{"id":951795,"date":"2026-11-04T02:48:18","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T02:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/951795\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T02:48:18","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T02:48:18","slug":"less-is-ok-why-mitchell-wants-zach-merrett-to-forget-the-stats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/951795\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Less is OK\u2019: Why Mitchell wants Zach Merrett to forget the stats"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated November 4, 2026 \u2014 11:46am,first published November 4, 2026 \u2014 7:18am<\/p>\n

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In today\u2019s AFL Briefing:Zach Merrett has been one of the game\u2019s most prolific accumulators for more than a decade but coach Sam Mitchell has a new message for him at Hawthorn.North Melbourne are expected to add delisted free agents Elijah Tsatas and Samson Ryan to their list during the delisted free agency period.\u2018Less is OK\u2019: Why Mitchell wants Zach Merrett to forget the stats<\/p>\n

Jon Pierik<\/p>\n

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell insists ball magnet Zach Merrett is prepared to adopt a quality-over-quantity mantra in a bid to win an elusive premiership.<\/p>\n

Merrett has been one of the game\u2019s most prolific accumulators for more than a decade, averaging more than 27 possessions through 274 games with Essendon, and regularly having 30 or more when used extensively as a midfielder.<\/p>\n

The seven-time Crichton medallist has joined an already deep Hawks midfield, and could be used in different roles as Hawthorn aim to go a step beyond successive preliminary final defeats.<\/p>\n

Mitchell said Merrett, 31, simply craved team success, and would do what\u2019s required in a bid to help the Hawks deliver their first flag since 2015.<\/p>\n

\"NewNew life: Zach Merrett will face his former club, Essendon, in a prime-time Saturday night clash in round three.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t look at the statistics too much. Our playing group is very driven on team success,\u201d Mitchell said on Wednesday after the Hawks confirmed Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD had signed a multi-year deal as their new principal sponsor, replacing the Tasmanian government.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, as players establish themselves in the game in the early part of their career, there\u2019s a lot of trying to get a game, and then once you get a game every week, then really it becomes about team success \u2026 team success is what drives you as you get a bit older.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Fresh<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201c … it\u2019s been a work in progress to get him over to the club, and he\u2019s very firm in his sight that he wants some team success. So, if that means big numbers, then great, big numbers. But if it means less, then less is OK as well. So we\u2019ll measure it on team success, not on the individual, the same as everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Merrett managed just four finals \u2013 all losing \u2013 in his time with the Bombers, the last in 2021.<\/p>\n

He has spoken publicly several times since he was traded in October<\/a>, a year after his initial bid failed, declaring a motivating factor to join the Hawks was team success.<\/p>\n

Veteran forward Jack Gunston said Merrett would be a versatile weapon, having been used, at times, at half-back by the Bombers this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a quality player. Like he can play multiple roles, and you\u2019ve seen that at Essendon when he was there, and he\u2019s a leader,\u201d Gunston said. \u201cHe\u2019s been a captain for so long there, so he\u2019s going to be great for a lot of these younger guys here. They are just going to pick his brain.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe seems like a guy that just works and works and works, and comes in and does the hours. And, I was fortunate to play with Ben [King] and Zach for Victoria earlier this year, and they\u2019re both professional, and yeah, they\u2019re going to be great attributes for our club.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BackBack to work: Coach Sam Mitchell and the Hawks officially return to pre-season training later this month.AFL Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

King, the leading goalkicker in Gold Coast history, was another key recruit for Hawthorn, giving Mitchell and his men few, if any, outs, if they fail to deliver a flag next year.<\/p>\n

Gunston said he and his fellow forwards would quickly learn to work alongside King.<\/p>\n

The Hawks officially begin pre-season training later this month, still stinging from their nine-point preliminary final loss to the Brisbane Lions<\/a>, having led by three points with one minute and 19 seconds left in the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s an element of, yeah, \u2018what if?\u2019 I think watching the grand final, there\u2019s an element of \u2018what if\u2019 as well,\u201d Gunston said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, in the end, we weren\u2019t good enough, and that\u2019s two prelims in a row where we haven\u2019t been able to get over the line. So there\u2019s a lot of motivation going around, and you don\u2019t have to look too far.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hawks\u2019 lucrative 25-year partnership with the Tasmanian government ends next season, when they will again have four home games at their secondary base in Launceston. The Tasmania Devils will enter the competition in 2028<\/a>, and have been given the opportunity to commercially dominate their local market.<\/p>\n

Hawks chief executive Ash Klein said his club was always \u201copen to opportunities\u201d but \u201chad not got to that stage\u201d of asking whether they could continue to play at least one home game a season in Launceston.<\/p>\n

Second chances: Roos to snap up discarded top-five pick<\/p>\n

Peter Ryan<\/p>\n

North Melbourne are expected to add delisted free agents Elijah Tsatas and Samson Ryan to their list during the delisted free agency period which runs until Friday.<\/p>\n

\"ElijahElijah Tsatas will get a chance to show his wares at the KangaroosAFL Photos<\/p>\n

Essendon used pick five in the 2022 national draft to select Tsatas<\/a>, but he managed just 22 matches with the Bombers.<\/p>\n

As a stoppage player, he was never able to break into the midfield with his kicking and ability to spread always questioned, but he will appreciate the second chance with the Kangaroos looking to add depth to their midfield.<\/p>\n

Ryan battled to make an impression at Richmond and was suspended soon after an opportunity opened up this year when premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis was injured.<\/p>\n

\"SamsonSamson Ryan is set to change clubs.AFL Photos<\/p>\n

He is mobile and has had good grounding at the Tigers but remains a depth option, having played 31 matches since being taken at pick No.40 in the 2020 national draft.<\/p>\n

Two industry sources, who preferred to remain anonymous as they were not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed the paperwork would be lodged this week before the deadline.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"At<\/a><\/p>\n

The Kangaroos have also indicated they will recruit former Lions defender Darragh Joyce. An opportunity to join a third club opened up for Joyce when the Kangaroos could not complete a trade with Adelaide to secure contracted defender Nick Murray. It is not clear whether he will join as a delisted free agent or via the rookie draft.<\/p>\n

The Irish-raised Joyce has been a useful back-up defender for the all-conquering Brisbane Lions after crossing from St Kilda.<\/p>\n

He came into the team whenever injury struck the backline, and although he battled at times at AFL level, he was consistent, and a popular and respected member of the group. He was an emergency in the 2025 grand final team which defeated Geelong.<\/p>\n

Joyce has played 27 AFL games since making his debut in 2018.<\/p>\n

St Kilda will add Jake Stringer<\/a> to their list this week. It will be the Bulldogs\u2019 premiership player\u2019s fourth club after stints at Essendon and the Giants.<\/p>\n

Former cricketer Wil Parker is also expected to join Carlton after being delisted by Collingwood. Sydney veteran Harry Cunningham will become a Crow via the rookie draft.<\/p>\n

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Close\"JonJon Pierik<\/a> is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Updated November 4, 2026 \u2014 11:46am,first published November 4, 2026 \u2014 7:18am Save You have reached your maximum…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":951796,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-951795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/951795","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=951795"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/951795\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/951796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=951795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=951795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=951795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}