- Roger Merrett
Infobox afl player
firstname = Roger
lastname = Merrett
| birthdate = Birth date and age|1960|4|19|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam =Kaniva Football Club
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 1, 1 April 1978
debutteam =Essendon FC
debutopponent = South Melbourne FC
debutstadium = Windy Hill
playingteams =Essendon FC (1978–1987)149 games, 146 goals
Brisbane Bears FC (1988–1996)164 games, 287 goals
coach = coach
coachingteams =Brisbane Lions AFC (caretaker) (1998)
statsend = 2004
careerhighlights =
*313 games, 433 goals
*Premiership side 1984, 1985
*Brisbane Bears captain 1990-1996
*Brisbane Bears leading goalkicker 1993-1995
*Victorian state side captain 1985
*Queensland state side captain 1991
*Gardiner Medal 1982Roger Merrett (born 19 April 1960) was an
Australian rules football er who played in two Victorian Football League premiership sides with theEssendon Football Club in the mid-1980s before moving to the fledgingBrisbane Bears , later captaining the new club for seven seasons. Well known for his fierce, hard attack on the ball and his dashing moustache, he struck fear into the hearts of opposition players over a long career. He is considered by many as the greatest Brisbane Bear in the club's short history.Playing career
Merrett was a strong competitor for the
Essendon Football Club during his career, playing in two flags in 1984 and 1985.He moved to the
Brisbane Bears in 1988 as captain. Merrett became a strong and inspirational captain of the Bears, at first alternating in the ruck withMark Mickan . AfterJohn Hutton 's inconsistent form at full-forward reached an end, Merrett's tired legs were moved permanently to the position where he was able to use his height and kicking abilities to spearhead the club as their leading goalkicker for many seasons beforeAlastair Lynch proved a suitable replacement.He played on for many years, earning the nickname "Roger the Dodger" (with reference to his age) before his eventual retirement.
Coaching career
He held coaching ambitions for much of his career, and on his retirement at the end of the 1996 season he was immediately recruited by his coach
John Northey to fill an assistant coaching role at theBrisbane Lions (formed in 1996 from a merger between the Bears and theFitzroy Football Club ). However relations between the two men were cool, and in 1998, when the Lions found themselves at the bottom of the ladder, Halfway through the year Northey was sacked as coach and Merrett was asked to be caretaker coach for the rest of the season. At the end of the 1998 season, Merrett was not retained as Brisbane Lions coach.The coaching position went in favour of Australian football legendLeigh Matthews . Merrett has not been closely involved in football since, outside of occasional club functions at Brisbane and Essendon.Today
Merrett now lives on the
Gold Coast, Queensland , where he operates a post office. He also provides special comments for ABC Radio broadcasts ofBrisbane Lions home matches.The Brisbane Lions' award for their best-and-fairest player over a season, the
Merrett-Murray Medal , is part-named after him.References
*cite book | author=Holmesby, R.; Main, J.
title=The Encyclopaedia of AFL Footballers: Every Brisbane and Fitzroy AFL Player Ever
location=Melbourne | publisher=BAS Publishing
year=2004
id=ISBN 1-920910-09-3
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