Essendon captain Zach Merrett has offered a response to club great Matthew Lloyd’s statement that “there’s something not quite right” at the Bombers.
Lloyd expressed this sentiment on Monday night on Nine’s Footy Classified in the days following Essendon’s Round 4 drubbing at the hands of Port Adelaide.
“The club just doesn't have the feeling of what it used to have. There's just something not quite right in this football club,” Lloyd told the program.
It was a stinging assertion in the aftermath of a low point for the Bombers from one of their greatest ever players. Lloyd played in the club’s 2000 premiership and also captained Essendon in the mid to late 2000s.
Essendon returned to winning ways on Friday night when dishing out a 29-point humbling of their own to the Western Bulldogs, improving their ledger to 3-2 after Round 5.
Merrett was asked about Lloyd’s comments on SEN’s Crunch Time on Saturday morning and the second-year captain said he respected the call, especially from someone with the status of Lloyd.
However, he believes those outside the four walls don’t have a grounded understanding of the club’s inner workings.
“There’s probably a few layers to that. I think Matthew is always going to be passionate about the club, which to me as captain of the club, I have so much respect for what he’s done previously,” Merrett replied.
“I always love listening or hearing what he’s got to say. I can’t really comment on what it used to be because I wasn’t at the club when he was and they were winning finals and Grand Finals… but for me, when I observe past players, media or journalists talking about the club, they can only judge what they’re seeing and I can’t really change the views of those guys unless actions or behaviours on the field shift.
“I’m not really too consumed by that, I understand it’s there and I understand he’s got to do he’s job and speak what he’s seeing. For me, Brad and the entire group it’s about shifting forward and showing actions that they’re going to enjoy and obviously praise and reward when we do get it right.”
The Bombers skipper was influential in a seven-goal to three second half that broke the contest open, finishing with 27 disposals, a team-high five inside 50s and four tackles.
It’s a win that – at least momentarily – saw Scott’s side move into the top eight as a clash with the currently winless Adelaide Crows awaits next week.