Brad Scott’s novel approach to Alexandra Merrett’s Gimlet post

Essendon coach Brad Scott has no issues over player partner absence at matches after the social media furore over Zach Merrett’s wife leaving last week’s loss early.

Scott said he had no expectation on partners attending matches and joked he would dip into his own pockets if Merrett’s wife Alexandra again wanted to attend swanky fine-dining Melbourne restaurant Gimlet.

She had posted footage to TikTok having a drink at the venue “when your husbands team is losing by 50 points at half time so you go to gimlet instead”.

“We’re very fortunate to do what we do as players, coaches,” Scott said on Thursday.

“In a lot of ways it’s harder on the partners than the players.

“We can absorb just about anything. When your partners have to absorb it, it can be extremely hard. I’ll pick up Alexandra another gift voucher to Gimlet next week if she wants it.”

Winless after four games, Scott has far more pressing matters than player partners leaving matches early, and vandals damaging the club’s training field by using petrol to write derogatory messages on the turf.

But there is hope at “the Hangar” that the Bombers have turned a corner after an improved showing in the second half against the high-flying Western Bulldogs. Important defender Jordan Ridley will play his first game of the season this week against Melbourne, while prized draft pick and lifelong Bombers fan Sullivan Robey will also make his debut.

The 192-centimetre midfielder said he’s ready to seize his opportunity in the top flight after an injury-interrupted start to his time at Essendon.

“It was a challenging period with my back [injury] at the start of pre-season, but the support from the boys kept me going. I’m just really grateful to get the opportunity to debut now,” the No.9 pick from the 2025 draft said.

“Telling Mum and Dad was pretty surreal – it was a really special moment to share with them.”

Injury-prone defender Zach Reid has been cleared of hamstring damage.

Scott is now in the unfamiliar position of having choices at selection. Robey is the fifth and final graduate from the club’s intake at last year’s draft to don the sash at senior level.

Elijah Tsatas, who has been starved of senior opportunities since being selected with the No.5 pick in the 2022 draft, is also set to return to the side for just his 17th senior game.

“We’ve had a really good situation in terms of availability, but also some guys in the VFL playing good footy,” Scott said.

“We’ll make some changes and some guys, when we see them out, might feel hard done by, but we haven’t been able to have that selection pressure for a long time.”

The Bombers were expected to be hammered by the Dogs but limited the damage to a respectable 34 points after trailing by nine goals at half-time.

“The effort is hard to measure when the scoreboard’s going against you,” Scott said.

“A lot of people say you just want to see competitive effort but what they really mean is they want to see a tight margin. We look at it a little deeper than that.

“For the 2½ quarters in the second half, back half of the second quarter onwards, we started to look like we’ve trained.

“That should give the guys a bit of belief in what we’re doing.“
- With Russell Bennett

Docherty to appear at Blues’ Peter Mac Cup function

Former Carlton captain Sam Docherty and the Blues have broken bread, paving the way for the retired star to appear at club functions next week celebrating the Peter MacCallum Cup.

Docherty will appear at a breakfast on Monday morning and speak at the president’s dinner before the game against traditional rival Collingwood next Thursday night at the MCG.

A cancer survivor, Docherty is a member of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation board, which aims to raise money to advance vital cancer research, and has been heavily involved in planning for this year’s game.

There had been tension between the Blues and Docherty after the former player’s expletive-laden analysis of the club’s loss in opening round to Sydney was aired by media personality Dan Gorringe on his social media platforms.

It was reported Docherty had been due to appear at a club function before the round one game against Richmond, but the appearance he was pulled from was a quarter-time on-ground activation for a sponsor.

The club had deemed it inappropriate for him to appear due to his damning remarks about the team, but Docherty said there had been no ban from the Blues.

Docherty said he had spoken to Blues chief Graham Wright and messaged coach Michael Voss about the issue, and the air had been cleared.

“The conversation we had, he respected that I’m allowed to have my opinion,” Docherty, an analyst for 3AW after a 184-game career for Carlton and the Brisbane Lions, said.

“Ultimately, for the look of what happened, it wasn’t the best look for the club to have me paraded around as part of the club, which I get. I didn’t take any offence to it.

“We had the conversations behind closed doors as we needed to. We’ve moved on and there’s no ill will towards the club and I don’t think they have any to me. We’re looking forward to next week’s game and making it not about me is the plan.”

Introduced in 1993, the Peter MacCallum Cup is the longest-running charity match in the league.

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