Essendon has announced that 20-year-old, Zach Merrett, will skipper the side this weekend against the Suns in the absence of injured captain, Brendon Goddard.
Merrett will become one of the club's youngest ever captains at just 20 years and 316 days.
He is in his third season at Essendon and has played 56 games since his debut 2014.
Merrett has enjoyed a stellar season, ranked No.1 at Essendon for disposals, tackles, inside 50s, clearacnes, contested possessions and uncontested possessions.
He is also ranked No.5 in the league for uncontested possessions, No.6 for inside 50s and eight for tackles.
Western Bulldogs' midfielder Marcus Bontempelli became the youngest player to ever captain a winning side when he took the rein at just 20 years and 194 days in Round 11 against West Coast.
Get set for the footy with the FREE Zero Hanger 2026 AFL Season Guide! Packed with 150+ pages of player profiles, team previews, insights and analysis, the 2026 AFL Season Guide is built for fans who want the full picture. Download your free Season Guide HERE.
