On Saturday, Zach Merrett skippered an Essendon team that was dismembered by the Bulldogs.
On Wednesday, he met with four immediate past Essendon captains at a South Yarra cafe to harvest their experiences.
Angus Clarke of the Bombers celebrates his first game and win with Zach Merrett.Credit: Getty Images
On Friday, under MCG lights, he led the Bombers to a professional victory over a depleted, callow Richmond in a Dreamtime match that didn’t ascend to heavenly heights – the first quarter was best watched from the bar or blindfolded – but it became close enough for long enough to be watchable.
“You always get to choose how you respond. Good and bad,” Merrett said of Essendon’s reaction to the 91-point obliteration by the Dogs. “The guys stood up reasonably well tonight, although frustrating to lose another couple of players to soft tissue.”
The Tigers had entered the game without their ruckman (and captain) Toby Nankervis and key position pillars at each end in Tom Lynch and the house-bound Noah Balta. Essendon’s losses mid-game – Kyle Langford (quad) and Zach Reid (hamstring) were more easily combed over, as the Bombers had supremacy in the midfield, owning the clearances and having 101 more disposals.
“They had a fair few out as well,” said Merrett. “So I don’t know; you take some positives out of it, you move forward but as you know, six days, in Brisbane, it turns around pretty quick as well. So the club are getting ready for a pretty big challenge up there as well.”
The Bombers had not changed much in the days following the Bulldogs game, as Merrett explained.
“Not really, we watched the first ten or 11 minutes last week, there’s a lot of things we were doing weirdly well – I think the score was only a goal the difference…then the Dogs really showed us a lesson around their ability to break contest and use their hands.
“It was about us getting back to the intent to the tackling and with our ball movement being a bit more exciting and generating a bit more excitment for the fans even. Not a lot changed.”
Essendon’s better players were around the ball. Nic Martin, voted best afield, combined with Merrett for 72 disposals. Jye Caldwell had 29, the enterprising Archie Roberts 34 and while hard nut Sam Durham had a modest 26, his impact was equal to that of Martin.
Nic Martin of the Bombers is announced as the Yiooken Trophy winner.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Merrett’s Bombers aren’t striving for glory and fame in 2025 so much as desperately seeking improvement. It was this desire to soak up the wisdom of elders that prompted Merrett to converse with “a dozen or two dozen” coaches and champions across the competition.
This week, he ventured closer to home by organising a meeting with four past Essendon captains. In chronological order: James Hird, Matthew Lloyd, Jobe Watson and Dyson Heppell. It is an initiative that he wants to cement with the current players.
“I got a free lunch. So I’ll say thanks Hirdy for that. He’s the big dog, he can pay for lunches. It was incredible. I mean, we’re trying to bridge that connection and the fabric of generations of Essendon players and captains and trying to bring our fans along for the journey as well. Obviously, moving away from Windy Hill 12, 13 years ago.
“Those guys are very good with their time as well. So I’m fortunate to have such good people mentoring me… to me, it’s more about just discussing what they’ve learned.
Zach Merrett of the Bombers in action.Credit: Getty Images
“I’ve been very lucky to meet a dozen or two dozen coaches, Brownlow medallists – you name it – across the journey. But it’s hard to go past champions of your own footy club and the fabric they have; to bring Hirdy and Lloyd back into the fold in some way I think should excite fans as well.”
Merrett wants the current Bombers to form bonds with the past greats he’s cultivated.
“I think internally we’ve moved on from all those scars. But externally, I think there’s a number of people still hurting a little bit. If we can try and bridge that gap as quickly as we can with a bit of urgency, I think those sort of meetings with Hirdy and Lloydy and Jobe of that era hopefully fast track that with that generation.
“There was so much success with the ’90s and 2000s and ’80s for me and our players and our current generation of young talent want to immerse themselves with those guys and if I can try and facilitate that as much as possible.
“I know Brad’s very open to those guys coming in and being part of our fabric as well.”
While disappointed to see Zach Reid injured in the Dreamtime game on Friday night, Merrett says the key defender now knows what he can achieve.
“We rate him so highly internally, the whole competition probably got a glimpse of what we’ve been seeing internally for four years now,” Merrett said.
“So disappointing to see him go down again now. He’s a terrific kid, I think now he knows he’s very capable at AFL level and no doubt that will excite him and motivate him in his rehab as well, which is going to be frustrating but hopefully it’s not going to be too long.”
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