen, Nick (21 March 2014). "Veterans lead charge as Dons dispatch flat Roos". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  3. 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.
  4. Twomey, Callum (29 April 2015). "Zach Merrett: Quality over quantity". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  5. 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.
  6. Conway, Simon (14 August 2016). "Merrett seeks out Selwood". EssendonFC.com.au. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  7. Twomey, Callum (31 August 2016). "Young gun Don a runaway winner at Crichton Medal". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  8. "Zach Merrett". AFL Tables. Retrieved 9 September 2016.

External links

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