Essendon captaincy news: Zach Merrett named captain, replaces Dyson Heppell
New Essendon skipper Zach Merrett says the club wants to give its supporters a team to be proud of as he leads the Bombers into their next era.
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Zach Merrett will captain Essendon in 2023 after the club announced it would back Dyson Heppell’s deputy to take the reins.
Merrett, who has been appointed the 41st captain in the club’s history, edged out speedy defender Andrew McGrath to claim the role.
McGrath was named vice-captain as the Bombers opted to give their three-time best and fairest winner the captaincy, a role Merrett had openly stated he wanted even after his shock leadership group axing in 2020.
It was a “huge honour” to take up the position, Merrett said.
“This is a great club with a great future, and I look forward to playing my role as an on-field and off-field leader,” he said.
“I feel very humble to have been given this opportunity, and I thank Brad Scott, the coaching staff, football department and my teammates for their confidence.
“This is a privilege which I am very grateful for and am very much looking forward to.”
Merrett, who has played 184 games in his 10-year career to date and as a 20-year-old captained two games during the club’s difficult 2016 season, said there was a “great energy around the group” as he and McGrath took over from Heppell.
“With Andy and I as captains, supported by a group of emerging leaders, we are all united and aligned in our vision to takeus back to being a successful football club,” he said.
“This is a journey for all Essendon people — we’re bringing everyone along for the ride and we are working really hard to make our members and supporters proud of this team again.
“I also thank Dyson Heppell who is a great mate and who has led the Bombers with such distinction over six seasons. He hasworked hard behind the scenes to get us to where we are today, and I hope we can reward his commitment with some great winsin 2023.”
MACCA: WHY MERRETT HAD TO BE DONS CAPTAIN
Glenn McFarlane
Three years ago this month Zach Merrett was dumped from Essendon’s leadership group following a players’ vote.
Early next week the 27-year-old midfielder could be the man charged with leading the Bombers into a brave, new era after Dyson Heppell made the decision on Friday to step away after six seasons as captain.
That would be some sort of turnaround for Merrett. He was a shock omission from the leadership group at the start of 2020, only to be reinstated a year later, and he now stands as the most logical choice to lead a club that has undergone a seismic transition in the past six months.
Essendon will go into 2023 with a new captain, new coach, new president, new chief executive, and new coaching, development and high performance staff in what could be a seminal starting point in the club’s impatient quest for success.
Heppell informed the players of his decision to step down as captain at 11am on Friday, just days after new coach Brad Scott indicated the job was still his if he wanted it.
Internally, Scott wanted the leadership issue to evolve through the summer months, but put a time frame on it. He wanted a captain installed before the first preseason game, which comes next week.
A leadership program was enacted in the past few weeks, initially with an indication that Heppell might stay in the role. But the veteran made the call himself.
Heppell has been a good leader through a tumultuous era for the club, and the selflessness he has often exuded for the team, must now be mirrored by the next wave of leaders.
Merrett is the logical candidate, ahead of defender Andrew McGrath and heart and soul Bomber Mason Redman.
McGrath sells the club — and the team — as well as anyone when he talks, and he clearly cares about Essendon.
And fan favourite Redman almost bleeds red and black, but will benefit from working within the leadership group before any further elevation comes.
If Merrett doesn’t win the job now, he never will. And if he is overlooked, the question marks will linger on why their best player — and seemingly their best option as captain — was overlooked after being a long-time vice-captain and sometimes stand-in skipper for Heppell.
No one has ever questioned Merrett’s ability — he has won three best and fairests and has only missed one podium finish since winning his first Crichton Medal in 2016 — but there hasn’t been the same surety about his leadership skills.
In a recent interview with foxfooty.com, Merrett spoke of his drive to not only get the best out of himself, but also the team.
“I think for me, I had to park my ego a little bit,” Merrett said. “I had a system that I felt was working, I was playing some good footy, but to get to that next level, I felt like I had to sort of get back to being a bit more vulnerable.”
That should be music to Brad Scott’s ears.
Leaving egos on the hook, and opening up to more vulnerability is something the Bombers need to collectively do if they want to get back to the same hungry and demanding club that they used to be a generation ago.
Add to that a sense of connection and greater communication that has appeared to be an issue, not just for Merrett, but for other senior players within the team.
Track watchers at The Hangar will tell you no one has worked harder than Merrett this pre-season.
As he said recently: “I changed my whole program basically when I finished the season, I definitely got fitter. I got a few more PBs under my belt, running wise and readjusted my whole gym program to cater for the way I wanted to run.”
“My attitude and mindset was very much around being the best defensive player at the club from day one and I’ve driven that extremely hard, but also did it myself without sort of talking about it, just sort of went about actions more than talking
“I think the guys are probably noticing that shift.”
By all reports, Merrett has worked on his connection with the group, which was a RFI (room for improvement) for him. He has had to shave off some of his demanding edges and open himself to different perspectives that come from different personalities within the group.
If the Bombers appoint him captain, it could well be the making of him as a leader.
Other than Heppell, no current player has been at Essendon longer than Merrett. He is contracted until the end of 2027, but has played only four finals from his 184 games.
All four of those finals resulted in losses, by an average of 45 points.
The long road back to changing that well-worn narrative starts now.
And the new captain, whoever it might be, must play a key role in trying to shape that.
Dons D-Day: Heppell makes captaincy call
- Chris Cavanagh
Essendon veteran Dyson Heppell has officially stepped down as captain after six seasons in the role.
Heppell told teammates of his decision to relinquish the position on Friday morning amid much speculation over who would serve as skipper at Tullamarine this year.
The Bombers are expected to confirm a new captain and leadership group over the next week, with midfielder Zach Merrett shaping as a hot favourite for the role.
Merrett served as vice-captain of Essendon last year, with Andrew McGrath having the title of deputy vice-captain in a slimmed down three-man leadership group.
Heppell, 30, turned down interest from the Gold Coast Suns at the end of last year to ink a one-year contract extension with the Bombers for 2023 in a move which is likely to make him a one-club player.
“As a little tacker, playing AFL footy was a dream, let alone playing for the club I supported and then further to that, becoming the captain of that club,” Heppell said.
“Over the past six years, I had enormous pride and respect for my role as captain. Leadership can be a tough caper at times, but it has given me so much joy and has played a big part in my growth as a person, player and teammate.”
Heppell first joined Essendon’s leadership group in 2013, before being appointed vice-captain in 2017 and succeeding Jobe Watson as captain in 2017.
“I owe an enormous amount of gratitude and thanks to the various players and playing groups, coaches, staff and Board members for backing me in over the years as well as our loyal fans and members,” he said.
New Essendon coach Brad Scott said it was a selfless decision by Heppell to step aside.
“Dyson has led the club through a difficult time in its long and proud history and has done so with great commitment,” Scott said.
“On behalf of the coaching staff and his fellow players, I thank him for his great service and look forward to working with him as an ongoing valuable contributor to the senior playing group.”
Heppell said in December that he was “more than happy” to hand over the reigns as captain if the playing group decided it was the best thing for the club.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as skipper but I’m not tied to the role at all,” Heppell said.
“If the group and the club feel that there’s someone else that’s better off to lead the group going forward, then I’m more than happy to step down and hand the reins over.”
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