VWeekend<\/a>. \u201cEspecially because he\u2019s been such a loved player of the game for so long and for people to\u00a0question his character was hard to sit back and listen to. <\/p>\n\u201cKnowing him and the way he goes about things, it couldn\u2019t be further from the truth. <\/p>\n
\u201cFooty brings people together and can be so amazing and so happy. And then you just get to see those little sides of it that can be a bit scary.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Merretts stayed close to their inner circle\u00a0and kicked on with strong support from family and friends. Their 20-month-old son Jude, a ball of energy who oozes cuteness, was a source of great joy and distraction. Alexandra says his blonde locks make him the spitting image of Zach when he was a baby.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everyone talks perspective,\u2019\u2019 the star midfielder says. \u201cIt certainly shifts your mindset a bit \u2013 footy is everything until you have a child, and then they become everything and everything comes after that. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt adds a different layer, you prioritise things in your life differently with him first and then footy. He\u2019s been a massive blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexandra agrees that having Jude has been the best tonic.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust being with family helped,\u2019\u2019 she says. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou do stop and think we are so grateful and lucky, Zach is an incredible husband and partner and father and we have so much to be grateful for so we were focusing on the positives.<\/p>\n
\u201cZach loves footy, that\u2019s his passion. Ultimately I\u2019m not the one who\u2019s living and breathing it and whatever is going to make him happy, Jude and I will support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zach Merrett says he\u2019s grateful for his parents,his manager and Alexandra \u2013 who he married at Melbourne CBD venue Maison Batard earlier this year \u2013 for helping him maintain a calmness in the middle of the storm. \u201cWe live such unique lives as footballers and I\u2019ve got some incredible people close to me,\u201d the 30-year-old says.<\/p>\n
He was raised by Greg and Cathy Merrett in dairy farming town Cobden, southwest of Melbourne. Cathy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 23, before Zach was born. <\/p>\n
He has previously spoken of his mum\u2019s battle with the debilitating disease as giving him another dose of perspective.<\/p>\n
Zach later attended Melbourne Grammar School on a cricket scholarship, but was ultimately drafted to Essendon at pick No.26 in 2013. He has since notched 274 games for the club, yielding him three All-Australian blazers, six Crichton medals as the Bombers\u2019 best and fairest player, the coveted Anzac medal in 2024 and a run in the Victorian team in this year\u2019s State of Origin match in Perth.<\/p>\n
Zach also captained Essendon from 2023 to 2025. The role was \u201can honour that was a childhood dream of mine running around the backyard in Cobden\u201d, the star midfielder previously said. But he also knew his decision to seek a trade would make it untenable. <\/p>\n
Upon his return to the club ahead of the 2026\u00a0season, he relinquished the coveted role. <\/p>\n
And then coach Brad Scott \u2013 who he considered a\u00a0mentor and still does \u2013 was shown the door in\u00a0May, following the club\u2019s dismal 1-10 start to\u00a0the season. <\/p>\n
\u201cBeing pulled apart with media, you\u2019re required to do a fair bit as captain and I was away from Jude a lot,\u2019\u2019 Zach says. \u201cI felt midway through that year (2025) I was going to consider stepping down at the end of the year anyway. It was the right decision for me professionally and personally. And Andy (McGrath) was ready and has a great ability to connect with all the players.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hard but easy in a sense as it was the right decision for me to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
On top of that, Zach was keen to get back to work with not a second thought given to sulking and wasting more time. He\u2019s not wired that way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt I knew why (Essendon) kept me, because they knew I\u2019d come back and perform and be the ultimate professional, so in that part it didn\u2019t wane,\u2019\u2019 he says. \u201cI think the hard part was the fact we were losing so many games and we couldn\u2019t quite get it together. And we couldn\u2019t quite string together enough momentum. But all the boys, we all stuck together through a pretty tough year. <\/p>\n
\u201cLosing a coach is pretty tough. It\u2019s always hard because you grow such a strong connection and I captained with (Scott) for three years and he was and continues to be incredible for me. A mentor and his leadership, to see him go was tough. But the way the industry is, you wake up the next day and you\u2019ve got to move pretty quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
The thing that irked Zach the most throughout the whole saga was the perception that his Bombers teammates resented him for seeking a trade. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the funniest one I found the whole time,\u2019\u2019 he says. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt kept getting played up that teammates were pissed off. But the love and care and messages and calls I had from 95 per cent of my teammates was very strong. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have relationships that will last far beyond footy and that was the one that kept getting brought up. It was maybe five per cent the other way (with sentiment). But by and large, it felt I was good with people around me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou find out in those moments, as well, who you want in your circle and that made it become very clear. I knew I was going back into a pretty hostile six months, so when the season kicked off, I was keen to preserve as much time and energy with Jude as I could, and gear up for a pretty intense season in the spotlight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moving on is what Zach has wanted to do. He\u2019s now up to 274 games with a ton of accolades, but not a lot of wins. He has been thinking carefully about his future since Essendon\u2019s season ended.<\/p>\n
He and Alexandra also finally managed to go on their honeymoon, spending five days in Japan. Although at the airport, Zach was watching the recent final between Geelong and Carlton, and was glued to the screen.<\/p>\n
Footy has never been far from his mind. He has an unwavering will to win, and it\u2019s speculated he will again request a trade to Hawthorn in the upcoming trade period.<\/p>\n
His new manager, Nick Gieschen, who he reconnected with in\u00a0January, would guide a potential move.<\/p>\n
Zach says \u201ctough times\u201d amid an obsessive footy world had got him down, but he\u2019s not naive to what he signed up for. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so much scrutiny and focus on you,\u2019\u2019 he says. \u201cAnd everyone is having opinions on you, who don\u2019t know you or don\u2019t really have full context around the situation. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re either guessing or have heard through second or third hand what the situation may be. That was hard, not being able to get on the front foot and correct things or give people real context. <\/p>\n
\u201cI understand that\u2019s the environment and industry we\u2019re in at the moment and everyone has an opinion and a voice, which I think is great for the game and I admire the passion. But there are moments where it doesn\u2019t feel good at all.\u201d <\/p>\n
One of the unexpected times he dominated headlines and the myriad of footy shows was via an inadvertent social media post by Alexandra earlier this year. She posted \u2013 and later deleted \u2013 a TikTok at up-market city restaurant Gimlet, of\u00a0herself having a wine after leaving a Bombers game at halftime when they were trailing the Bulldogs by 50 points.<\/p>\n
Alexandra says the video was never intended to be a dig at the club. \u201cThat turned into a much bigger thing,\u2019\u2019 she says. \u201cI was not even thinking, it was a very lighthearted video. A lot of people thought I was angry and bitter, I\u2019d had a glass of wine and was probably a bit silly, but there was no harm in that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Merretts kept rolling with the punches, as they have continually done together, and hilariously posed for pictures outside the restaurant while on a date night. Brad Scott had even offered to give them a voucher to dine \u2013 but they\u2019re still waiting for that one.<\/p>\n
Zach did clap back at one comment though, with Kane Cornes revealing after last week\u2019s grand final that he received a text from the star Bomber just as the siren sounded on the 2026 season. Cornes had previously said that if Zach Merrett went to Hawthorn to chase a premiership, winning a flag with the brown and gold would feel a bit hollow. So on grand final day, Zach texted Cornes asking if victory with Brisbane was hollow for Sam Draper and Oscar Allen (players who left Essendon and West Coast respectively to join the Lions this season). <\/p>\n
Cornes liked that and nicknamed him \u201cthe accountant\u201d for keeping receipts. <\/p>\n
If all goes to plan for Zach Merrett with a fresh start, it will be water under the bridge and there\u2019ll be smiles all around. <\/p>\n
Race connections fill Merrett\u2019s cup<\/p>\n
Zach Merrett grew up around racing circles.<\/p>\n
He went to school with trainers JD and Will Hayes and remembers watching the big race days with their family. The twins are the sons of Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes and the grandsons of legendary Australian racing icon Colin Hayes, representing the third generation of the Hayes dynasty at Lindsay Park.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m best mates with the twins,\u201d Merrett says. \u201cGoing to school and growing up in the boarding house, I\u00a0was pretty much at (their parents\u2019) David and Prue\u2019s house every Friday and Saturday night, kicking the footy and running around and watching the horses on the TV. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a lot of fun. \u201cFor 10 years, I\u2019d\u00a0just go with the Hayes boys and sit and watch with them. They were pretty busy and, more recently, given they\u2019re head trainers now, it\u2019s a bit hard to go along to the track with them because they\u2019ve working so hard. Growing up in Cobden I remember being in grade 2 or 4 and watching all the big races while I was in primary school. So I definitely have a fondness for racing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Merrett \u2013 this year\u2019s Caulfield Cup ambassador \u2013 has also owned three racehorses with the Hayes boys in the past 10 years. His racing connection extends further to (his wife) Alexandra\u2019s family, given her dad is a trainer and her brother is the bloodstock agent for successful high-profile trainer Ciaron Maher. <\/p>\n
Merrett has a share in Maher-trained filly Over The Bridge, along with Bombers teammate Sam Durham, which won a Group 3 race at Caulfield on the Sunday after the AFL grand final. He says the buzz of being trackside gets the butterflies going. \u201cIt was such a thrill to be there on Sunday and watch Over The Bridge get the win,\u201d Merrett says. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere were definitely a few nerves watching her come down the straight, but to see her get the job done and be there to celebrate afterwards was pretty special. It\u2019s moments like that, that make being involved in racing so exciting. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt has definitely given me a different appreciation. You see how much work goes into getting a horse to the track and how many people are involved behind the scenes, which makes it even more exciting when you get a result.\u201d<\/p>\n
The filly has a strong hand in this year\u2019s Caulfield Cup, with the impressive horse to potentially target the Blue Sapphire Stakes.<\/p>\n
Merrett will attend Sportsbet Caulfield Cup Day as a Cup ambassador, joining Melbourne Racing Club in celebrating the landmark 150th running of the Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited to be partnering with Melbourne Racing Club this year,\u201d he says. \u201cMelbourne is such a great sporting city, and the Caulfield Cup is one of those events that feels like a real part of spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty special to be involved in such a milestone year. There\u2019s obviously so much history attached to the race and to Caulfield, so it should be a massive day and a great occasion to experience with friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, Caulfield Cup Day is a chance to get together with mates and enjoy a different side of Melbourne sport. You\u2019ve got the racing, the atmosphere, food and entertainment, so there\u2019s plenty happening across the whole day.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Caulfield Cup Carnival features the Caulfield Guineas, October 10, Caulfield Social, October 14, Caulfield Cup, October 17. mrc.racing.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alexandra Merrett admits she was concerned around this time last year. Her family was in the midst of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":912876,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[480461,393682,480508,428585,480482,215485,480470,25668,4891,480453,383200,382319,376963,480502,480465,383924,480500,386792,480499,480511,395154,456338,376730,480486,478172,480490,382482,386231,377249,410465,480481,638,480480,480483,181243,288517,413587,480484,376848,480491,80761,480463,64,63,55,639,9659,480496,480505,480487,480473,480472,376920,2572,480512,3028,480475,480497,2582,221866,41158,9116,9371,480485,480468,6854,480464,377290,177935,480477,423700,383904,380886,386790,404628,404625,379835,404643,384730,378779,376719,33059,45755,480513,1685,647,480476,480471,376710,15303,480492,222600,1861,18025,480504,480474,480467,9360,480466,9660,480493,442911,480454,480488,8169,85,473007,480457,480455,480498,3604,438449,378971,436119,419414,480510,391877,480501,387914,480495,382205,379248,480460,395269,480478,378193,215379,379398,74713,480514,480469,480459,288453,403582,413240,77470,480458,386795,376555,356269,399770,454266,378787,452791,214757,448251,441027,214758,378969,480489,480456,480494,480503,378871,364611,480479,480509,395118,4048,39,480507,480462,139171,7773,480506,25581],"class_list":["post-912875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-tough-year","tag-s-battle","tag-s-dismal-1-10-start","tag-s-state","tag-s-trade-turmoil","tag-215485","tag-2023-to-2025","tag-25668","tag-4891","tag-274-games","tag-a-baby","tag-a-ball","tag-a-bit","tag-a-bit-footy","tag-a-calmness","tag-a-child","tag-a-childhood-dream","tag-a-coach","tag-a-cricket-scholarship","tag-a-different-layer","tag-a-fair-bit","tag-a-great-ability","tag-a-lot","tag-a-massive-blessing","tag-a-mentor","tag-a-pretty-tough-year","tag-a-run","tag-a-sense","tag-a-source","tag-a-trade","tag-a-well-publicised-period","tag-afl","tag-afl-star-zach-merrett","tag-age-23","tag-alexandra","tag-alexandra-merrett","tag-all-the-boys","tag-all-the-players","tag-an-honour","tag-an-incredible-husband-and-partner-and-father","tag-andy","tag-another-dose","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-captain","tag-cathy","tag-coach-brad-scott","tag-cobden","tag-cuteness","tag-dairy-farming-town-cobden","tag-earlier-this-year","tag-energy","tag-enough-momentum","tag-essendon","tag-everything-and-everything","tag-fairest-player","tag-family","tag-family-and-friends","tag-footballers","tag-footy","tag-friends","tag-great-joy-and-distraction","tag-greg-and-cathy-merrett","tag-hawthorn","tag-heaviness-and-scrutiny","tag-her-family","tag-her-husband","tag-his-blonde-locks","tag-his-character","tag-his-decision","tag-his-future","tag-his-leadership","tag-his-manager","tag-his-mental-health","tag-his-mum","tag-his-parents","tag-his-passion","tag-his-return","tag-his-wish","tag-jude","tag-last-year","tag-mcgrath","tag-media","tag-melbourne","tag-melbourne-cbd-venue-maison-batard","tag-melbourne-grammar-school","tag-more-time","tag-multiple-sclerosis","tag-not-a-second-thought","tag-origin-match","tag-people","tag-perspective","tag-perspective-zach","tag-perth-zach","tag-pick-no-26","tag-proportion","tag-relentless-scrutiny","tag-scott","tag-six-crichton-medals","tag-so-many-games","tag-some-incredible-people","tag-son-jude","tag-southwest","tag-sports","tag-strong-support","tag-such-a-loved-player","tag-such-a-strong-connection","tag-such-unique-lives","tag-terms","tag-that-part","tag-that-way","tag-that-year","tag-the-2026-season","tag-the-30-year-old-says-he","tag-the-backyard","tag-the-best-tonic","tag-the-bombers","tag-the-champion-footballer","tag-the-club","tag-the-clubs","tag-the-coveted-anzac-medal","tag-the-coveted-role","tag-the-debilitating-disease","tag-the-door","tag-the-end","tag-the-fact","tag-the-game","tag-the-gimlet-tiktok-controversy","tag-the-hard-part","tag-the-merretts","tag-the-middle","tag-the-midfielder","tag-the-midst","tag-the-one","tag-the-positives","tag-the-right-decision","tag-the-role","tag-the-season","tag-the-spitting-image","tag-the-star-midfielder","tag-the-storm","tag-the-trade-period","tag-the-truth","tag-the-ultimate-professional","tag-the-victorian-team","tag-the-way","tag-the-year","tag-their-20-month-old-son-jude","tag-their-broader-family","tag-their-inner-circle","tag-this-footy-star","tag-this-time","tag-this-year","tag-those-little-sides","tag-three-all-australian-blazers","tag-three-years","tag-top","tag-top-stories","tag-vweekend","tag-your-mindset","tag-your-life","tag-zach","tag-zach-and-alexandra-merrett","tag-zach-merrett"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/912875","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=912875"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/912875\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/912876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=912875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=912875"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=912875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}