![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n
The Bombers\u2019 coach, defending his relationship with the brilliant midfielder, said on Monday night he didn\u2019t realise the heaviness Merrett felt while carrying the captaincy.<\/p>\n
Jon Ralph speaks on Dan Gorringe drama | 03:21<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was obviously a difficult period for everyone. People don\u2019t believe you, but the narrative of \u2018there must have been some sort of breakdown between the player and coach\u2019 – that never happened,\u201d Scott said on Fox Footy\u2019s AFL 360. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe and I have always had a good relationship. Zach has, in a lot of ways, carried our club through a really difficult period, and I always understood the burden that leadership carries, particularly when your club is struggling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I probably missed last year is that because he is so good at compartmentalising and focussing on what he needs to, that it was probably weighing on him more than I realised.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything has unfolded the way that we fully expected to – he\u2019s come in and been our best trainer in the pre-season, which is no surprise, and he thrives on these moments in these big games. So, we probably should give him a percentage of the (Bombers-Hawks) gate receipts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Origin injuries continue to haunt clubs | 02:50<\/p>\n
The Bombers and Hawks clash at the MCG in a Friday night blockbuster, with verbal barbs certain to come Merrett\u2019s way as Essendon looks to claim a big scalp. <\/p>\n
But Scott and the club are leaning into the reignited traditional rivalry, with the fourth-year Dons coach telling media earlier on Monday: \u201cThe rivalry\u2019s real, no doubt \u2026 does it (the Merrett trade narrative) add spice? Probably.\u201d<\/p>\n
And when prompted by AFL 360 co-host Garry Lyon on the Bombers landing a blow back on the Hawks by offering Josh Weddle a mega contract prior to his re-signing, Scott was short and sharp. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the way things work. When you throw a punch, expect one to come back your way pretty quickly, especially at our club.\u201d<\/p>\n
‘He certainly won’t be going anywhere!’ | 01:29<\/p>\n
Asked if Merrett relinquishing the captaincy was agreed upon quickly by player and club, Scott said: \u201cReally quickly. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t even a discussion, because he came straight in and said \u2018this is what\u2019s best for me, and it\u2019s what\u2019s best for the club,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd as I touched on, I probably misread the burden that he was carrying for three years as captain. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we\u2019re going to see a Zach Merrett that has had that burden released and the shackles are off for him. <\/p>\n
\u201cI said, \u2018mate, unashamedly, you need to focus on yourself, and you just focus on being the best player you can be\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we\u2019ve got a lot of developing leaders that are coming through, and it gives us an opportunity now for Andy McGrath to flourish, for our young leaders to step into the void, and we still have Zach there as our on field cultural general.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Essendon coach Brad Scott has rejected the portrayed narrative that he and Zach Merrett had a relationship breakdown…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":528733,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,106612,64,63,55,639,696,262800,14385,262794,11231,659,10145,262798,61,3231,681,262796,262801,262797,211548,262795,85,7200,203357,262799,246554,25581],"class_list":{"0":"post-528732","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-afl","8":"tag-afl","9":"tag-andy-mcgrath","10":"tag-au","11":"tag-australia","12":"tag-australian-football-league","13":"tag-australianfootballleague","14":"tag-brad-scott","15":"tag-brilliant-midfielder","16":"tag-damien-hardwick","17":"tag-dan-gorringe","18":"tag-essendon-bombers","19":"tag-footy-world","20":"tag-garry-lyon","21":"tag-gate-receipts","22":"tag-gerard-whateley","23":"tag-jack-jovanovski","24":"tag-jon-ralph","25":"tag-leadership-carries","26":"tag-ongoing-injury-saga","27":"tag-origin-injuries","28":"tag-relationship-breakdown","29":"tag-representative-series","30":"tag-sports","31":"tag-sydney-swans","32":"tag-trade-drama","33":"tag-trade-narrative","34":"tag-young-leaders","35":"tag-zach-merrett"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=528732"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/528732\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/528733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=528732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=528732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=528732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}