Dean Solomon has excused Zach Merrett’s rare off-night and explained how the former captain is helping the interim Essendon coach through the club’s “hurt”.
The Bombers had mustered just 15 points and trailed Brisbane by 95 at three-quarter time at the Gabba on Sunday before kicking seven majors to cut it back to a 22.17 (149) to 8.11 (59) defeat.
Merrett, whose trade request was controversially denied in the off-season, had five touches at half-time and finished with 11.
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It was only his second game with less than 20 touches this season though, Merrett averaging 27 disposals and five tackles in their 1-16 campaign.
“I’ll keep protecting Zach because for me and the coaching group, and he’s been sensational,” former Bombers premiership player Solomon, who took over from the sacked Brad Scott in May, said.
“He’s been a massive support the last five or six weeks for me.
“Yes, he had a down game today. I can’t knock Zach. I’ve got to be fair and take all things into consideration.”
Former Essendon captain Zach Merrett had just 11 disposals against Brisbane. Credit: Getty Brisbane had nine multiple goal-kickers, including former Bombers ruckman Sam Draper as the Bombers lost for the 29th time in their last 30 matches.
“The whole game hurts really. The whole five, six weeks, the whole last couple of years have hurt,” Solomon said when asked how it felt to see the fit-again Draper thriving with the two-time defending champions.
“They taught us a lesson.
“When the opposition apply the pressure, we can’t handle the pressure at the moment. It’s a lack of confidence and belief.”
Draper himself said he is still trying to boost his Essendon mates despite leaving the club in free agency.
“I’ve still got a lot of close mates there at the Bombers, and I continue being a good mate to them, getting around them and keep pumping them up,” Draper told the ABC after the game.
“There’s some good footy players at that club. They’re not putting it all together just yet, but I think they can get it done.”
Solomon said he’s yet to to talk with Bombers president Andrew Welsh about applying to stay on as coach beyond this season but has the club’s “medium to long-term” future in mind.
“We’re turning the dial on individual players and how much they impact the game without the ball in their hand,” he said of the work that’s yet to show on match day.
“That’s what we’ve been judging a lot of our selection off. We need people that want to shift the needle here, who want to be part of the solution.”