Zach Merrett

7
Zach Merrett
Essendon • Midfielder
179 cm • 30 yrs
Total Games
-
Last Played
N/A
Last Win
N/A
Last Loss
N/A
Wins: 0; Losses: 0
Debut
2014
Drafted
#26 2013 National Draft
Recruited From
Cobden (Vic)/Melbourne Grammar (Vic)/Sandringham U18
Clearances
Total: 0
AVG: 0.0
Pick A Season:
Player Bio
Player Statistics
Player Bio
Zach Merrett

If it wasn’t already obvious, the inspirational Essendon captain put it beyond any shadow of a doubt by the end of last season that he is one of the Bombers’ all-time greats. After yet another sensational campaign, which incredibly didn’t yield All-Australian honours, Merrett became just the fourth player in Essendon’s storied history to win the Crichton Medal at least five times, along with legendary trio Dick Reynolds, Bill Hutchison and James Hird. His 2024 numbers, which included 69.4 per cent disposal efficiency, 9.6 contested possessions, 4.3 clearances, 2.1 centre clearances and five tackles a game, were again elite. Contracted until 2027.

Honours

All Australian (2017, 2021, 2023), Crichton Medal (2016, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), Crichton Medal runner-up (2020, 2022), Crichton Medal third place (2018), Essendon Captain (2023 - Present), Yiooken Award (2023), International Rules Series (2017), AFLPA 22under22 team (2016, 2017, 2018), McCracken Medal (2023, 2024, 2025), Lindsay Griffiths Rising Star (2015), AFL Rising Star nominee (Round 11, 2014), John Kilby Best Clubman (2016), Bill Hutchison Community Award (2017).

Games Total & AVG Per Game
Matches played
20
-
Per Game
Fantasy Points
2105
105.3
Per Game
Rating points
253.7
12.7
Per Game
Frees For
31
1.6
Per Game
Frees Against
14
0.7
Per Game
Bounces
15
0.8
Per Game
One Percenters
25
1.3
Per Game
Time on Ground %
1672
83.6
Per Game
Disposals
544
27.2
Per Game
Disposal Efficiency %
1514.1
75.7
Per Game
Effective Disposals
409
20.5
Per Game
Kicks
289
14.5
Per Game
Effective Kicks
189
9.5
Per Game
Kick Efficiency %
1313.7
65.7
Per Game
Clangers
57
2.9
Per Game
Handballs
255
12.8
Per Game
Kick to Handball Ratio
24.4
1.2
Per Game
Rebound 50s
51
2.6
Per Game
Inside 50s
75
3.8
Per Game
Metres Gained
7971
398.6
Per Game
Contested Possessions
157
7.9
Per Game
Uncontested Possessions
369
18.5
Per Game
Intercept Possessions
59
3.0
Per Game
Turnovers
80
4.0
Per Game
Contested Possession Rate
636.3
31.8
Per Game
Ground Ball Gets
102
5.1
Per Game
Fwd 50 Ground Ball Gets
14
0.7
Per Game
Hitouts
0
0
Per Game
Hitouts to Advantage
0
0
Per Game
Clearances
63
3.2
Per Game
Centre Clearances
20
1.0
Per Game
Stoppage Clearances
43
2.2
Per Game
Hitout Win %
0.0
0
Per Game
Hitouts to Advantage %
0.0
0
Per Game
Ruck Contests
0
0
Per Game
Marks
96
4.8
Per Game
Marks Inside 50
7
0.4
Per Game
Marks on Lead
8
0.4
Per Game
Intercept Marks
7
0.4
Per Game
Contested Marks
5
0.3
Per Game
Goals
9
0.5
Per Game
Behinds
5
0.3
Per Game
Goal Assists
11
0.6
Per Game
Shot at Goal Accuracy %
700.0
35.0
Per Game
Shots at Goal
15
0.8
Per Game
Score Involvements
121
6.1
Per Game
Score Launches
27
1.4
Per Game
Tackles
98
4.9
Per Game
Tackles Inside 50
13
0.7
Per Game
Pressure Acts
420
21.0
Per Game
Defensive Half Pressure Acts
221
11.1
Per Game
Spoils
9
0.5
Per Game
Contested Defensive One on Ones
1
0.1
Per Game
Contested Defensive Losses
0
0
Per Game
Total Stats
Stage Team MP AF R FF FA B OP TOG% D DE% ED K EK KE% C H KHB R50S I50S MG CP UP IP T CPR GBG F50GBG HO HTA CLR CC SC HTW% HTA% RC M Mi50 MOL IM CM G B GA GA% SAG SI SL T Ti50 PA DHPA S CDOOO CDL CV
AFL Season 2026
Regular Season
ESS
20 2105 253.7 31 14 15 25 1672 544 1514.1 409 289 189 1313.7 57 255 24.4 51 75 7971 157 369 59 80 636.3 102 14 0 0 63 20 43 0.0 0.0 0 96 7 8 7 5 9 5 11 700.0 15 121 27 98 13 420 221 9 1 0 23
AFL Preseason 2026
Preseason
ESS
1 76 0.0 0 1 0 0 78 21 76.2 16 14 11 78.6 2 7 2.0 1 4 415 6 12 2 2 33.3 4 0 0 0 4 2 2 0.0 0.0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.0 1 6 2 4 3 17 5 0 0 0 0
AFL Origin 2026
AFL Origin
VIC
1 73 0 1 1 1 2 78 20 75.0 0 10 0 0.0 3 10 0.0 1 3 241 4 16 2 4 0.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0 0.0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 100.0 2 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 22 2254 253.7 32 16 16 27 1828 585 1665.3 425 313 200 1392.3 62 272 26.4 53 82 8627 167 397 63 86 669.6 106 14 0 0 68 22 46 0.0 0.0 0 101 7 9 7 5 11 6 11 800.0 18 138 29 103 16 437 226 9 1 0 23
Game Stats
Victoria - team logo
Victoria
Essendon - team logo
Essendon
Played Games
Sun 2 Aug 2026 4:40 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
73 : 145
Crows won by 72 pts
Adelaide Crows Crows
📍 Marvel Stadium
Sat 25 Jul 2026 4:15 pm
Hawthorn Hawks
Full Time
132 : 39
Hawks won by 93 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 MCG
Sun 19 Jul 2026 4:40 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
67 : 64
Bombers won by 3 pts
GWS Giants Giants
📍 Marvel Stadium
Sun 12 Jul 2026 4:40 pm
Brisbane Lions Lions
Full Time
149 : 59
Lions won by 90 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 Gabba
Sun 5 Jul 2026 3:15 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
50 : 117
Saints won by 67 pts
St Kilda Saints
📍 Marvel Stadium
Sun 28 Jun 2026 3:15 pm
North Melbourne Kangaroos
Full Time
79 : 65
Kangaroos won by 14 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 Marvel Stadium
Sat 13 Jun 2026 1:15 pm
Melbourne Demons
Full Time
95 : 50
Demons won by 45 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 MCG
Sun 7 Jun 2026 7:20 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
67 : 72
Blues won by 5 pts
Carlton Blues
📍 MCG
Sun 31 May 2026 7:20 pm
West Coast Eagles Eagles
Full Time
85 : 55
Eagles won by 30 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 Optus Stadium
Fri 22 May 2026 7:40 pm
Richmond Tigers
Full Time
74 : 56
Tigers won by 18 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 MCG
Sun 17 May 2026 1:10 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
61 : 104
Dockers won by 43 pts
Fremantle Dockers
📍 MCG
Sat 9 May 2026 4:15 pm
GWS Giants Giants
Full Time
103 : 89
Giants won by 14 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 ENGIE Stadium
Sat 2 May 2026 12:35 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
79 : 143
Lions won by 64 pts
Brisbane Lions Lions
📍 Marvel Stadium
Sat 25 Apr 2026 3:15 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
60 : 137
Magpies won by 77 pts
Collingwood Magpies
📍 MCG
Sat 18 Apr 2026 1:15 pm
Gold Coast Suns Suns
Full Time
119 : 110
Suns won by 9 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 People First Stadium
Sat 11 Apr 2026 1:15 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
113 : 68
Bombers won by 45 pts
Melbourne Demons
📍 Adelaide Oval
Sun 5 Apr 2026 7:20 pm
Western Bulldogs Bulldogs
Full Time
99 : 65
Bulldogs won by 34 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 Marvel Stadium
Sat 28 Mar 2026 7:35 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
69 : 81
Kangaroos won by 12 pts
North Melbourne Kangaroos
📍 Marvel Stadium
Sun 22 Mar 2026 3:15 pm
Port Adelaide Power
Full Time
133 : 70
Power won by 63 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 Adelaide Oval
Fri 13 Mar 2026 7:40 pm
Essendon Bombers
Full Time
83 : 145
Hawks won by 62 pts
Hawthorn Hawks
📍 MCG
Sat 28 Feb 2026 3:10 pm
St Kilda Saints
Full Time
115 : 72
Saints won by 43 pts
Essendon Bombers
📍 Mars Stadium
Sat 14 Feb 2026 7:40 pm
Western Australia Western Australia
Full Time
101 : 125
Victoria won by 24 pts
Victoria Victoria
📍 Optus Stadium