With Socceroos Archie Thompson and Kevin Muscat in the squad, and the experience of 2 European internationals in Geoffrey Claeys and Richard Kitzbichler, expectations from the Melbourne fans were high.

Melbourne Victory faced Adelaide United in the A-League Grand Final at the Telstra Dome on 18 February, winning the match 6–0 with Archie Thompson scoring an incredible five goals.

The 2007–2008 season was a return to the disappointment of Merrick's first year in charge however, with the team finishing outside the Top 4 spots and thus failing to progress to the Finals Series.

During the 2009–2010 season, Melbourne Victory, despite severe season-ending knee injuries to key players, Billy Celeski, Matthew Kemp and star striker Archie Thompson once again reached the Grand Final.

[citation needed] The Hong Kong Football Association, on 16 December 2011, confirmed the appointment of Ernie Merrick as the new National Head Coach.

[10] Merrick took the Jets to the Grand Final in his first year despite losing the club's top goal scorer Andrew Nabbout in the January transfer window.

The following year Sydney FC made an offer to him but he declined and on 17 April 2018, Merrick signed an improved contract keeping him with the Jets until the end of the 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season.

Having lost seven starting line-up players through transfers over the twelve-month period since the Grand Final and with long-term injuries to new signing Wes Hoolahan and Captain Nigel Boogaard, the club's results deteriorated and Merrick was sacked by the Jets on 6 January 2020.