AFL Player 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett (c) Wins 6th Crichton Medal - Congratulations Zach

[Here_we_come]

Given the circumstances, we need to just trade Zach and get the best deal we can, but as has been called out many times he’s making a mistake here.

If he stayed with Essendon he could be remembered as a club legend and one of its best ever. He’d be remembered amongst essendon’s greatest but also amongst the likes of Buckley and Riewoldt, etc as superstars who never saw success but who gave their all.

Kornes can be inflammatory at times but he’s said it perfectly imo. If he moved to a different club and won a flag, it would be a cheap one because he didn’t help build it.

That said, I don’t hold any ill feelings towards Merrett because the club has really let him down and failed him big time by keeping the likes of dodo around who couldn’t build a list to save himself.

 

[Maxabillions]

Cop that

 

[Blind Turn]

Cop that

View attachment 2425543

Bloody hell man, just take the drink he’s offering and be thankful! You obviously must look parched.

 

[Foxx]

Gee I'd love it if we made him stay.
Its not like we have much else to lose.
We have enough draft picks, and young players.
Strip his captaincy, put him back out there.
If he sooks it up, then he'll just make himself look bad.

 

[MiguelM]

Gee I'd love it if we made him stay.
Its not like we have much else to lose.
We have enough draft picks, and young players.
Strip his captaincy, put him back out there.
If he sooks it up, then he'll just make himself look bad.

Thought that the other day but the silence from the Merrett camp is deafening.

 

[MiguelM]

Sure, and I recognize I'm looking at this from a selfish perspective, rather than what is good for your club. It's good for the sport if you don't entertain his request.
I hate the idea of players moving from a team that's building, to go straight to a contender. It's even worse when they're under contract.

And 100 times worse when they are the captain of the club.

 

[Foxx]

Thought that the other day but the silence from the Merrett camp is deafening.

Its their camp that makes me feel that way.

 

[fishardansin]

Yep. Be ruthless. Hold your cards if you can. Hawthorn can give us a pick 8, 2nd round, and McKenzie or piss off. If you go trying to poach opposiition captains and best player you pay a premium, that is doubled while contracted!

We've seen many players not traded in the past and then stay on down the track.

 

[greening22]

no

I hope that you do not mind me coming into your current thread as a non-Essendon participant. However I believe that Essendon has been building up quite a large war-chest in recent times to attract some key Free Agents. Given Hawthorn's aggressive attitude towards Merrett regardless of him being contracted for another 2 years, I am wondering if the Essendon administration have considered reciprocating. What I mean, is has your club considered retaliating by approaching currently contacted Hawthorn players with TDK like offers to see if you can flush out any pssible takers going forward? It would be interesting to see how that would be taken by the Hawthorn Football Club - and especially their coach - while they are participating in a Finals series. Anyway, that was just an observation that I wanted to make. Goodnight & good luck.

 

[MiguelM]

I hope that you do not mind me coming into your current thread as a non-Essendon participant. However I believe that Essendon has been building up quite a large war-chest in recent times to attract some key Free Agents. Given Hawthorn's aggressive attitude towards Merrett regardless of him being contracted for another 2 years, I am wondering if the Essendon administration have considered reciprocating. What I mean, is has your club considered retaliating by approaching currently contacted Hawthorn players with TDK like offers to see if you can flush out any pssible takers going forward? It would be interesting to see how that would be taken by the Hawthorn Football Club - and especially their coach - while they are participating in a Finals series. Anyway, that was just an observation that I wanted to make. Goodnight & good luck.

Absolutely. Works both ways.

Might have more leverage too if they get smashed by the Cats. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

The drew first blood. Hopefully we are ruthless from here. Could ironically make us stronger.

 

[bomberlegend2007]

I hope that you do not mind me coming into your current thread as a non-Essendon participant. However I believe that Essendon has been building up quite a large war-chest in recent times to attract some key Free Agents. Given Hawthorn's aggressive attitude towards Merrett regardless of him being contracted for another 2 years, I am wondering if the Essendon administration have considered reciprocating. What I mean, is has your club considered retaliating by approaching currently contacted Hawthorn players with TDK like offers to see if you can flush out any pssible takers going forward? It would be interesting to see how that would be taken by the Hawthorn Football Club - and especially their coach - while they are participating in a Finals series. Anyway, that was just an observation that I wanted to make. Goodnight & good luck.

The list strategy of the club, in my opinion is building through the draft with the free agency being used before the tilt. I don’t believe we will do any of that to just **** with Hawks.

Say we started the draft building in 2022 we would have the following players who have shown glimpses, alongside future picks -

2022 - Tsatas, Hayes
2023 - Caddy, Roberts, Visentni
2024 - Kako, Clarke, Johnson
2025 - Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6 (Draper Comp), Pick 8 (Merrett)
2026? - Pick 4

I would say 2025 and 2026 are going to be our last two years with the reliance on the draft with 2027 going to be Bewick.

Now, FA will only work if the club is actually looking on the right track come 2026. We have to look like those FA targets are the next step. If not, the build will fall by the wayside.

Also still of the belief that this draft will either be the reason we win a premiership in the next few years, or the reason we are still a mediocre mess. It’s that important.

 

[MPMonkeys]

That works for a contending side.

We're a rebuilding side. There is nothing to gain from keeping a disgruntled ex-captain while we finish bottom 4. We more than ever need players that want to be here to see out this rebuild.

There is plenty to gain.
It sends a message to any players at the club or who wish to join the club that we enforce contracts.

I guarantee that if we weaken our stance, then the next player will be a Caddy or someone of his ilk.

We will end up being in a never ending loop of losing contracted players.

 

[DERO]

Yeah, I think we need to hold him to his contract.

 

[ant555]

Issue is that its common for player managers to threaten clubs and say if they don't comply then they will not bring players to their club. Clubs should have alot more power than they actually do.. I mean look what happened to JUH this year. Sat out and earnt **** loads.

I agree clubs need more power and I think that come via clubs being able to trade players of their choice to where they want. It is a bit of a one way street right now. The outrider I would put on it is if a players has a young family then he can decline to be traded interstate.

player managers are ruining the game under the guise of what's best for my client.

In no sensible or mature way should this have played out the way it has. Nuclear has been used to describe the situation, this is toxic and cancerous.

Agree with the comment that it should not have played out like this but equal blame must be on Merrett. He is the guy who obviously is not all in.
Player managers are not ruining the game. Money has turned it into what it is and clubs continually cannibalizing each other. Merretts manager had nothing to do with Hawthorn's approach to things.
The clubs leak to the media more than the player managers.
Then there is the clubs are not mature enough to have the conversation which leads to all the covert operations. They fall over themselves offering long term deals to pry players from other clubs but they can not deal with it when the boot is on the other foot.
It is the system and not simply the managers. AFL. Clubs.Players.Managers. They all play have all played a role in how it has got to today. Would also say the way society has gone also plays a role. People to not seem to have the same standards as far as your word being your bond and honour as far as sticking to a contract.

For every story that has played out like this there are 10 stories you hear from players or families of players in regards to how good the manager they work with was and was not simply a bloke who took a cut to manage the contract. Voss (sorry mods) probably does not get a spot with Fremantle if he does not have a manger looking after him.

When millions of dollars are involved then managers are part of the game. At least it is not like the NRL where there are some clubs that simply will not deal with some managers because they really are snakes in the grass.

Plenty of people would be happy to just pay out Gresham and let him go. He has a contract. Where is the moral outrage there ? Did not see any protest when we paid out Stewart and finished his career. Cake and eat it comes to mind.

In an ideal word contracts would not be longer than 3 years with an option of a 4th and if you negotiate a new one early then it does not get added on as an extension. You are back to the starting point of 3 years with an option.

 

[dank420_]

**** HIM OOOOOOFFFFFFFFF

 

[ant555]

 

[DERO]

We've totally got to move this duplicitous bastard on.

 

[DERO]

But only after we keep him to his contract.

 

[MiguelM]

But only after we keep him to his contract.

I would love it if we held him to his contract and just played him in VFL.

Would never happen but would be fun if only to stick it up Mitchell

 

[D BRIDGE]

Yep. Be ruthless. Hold your cards if you can. Hawthorn can give us a pick 8, 2nd round, and McKenzie or piss off. If you go trying to poach opposiition captains and best player you pay a premium, that is doubled while contracted!

We've seen many players not traded in the past and then stay on down the track.

That would be gifting him with a ribbon to the Dawks.

2x R1s will be an absolute minimum starting point for you guys (prob ask for 3 and just about get it imo).

MacKenzie is a VFL player who is far from a sure thing to make it at AFL level.

 

[MiguelM]

That would be gifting him with a ribbon to the Dawks.

2x R1s will be an absolute minimum starting point for you guys (prob ask for 3 and just about get it imo).

MacKenzie is a VFL player who is far from a sure thing to make it at AFL level.

For me we need 1 established player out of this.

Picks no way replace him.

Just deal with the club with the best offer and if he doesn't like it tell him he will be held to contract and rot in VFL. Clubs should have the power to move him onto any club in this scenario.

 

[jmoo wan]

We've totally got to move this duplicitous bastard on.

But only after we keep him to his contract.

yeah, true

 

[DERO]

yeah, true

I miss him.

 

[jmoo wan]

I miss him.

same, he would’ve known just what to say to help us through this dark time

 

[ydc55]

I agree clubs need more power and I think that come via clubs being able to trade players of their choice to where they want. It is a bit of a one way street right now. The outrider I would put on it is if a players has a young family then he can decline to be traded interstate.

Agree with the comment that it should not have played out like this but equal blame must be on Merrett. He is the guy who obviously is not all in.
Player managers are not ruining the game. Money has turned it into what it is and clubs continually catabolizing each other. Merretts manager had nothing to do with Hawthorn's approach to things.
The clubs leak to the media more than the player managers.
Then there is the clubs are not mature enough to have the conversation which leads to all the covert operations. They fall over themselves offering long term deals to pry players from other clubs but they can not deal with it when the boot is on the other foot.
It is the system and not simply the managers. AFL. Clubs.Players.Managers. They all play have all played a role in how it has got to today. Would also say the way society has gone also plays a role. People to not seem to have the same standards as far as your word being your bond and honour as far as sticking to a contract.

For every story that has played out like this there are 10 stories you hear from players or families of players in regards to how good the manager they work with was and was not simply a bloke who took a cut to manage the contract. Voss (sorry mods) probably does not get a spot with Fremantle if he does not have a manger looking after him.

When millions of dollars are involved then managers are part of the game. At least it is not like the NRL where there are some clubs that simply will not deal with some managers because they really are snakes in the grass.

Plenty of people would be happy to just pay out Gresham and let him go. He has a contract. Where is the moral outrage there ? Did not see any protest when we paid out Stewart and finished his career. Cake and eat it comes to mind.

In an ideal word contracts would not be longer than 3 years with an option of a 4th and if you negotiate a new one early then it does not get added on as an extension. You are back to the starting point of 3 years with an option.

Great post.
It is a ruthless business.
Essendon are not a ruthless or well run club.
Essendon are living on past glories and are governed by rich coteries.
This does not cut it anymore.
You need to have success to attract or keep good players.
Most AFL players follow American sports and that is how it goes there.
We cannot say we have a large supporter base, Anzac Day and Dreamtime and expect that will attract players.
Heck that didn’t work with Jack Bowes!
Interesting what I have said above could describe Carlton minus Anzac Day and Dreamtime.
I think what Zac has done is ordinary but is hardly surprising.