Zach Merrett's Last Essendon Cards: Collector's Guide
The AFL approved Zach Merrett's trade to Hawthorn on 5 October 2026, ending 13 seasons and 274 games in Essendon red and black. His 2026 Select AFL Footy Stars (#62) and 2026 Teamcoach AFL (#76) are his final cards as a Bomber. Here is every confirmed card from those sets, plus the historical highlights worth tracking down.
What are Merrett's confirmed 2026 Footy Stars cards?
His 2026 Select AFL Footy Stars base card sits at #62 in the 270-card set. The inserts are where the real checklist starts:
The set likely also features Merrett in the Luminous, BOOM, and Octane insert lines, though individual card codes for those are not yet confirmed. Snap a photo of your Merrett cards in CardLoft to log them against the official checklist.
- Base #62 (unnumbered)
- Brownlow Predictor Signature Gold BPSG24 /220
- Mercury Tie Dye MYR25 (dual card with Andrew McGrath, unnumbered parallel)
- Select Rewind SR43 (retail insert)
What are his 2026 Teamcoach cards?
Merrett lands at #76 in the 2026 Teamcoach AFL base set. Three cards are confirmed across the product:
The Best and Fairest entries are well earned. Merrett won his seventh Crichton Medal in 2026, equalling the club record held by Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison. Seven B&F wins in Essendon colours and not one premiership, which probably sharpens the Hawthorn appeal.
- Base Common #76
- Silver Best and Fairest BF-05 (1:8 packs)
- Gold Best and Fairest BF-05 Gold (harder pull)
Which older Merrett cards are worth tracking down?
Merrett has been in Footy Stars since his 2015 Footy Stars debut, covering his first season at the Bombers. His 2017 Select Certified Signature auto is the standout from that early era: an on-card autograph from his All-Australian breakthrough season, and likely the most sought-after Merrett auto in circulation.
His Brownlow Predictor run is also a collector thread worth following. The 2024 Footy Stars Brownlow Predictor Gold BPG26 /315 and Brownlow Predictor Platinum BPP9 /60 are the accessible entry points into four consecutive years as a Brownlow contender. For numbered modern inserts, the 2025 Footy Stars Luminous Myriad #94/99 is one of his scarcest. And the 2025 Select Eminence Colours #058/190 is likely his last premium non-Footy-Stars card in red and black. List your duplicate Merrett cards privately in CardLoft and trade them with collectors you know.
What is the story behind Merrett's Brownlow Predictor card?
The 2026 Footy Stars Brownlow Predictor Signature Gold BPSG24, numbered to 220, did not redeem. Nick Daicos won the 2026 Brownlow Medal, so Merrett's Predictor card stays inert: a collector's reminder of what might have been. It joins his 2025 Predictor in that category, since Daicos also took that award.
After 274 games, seven Crichton Medals, three All-Australian selections, and three seasons as club captain (2023 to 2025), Merrett's Essendon run is officially over. Hawthorn collectors will be lining up for his first Brown-and-Gold card when 2027 Select products arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What is Merrett's card number in 2026 Select AFL Footy Stars?
He is #62 in the 270-card base set, released 23 March 2026.
What is Merrett's card number in 2026 Teamcoach AFL?
He is #76 in the 2026 Teamcoach base set, with Silver Best and Fairest BF-05 and Gold Best and Fairest BF-05 Gold as confirmed inserts.
Did Merrett's 2026 Brownlow Predictor Signature Gold card redeem?
No. Nick Daicos won the 2026 Brownlow Medal, so the BPSG24 /220 did not activate. It is an unredeemed Predictor, not a Brownlow winner card.
How many seasons did Zach Merrett play for Essendon?
13 seasons, from his debut in Round 1, 2014 through the 2026 AFL season, totalling 274 games.
What is Merrett's most significant career auto card?
The 2017 Select Certified Signature is widely considered his standout auto, produced during his All-Australian breakthrough season and featuring an on-card autograph.
