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
12
-
Per Game
Fantasy Points
1302
108.5
Per Game
Rating points
169.6
14.1
Per Game
Frees For
19
1.6
Per Game
Frees Against
10
0.8
Per Game
Bounces
10
0.8
Per Game
One Percenters
12
1.0
Per Game
Time on Ground %
988
82.3
Per Game
Disposals
333
27.8
Per Game
Disposal Efficiency %
903.4
75.3
Per Game
Effective Disposals
250
20.8
Per Game
Kicks
179
14.9
Per Game
Effective Kicks
113
9.4
Per Game
Kick Efficiency %
757.8
63.2
Per Game
Clangers
35
2.9
Per Game
Handballs
154
12.8
Per Game
Kick to Handball Ratio
14.8
1.2
Per Game
Rebound 50s
26
2.2
Per Game
Inside 50s
50
4.2
Per Game
Metres Gained
5274
439.5
Per Game
Contested Possessions
96
8.0
Per Game
Uncontested Possessions
229
19.1
Per Game
Intercept Possessions
36
3.0
Per Game
Turnovers
48
4.0
Per Game
Contested Possession Rate
369.8
30.8
Per Game
Ground Ball Gets
61
5.1
Per Game
Fwd 50 Ground Ball Gets
10
0.8
Per Game
Hitouts
0
0
Per Game
Hitouts to Advantage
0
0
Per Game
Clearances
39
3.3
Per Game
Centre Clearances
11
0.9
Per Game
Stoppage Clearances
28
2.3
Per Game
Hitout Win %
0.0
0
Per Game
Hitouts to Advantage %
0.0
0
Per Game
Ruck Contests
0
0
Per Game
Marks
59
4.9
Per Game
Marks Inside 50
4
0.3
Per Game
Marks on Lead
6
0.5
Per Game
Intercept Marks
3
0.3
Per Game
Contested Marks
4
0.3
Per Game
Goals
7
0.6
Per Game
Behinds
5
0.4
Per Game
Goal Assists
8
0.7
Per Game
Shot at Goal Accuracy %
500.0
41.7
Per Game
Shots at Goal
12
1.0
Per Game
Score Involvements
82
6.8
Per Game
Score Launches
20
1.7
Per Game
Tackles
61
5.1
Per Game
Tackles Inside 50
10
0.8
Per Game
Pressure Acts
268
22.3
Per Game
Defensive Half Pressure Acts
119
9.9
Per Game
Spoils
3
0.3
Per Game
Contested Defensive One on Ones
0
0
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
12 1302 169.6 19 10 10 12 988 333 903.4 250 179 113 757.8 35 154 14.8 26 50 5274 96 229 36 48 369.8 61 10 0 0 39 11 28 0.0 0.0 0 59 4 6 3 4 7 5 8 500.0 12 82 20 61 10 268 119 3 0 0 15
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 14 1451 169.6 20 12 11 14 1144 374 1054.6 266 203 124 836.4 40 171 16.8 28 57 5930 106 257 40 54 403.1 65 10 0 0 44 13 31 0.0 0.0 0 64 4 7 3 4 9 6 8 600.0 15 99 22 66 13 285 124 3 0 0 15
Game Stats
Victoria - team logo
Victoria
Essendon - team logo
Essendon
Played Games
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