Recommitted Zach Merrett [Re-Signed til 2027]

Sep 2, 2008
63,165
37,760
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
yep, would pretty much auto pilot the rest of our build and guarantee us becoming a contender at some point in the next 5-6 years. It’s just if we finished outside of the last spot or two and gets us a Rachele/Sonsie makes the choice a little harder.

I don't think we have fully bottomed out yet to finish bottom 2 there is still quite of bit of talent on the list even if Merret goes imo once senior players like

Shiel
Smith
Heppel
Hooker
Hurley
Stringer

etc are gone then I can see us bottom 2 their is enough talent on the list to keep us afloat from bottom 4 imo
 
Last edited:
Jul 14, 2005
18,723
29,560
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Chelsea FC
Always a tough balance to get right, staying competitive while playing a higher percentage of untried or recently exposed younger players.

Shiel, Smith etc are essentially sunk costs now tasked to get the squad through the rebuild as quickly as possible - and there is no guarantee they stick around after their contracts are up either.
 
Sep 2, 2008
63,165
37,760
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Always a tough balance to get right, staying competitive while playing a higher percentage of untried or recently exposed younger players.

Shiel, Smith etc are essentially sunk costs now tasked to get the squad through the rebuild as quickly as possible - and there is no guarantee they stick around after their contracts are up either.

Shiel signed a 5-6 year deal iirc he'll be at Essendon till he retires Smith is one I can see not sticking around not sure how long his contract is

Yeah I think Essendon is trying to rebuild whilst also try to stay competitive having a team full of draftees is not good for thier development getting belted every week you need a mix of senior players and youngsters imo
 
Jul 14, 2005
18,723
29,560
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Chelsea FC
Shiel signed a 5-6 year deal iirc he'll be at Essendon till he retires Smith is one I can see not sticking around not sure how long his contract is

Yeah I think Essendon is trying to rebuild whilst also try to stay competitive having a team full of draftees is not good for thier development getting belted every week you need a mix of senior players and youngsters imo

IIRC it was 5 years, or 3 seasons time. He'll be 30 by then and could choose to bolt Shaun Higgins style to a club in the window. I don't think Essendon will be in the doldrums at that point, but he'd get as much playing elsewhere I suspect. Depends how his body holds up, and if he's still got his burst at that point.

He's not exactly an icing on the cake player, but I could see a contending club going after Smith once his contract is up.
 

Bulldogs85

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 25, 2016
8,858
17,497
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
NBA- Houston Rockets
IIRC it was 5 years, or 3 seasons time. He'll be 30 by then and could choose to bolt Shaun Higgins style to a club in the window. I don't think Essendon will be in the doldrums at that point, but he'd get as much playing elsewhere I suspect. Depends how his body holds up, and if he's still got his burst at that point.

He's not exactly an icing on the cake player, but I could see a contending club going after Smith once his contract is up.
I think Smith contract is up at the end of this year and some with stringer
 
Jul 14, 2005
18,723
29,560
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Chelsea FC
I think Smith contract is up at the end of this year and some with stringer

Both probably expendable for the right offer.

Smith would be worth a late first-early second, and in a strong draft it’d worth moving him on. Essendon have enough of his time type running around in their midfield currently.
 
Sep 2, 2008
63,165
37,760
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Both probably expendable for the right offer.

Smith would be worth a late first-early second, and in a strong draft it’d worth moving him on. Essendon have enough of his time type running around in their midfield currently.

Smith I would would but no to Stringer keep.

We trade Stringer and we be left only with Tippa who's capable of kicking goals.

Stringer was our leading goal kicker in 2019 and probably again in 2020 if he didn't miss half the season with an ankle injury.
 
Last edited:

robbo1981

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 16, 2011
6,325
11,606
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Smith I would would but no to Stringer keep.

We trade Stringer and we be left only with Tippa who's capable of kicking goals.

Stringer was our leading goal kicker in 2019 and probably again in 2020 if he didn't miss half the season with an ankle injury.
Smith must of been playing injured this yr?
 
Bone on bone yeah?
PCL deficiency, had a knee reconstruction mid-2019. Not sure if he's also bone on bone, but so many of them are these days it's probably not unlikely.
 
Sep 2, 2008
63,165
37,760
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Would Essendon match if they finish bottom 4 and he nominates a club who plays finals?

With Dodoro in charge yep he'll be demanding two firsts or pick and player

In the end Dodoro will cave and reluctantly take the top 4 pick compo. with that top 4 pick there better be a Matt Rowel type mid we can draft
 
Last edited:
I wouldn’t rule Hawthorn out as a potential target, despite likely to finish bottom six this year. Plenty of cap space to spend. Merrett would be perfect and would easily slot into a midfield that desperately needs an elite kick.

OUT:
Stratton
Smith
Henderson
Puopolo
Frawley
McEvoy
Burgoyne
Scully
Patton

$$$$$$$
 
Apr 12, 2014
30,331
52,239
AFL Club
Melbourne
I wouldn’t rule Hawthorn out as a potential target, despite likely to finish bottom six this year. Plenty of cap space to spend. Merrett would be perfect and would easily slot into a midfield that desperately needs an elite kick.

OUT:
Stratton
Smith
Henderson
Puopolo
Frawley
McEvoy
Burgoyne
Scully
Patton

$$$$$$$

If a team outside the top 6 is going to get him they're going to overpay drastically in terms of salary cap.
 
Beams the most recent high profile one I can think of, though that was for family reasons, so mitigating circumstances.

Not many clubs playing finals shed their top-liners and Collingwood have been fairly competitive in McGuire's time.
Buddy would be the last one, although a few Premiership clubs did lose 'important' players that aren't top liners (Lycett/Hamling types)
 
Back