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

[Lore]

There we go, that's the clip:

 

[Yoda_]

So like I said - you can say that hawks didn't offer enough, that's fine - but smart clubs would prefer picks because they can convert those to the players they actually want, or use them to adapt their draft strategy. Getting players as part of these trades is just opportunism - it is dumb to make it your trade strategy.

Melbourne is a good example. Even though they were losing their midfield (Petracca and Oliver) they didn't faff aroudn with GC and GWS grandstanding to make them include players. They did painless pick trades (including sending some second rounders back to GC) and then went and got Heath, CJ, Steele and Mihocek in SEPARATE trades targeting players that acutally suited them.

Melbourne had a very smart trade period and turned the negative of two key players leaving into a genuine reset of their squad. Well done Melbourne. Carving their own path. Very active and doing all that they can to improve in 2026. Reckon they'll do ok

Petracca did due diligence, he met with Adelaide and Gold Coast. Once deciding, Gold Coadt doubled down and got to work

Hawthorn postured for weeks with a low ball offer and then tried to strong arm Essendon with a dumb ‘deadline’ suggesting it was it but looked foolish by coming back in with more.

If Zac was so keen to get out, like Curnow, like Trac he’d have nominated multiple clubs but it seemed Hawthorn were the ones who wanted him, trying (and failing) to use that as leverage to lowball Essendon

 

[Yoda_]

Petracca did due diligence, he met with Adelaide and Gold Coast. Once deciding, Gold Coadt doubled down and got to work

Hawthorn postured for weeks with a low ball offer and then tried to strong arm Essendon with a dumb ‘deadline’ suggesting it was it but looked foolish by coming back in with more.

If Zac was so keen to get out, like Curnow, like Trac he’d have nominated multiple clubs but it seemed Hawthorn were the ones who wanted him, trying (and failing) to use that as leverage to lowball Essendon

Furthermore, the trades that didn’t get done were players wanting one club only.

Marshall > Geelong,
Ah Chee > WCE

 

[QuietB]

What were the reasons reported by the way?

He quit. Essendon is unprofessional. Program is not elite. Standards are low. He wants success. Essendon cannot offer that. yada yada

Then there was the AFLW team and his teammates ratting on him.

I'm sure he feels very loved

 

[Yoda_]

He quit. Essendon is unprofessional. Program is not elite. Standards are low. He wants success. Essendon cannot offer that. yada yada

Then there was the AFLW team and his teammates ratting on him.

I'm sure he feels very loved

Were they reported or just suggestions?

The AFLW story was shown to be a nothing story fwiw

 

[DERO]

Yeah I get it hawks bad, what about the 16 other teams

They are bad too.

 

[Hawkk]

Petracca did due diligence, he met with Adelaide and Gold Coast. Once deciding, Gold Coadt doubled down and got to work

Hawthorn postured for weeks with a low ball offer and then tried to strong arm Essendon with a dumb ‘deadline’ suggesting it was it but looked foolish by coming back in with more.

If Zac was so keen to get out, like Curnow, like Trac he’d have nominated multiple clubs but it seemed Hawthorn were the ones who wanted him, trying (and failing) to use that as leverage to lowball Essendon

So I gather you are ‘all in’ with Welshy vetoing the list manager then. Well done!

Credit where it’s due not only did Essendon ‘win’ trade week but they got their swagger back too…

 

[QuietB]

Were they reported or just suggestions?

The AFLW story was shown to be a nothing story fwiw

It being a nothing story is worse. Your footy club is white-anting their own player over a nothing story

 

[cobra land]

Will you be cheering him on friend?

1000% I will, he'll be wearing the red and black so why wouldn't I..

 

[VDS66]

This is so dumb.

If you're the club losing the quality player and you refuse to trade unless you get a quality player from that team it's a tiny pool of options. There's maybe 3 or 4 guys that would be a potential of being available and wanting to move clubs if your'e lucky.

If you take the picks instead you have currency and options to approach literally any club in the entire league with those picks (possibly 30-40 across the league) and find a quality player that acutally suits your list.

Or you can convert those picks into other/future picks as part of whatever future drafting strategy you've got and whatever other conversations you've got going.

There is much more freedom for the receiving club if they get a swathe of picks.

Those demanding that Hawthorn give up a player aren't actually wanting to see a quality player go to Essendon, they just want to see Hawthorn pay a more painful price. But a smart club sees a firtful of picks as a convertable currency. A dumb club says "do our recruitment for us"

Now it's fine to say that the total of 3/4 first rounders isn't enough - but to demand a player be part of the trade is real neanderthal stuff.

Keep going with the personal insults, champ.

Comments were a general observation that picks alone may not suffice in trades, given the compromised drafts.

Your argument makes even less sense. It's a simple equation: You want quality, you have to pay for quality. Clubs may no longer accept a bunch of secondary picks as opposed to genuine top 10 picks.

In your feeble attempt to get the upper hand, you are conflating the reality of the marketplace with your biased opinion of what is smart and what is dumb. And you accuse me of emotional nonsense.

I look forward to your next round of condescending personal remarks.


Jog on thanks.

 

[Bagger72]

So like I said - you can say that hawks didn't offer enough, that's fine - but smart clubs would prefer picks because they can convert those to the players they actually want, or use them to adapt their draft strategy. Getting players as part of these trades is just opportunism - it is dumb to make it your trade strategy.

Melbourne is a good example. Even though they were losing their midfield (Petracca and Oliver) they didn't faff aroudn with GC and GWS grandstanding to make them include players. They did painless pick trades (including sending some second rounders back to GC) and then went and got Heath, CJ, Steele and Mihocek in SEPARATE trades targeting players that acutally suited them.

Melbourne had a very smart trade period and turned the negative of two key players leaving into a genuine reset of their squad. Well done Melbourne. Carving their own path. Very active and doing all that they can to improve in 2026. Reckon they'll do ok

Those days are gone for contracted required players.

Need to offer players + picks. Ever since GWS got steamrolled by Geelong over Cameron clubs have wisened up - all of GWS picks turned into duds, thats too much hurt for a key player.. Need to be properly compensated for contracted required players and must sacrifice a player/s if you want a player that will improve your list.

Value of draft picks isnt what it used to be.

 

[ITK]

Some Hawthorn posters need to move on.

Bombers said they didn't want to trade a contracted player, and they didn't.

Maybe like Carlton (Gibbs), Geelong (Kelly), Dogs (Dunkley), Dees (Petracca) they'll trade him next year.

Or maybe they won't.

I'm staggered this is such a big story. Well done Bombers for not falling for the media narrative.

 

[bommer16]

It being a nothing story is worse. Your footy club is white-anting their own player over a nothing story

Heya
I thought you were over it. You’re still here.
Don’t worry about Zach. He’ll be fine.
He’s contracted and he has a job.
Life can be much worse.

 

[boncer34]

He quit. Essendon is unprofessional. Program is not elite. Standards are low. He wants success. Essendon cannot offer that. yada yada

Then there was the AFLW team and his teammates ratting on him.

I'm sure he feels very loved

He does. Thanks for being so concerned.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

This is so dumb.

If you're the club losing the quality player and you refuse to trade unless you get a quality player from that team it's a tiny pool of options. There's maybe 3 or 4 guys that would be a potential of being available and wanting to move clubs if your'e lucky.

If you take the picks instead you have currency and options to approach literally any club in the entire league with those picks (possibly 30-40 across the league) and find a quality player that acutally suits your list.

Or you can convert those picks into other/future picks as part of whatever future drafting strategy you've got and whatever other conversations you've got going.

There is much more freedom for the receiving club if they get a swathe of picks.

Those demanding that Hawthorn give up a player aren't actually wanting to see a quality player go to Essendon, they just want to see Hawthorn pay a more painful price. But a smart club sees a firtful of picks as a convertable currency. A dumb club says "do our recruitment for us"

Now it's fine to say that the total of 3/4 first rounders isn't enough - but to demand a player be part of the trade is real neanderthal stuff.

Speaking of smart clubs and dumb clubs, I think a real intelligent aspect of Gold Coast's trade period was facilitating moves of quality players like Ainsworth and Flanders to other clubs to build a draft hand with which they could chase Petracca with assets that Melbourne wanted. Do you know if Hawthorn looked at doing this?

 

[HeHateMe]

They are bad too.

Bold, planning to Bradbury their way to the next premiership

 

[boncer34]

Keep going with the personal insults, champ.

Comments were a general observation that picks alone may not suffice in trades, given the compromised drafts.

Your argument makes even less sense. It's a simple equation: You want quality, you have to pay for quality. Clubs may no longer accept a bunch of secondary picks as opposed to genuine top 10 picks.

In your feeble attempt to get the upper hand, you are conflating the reality of the marketplace with your biased opinion of what is smart and what is dumb. And you accuse me of emotional nonsense.

I look forward to your next round of condescending personal remarks.


Jog on thanks.

What do you mean genuine top 10 picks? Didnt you hear? Hawks offered pick 22, its a genuine first round pick.

 

[Mr Meow]

Who are your Hodge Mitchell Lewis Rough and Buddy equivalent players ?

Roberts, Caldwell, Martin, Caddy

They need to find Buddy 2.0.

 

[HairyO]

Roberts, Caldwell, Martin, Caddy

They need to find Buddy 2.0.

Yeah they will all be household names. 2026 is their year.

 

[DERO]

Bold, planning to Bradbury their way to the next premiership

Carn man. If you are going to quote me, at least come up with something worthy of my time.

Abasi, have a word with him please.

 

[supportyourteam]

Hawthorn was dumber than dumb. That's why it wasn't done. Essendon now has the task of cleansing Merrett from his brush with the dumb. Complete faith Essendon can wash him clean.

 

[jannissary]

i’m trying to make a timeline of the trade and what went down, so when this is eventually shutdown for being an inane thread, there is a logical, fact based timeline of events that happened ready for people to read through.
calling all ITKs, especially TylerDurden, who had some great, insightful and accurate posts suggesting they were aware of the backroom business that we’re otherwise unaware of, since he really hit the nail on the head, to share some of sources for his information. while i’d appreciate primary sources, i know some folx might struggle to acquire them. i have the feeing that H00t, RCAB (peace be upon them), Guardian Hawk & any other extremely intelligent hawks fan who may also have the inside scoop. if so, please share!

as it stands, i’m looking for any information about when hawthorn made first contact, given essendon have officially stated that no phone number from hawthorn rang them until late in the period, and ITK posters said that Essendon weren’t picking up the phones, id like to compare so other clubs have an unbiased view, as well as any other information that was absolutely 100% certain this trade was going to happen.

thanks in advance! i’m happy to provide some guidance as to what is a primary source and what is a secondary source, just to make sure things are factually accurate.

 

[HeHateMe]

Carn man. If you are going to quote me, at least come up with something worthy of my time.

Abasi, have a word with him please.

Fella you forgot where you are, you quoted me back on post 12548. You gonna elaborate how Essendon improve or recruit or you just wasting my time?

 

[HeHateMe]

I quotes you on post 12548? Settle down Rainman!

You sure did, struggling with short term memory, no wonder you can't answer a simple question.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Petracca did due diligence, he met with Adelaide and Gold Coast. Once deciding, Gold Coadt doubled down and got to work

Hawthorn postured for weeks with a low ball offer and then tried to strong arm Essendon with a dumb ‘deadline’ suggesting it was it but looked foolish by coming back in with more.

If Zac was so keen to get out, like Curnow, like Trac he’d have nominated multiple clubs but it seemed Hawthorn were the ones who wanted him, trying (and failing) to use that as leverage to lowball Essendon

None of that is relevant to what I said.

My point is - smart clubs use picks as currency and they use them well. They have clear player targets and they go for them.

It's got nothing to do with what individual players do to get to their destination. Not sure why you're harping on about it there.

Again I'll repeat, you can argue that Hawthorn should have provided more picks, or higher value picks - but I'll also repeat that any demands for getting a best 22 player as part of the deal is a thing that only dumb clubs or people demand. It's a pure powerplay and bravado instead of what's best for the club.

 

[Duckworth]

He quit. Essendon is unprofessional. Program is not elite. Standards are low. He wants success. Essendon cannot offer that. yada yada

Then there was the AFLW team and his teammates ratting on him.

I'm sure he feels very loved

How many times does this need to be explained? The Hawkes board is perpetually misinformed.

The AFLW was originally released as a puff piece months before to showcase Zach's dedication. It was rehashed months later by Caro and changed to make it look like the club was taking a swipe.

The teammates said, 'disappointed he was leaving' with very little else.