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Zach Merrett
Zachary Merrett (born 3 October 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Merrett is a three-time All-Australian and six-time Crichton Medallist; he also won the Yiooken Award in 2023 and the Anzac Medal in 2024. Merrett has served as Essendon captain since 2023.
Merrett grew up in Cobden, Victoria, before boarding at Melbourne Grammar School on a cricket scholarship. Merrett participated in the Auskick program at Cobden. 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. He is the younger brother and former teammate of Jackson Merrett.
After predictions Merrett would be drafted inside the top thirty in the 2013 national draft, 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. He was named as the substitute and came on late in the game, replacing Martin Gleeson. 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.
The 2015 AFL season saw Merrett spend more time in the midfield. 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.
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. 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. 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 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.
His 2018 season failed to reach the heights of his previous, after being concussed in the opening round against the Adelaide Crows. He was continuously tagged throughout the year, but he showed signs of improvement as Essendon worked towards a resurgence.
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 surpassing new Essendon recruit Dylan Shiel.
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Zach Merrett
Zachary Merrett (born 3 October 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Merrett is a three-time All-Australian and six-time Crichton Medallist; he also won the Yiooken Award in 2023 and the Anzac Medal in 2024. Merrett has served as Essendon captain since 2023.
Merrett grew up in Cobden, Victoria, before boarding at Melbourne Grammar School on a cricket scholarship. Merrett participated in the Auskick program at Cobden. 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. He is the younger brother and former teammate of Jackson Merrett.
After predictions Merrett would be drafted inside the top thirty in the 2013 national draft, 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. He was named as the substitute and came on late in the game, replacing Martin Gleeson. 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.
The 2015 AFL season saw Merrett spend more time in the midfield. 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.
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. 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. 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 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.
His 2018 season failed to reach the heights of his previous, after being concussed in the opening round against the Adelaide Crows. He was continuously tagged throughout the year, but he showed signs of improvement as Essendon worked towards a resurgence.
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 surpassing new Essendon recruit Dylan Shiel.