WHEN Zach Merrett turned his back on free agency last year to ink a six-season deal with Essendon, the star midfielder did it believing his club was still in the development process. He was in for the long haul, and he thought there was still some time to go before Essendon got there, too.

"For me I knew when I signed last year it was going to be a few years of rebuilding and growing and getting good high-talented kids and picks in the door and trying to build a process and program for them to develop and hopefully in turn make us a really strong team," Merrett told AFL.com.au.

"I'm not at all panicky or nervous about where the club's going. I knew what I was getting into last year."

Even still, this year hasn't gone to plan. After making the finals last season in Ben Rutten's first campaign in charge as coach, the Bombers' 2022 has been a disappointment. They face Port Adelaide on Sunday at Marvel Stadium and Richmond in round 23 before the curtain is drawn on their season with a likely finish in the bottom six on the ladder.

It came after a 2-9 start to the season that led to a fresh review of the football program and increased pressure on the club, with Merrett acknowledging the pitfalls of their start of the year.

"You set out at the start of the season fresh off finals last year and you have huge ambitions to go all the way. To reflect and look at the first half of the year we clearly missed the mark by a long way. It's a pretty clear metric industry of win-loss and we didn't stack up," he said.

"The way we were playing wasn't allowing us to even get close. The fact we were able to readjust at the halfway point and try to salvage something out of the season has been a big tick but we obviously don't want to wait until round seven and eight next year to get going."

Slow starts to seasons have been a constant in Merrett's nine years at Essendon. Only once in that time, since he joined via the 2013 draft, have they had a better than 50-50 win loss ratio in the opening 10 rounds of a season.

The Bombers' improved form in the second half of this season – they had won five of seven games before their poor defeat to Greater Western Sydney last week – has meant the season has closed in a more buoyant mood but the late run had its own frustrations.  

"It's obviously disappointing, and the fact that we showed some really strong footy post-bye is probably equally as frustrating for fans watching, [like] 'Why can't we work it out earlier?' and that's something we'll absolutely be focusing on over summer to work out why we aren't getting that early form. It isn't always wins – we weren't playing a way that was even giving us a chance in games," Merrett said.

Things changed after the Bombers' heavy round nine loss to Sydney. They made alterations to their defence and contest work, with Merrett also flicking back to a more regular midfield role. The three-time best and fairest winner and dual All-Australian had been playing as a "back-half midfielder" for the first half of the season before the readjustment, which had paid dividends.

"The first half of the year I was playing a different role. We adjusted my role and a few other roles in the team and the system after the bye which gave me a fair bit more freedom to play in the forward half which has been really refreshing and exciting to be honest. I know people probably say I got ball in the back half but I was trying to play a role for the team so it was sort of frustrating when you get those comments," he said.

"But for me it's all about consistency and that's something I've prided myself on. I feel like this year, although missing weeks with the syndesmosis [injury] and I lost a few games, but I've tried to be a really consistent player regardless of how the team's going or who we're playing. I feel like this year's been a little bit indifferent but still feel like I've showed up and given my best each week.

"The last seven or eight weeks I've been able to play more as a pure mid and get more forward of centre deliver the ball inside-50 which is what I absolutely love to do. That's been really fun and as we introduce more and more of our younger players through the midfield hopefully that flexibility continues."

Merrett was tagged closely by Giant Harry Perryman in last week's defeat, being kept to 18 disposals. He said the Giants were able to close down Essendon's method, but that he had learned from the tight checking.

"I watch Lachie Neale and other players around the competition who cop similar attention week in and week out, it's all part of the game and something I do enjoy, although it doesn't make my day any easier," he said.

Merrett will head overseas in the off-season, with his trip including a training block, and then return ahead of 2023. Having shared the vice-captaincy with Andrew McGrath the past two seasons, Merrett shapes as a future captain of the Bombers, potentially in a joint role. He says "fundamentals will be the absolute sole focus [in pre-season] and getting more guys on the same page with those things" so that the Bombers can start next year in a similar fashion to how they've ended it.

The 27-year-old will watch the finals, study and observe some of the best players and teams and see what trends emerge, and take some inspiration from the likes of Collingwood, who have bounced back from a poor year last season to be a contender in 2022.

"Since I started it's Essendon, maybe Gold Coast and a couple of others around the mark at the moment who are the only two or three teams who haven't really been deep in September in my nine years. I would do anything to get into the pointy end. It's all we basically play for," he said.

"Individual awards come and go like the wind but I feel team success is what you live and die by and what you want to play in so I get extremely jealous and envious of those guys who get to run out in September."

Let's tackle childhood cancer together

The Bombers' annual Tackling Childhood Cancer game will take place at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon against Port Adelaide. Challenge is a not-for-profit that supports children and their families living with cancer. In partnership with Challenge, proudly the club's charity partner for over 20 years, the Bombers will wear the Challenge logo on their guernsey which will also feature the yellow armband, inspired by former premiership player and cancer survivor Adam Ramanauskas. Additionally, 22 Challenge children will run out on to the ground hand-in-hand with their AFL heroes before the Bombers face the Power. To donate to Challenge, visit challenge.org.au/donation.