Merrett 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
Merrett playing for Essendon in 2018
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or fewer games, and the most for a Bombers player since Jobe Watson polled 30 votes (although Watson's award was later rescinded due to the Essendon Football Club supplements saga).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 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]
In 2024, Merrett won the Anzac Medal for his performance in the annual Anzac Day match against Collingwood, in a match that was drawn.[25]
Player profile
Merrett handballing in 2018
Merrett plays as an outside-inside midfielder with the ability to win the ball at the source of the contest.[26] 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.[27]
↑ 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.
The Crichton Medal is the name given to the best and fairest award for the Australian rules football team the Essendon Football Club. The naming of the award is in honour of Wally Crichton, a former administrator for Essendon. The voting system as of the 2017 AFL season consists of five coaches, giving each player a ranking from zero to five after each match. Players can receive a maximum of 25 votes for a game.
Brent Stanton is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire career for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Cale Hooker is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
David Zaharakis is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played 13 seasons for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
The Dreamtime at the 'G is an annual Australian rules football match between Australian Football League clubs Essendon and Richmond.
Dyson Heppell is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Heppell won the AFL Rising Star award in his first season in 2011, and won a Crichton Medal and All-Australian selection in 2014. He served as Essendon captain from the 2017 season, and relinquished the captaincy before 2023 season proper having led the side 107 times.
Michael George Hibberd is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club and Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A defender, 1.87 metres tall and weighing 94 kilograms (207 lb), Hibberd plays primarily on the half-back flank. After spending the 2008 season with the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup, he missed out on selection in the 2008 AFL draft, which saw him spend two seasons in the Victorian Football League (VFL) with the Frankston Football Club. After winning Frankston's best and fairest and the Fothergill-Round Medal as the VFL's most promising young player in 2010, he was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the fourth selection in the 2011 pre-season draft.
The 2013 Essendon Football Club season is the club's 115th season in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Joe Daniher is an Australian rules footballer with the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Essendon Football Club from 2013 to 2020, having been recruited to the club under the father–son rule. Daniher won a Crichton Medal and All-Australian selection in 2017, as well as the 2017 AFL Mark of the Year and Anzac Medal for that season. He is a four-time Essendon leading goalkicker and a one-time Brisbane Lions leading goalkicker.
Orazio Maurice Fantasia is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the 55th overall selection in the 2013 national draft. He previously played for the Essendon Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club.
Jake Kelly is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having been initially drafted to the Adelaide Football Club. Kelly was drafted with pick 40 in the 2014 Rookie Draft, and is the son of former Collingwood player Craig.
Jacob Weitering is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Darcy Parish is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Clayton Oliver is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A midfielder, 1.89 metres tall and weighing 87 kilograms (192 lb), Oliver is known for his capabilities on the inside due to his handball and clearance work. He was a late bloomer in his junior career, where he struggled to play in the TAC Cup in 2014 and he missed selection in the 2015 AFL Under 18 Championships. After playing with the Murray Bushrangers in 2015, his achievements included best and fairest wins for the league and the Murray Bushrangers, which resulted in Melbourne drafting him with the fourth selection in the 2015 AFL draft. He made his debut in the 2016 season, which garnered a Rising Star nomination. After his second season in the AFL, he was adjudged the best young player by the AFL coaches.
Anthony William Watson McDonald-Tipungwuti is a former professional Australian rules football player for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Essendon with their second selection in the 2015 rookie draft.
Christian Petracca is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A midfielder, 1.87 metres tall and weighing 98 kilograms (216 lb), Petracca has the ability to play dual-positions as a forward and a midfielder both on the inside and outside.
Samuel Weideman is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A key forward, Weideman is 1.96 metres tall and weighs 97 kilograms (214 lb). He played top-level football early, playing in the TAC Cup as a bottom-aged player. His achievements as a junior included two best and fairest awards and national representation. Even though an ankle injury forced him to miss the majority of his final year of junior football, he was drafted by Melbourne with the ninth selection in the 2015 AFL draft. He made his AFL debut in 2016, making him a third-generation footballer, whereby he is the grandson of the Collingwood Football Club's 1958 premiership captain, Murray Weideman, and the son of former Collingwood player, Mark Weideman.
Andrew McGrath 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 first overall selection in the 2016 national draft.
Archie Perkins is an Australian rules footballer who plays for Essendon in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the Essendon with the 9th draft pick in the 2020 AFL draft.
The 2023 Essendon Football Club season was the club's 125th season playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club also fielded an AFLW side that competed in the AFLW's 8th Season. Essendon also fielded reserve teams for the AFL and AFLW in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the VFLW. This was the club's 14th season in the VFL.
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