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Zach Merrett says Essendon has ‘nothing to lose’ in mini elimination final against Hawthorn
ZACH Merrett says Essendon has been playing elimination finals for 10 weeks as a Hawthorn star warns the Bomber ‘juggernaut’ is travelling as well as Richmond. Plus amazing comebacks at two different clubs and all today’s breaking footy news.
TEN weeks of “elimination finals” has steeled Essendon’s charge towards finals, according to ball magnet Zach Merrett.
The Bombers have a sniff of September action, having won eight of their past 10 matches to be within a game and percentage of eighth-placed Geelong. FANS SURVEY: DO WE STILL LOVE OUR GREAT GAME? CONTENDERS: WHY YOUR TEAM CAN WIN THE FLAG ROBBED: COX FREE KICK STATS WORSE THAN YOU THINK But a sloppy percentage means the Bombers cannot afford another loss this season, ahead of Saturday’s MCG blockbuster against Hawthorn. Merrett today did his best to play down the pressure on the Bombers to perform. “Since the Geelong game we’ve had nothing to lose in a way,” Merrett said. “We’ve been playing elimination finals for 10 weeks now so we go in every week trying to improve, but we know we have to win every game to give ourselves the best chance to win finals, so every week is just throwing everything at the opposition and hopefully we get the four points.” Merrett said the mid-season loss to Carlton was the tipping point and the catalyst for the Bombers to adopt a “ruthless” defensive structure. RECAP ALL TODAY’S FOOTY NEWS IN THE BLOG BELOW The Bombers responded with inspirational wins over Geelong and GWS to get back on track. “A lot of questions were raised (after Blues loss) but as a playing group and as coaches we really highlighted our defence and wanted to be the most ruthless defence in the completion,” Merrett said. With games against Hawthorn, St Kilda, Richmond and Port Adelaide to come, the Bombers’ fate - to an extent - is in their own hands. Four wins wouldn’t necessarily guarantee a place in the top eight given their lowly percentage. Merrett said Essendon “might” consider tagging Hawthorn extractor and Brownlow standout Tom Mitchell to curb his influence on Saturday. Dyson Heppell kept Mitchell honest earlier in the year, but the Hawk accumulator still managed 29 disposals in a come-from-behind 23-point win. “It might be something we go to, but ultimately you have to play as a team to stop him and other good players like Isaac Smith and Jaeger O’Meara as well, we can’t just focus on him,” Merrett said, after laughing off the criticism around Mitchell not having an influence despite a mountain of possession. “I laugh when people say that he’s got no influence on games, he’s a super player, he gets a lot of contested possessions, clearances, kicks goals, it amazes me that he doesn’t get tagged... (he) can really hurt opposition players and teams.” Injured Essendon spearhead Joe Daniher, who ran laps at Tullamarine today, remains an outside chance of being available should Essendon reach the finals. Heppell made a planned early exit from training as Essendon carefully monitors the captain’s load towards the back end of the season. Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >
Originally published as Zach Merrett says Essendon has ‘nothing to lose’ in mini elimination final against Hawthorn