While things are looking up at the moment, at the end of last season Mercuri had hit rock bottom and he knew it. ""I had to have a good look at myself and my football. I guess you ask yourself the question – have you still got the hunger and that is what it comes down to,"" he said.
""At the end of the year I was bitterly disappointed to get dropped for the finals, but that is probably all I deserved to do was watch because my form didn’t really warrant a position. You just reassess and work out how you can improve. I have gone over the break and thought about that and I guess the main thing for me was to get a base of fitness and I have been able to do that so far.
""It has been pretty good the pre-season I have had this year. I haven’t missed a session, so that is always a good start. The last three years I have had interrupted pre-seasons, so that makes it a little bit more difficult.
""Body wise and even mentally I am feeling pretty good. It is just a matter of doing everything over the pre-season. I have been able to get a good base of fitness, that hopefully can see me through the year.""
And his improved fitness has enabled him to play some good football in defence. Mercuri will have his work cut out tomorrow night, probably getting the job on livewire forward Xavier Clarke. He sees it simply as another opportunity to work his way back into the side for the season proper.
""I am looking at getting back into the side. I got dropped for the finals last year. I want to play the first home and away game for the season and then I want to hold my spot from there,"" Mercuri said. ""This year is a crunch year for myself personally, so there is no doubt I will have to improve on previous years.""
""I think it is an exciting time at Essendon. We do have a lot of good young kids. I would like to think that I can lend a little bit of experience and leadership to those younger guys and give them a little bit of guidance in their early few years.""
Mercuri admitted that his form up forward wasn’t what it could have been over the past few years. The goals didn't come, the confidence dropped and suddenly, a game that had come so easily to him for so long, became a battle.
""I guess up forward wasn’t working too well, so the next option was going to the other end of the ground. I have enjoyed that move and it has given me a new lease of life and a few different challenges in my football. Instead of getting chased, I am chasing and I am enjoying it at the moment,"" he said.
""I had been there for 10, 11 years and was probably a little bit stale. This new challenge can hopefully re-ignite me and get me going again. Sometimes going to the backline can help and I am working on that at the moment. Whether I stay there permanently that is up to the coach and up to the coaching panel. But at this stage, it seems to be going okay for myself personally, so I am happy to be playing there.""
Despite everything that has transpired over the past two seasons, Mercuri said he never had any thought about giving the game away. ""I have been at Essendon since I was 15 years old. I had not thought about leaving,"" he said.
""I had fairly in-depth discussion with Sheeds and the coaching staff at Essendon, but I wouldn’t like to go into detail with you guys (media) – I would like to keep it private. But we spoke about a few things – whether I wanted to keep playing. I said 100% I wanted to continue playing and wanted to have a go at it.""
Mercuri was realistic when asked if he thought he was up for trade. ""There are a few guys that obviously wouldn’t be traded at Essendon, but I am not in that category. So that is always (trade) a thought in the back of your mind. I guess there were a few things there that deterred other clubs from me. Probably money I guess.""
