Essendon midfielder Zach Merrett capped off an incredible individual odyssey in his 250th AFL match. He exhibited tremendous mental toughness and defied the odds after a traumatic physical ordeal. During the match against Carlton, Merrett sported a protective glove for support to his injured right hand. His hand had just come from the surgery room, where doctors have drilled six holes into his bone.
Merrett’s determination to play was evident. Yet he heroically charged onto the field, even as he was still sore from the injury that had cost him a start the week before. His coach, Brad Scott, added even more anticipation by declaring Merrett a certain starter for the match. He said, “It was never going to be easy for him to play but we and he were led to believe that there was no risk.
Throughout the contest, Merrett showed everyone why he deserved his nod as an All-American, logging 24 touches and registering a game-high nine tackles. As his kicking ability started to go, so too did his ability to make a fist. This restriction made him use his left hand while handballing, something Scott said posed a huge hurdle.
“A couple of times (last night) trying to handball right handed, you know, when it’s hard for him to clench a fist was, it was a challenge.” – Brad Scott
Nevertheless, in the face of these challenges, Merrett was one of Essendon’s best players as the Bombers went down to Carlton by 34 points on Friday night. Once the dust settled, fans were left divided about his actual performance. Others questioned why it made sense to play him in those circumstances. These comments spanned the gamut. Some derided his foolishness for risking a primary player with high potential on a serious injury. Others lauded his courage.
“Imagine playing your best player with six holes in his hand tonight for what? For his 250tk … ridiculous,” – A fan
Scott offered additional context to Merrett’s decision to play. He further claimed that medical staff had given them every guarantee that permitting Merrett to compete presented no danger.
“But again, it comes down to, we were assured by the surgeon and by the medicos that there was no risk. So once they told him that he was always going to declare himself fit to play,” – Brad Scott
Looking ahead, Brad Scott confirmed that Merrett is set to play in Wednesday night’s upcoming game against the Gold Coast Suns. The coach was optimistic about Merrett’s recovery and breakout performance as he continues to grind through his injury.
“I mean, unless there’s risk or he can’t function, but he’ll be better next week than he was this week,” – Brad Scott
