![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ddb439a35602544b713c38672523d9b13febc6cda49bcf2dcf93af2f2438157f.png\")
Save<\/p>\nSave<\/p>\n
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Essendon coach Brad Scott declared he has no issues over player partner absence at matches after the social media furore over Zach Merrett\u2019s wife leaving last week\u2019s loss early.<\/p>\n Scott said he had no expectation on partners attending matches and joked he would dip into his own pockets if Merrett\u2019s wife Alexandra wanted to attend swanky fine-dining Melbourne restaurant Gimlet<\/a>. She had posted footage to TikTok having a drink at the venue \u201cwhen your husbands team is losing by 50 points at half time\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very fortunate to do what we do as players, coaches,\u201d Scott said on Thursday. \u201cIn a lot of ways it\u2019s harder on the players than the partners.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can absorb just about anything. When your partners have to absorb it, it can be extremely hard. I\u2019ll pick up Alexandra another gift voucher to Gimlet next week if she wants it.\u201d<\/p>\n Winless after four games<\/a>, Scott has far more pressing matters than player partners leaving matches early, and vandals damaging the club\u2019s training field by using petrol to write derogatory messages on the turf.<\/p>\n But there is hope at the Hangar the Bombers have turned a corner after an improved showing in the second half against the high-flying Western Bulldogs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Important defender Jordan Ridley will play his first game of the season this week against Melbourne while prized draft pick Sullivan Robey is pressing hard for a debut.<\/p>\n Injury-prone defender Zach Reid has been cleared of hamstring damage. Scott is now in the unfamiliar position of having choices at selection. Robey, if selected, will be the fifth and final graduate from the club\u2019s intake at last year\u2019s draft to don the sash at senior level.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a really good situation in terms of availability, but also some guys in the VFL playing good footy,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll make some changes and some guys, when we see them out, might feel hard done by, but we haven\u2019t been able to have that selection pressure for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bombers were expected to be hammered by the Dogs but limited the damage to a respectable 34 points after trailing by nine goals at half-time.<\/p>\n \u201cThe effort is hard to measure when the scoreboard\u2019s going against you,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people say you just want to see competitive effort but what they really mean is they want to see a tight margin. We look at it a little deeper than that.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the 2\u00bd quarters in the second half, back half of the second quarter onwards, we started to look like we\u2019ve trained.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThat should give the guys a bit of belief in what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Alexandra](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/94f7d5bdcb870a6351e0cf6b823b3419d9c880e6.jpeg\")
Alexandra Merrett left the Bombers\u2019 game early last week to attend fine-dining restaurant Gimlet.AFL Photos<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0da57c3f0986a034651de00e3471449a083a0125.jpeg\")
The TikTok post by Alexandra Merrett during Essendon\u2019s loss to the Western Bulldogs attracted widespread attention on social media.TikTok<\/p>\n