Recommitted Zach Merrett [UFA 2027] - Wanted a trade to Hawthorn, but it didn't get done

[Lore]

There we go, that's the clip:

 

[HairyO]

I’d pay two first round draft picks for butters as he would help the now and the future.

If he doesn’t come … Again very content with the draft.

Butters would be 3 x 1st round picks and 100% worth it. Merrett being 2 x 1st feels like crazy overs.

 

[eth-dog]

FFS. He does this every year and never leaves.

Barely deserves a thread at this point.

Not him. The media.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Butters would be 3 x 1st round picks and 100% worth it. Merrett being 2 x 1st feels like crazy overs.

silly statement

there are levels within what constitutes a first rounder.

the 1st pick is a first rounder as is the 18th pick, the value between them though is highly different.

Butters would easily go for multiple top 10 picks, probably even top 5 picks.

2 firsts is not crazy overs for ZM - it just depends where they land within the first 18 picks. Especially when you factor in the insane dilution of the draft where Pick 8 is actually like pick 14 in reality.

ZM is an elite and generally injury free player. Will make any team he goes to better the moment he puts his boots on AND he has 2 years on his contract. The idea Essendon should let him leave for peanuts in the event he asks for a trade is ****in laughable.

 

[HeHateMe]

Not him. The media.

Media would be getting it from somewhere and that somewhere is often the player management...

 

[eth-dog]

Media would be getting it from somewhere and that somewhere is often the player management...

The media never make things up.

 

[HairyO]

silly statement

there are levels within what constitutes a first rounder.

the 1st pick is a first rounder as is the 18th pick, the value between them though is highly different.

Butters would easily go for multiple top 10 picks, probably even top 5 picks.

2 firsts is not crazy overs for ZM - it just depends where they land within the first 18 picks. Especially when you factor in the insane dilution of the draft where Pick 8 is actually like pick 14 in reality.

ZM is an elite and generally injury free player. Will make any team he goes to better the moment he puts his boots on AND he has 2 years on his contract. The idea Essendon should let him leave for peanuts in the event he asks for a trade is ****in laughable.

Noone is talking about peanuts.

We are talking about our 1st round pick which is Carlton's pick 8. That plus another 1st round (even if its an end of 1st round we may get for Worpel) feels like too much for a 30 year old.

If we dont get him he stays and wins 2 more B&Fs then goes somewhere else as a 32 year old presumably UFA and you get nearly zero compo.

 

[DapperDon]

FFS. He does this every year and never leaves.

Barely deserves a thread at this point.

He does this or the media does this?

 

[Lore]

Media would be getting it from somewhere and that somewhere is often the player management...

In this case the players management was there to negotiate an extension so it’d be odd to leak anything.

What seems to have happened is Zach talks to a lot of people for advice both internally and externally, and one of those has passed his frustrations on, either to the media or to a club that reads those frustrations as being gettable, which then gets back to the media.

 

[HeHateMe]

The media never make things up.

The report where it states he is working through his options makes sense, his management would be taking enquiries from clubs and seeing what the offer and then gauging if Essendon will accept it. If nothing suitable comes up they go nothing to see here he was always staying. Keep the mob happy.

Just my read of the situation. I'm just speculating.

 

[HeHateMe]

In this case the players management was there to negotiate an extension so it’d be odd to leak anything.

What seems to have happened is Zach talks to a lot of people for advice both internally and externally, and one of those has passed his frustrations on, either to the media or to a club that reads those frustrations as being gettable, which then gets back to the media.

Yeah that's another possibility, Chinese whispers, purple monkey dishwasher. If that's the case would be pretty frustrating for Merrett and the club.

 

[Lore]

Yeah that's another possibility, Chinese whispers, purple monkey dishwasher. If that's the case would be pretty frustrating for Merrett and the club.

It’s the most likely thing in this case.

Most players only talk to close family and friends that they trust not to leak so you don’t usually get a lot of that coming out but yeah. In this case we know he’s chatty

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Noone is talking about peanuts.

We are talking about our 1st round pick which is Carlton's pick 8. That plus another 1st round (even if its an end of 1st round we may get for Worpel) feels like too much for a 30 year old.

If we dont get him he stays and wins 2 more B&Fs then goes somewhere else as a 32 year old presumably UFA and you get nearly zero compo.

Your Pick 8 isn't Pick 8 though. The point is it ends up being pick 14 after early bids etc in a very bad draft. Than say if you also throw in your Future First, we all know that's a high chance of being a late first that could push into the early 20's.

~14 + ~20 is indeed peanuts for ZM with 2 years on his contract. Laughable to suggest otherwise.

If Pick 8 was actually Pick 8, id probably be on board. It isn't though and if ZM wasn't 30, we would be talking much lower picks anyway wouldn't we.

Id rather keep Merrett on our list for 2 more years and give him up for nothing, than get jagged now rofl. Ultimately i dont decide what our club does though. It generally makes bad decisions so who knows.

 

[Nugett]

Knowing our stupid club they will get fleeced by Hawks.

They have history gave us shotgun Williams with cooked knees and the pick we got for Andrew Lovett we gave to them and helped them land Shaun Burgoyne.

You guys really screwed the saints with the Andrew Lovett trade as well. Probably knew of the impending charges that was going to be laid against him. Lovett 0 games after that trade. Williams 8 games after that trade… so regardless you guys won!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Butters would be 3 x 1st round picks and 100% worth it. Merrett being 2 x 1st feels like crazy overs.

Bombers already have early firsts, they know the draft is weak, therefore they have claimed he is worth 3x firsts. Now that’s crazy.

I certainly hope we walk away. He can stay there for all I care.

 

[HairyO]

You Pick 8 isn't Pick 8 though. The point is it ends up being pick 14 after early bids etc in a very bad draft. Than say if you also throw in your Future First, we all know that's a high chance of being a late first that could push into the early 20's.

~14 + ~20 is indeed peanuts for ZM with 2 years on his contract. Laughable to suggest otherwise.

If Pick 8 was actually Pick 8, id probably be on board. It isn't though.

Id rather keep Merrett on our list for 2 more years and give up for nothing, than get jagged now rofl. Ultimately i dont decide what our club does though. It generally makes bad decisions so who knows.

Maybe we can just go silly and say the pick 8 is really pick 25.

Currently it is the 8th pick for players who are available. Even if it was pick 4 you wouldnt be getting the F/S or the academy kids, you would be getting the 4th best player who is available.

It probably moves out 1 for the pretend compo WCE get for Allen so that the AFL dont need to give a priority pick to a club which won a flag 7 years ago.

I'd be more than happy to not get him if Essendon think 2 x 1st round picks for a 30 year old is simply not enough. Regardless of the contract he is on.

Similar with Petracca. Going all in for a final tilt is what we did in 2017/18. Made sense at the time but in hindsight, not so much.

Bombers already have early firsts, they know the draft is weak, therefore they have claimed he is worth 3x firsts. Now that’s crazy.

I certainly hope we walk away. He can stay there for all I care.

Which is why the more sensible option is to ask for one of our younger players. Hustwaite, Serong, Reeves, Ramsden, etc. as well as a 1st round pick.

And to the Essendon supporters wanting to add Weddle to the above list, we wouldnt swap Weddle for Butters. We sure as **** arent swapping him for Merrett.

 

[Donflicted]

Bombers already have early firsts, they know the draft is weak, therefore they have claimed he is worth 3x firsts. Now that’s crazy.

I certainly hope we walk away. He can stay there for all I care.

Isnt that what most clubs do?

Eagles did with Tom B as well starting high to then agree in the middle?

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Butters would be 3 x 1st round picks and 100% worth it. Merrett being 2 x 1st feels like crazy overs.

Maybe or a player!

I’d still pay more for Butters than Merrit due to age! Butter also has a bit of mongrel in him that we miss from our 3peat days.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Maybe we can just go silly and say the pick 8 is really pick 25.

Currently it is the 8th pick for players who are available. Even if it was pick 4 you wouldnt be getting the F/S or the academy kids, you would be getting the 4th best player who is available.

It probably moves out 1 for the pretend compo WCE get for Allen so that the AFL dont need to give a priority pick to a club which won a flag 7 years ago.

I'd be more than happy to not get him if Essendon think 2 x 1st round picks for a 30 year old is simply not enough. Regardless of the contract he is on.

Similar with Petracca. Going all in for a final tilt is what we did in 2017/18. Made sense at the time but in hindsight, not so much.



Which is why the more sensible option is to ask for one of our younger players. Hustwaite, Serong, Reeves, Ramsden, etc. as well as a 1st round pick.

And to the Essendon supporters wanting to add Weddle to the above list, we wouldnt swap Weddle for Butters. We sure as **** arent swapping him for Merrett.

I disagree with you but we end up in the same agreement i suppose.

ZM stays IMO

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Isnt that what most clubs do?

Eagles did with Tom B as well starting high to then agree in the middle?

Some player managers also have influence, not sure who is Merritt but there’s some you do not want to piss off by being unrealistic!

 

[Great8]

ZM stays IMO

And if he does the club still needs to strip him of his captaincy

 

[HairyO]

And if he does the club still needs to strip him of his captaincy

And force him to do a public apology like WCE did with Allen? That went well.

 

[Nugett]

Essendon would be better off trading Merrett out.

Yes they will take a little bit of a hit next year, if they draft smartly how ever it could help them rebound a lot quicker, then just continually plateauing in the bottom 10.

A future 1st, Carlton’s second and fringe player(s) like Huswaite/Serong would be more beneficial to them, then keeping a player, who will lose a lot of draft capital by the time he is out of contract.

 

[Great8]

And force him to do a public apology like WCE did with Allen? That went well.

The apology bit I wouldn’t bother with but your club Captain shouldn’t be shopping themselves around every year. If he stays his captaincy is untenable.
Personally I’d trade him out now whilst we can

 

[HairyO]

The apology bit I wouldn’t bother with but your club Captain shouldn’t be shopping themselves around every year. If he stays his captaincy is untenable.
Personally I’d trade him out now whilst we can

Our former captain retired and wrote a book and made a heap of money from it, then a few weeks later decided he would play for a couple more years but at a different club.

I have a feeling he is still viewed positively. Unless of course his son decides to play for Brisbane rather than us.

Merrett is a work horse who always gives 100%, even when the club continually performs terribly. Publicly always positive so surely privately he is allowed to be a little upset and see if there are better options.

 

[Great8]

Our former captain retired and wrote a book and made a heap of money from it, then a few weeks later decided he would play for a couple more years but at a different club.

I have a feeling he is still viewed positively. Unless of course his son decides to play for Brisbane rather than us.

Merrett is a work horse who always gives 100%, even when the club continually performs terribly. Publicly always positive so surely privately he is allowed to be a little upset and see if there are better options.

Don’t get me wrong I love him and what he has done for us. I absolutely don’t begrudge him seeking better options I just don’t think it’s a good look for the skipper to continually shop himself around. It’s almost an annual event it seems