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Updated April 9, 2026 \u2014 4:28pm,first published 1:46pm<\/p>\n
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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 In today\u2019s AFL briefing:Winless after four games, Essendon coach Brad Scott has far more pressing matters than player partners leaving matches early.Former Carlton captain Sam Docherty and the Blues have broken bread.<\/p>\n Essendon coach Brad Scott 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 again wanted to attend swanky fine-dining Melbourne restaurant Gimlet<\/a>.<\/p>\n She had posted footage to TikTok having a drink at the venue \u201cwhen your husbands team is losing by 50 points at half time so you go to gimlet instead\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very fortunate to do what we do as players, coaches,\u201d Scott said on Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a lot of ways it\u2019s harder on the partners than the players.<\/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 \u201cthe Hangar\u201d that the Bombers have turned a corner after an improved showing in the second half against the high-flying Western Bulldogs<\/a>. Important defender Jordan Ridley will play his first game of the season this week against Melbourne, while prized draft pick and lifelong Bombers fan Sullivan Robey will also make his debut.<\/p>\n The 192-centimetre midfielder said he\u2019s ready to seize his opportunity in the top flight after an injury-interrupted start to his time at Essendon.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a challenging period with my back [injury] at the start of pre-season, but the support from the boys kept me going. I\u2019m just really grateful to get the opportunity to debut now,\u201d the No.9 pick from the 2025 draft said.<\/p>\n \u201cTelling Mum and Dad was pretty surreal \u2013 it was a really special moment to share with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Injury-prone defender Zach Reid has been cleared of hamstring damage.<\/p>\n Scott is now in the unfamiliar position of having choices at selection. Robey is the fifth and final graduate from the club\u2019s intake at last year\u2019s draft to don the sash at senior level.<\/p>\n Elijah Tsatas, who has been starved of senior opportunities since being selected with the No.5 pick in the 2022 draft, is also set to return to the side for just his 17th senior game.<\/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<\/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 \u201cThat should give the guys a bit of belief in what we\u2019re doing.\u201c Docherty to appear at Blues\u2019 Peter Mac Cup function<\/p>\n Former Carlton captain Sam Docherty and the Blues have broken bread, paving the way for the retired star to appear at club functions next week celebrating the Peter MacCallum Cup.<\/p>\n Docherty will appear at a breakfast on Monday morning and speak at the president\u2019s dinner before the game against traditional rival Collingwood next Thursday night at the MCG.<\/p>\n A cancer survivor, Docherty is a member of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation board, which aims to raise money to advance vital cancer research, and has been heavily involved in planning for this year\u2019s game.<\/p>\n Related Article There had been tension between the Blues and Docherty after the former player\u2019s expletive-laden analysis of the club\u2019s loss in opening round to Sydney was aired by media personality Dan Gorringe on his social media platforms.<\/a><\/p>\n It was reported Docherty had been due to appear at a club function before the round one game against Richmond, but the appearance he was pulled from was a quarter-time on-ground activation for a sponsor.<\/p>\n The club had deemed it inappropriate for him to appear due to his damning remarks about the team, but Docherty said there had been no ban from the Blues.<\/p>\n Docherty said he had spoken to Blues chief Graham Wright and messaged coach Michael Voss about the issue, and the air had been cleared.<\/p>\n \u201cThe conversation we had, he respected that I\u2019m allowed to have my opinion,\u201d Docherty, an analyst for 3AW after a 184-game career for Carlton and the Brisbane Lions, said.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, for the look of what happened, it wasn\u2019t the best look for the club to have me paraded around as part of the club, which I get. I didn\u2019t take any offence to it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had the conversations behind closed doors as we needed to. We\u2019ve moved on and there\u2019s no ill will towards the club and I don\u2019t think they have any to me. We\u2019re looking forward to next week\u2019s game and making it not about me is the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n Introduced in 1993, the Peter MacCallum Cup is the longest-running charity match in the league.<\/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![\"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
– With Russell Bennett<\/p>\n![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/79d3a2038ce682773cbb8c6e0a086dc787f1d745.jpeg\")
Sam Docherty will appear at a Carlton function for the first time since audio of his damning analysis of the team\u2019s play was aired.AFL Photos<\/p>\n![\"Blues](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7b3dcfd29425fa5150695907bbdf8115d8263084.jpeg\")
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