Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering AFL and NRL since 2020

The Zach Merrett Essendon role has become a talking point after the Bombers’ AFL season opener against Hawthorn on Friday night, with commentator Kane Cornes questioning the midfielder’s impact following an unusual pre match moment. Merrett, who previously captained Essendon before stepping down earlier this year, was seen warming up alone inside the rooms and then running onto the field last behind his teammates. The scene came months after the six time Essendon club champion requested a trade to Hawthorn at the end of last season. Essendon ultimately kept Merrett to his contract, but the circumstances surrounding his role at the club continue to attract attention.

The Bombers entered the match hoping to start their season strongly, but Hawthorn controlled large stretches of the contest. Despite Merrett collecting a game high 32 disposals and kicking an impressive goal, Essendon struggled to contain the Hawks’ midfield group. As the match progressed, Hawthorn’s younger midfielders began to win more contested possessions and drive the ball forward.

Readers following AFL discussion around coaching and team pressure can also see related coverage in our analysis of Anthony Seibold’s situation at Manly.

Pre Match Moment Raises Eyebrows

Before the game, television cameras captured Merrett completing parts of his warm up alone in the rooms. While individual preparation is common among players, Cornes said the moment that stood out was when Merrett ran onto the field well behind the rest of the team.

“We can read into this whatever we like, he looks like he’s on his own. I’m not going to be super critical of this, I was a player who liked my own space ... getting a drink but very much individual in this situation, not the captain anymore,” Cornes said on The Agenda Setters.

“I’m not going to read into it too much, but I did think the running out last — making a statement to run out last, way behind all of your teammates on the first night you’re not captain, that’s strange.

“Just go to the middle so it’s not making a big statement, not look at me I’m right at the back.”

Hawthorn Midfield Takes Control

While Merrett gathered plenty of the ball, Cornes questioned whether his influence matched the team’s needs. The Essendon midfielder finished with 32 disposals but recorded just two tackles and four clearances during the match.

Hawthorn’s young midfield unit, including Josh Ward, Cam Mackenzie and Connor Macdonald, showed strong energy around the contest. Their pressure around stoppages allowed the Hawks to win more inside possessions and push the ball forward through the corridor.

“He looked like he wanted to avoid contact. This is not the player Essendon need right now, they don’t need any more outside distributors,” Cornes said of Merrett.

“They need him to be Durham and do the grunt work inside.

“So if I’m Sam Mitchell, I’m reviewing the tape going, you know what, we’ve got Amon, we’ve got Impey, we’ve got D’Ambrosio. We don’t need another outside receiver.

“We’ll take Ward, McKenzie, Watson, Macdonald inside, give the minutes to the midfield who are 22-23, we’ll keep the three first round picks, we’ll keep the million bucks, and then we’ll go for Zak Butters, who we genuinely need.”

Debate Continues Over Essendon’s Trade Decision

The discussion around Merrett also connects back to Essendon’s decision not to trade the midfielder when he requested a move to Hawthorn last year. Cornes said he initially believed the Bombers made the correct decision but admitted that view could change over time.

Former AFL captain Nick Riewoldt questioned whether keeping Merrett ultimately helped the club’s list strategy.

“It was strong, but who did it benefit?” He said.

“I think it just benefited the way we viewed Essendon as a football club. It didn’t benefit their list.

“It didn’t benefit being able to make up for the Tsatas pick or the Nik Cox pick or the Perkins pick.”

Journalist Craig Hutchison suggested the decision may have slowed Essendon’s rebuild.

“It cost them an enormous quick rebuild that they are just unwilling to accept that they need to do quickly. They had a chance to be like Richmond and they baulked at it. The strong decision was to do the deal, not to not do the deal.”

What It Means for Essendon Going Forward

Essendon will be looking for a stronger collective performance in the coming rounds after a difficult opening match. The Bombers will also need greater defensive pressure around stoppages if they want to control midfield battles against younger and faster opponents.

Merrett remains one of Essendon’s most experienced players, and his role within the midfield will continue to be watched closely. With the season still in its early stages, the club has time to adjust both structure and on field roles.

How Essendon responds in the next few weeks will shape the early direction of their AFL campaign.