Rumour Speculation, Rumours, Lies Thread 2026 - Part 2

[Mr MysteryGuest]

 

[bigman]

Hawks being arrogant tossers? Well I never.

 

[TryAnHit]

I feel really sorry for the Merrett fam tonight. It must be devastating.
Seems he was a victim of club politics. They wanted to make a statement at Merrets expense.

Once the dust has settled, not sure how he returns to the club. Walking through the Hangar door as a regular player with all of the Melbourne media waiting in the car park. It will be a very uncomfortable time for the former captain.

Hopefully for his sake, Essendon can improve. They'd better.

You signed a long term contract you deal with it.

 

[Scorpus]

You signed a long term contract you deal with it.

True.

I feel a bit sorry for him because he signed a six year deal for 2022 onward, and then at the end of 2022 Essendon pull that ridiculous move to sack the coach and bring in a total dud in Brad Scott

Totally screwed Merrett over and prevented him and the club of having any success

 

[Trigger13]

code for we know adelaide will rig the offer so we can't

Code for Ah Chee doesn’t want to play there and they won’t stand in his way.

 

[CrouchPowa]

I must say, I did have a chuckle when the trade period closed and the amount of deals that didn't get done. No stage managing this s#÷_show .

(Yes, they usually do)

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Yes it's where Klingons come from!

We called them must-hangs back in the day

 

[crow2crow]

Code for Ah Chee doesn’t want to play there and they won’t stand in his way.

port might be a risk? they had cleared space too for NWM

 

[CrowToon]

The value of picks is definitely moving. More and more players deemed worthy of multiple first rounders so you can see why decent players are being shopped for first rounders.

Personally I think the price for Petracca at his age was insane to pay but if that's the going rate for the top of of the pool then a single first rounder just doesn't have the value it used to.

Tradeflation I guess

 

[crow2crow]

The value of picks is definitely moving. More and more players deemed worthy of multiple first rounders so you can see why decent players are being shopped for first rounders.

Personally I think the price for Petracca at his age was insane to pay but if that's the going rate for the top of of the pool then a single first rounder just doesn't have the value it used to.

Tradeflation I guess

its good they paid it because it makes you realise why we got cold feet. i think we can see from reids behaviour he will not wreck the list for one player.

 

[CDC60]

The value of picks is definitely moving. More and more players deemed worthy of multiple first rounders so you can see why decent players are being shopped for first rounders.

Personally I think the price for Petracca at his age was insane to pay but if that's the going rate for the top of of the pool then a single first rounder just doesn't have the value it used to.

Tradeflation I guess

The Petracca deal was insane but only GCS would consider it because their top end picks are devalued because of top end academy players. The Curnow deal is the one for me, Sydney has sold most of the farm on a player who averages just over two goals a game. Josh Jenkins averaged the same at the Crows. It's Charlie or bust for Sydney the next three years

 

[mcleod at 50 lines it up]

You know I'm almost starting to believe that rumour that Justin Reid is a tiny bit arrogant.

Takes a lot of arrogance to let all those young guys leave in the first half of his tenure

 

[ams4crows]

The value of picks is definitely moving. More and more players deemed worthy of multiple first rounders so you can see why decent players are being shopped for first rounders.

Personally I think the price for Petracca at his age was insane to pay but if that's the going rate for the top of of the pool then a single first rounder just doesn't have the value it used to.

Tradeflation I guess

The two clubs who paid a shit load have academies, no way would clubs without academies pay that, hence why Hawthorn said no we aren't giving up 4 first rounders, it's completely unreasonable for one player let alone for a player who's 30.

Once the Northern Academies have to pay full price ie to match bid at pick 1 need picks 6 and 7 I reckon we'll see normal valuation of picks again.... Well the top 10 will be worth way more in any case

 

[adelaidecrows]

if you dont live in melbourne you have no idea the hatred between these two teams. it is equal to adelaide v port and way more than calrton v collingwood

The problem Merritt had was he was complaining about wanting out and how Essendon failed him. He didnt do himself any by picking just one club and ruling everyone else out from the get go. So he was his own worst enemy. Had Essendon had a free run at trading him without his say he probably would have been traded to the club who offered the best deal. Maybe there is another example of how Players shouldnt get to decide there careers while under contract.

 

[bigman]

The problem Merritt had was he was complaining about wanting out and how Essendon failed him. He didnt do himself any by picking just one club and ruling everyone else out from the get go. So he was his own worst enemy. Had Essendon had a free run at trading him without his say he probably would have been traded to the club who offered the best deal. Maybe there is another example of how Players shouldnt get to decide there careers while under contract.

Good point.

Curnow and Petracca looking at multiple clubs helped push their value up.

Merrett treated it like he was a free agent. One club, no others considered.

Having said that, given what Essendon demanded, they were never giving him up.

 

[Crow till I die]

The value of picks is definitely moving. More and more players deemed worthy of multiple first rounders so you can see why decent players are being shopped for first rounders.

Personally I think the price for Petracca at his age was insane to pay but if that's the going rate for the top of of the pool then a single first rounder just doesn't have the value it used to.

Tradeflation I guess

No way GC even think about that deal without their academy leg up. Draft picks hold no vslue other than points to them so if its pick 7 or 17, they don't care as long as when it all comes out in the wash they have the draft points to get academy players a, b, c, d and maybe e. Its a completely different playing field they are operating on.

 

[cmndstab]

The clear way to rebuild now is to trade your good, contracted but older players to contenders for massive draft hauls

Honestly, yes. The next time a player wants to leave, we should cut a deal with them where they sign up for six years on big money (backloaded, of course), and then one year into their contract they request to leave and let us take in one of these ridiculous draft hauls of multiple first-round picks.

 

[cmndstab]

The problem Merritt had was he was complaining about wanting out and how Essendon failed him. He didnt do himself any by picking just one club and ruling everyone else out from the get go. So he was his own worst enemy. Had Essendon had a free run at trading him without his say he probably would have been traded to the club who offered the best deal. Maybe there is another example of how Players shouldnt get to decide there careers while under contract.

There is no way another team was going to come up with a better deal than what Hawthorn offered. The idea that Hawthorn even offered three for him is insanity already, but for Essendon to come back and say, no, we need FOUR of them... absolute lunacy from Essendon. Did they not just see Oliver being traded for a packet of chips two years after asking to leave and being denied?

Essendon absolutely screwed the pooch on this one.

 

[Mutineer]

whats happened to your man will verall? do you think someone will pick him up as DFA?

That''s a bit overstated, I thought he was worth a shot in his draft year with a late/rookie pick.

South Adelaide I'd think, still hasn't developed the tank required to be an AFL regular by all reports.

 

[adelaidecrows]

There is no way another team was going to come up with a better deal than what Hawthorn offered. The idea that Hawthorn even offered three for him is insanity already, but for Essendon to come back and say, no, we need FOUR of them... absolute lunacy from Essendon. Did they not just see Oliver being traded for a packet of chips two years after asking to leave and being denied?

Essendon absolutely screwed the pooch on this one.

my point was he killed the competition immediately which would have put Essendon offside. If he said I want out, anywhere will do, he might have still been traded to Hawthorn as Essendon wouldnt have viewed it as a kick in the balls.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Good point.

Curnow and Petracca looking at multiple clubs helped push their value up.

Merrett treated it like he was a free agent. One club, no others considered.

Having said that, given what Essendon demanded, they were never giving him up.

They should have shut it down immediately by simply stating no chance. And not entertained any discussions. The fact they took an offer at one point suggests they were considering it.

 

[GreyCrow]

I feel really sorry for the Merrett fam tonight. It must be devastating.
Seems he was a victim of club politics. They wanted to make a statement at Merrets expense.

Once the dust has settled, not sure how he returns to the club. Walking through the Hangar door as a regular player with all of the Melbourne media waiting in the car park. It will be a very uncomfortable time for the former captain.

Hopefully for his sake, Essendon can improve. They'd better.

There does seem to be parallels to us and Gibbs with Reids hands tied by upper management and Essendons upper management making life difficult for Welsh

 

[GreyCrow]

You signed a long term contract you deal with it.

100% but when you are offered a mountain of gold to move on someone who doesnt want to be there AND you get cap relief with getting the contract off the book - sometimes just sometimes integrity and principle dont cut it

Edit: and as mentioned above Essendon could have said no from Day 1

 

[Adecagodelphalaide]

my point was he killed the competition immediately which would have put Essendon offside. If he said I want out, anywhere will do, he might have still been traded to Hawthorn as Essendon wouldnt have viewed it as a kick in the balls.

Especially when who he was demanding to get to is their most hated rival, in a move that would have them pretty close to flag favourites.

I still think that's got to play a part in this. If Merrett wanted out that bad with the woe-is-me wanting success, surely he could have considered other clubs also?

Imagine if Dawson was demanding out to Port and Port only off the back of their prelim loss in 2024 after we'd just finished 15th, do you think we'd be keen to facilitate that?

 

[adelaidecrows]

Especially when who he was demanding to get to is their most hated rival, in a move that would have them pretty close to flag favourites.

I still think that's got to play a part in this. If Merrett wanted out that bad with the woe-is-me wanting success, surely he could have considered other clubs also?

Imagine if Dawson was demanding out to Port and Port only off the back of their prelim loss in 2024 after we'd just finished 15th, do you think we'd be keen to facilitate that?

Considering Dawson just changed clubs I dont see it the same situation especially since he had a prior opportunity to pick Port just a few years before. Merritt has given career length service. He signed a contract so Essendon are not obliged to entertain it. However he was 30 and definitely should have handled it better.