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

[Lore]

There we go, that's the clip:

 

[To the Hawk]

Remind me how many players have arrived at Hawthorn this off season?

2 by tomorrow night.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

Again, there's a time and place for it, which is why good clubs seem to be able to get deals done amicably.

Yes which Hawthorn have managed time and time again in the past.

 

[dixyland]

keeping contracted professional footballer is bad business?


wowee

It's like keeping your wife who wants out just because she signed the marriage certificate.

 

[Yoda_]

Essendon, Carlton, West Coast supporters all in agreeable must be some sort of record for BigFooty

 

[GinniAndTonic]

I want the deal to go through, the absolute carry on from all corners is embarrassing (yes, both sides). On the other hand, I don't purely because of the way Hawthorn have carried themselves this off season and pretending they hold the moral high ground

I also want the deal to go through (agree on the embarrassment myself included). But I don’t think we’ve once thought we held the moral high ground, your club is refusing to deal on a contracted player and it’s well within your clubs right but imo it’s the wrong move and I think a lot of Essendon supporters would agree.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

How will it hurt Essendon to keep their best player, who's contracted?

They are rebuilding, he wont be a part of the long term future, certainly won't be a part of the next flag tilt, they will be rebuilding with Tassie coming in and missing out on a chance to add some more young talent to a list.

Essendon can do what they want but i certainly think holding them is the wrong choice.

 

[Duckworth]

How will it hurt Essendon to keep their best player, who's contracted?

It's a good question. I don't think he understands...

 

[bzparkes]

Hey don't drag us into this. Mackie offered every first we had and after it was clear we weren't getting over the Sydney offer we bid them good day. No harm no foul

Well, I mean it was a half-arsed pitch, but certainly not in the same realm as the Merrett/Hawks saga.

 

[Skipper_]

It’s happening isn’t it…



The same flogs that want Walsh to ‘stand strong’

Not sure how a discussion between Garry Lyon and Tim Watson on a radio show 3 years ago is of any relevance here.

 

[GinniAndTonic]

It's a good question. I don't think he understands...

Don’t do the trade but don’t complain next year that your list is going nowhere and you should’ve done the deal. Which is the best outcome for both teams.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

It's like keeping your wife who wants out just because she signed the marriage certificate.

It's really not...

 

[Duckworth]

Don’t do the trade but don’t complain next year that your list is going nowhere and you should’ve done the deal. Which is the best outcome for both teams.

Read my posting, I've said many times I would have done the trade.

 

[Skipper_]

It's like keeping your wife who wants out just because she signed the marriage certificate.

Idk man I think there are a couple of differences between leaving a football team and a divorce.

Maybe that’s just me though.

 

[To the Hawk]

They were talking with him about it on Melbourne radio before he even left for Perth.



Personally I don't really care about that but not exactly the best look.



There seems to be a common denominator here.

Absolutely. Both TB and Merrett shared the same concerns over the running of their clubs and not seeing logic in decisions made on and off-field. Lost trust in decision makers to correct current situations.

Not sure on Eagles so much tbh, but this remains something Essendon are still unwilling to acknowledge and address. Hawks in particular Sam is the bogeyman they use to avoid looking hard at their environment. Been this way for over 20 years now. Good clubs don't lose captain's or players they want to keep.

 

[GinniAndTonic]

Read my posting, I've said many times I would have done the trade.

I must’ve missed them. At least we can agree on something, still tomorrow left for this deal to get done but honest I can’t see it happening now!

 

[Hawkk]

Not sure how a discussion between Garry Lyon and Tim Watson on a radio show 3 years ago is of any relevance here.

We all know Brad Scott is about to get the arse, the messiah will endure Zerrett turns back to Essendon. And Bomber fans will rejoice in his resurrection

 

[bzparkes]

They are rebuilding, he wont be a part of the long term future, certainly won't be a part of the next flag tilt, they will be rebuilding with Tassie coming in and missing out on a chance to add some more young talent to a list.

Essendon can do what they want but i certainly think holding them is the wrong choice.

Essendon only have what, 4 list spots currently?

Having an extra first rounder this year doesn't help them in the slightest, because the only club they'll likely trade up with is WCE for pick 1 or, more likely, pick 2.

WCE will likely only take their current 3 first rounders, then match any bids on Williams/Banfield(maybe Evans if he have the list spot) then just take NGA in the RD.

The point of this is that Essendon don't really need the extra first rounder this year for anything in particular and the trade offer is closer to being a swap of Merrett for Hustwaite on the main list and what projects to be a late first rounder next year.

Now, the offer may sound like a lot from Hawthorn's POV but it's utterly pox for Essendon, which is why they won't entertain it.

 

[Duckworth]

I must’ve missed them. At least we can agree on something, still tomorrow left for this deal to get done but honest I can’t see it happening now!

Today doesn't mean much.
Hawthorn put in a first offer. Added a deadline. Said this is our best offer.
Essendon countered with - do better.
Tomorrow we see what happens.

 

[Yoda_]

I also want the deal to go through (agree on the embarrassment even by myself). But I don’t think we’ve once thought we held the moral high ground, your club is refusing to deal on a contracted player and it’s well within your clubs right but imo it’s the wrong move and I think a lot of Essendon supporters would agree.

To be fair to Welsh, who held the job for 5 minutes before trying to stand up to the cluster**** he walked into, he was trying to stand firm. What was he meant to say and get the members off side in his first challenge? "Zac wants to jump off this sinking ship" ?

I have always felt it was a line that should not have been said, allowed Essendon to go either way. We have probably cornered ourselves in with that, Welsh speaking out of turn. The club tried to hose it down by saying the Board needs to tick off any move (as is the case with most clubs it seems - yes, I have researched. Even the Cam McKenzie extension was ticked off by the Hawks board).

Both sides (at club level) has been pretty ordinary, from the secret meeting leaked the week of the finals, to the unsanctioned comments from Martin and Redman (fwiw, they are not as bad when you actually listen to what was said, seems a lot of people only want to hear what the group mass thinks). the mud slinging and character assassination of Zac and EFC via Morris / Petroro has been shameful that now appears to be coming back to bite them on the arse.

The kicker has been the week where Morris (from information from June) tried to throw mud on EFC that was called out as poor and EFC were acting in the best interests of the club (see Kane Cornes calling him out) to now Hawthorn not only going over 1-week into the trade period before officially submitting a bid but trying to strong arm EFC by suggesting the bid will be void with a time restraint. That has been called out as arrogant by a large number of people on BigFooty. Make no mistake, the EFC lack of return phone call is probably more to do with the EFC bashing from Morris than it does about the offer.

If this was done much more mature, this could have been well underway, but alas, we sit here, less than 20 hours to go and AFL house kicking the tyres on this to ensure it does/doesnt get done until 6:58pm tonight.

 

[Skipper_]

We all know Brad Scott is about to get the arse, the messiah will endure Zerrett turns back to Essendon

Sure hope so!

I hope Welshy can coax Dank, Dodoro, Bomber, Evans and co. back to the club to finish what they started.

#whateverittakes

 

[GinniAndTonic]

Today doesn't mean much.
Hawthorn put in a first offer. Added a deadline. Said this is our best offer.
Essendon countered with - do better.
Tomorrow we see what happens.

That’s it, will be an interesting watch.

 

[bzparkes]

Don’t do the trade but don’t complain next year that your list is going nowhere and you should’ve done the deal. Which is the best outcome for both teams.

I don't see how swapping Henry Hustwaite for Merrett improves Essendon next year but you do you.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Blame Petroro / Mitchell / Hawthorn for leaking the meeting, Essendon had no reason or benefit to leak said meeting.


The nuclear option clearly been brought on to blow the joint up.

I think all the leaks in this case have backfired and made you steadfast in holding him to his contract.

Perhaps a more sensible approach would of yielded a different outcome

 

[Yoda_]

Essendon only have what, 4 list spots currently?

Having an extra first rounder this year doesn't help them in the slightest, because the only club they'll likely trade up with is WCE for pick 1 or, more likely, pick 2.

WCE will likely only take their current 3 first rounders, then match any bids on Williams/Banfield(maybe Evans if he have the list spot) then just take NGA in the RD.

The point of this is that Essendon don't really need the extra first rounder this year for anything in particular and the trade offer is closer to being a swap of Merrett for Hustwaite on the main list and what projects to be a late first rounder next year.

Now, the offer may sound like a lot from Hawthorn's POV but it's utterly pox for Essendon, which is why they won't entertain it.

This is what so many people dont realise. We had +4 players on our list, debuted 15 players so players/picks for 2025 draft/2026 playing list is of very little use to us. Future picks is of more value.

 

[Yoda_]

I think all the leaks in this case have backfired and made you steadfast in holding him to his contract.

Perhaps a more sensible approach would of yielded a different outcome

absolutely!

To be fair to Merrett (if I can remove my Essendon hat for a minute), he probably needed to do something like this to get his wish and enforce the move.