Essendon captain Zach Merrett is set to play his 200th AFL game when he lines up for the Bombers against Geelong at GMHBA this Saturday night.
Merrett was drafted by the Bombers at pick 26 in the 2013 national draft during a trying time for the Bombers off the field. The midfielder was set to be a shining light for the club.
He made his debut in Round 1 of the 2014 season against North Melbourne as a freshly faced 18-year-old with Mark 'Bomber' Thompson as head coach of the club with Tim Watson saying, “I reckon back in the day you were Bomber Thompson’s favourite player.”
“He certainly gave me a few free hits in my first year,” Merrett said on SEN Breakfast.
“I probably wasn’t quite ready at times to play but I think he wanted to invest in me early days and its certainly paid off now, I’m very grateful of Bomber.”
In Merrett’s first game he started as sub in what was a 39-point win over the Kangaroos for the Bombers.
“Was a unique experience having to wear the green and yellow lycra,” Merrett said.
“We were up by five or six goals when I came on so got a bit of a free hit when I started.”
It wasn’t until he played the Sydney Swans in Round 9, when recording 19 disposals and laying six tackles, that Merrett felt like everything was starting to click.
“I’d played eight or nine games and still didn’t really feel like I belonged,” he said.
“I felt if you play well against them, you were going pretty well and I had a decent game so I felt if I play well against them, I can play against anyone.”
There were a few moments in that game going up against some tough players, who would play in that year's Grand Final, that filled Merrett with confidence.
“Winning some one on ones against players such as Kieren Jack and Jarrad McVeigh filled me with great confidence post-game,” he added.
Merrett has had many great battles against players he’s lined up against including Patrick Cripps and Marcus Bontempelli, but mentions that players getting sent to tag him was “a shock to the system”.
It was those experiences which have helped shape him into the player he is today.
“You go from playing junior footy where its non-existent to now the opposition putting a player on you to stop you from having an influence on the game,” Merrett recalls.
“Now I feel like I have a lot more things in my kit bag to pull out and different skills I can go to so I can exploit that for the team.
“We have a really good system which allows me to go play and do what I have to do and it allows other players to really flourish.”
The new system under coach Brad Scott has really seemed to be working for the Bombers who are sitting fifth on the ladder with nine wins.
“The change of Brad has really given some freshness; we’ve been really clear and focused on our footy,” said Merrett.
“There’s definitely been more of an openness and sense of freedom for players to play with their strengths and natural flair.
“Brad can be strong in one sentence but can be very open and curious to learn the next, he understands how we’re all feeling which is really beneficial.”
Merrett becomes the seventh player to captain their side in their 200th game, joining an elite list of Bomber champions on Saturday night at GMHBA against the Cats.