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

[Lore]

There we go, that's the clip:

 

[jdstorm]

Possibly trying to get a commitment to advertise to other potential targets that the place is worth coming to.

Or lengthening the contract to use as a bargaining chip come end of year.

I dunno.

Maybe a bit of everything.

Also could just be a half truth to placate a fanbase after a big loss when 10% off at the team shop won’t cut it.

Like the team offered Zac a contract he has no intention of signing just like a drunk guy at a bar trying to talk to someone clearly not interested then telling their friends about the interaction as a way to big note themselves

 

[Vindicater]

I doubt we are this clever but could it be a plan to buy draft picks?

Lets say Zac is on 1 million a year. Are we bumping him to 1.3 million and then offering to cover that extra 300 000 for the duration of the deal to garner a better pick from whoever we are trading him too? Essentially using future cap space for a pick upgrade or additional pick?

As I said, it is Essendon so I doubt we are that clever but could be a way teams start to do it.

 

[Sphynx]

I doubt we are this clever but could it be a plan to buy draft picks?

Lets say Zac is on 1 million a year. Are we bumping him to 1.3 million and then offering to cover that extra 300 000 for the duration of the deal to garner a better pick from whoever we are trading him too? Essentially using future cap space for a pick upgrade or additional pick?

As I said, it is Essendon so I doubt we are that clever but could be a way teams start to do it.

What indication is there Hawthorn were going to pay him that amount?

The reality is he's a 30 year old.

Missing out on 2026 at Hawthorn in reality could mean missing out on 20-25% of the remaining time of his career. He's not a 25 year old, missing a year at this point is significant.

His perspective could have easily changed overnight.

To then move as a 31 year old, potential earnings and what Hawthorn are willing to offer might be a lot lower. That is what I would do if I was Hawthorn. You get him a year further from his prime with a year less than what you were going to get from him.


He and his management might simply view the best and last option is to just milk the most money out of a final contract extension and be done with it. He might not want to endure trade week again...

At 30/31 your perspective absolutely becomes maximising your career earnings before you finish.

 

[Scotland]

I doubt we are this clever but could it be a plan to buy draft picks?

Lets say Zac is on 1 million a year. Are we bumping him to 1.3 million and then offering to cover that extra 300 000 for the duration of the deal to garner a better pick from whoever we are trading him too? Essentially using future cap space for a pick upgrade or additional pick?

As I said, it is Essendon so I doubt we are that clever but could be a way teams start to do it.

You are definitely not that clever.

Essendon will never get a better off than they did from Hawthorn in 2025.

Will Hawthorn still be interested this year? Maybe, but they don't have Carlton's pick this year and we're a year a closer to Tassie coming in, so they can offer picks in 2027 and 2028. Looking at 2010/11 and all the academy bullshit we have now their first pick in 2027 might be in the 30s.

He's the kind of player Geelong would see value in getting 3-4 good years of footy out of but they paid pick 17 for a 24 year old Bailey Smith so you'd be lucky to get a single first out of them.

 

[ABAB]

I doubt we are this clever but could it be a plan to buy draft picks?

Lets say Zac is on 1 million a year. Are we bumping him to 1.3 million and then offering to cover that extra 300 000 for the duration of the deal to garner a better pick from whoever we are trading him too? Essentially using future cap space for a pick upgrade or additional pick?

As I said, it is Essendon so I doubt we are that clever but could be a way teams start to do it.

He is looking at least 5 years contract isn't he??? No way any club will touch that unless Essendon are planning to pay his entire contract for the last few years on big money.

 

[Scotland]

Contracts mean shit in the AFL. The only club on the hook for Merrett's contract with Essendon is Essendon.

 

[Sphynx]

He is looking at least 5 years contract isn't he??? No way any club will touch that unless Essendon are planning to pay his entire contract for the last few years on big money.

Yep.

I don't understand this at all for Essendon from a strategic point.

It doesn't make sense.

They so desperately dont want to lose him for draft capital at 31 (needing a rebuild..) so as to financially incentivise it, but lose face because everyone knows if he does accept it's only because of a pay bump and golden handshake style contract?

An improved contract reduces his value at the trade table, not increases it as he wants to move to a contender and no-one will take on that contract....

Even if they pay part of it, it wasn't required prior to this extension and doesn't add any value?

So their ideal outcome here is paying Merret $1m+ in the 2030's, sticking around for this rebuild? Right, that seems the best thing for them....

 

[Vindicater]

You are definitely not that clever.

Essendon will never get a better off than they did from Hawthorn in 2025.

Will Hawthorn still be interested this year? Maybe, but they don't have Carlton's pick this year and we're a year a closer to Tassie coming in, so they can offer picks in 2027 and 2028. Looking at 2010/11 and all the academy bullshit we have now their first pick in 2027 might be in the 30s.

He's the kind of player Geelong would see value in getting 3-4 good years of footy out of but they paid pick 17 for a 24 year old Bailey Smith so you'd be lucky to get a single first out of them.

Oh no doubt. I wanted to move him last year.

I am more just talking about what an idea could be for bumping his salary (which is also stupid)

 

[Sphynx]

Oh no doubt. I wanted to move him last year.

I am more just talking about what an idea could be for bumping his salary (which is also stupid)

What advantage is there for Essendon?

There needs to be an angle for them.

The only angle I can see is some sort of agreement with Merrett about his mentality in the next trade week.

I seriously doubt that Hawthorn would be paying anywhere near that amount, so doubt it is a salary dump scenario as you are describing where Essendon get more pics.

How much more can Hawthorn realistically offer?

 

[Yoda_]

What advantage is there for Essendon?

There needs to be an angle for them.

The only angle I can see is some sort of agreement with Merrett about his mentality in the next trade week.

I seriously doubt that Hawthorn would be paying anywhere near that amount, so doubt it is a salary dump scenario as you are describing where Essendon get more pics.

How much more can Hawthorn realistically offer?

re read the initial point slowly and it explains it fairly straight forward bud

 

[Scotland]

Oh no doubt. I wanted to move him last year.

I am more just talking about what an idea could be for bumping his salary (which is also stupid)

No one knows what Essendon's strategy is.

It presents like it's player/manager driven. Like the colleague that complains and gets a 10% pay rise. Then complains and gets a new title. Then threatens to leave and gets another pay rise. And ends up leaving anyway.

 

[HeHateMe]

In this theory what pick are they trying to purchase.

Clubs that you can forecast that might be in the mix all will have similar draft capital and it's less than what was already turned down.

 

[Yoda_]

What indication is there Hawthorn were going to pay him that amount?

The reality is he's a 30 year old.

Missing out on 2026 at Hawthorn in reality could mean missing out on 20-25% of the remaining time of his career. He's not a 25 year old, missing a year at this point is significant.

His perspective could have easily changed overnight.

To then move as a 31 year old, potential earnings and what Hawthorn are willing to offer might be a lot lower. That is what I would do if I was Hawthorn. You get him a year further from his prime with a year less than what you were going to get from him.


He and his management might simply view the best and last option is to just milk the most money out of a final contract extension and be done with it. He might not want to endure trade week again...

At 30/31 your perspective absolutely becomes maximising your career earnings before you finish.

Zac is also not a typical 30 year old.

He's played 252 of a possible 262 games

 

[Yoda_]

In this theory what pick are they trying to purchase.

Clubs that you can forecast that might be in the mix all will have similar draft capital and it's less than what was already turned down.

that's the million dollar question really

 

[Yoda_]

No one knows what Essendon's strategy is.

It presents like it's player/manager driven. Like the colleague that complains and gets a 10% pay rise. Then complains and gets a new title. Then threatens to leave and gets another pay rise. And ends up leaving anyway.

Zac has always been about the $$. Always

 

[Yoda_]

What advantage is there for Essendon?

There needs to be an angle for them.

The only angle I can see is some sort of agreement with Merrett about his mentality in the next trade week.

I seriously doubt that Hawthorn would be paying anywhere near that amount, so doubt it is a salary dump scenario as you are describing where Essendon get more pics.

How much more can Hawthorn realistically offer?

I did a really simple (not having a go at you) break down of what the deal was and Zac essentially was worth pick 2 + a pick in the 30s. Petrracca was worth pick 2 + a pick in the early 40s.

 

[HeHateMe]

that's the million dollar question really

I understand the theory but it just doesn't exactly fit here.

I think it's more likely that the offer is more just postering, so they can say we did everything we could look at that offer that's how much we rate him now meet our demands.

Or the alternative Merrett is seriously considering it and may accept it so they are showing the love early to give him every opportunity to come around.

I honestly think it's option B as there may not be a market for him this year will need to wait and see how other pieces fall.

 

[Yoda_]

I understand the theory but it just doesn't exactly fit here.

I think it's more likely that the offer is more just postering, so they can say we did everything we could look at that offer that's how much we rate him now meet our demands.

Or the alternative Merrett is seriously considering it and may accept it so they are showing the love early to give him every opportunity to come around.

I honestly think it's option B as there may not be a market for him this year will need to wait and see how other pieces fall.

I just know that Zac is, and has always been about the $$$'s

 

[HeHateMe]

I just know that Zac is, and has always been about the $$$'s

Oh I'm not arguing that at all and that's why I said I think option B. If deal doesn't get done this year what sort of money is he getting offered in a contract year trying to move clubs at 32 turning 33?

 

[Scotland]

Oh I'm not arguing that at all and that's why I said I think option B. If deal doesn't get done this year what sort of money is he getting offered in a contract year trying to move clubs at 32 turning 33?

If he's got any brains he will recognise that Hawthorn have Newcombe, Watson, Weddle, Day, Ward, Mackenzie - whoever, coming into prime contract years. Who will be the first highly paid player to drop off the books? Gunston probably isn't on much after his Brisbane stint, Sicily? Barrass? If Essendon aren't in a position to offer Merrett way more than Hawthorn then something is very very wrong.

What he can do is basically front load his Hawthorn earnings into his time at Essendon. So instead of say earning $1.2m a year x 1 year at Essendon and 3 years at Hawthorn he can earn $1.8m at Essendon then 3 x $1m at the Hawks, or whatever it is. Essendon can pay him $5m a year, Hawthorn still aren't going to conjure up a Chris Judd trade package.

The only way I see it benefiting Essendon is if they can overpay Merrett now to try and create cap space in 2027 or 2018. But are they that forward thinking? Wouldn't have thought so.

 

[CobberRodgers]

Oh no doubt. I wanted to move him last year.

I am more just talking about what an idea could be for bumping his salary (which is also stupid)

As an idea in general it’s not stupid, it certainly has merit (excellent pun) at times, but not sure paying a percentage of a contract for someone to play elsewhere for that long (next year plus the extra 5?) is a good idea. For a couple of years maybe, for that long it’s just too risky.

5 years is a long time in footy. That’s why the Hawks pulled the pin at 4 firsts, it would have hampered anything for way too long. Too risky.

 

[CobberRodgers]

I did a really simple (not having a go at you) break down of what the deal was and Zac essentially was worth pick 2 + a pick in the 30s. Petrracca was worth pick 2 + a pick in the early 40s.

Which makes the whole GC offered the world compared to Hawthorn offering garbage argument interesting.

 

[CobberRodgers]

If he's got any brains he will recognise that Hawthorn have Newcombe, Watson, Weddle, Day, Ward, Mackenzie - whoever, coming into prime contract years. Who will be the first highly paid player to drop off the books? Gunston probably isn't on much after his Brisbane stint, Sicily? Barrass? If Essendon aren't in a position to offer Merrett way more than Hawthorn then something is very very wrong.

What he can do is basically front load his Hawthorn earnings into his time at Essendon. So instead of say earning $1.2m a year x 1 year at Essendon and 3 years at Hawthorn he can earn $1.8m at Essendon then 3 x $1m at the Hawks, or whatever it is. Essendon can pay him $5m a year, Hawthorn still aren't going to conjure up a Chris Judd trade package.

The only way I see it benefiting Essendon is if they can overpay Merrett now to try and create cap space in 2027 or 2018. But are they that forward thinking? Wouldn't have thought so.

Last paragraph good point.

Wonder if it may even include next year in the “re-structure”

Keep the player, pay him a heap in the first couple of years, which helps meet cap floor, then pay peanuts last few years when trying to pay others. Does make sense.

 

[Yoda_]

Which makes the whole GC offered the world compared to Hawthorn offering garbage argument interesting.

GC offered something ?

 

[CobberRodgers]

GC offered something ?

If they got Petracca for free they’ve done well.