Unofficial Preview 2025 Hawk's Hypothetical Trade Discussion...now with added DFA spitballing!

[Strapping Young Lad]

This thread is becoming increasingly popular, and to keep some sort of order, we will have some….

Rules of engagement:

1. Bring valid news or links to Twitter posts from notable sources. Don’t post screenshots or “some bloke just said on SEN” or what some “trade whisperer” has posted on a Facebook page.

2. Ignore what other team boards are putting up as trade offers. Don’t quote or bring them here either.

3. Don’t post “buckle up” for the lols.

4. If you can’t say anything nice about Worpel or CJ, don’t say anything at all. The continued slaps and backhanders are just going to be deleted.

 

[5minutes_of_Dew]

This thread is like those Choose Your Own Adventure books, each refresh leads down a different path

It's certainly more enjoyable in here than in the 'Zach merrett' trade thread.

It's overflowing with moronic takes from West Coast and Essendon supporters who all had been saying 9 + f1 + HH was fair value, now saying it was a low ball offer.

 

[mustang]

Has to be done. He is desperate to get here.

If we don't get Merrett but land Humphrey and Essendon are on fire, it will be a good window.

 

[ahhhhhh]

What shocks me most is when this Merrett news initially dropped the bombers weren't on the phone to Reeves and Ramsden. Two players not getting enough opportunity that fill immediate needs for them. Both definitely gettable.

They are obsessed with trying to extract a best 23 player to 'win' the trade without actually thinking what holes do we have in our list and how do we plug them.

I don't think I've ever seen such inept dealing. It's actually astonishing.

 

[5minutes_of_Dew]

I may need to delete a few posts.

 

[BuddwaGOAT]

Why are Hawthorn not giving him away for legit free? Laughable



Stick to supercoach flog

Jagga Smith didn’t play a game this year either, can we grab him for a fourth?

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Mackenzie I would be really disappointed to lose.

Lewis or Scrimshaw we don't miss a beat in 2026 given depth in those positions.

Without improving our midfield it's a mountain to challenge the Lions next year.

Would absolutely love the Humphrey chat to eventuate.

Don't get me wrong, in no way do I want to see Mackenzie leave. This doesn't make much sense since though given we played without Mackenzie for the second half of the season, whilst Scrimshaw helped form one of the best defensive units in the league. We have no one that can replace him, we'd have to adjust roles for multiple players.

We also have no one that can replace Lewis either. Dear and Chol don't play the way Lewis does.

 

[dermie50]

From what I have heard, for essendon right now it is the current deal, take away hustwaite, add frenchie and Lewis.

If sleepy mark some how gets this done, without trading them both, or individually, then that is great news.

Dont be surprised if you maybe see three first rounders given up

Dealing with Essendon is like dealing with a lunatic asylum-why would you even bother? No wonder Merrett wants out!

 

[Hawkk]

Why are we even thinking about trading a mid - Mackenzie - for 2 first rounders when he could be better than Merrett?

Just walk

 

[MazHawk]

Why are Hawthorn not giving him away for legit free? Laughable



Stick to supercoach flog

They're offering 63, we want 31 and are willing to send a later pick back. That's the hold-up. That and we were both waiting for Swans to get 22 which would have softened them into giving 31.
That hasn't happened (yet?) so it may just have to be Jai for 63.

If worst happens and that's all we're offered, we're not going to stand in Jai's way of playing AFL - unlike some clubs.
Still being played out.

I have no new info on Bear or Zach, sorry.

 

[CHUBBSS]

Hearing Humphrey is back on.

my prayers are being answered

 

[Ned Ryerson]

They're offering 63, we want 31 and are willing to send a later pick back. That's the hold-up. That and we were both waiting for Swans to get 22 which would have softened them into giving 31.
That hasn't happened (yet?) so it may just have to be Jai for 63.

If worst happens and that's all we're offered, we're not going to stand in Jai's way of playing AFL - unlike some clubs.
Still being played out.

I have no new info on Bear or Zach, sorry.

Very similar negotiating stance as when we traded Kosi to Richmond.

And don't apologise - you have done immeasurably good work this trade period!

 

[Lickmesocks]

Why are we even thinking about trading mid - Mackenzie - for 2 first rounders when he could be better than Merrett?

Just walk

This is not how it ever plays out with Hawthorn. We never walk. Once we commit and the player commits we get deals done.

I am not sure why anyone ever thought we would get another clubs captain and best player for a couple of players that have been playing in our VFL behind Nash and Worpel.

When we get him tonight there will be some heartache for some supporters on here.

 

[Bugs1977]

It just has a feel of the Dons trying to extract as much possible from us based on our reputation of always overpaying to get deals done.

It won't be a hard backflip for the Dons to accept last night's offer at the last moment based on something like player welfare etc.

And they may feel they can extract even more based on past history.

Hopefully, we stand firm but I won't be surprised to see past history repeated (and in that scenario, we still get a great player in Merrett. I just worry a little about the future but the team has more than shown their ability to adapt without the significant advantages of other teams - it just gets harder).

I think they are a) trying to wring as much collateral as they can get b) trying to destabilise as many of our contracted players as possible by kicking the tyres on them

I really hope MM does something to make a statement today that shows these guys that we won’t be dictated by such an irrelevant football club. Hang in there everyone and enjoy the ride.

 

[To the Hawk]

Don't get me wrong, in no way do I want to see Mackenzie leave. This doesn't make much sense since though given we played without Mackenzie for the second half of the season, whilst Scrimshaw helped form one of the best defensive units in the league. We have no one that can replace him, we'd have to adjust roles for multiple players.

We also have no one that can replace Lewis either. Dear and Chol don't play the way Lewis does.

My thoughts are we made a prelim without Lewis doing anything (obviously very good in the prelim but). We get a fit Dear and Weddle as roaming CHF looked amazing in the finals, when called to play there. I also expect us to play 2 rucks with Reeves clear advantage at centre bounce next year.

Scrimma is a very good player. But talk has been Day might spend time there. Weddle can. I also feel the club's eager to get Mraz into that back 7. Super talent.

Mackenzie's upside next year and beyond I think is enormous for us.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

They're offering 63, we want 31 and are willing to send a later pick back. That's the hold-up. That and we were both waiting for Swans to get 22 which would have softened them into giving 31.
That hasn't happened (yet?) so it may just have to be Jai for 63.

If worst happens and that's all we're offered, we're not going to stand in Jai's way of playing AFL - unlike some clubs.
Still being played out.

I have no new info on Bear or Zach, sorry.

It’s just funny that all we have heard is how useless our picks are in trades for months but now we are expected to give Jai away.

We are happy to facilitate a trade but it shouldn’t be unreasonable to just expect something minor that is at least of small value to us.

 

[LunchboxLegend]

Not sure I would even trade Mackenzie for Merrett, straight up.

 

[asanque]

It's certainly more enjoyable in here than in the 'Zach merrett' trade thread.

It's overflowing with moronic takes from West Coast and Essendon supporters who all had been saying 9 + f1 + HH was fair value, now saying it was a low ball offer.

That is the problem with the Merrett trade.

The goal posts just keep shifting which is an indication that the Dons are just trying to see how silly we get with our offers.

 

[Bugs1977]

Movement in pants.

 

[MazHawk]

Very similar negotiating stance as when we traded Kosi to Richmond.

And don't apologise - you have done immeasurably good work this trade period!

Thank you.

And I was wrong when I said that's all. When TD posted about Bear I sent him another text and he's conformed that lines are still open between us and Suns.

So I don't know whether it's fully 'on' but we're still talking.

 

[StackedHunch]

This is not how it ever plays out with Hawthorn. We never walk. Once we commit and the player commits we get deals done.

I am not sure why anyone ever thought we would get another clubs captain and best player for a couple of players that have been playing in our VFL behind Nash and Worpel.

When we get him tonight there will be some heartache for some supporters on here.

Who said we committed? Zach wants to come, we want him, but did the club ever say any price would be paid, no matter if it wasn't in our short or long term interests?

Sorry that we won't be getting Zach, but not our fault 1) he signed a long term contract to a shit club, and 2) his club is intransigent in the extreme.

 

[dermie50]

Don't get me wrong, in no way do I want to see Mackenzie leave. This doesn't make much sense since though given we played without Mackenzie for the second half of the season, whilst Scrimshaw helped form one of the best defensive units in the league. We have no one that can replace him, we'd have to adjust roles for multiple players.

We also have no one that can replace Lewis either. Dear and Chol don't play the way Lewis does.

Those people talking about Mackenzie and Scrimshaw are Essendon supporters infiltrating this forum!

 

[TheFourPillars]

525 minutes till Zac Merrett is a hawk

 

[Mr Lizard]

We're leading the race!

 

[Mercy Seat]

Who said we committed? Zach wants to come, we want him, but did the club ever say any price would be paid, no matter if it wasn't in our short or long term interests?

Sorry that we won't be getting Zach, but not our fault 1) he signed a long term contract to a shit club, and 2) his club is intransigent in the extreme.

Of course we committed to him. Players don't ask to be traded to a club if that club hasn't committed. He and his manager would have needed to hear that we would be able get the deal done from the club prior to any of this stuff going public.

 

[SA HAWK]

Get a bad feeling someone we don’t want to will end up getting traded for Merrett.