Leo Merrett

Leo Frederick Merrett (5 April 1920 – 18 October 1976)^[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL in between 1940 and 1949 for the Richmond Football Club.

Leo Merrett
Personal information
Full name	Leo Frederick Merrett
Date of birth	(1920-04-05)5 April 1920
Place of birth	Nhill, Victoria
Date of death	18 October 1976(1976-10-18) (aged 56)
Place of death	Prahran, Victoria
Original team(s)	Serviceton / Nhill
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	73 kg (161 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1940–1949	Richmond	170 (53)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1949.
Career highlights
Richmond Premiership Player 1943 Richmond Best and Fairest 1942, 1944 Interstate Games: 4
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Frederick Merrett, and Ellen Clarice Merrett, née Buckley, Leo Frederick Merrett was born at Nhill, Victoria, on 5 April 1920.

He married Sheila Nora Etheridge on 22 April 1944.^[2][3]

His brother-in-law was the Richmond footballer Dave Baxter.

He is the great-grandfather of Western Bulldogs player Bailey Smith.

Football

Merrett was a member of Richmond's 1943 VFL Grand Final victory against Essendon.

In November 1946, Merrett was appointed as the captain / coach of the Border United Football Club.^[4]

In January, 1947, it was announced that Richmond Football Club refused Merrett a clearance to coach the Border United Football Club.^[5]