AFL Player 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett - Stepping down as captain for 2026

[wiltho]

We don't need to do anything, we let Zach's manager do the legwork.

Signed up to join the convo.

Zach's manager doesn't work for the club...he works for Zach. His job is to get Zach the result he wants. Yes, that means getting a deal that Essendon will accept...but Petroro knows there's only one real interested club. So how to you ensure a deal is done with only one suitor? You make it so that Essendon can't really keep him. That is what we're witnessing imo - a calculated destruction of his reputation at Essendon to force a trade.

 

[DERO]

Signed up to join the convo.

Zach's manager doesn't work for the club...he works for Zach. His job is to get Zach the result he wants. Yes, that means getting a deal that Essendon will accept...but Petroro knows there's only one real interested club. So how to you ensure a deal is done with only one suitor? You make it so that Essendon can't really keep him. That is what we're witnessing imo - a calculated destruction of his reputation at Essendon to force a trade.

Stellar first post.

 

[Lore]

Signed up to join the convo.

Zach's manager doesn't work for the club...he works for Zach. His job is to get Zach the result he wants. Yes, that means getting a deal that Essendon will accept...but Petroro knows there's only one real interested club. So how to you ensure a deal is done with only one suitor? You make it so that Essendon can't really keep him. That is what we're witnessing imo - a calculated destruction of his reputation at Essendon to force a trade.

Yeah to an extent. Player managers broker deals all the time. Could be a three way trade or something in the end too.

 

[wiltho]

Could be a three way trade or something in the end too.

Let's hope so

 

[HirdsTheWord]

could quite literally be the biggest booing of an ex player ever?

 

[Petrify]

could quite literally be the biggest booing of an ex player ever?

Wayne Carey hatred from North would top it, but this will be close

 

[YEMOC NAYR]

could quite literally be the biggest booing of an ex player ever?

won't matter, hawks fans will get around him, they'll be 80 points up and merrett will get 3 votes.

 

[Duckworth]

Can we please spell Hawthorne correctly?

 

[faible]

Can we please spell Hawthorne correctly?

I believe it's also Zache Merrette

 

[Lore]

BARRETT: Merrett must go after schoolyard fight with Dons turns nasty

The immature behaviour on display in Zach Merrett's dust-up with Essendon has pushed the relationship past the point of no return, writes Damian Barrett

www.afl.com.au

Barrett doing Barrett things. But then he lays the blame at Merrett's feet

 

[Lore]

I believe it's also Zache Merrette

Zacharye

 

[The Dustbin]

Grenades being thrown in every direction.

 

[Duckworth]

BARRETT: Merrett must go after schoolyard fight with Dons turns nasty

The immature behaviour on display in Zach Merrett's dust-up with Essendon has pushed the relationship past the point of no return, writes Damian Barrett

www.afl.com.au

Barrett doing Barrett things. But then he lays the blame at Merrett's feet

****, I feel more stupid for having read that. "If Merrett was a good student at a school, and the school was Essendon and it was also the principal, then the student wants to leave the school and it would be bad for the school."

 

[Lore]

****, I feel more stupid for having read that. "If Merrett was a good student at a school, and the school was Essendon and it was also the principal, then the student wants to leave the school and it would be bad for the school."

Yeah the first few paragraphs are ... "a bit of fun" I think someone called it.

Scroll down a bit and you get a few paragraphs about how it's out of character for Tom Petroro, how Merrett agreed to the meeting and wasn't careful enough about who was there/knew about it to prevent it leaking to Channel 9. Also throws shade at him for being 'surprised at the backlash'.

 

[nipst@r]

Are we being a bit precious here?

No issue with original response but need to take the emotion and constant commentary out of it. No more players/club statements/ leaks back and forth.

For context captains rumoured/likely on the move

Allen
Simpkon
Steele
Merret

*neale

Yes merret is different as a club legend and clearly our best player but let's be a bit more pragmatic and work through it. I think response should be yep i think merrets 1 of 5 captains rumoured to be moving, its a different workd these days but he is contracted and not trading but we will work through it. Not only club in this situation.

Curnow and Petracca also rumoured moving as arguably their clubs best players. Well cripps is better but curnows 2nd.

Silly season is here and we need a measured pragmatic approach. If not salvageable.

2 x 1sts plus husthwaite and we move on. I think we need to chat to merret and says it's salvageable (sack manager and extend) and if not you dont need to completely ruin your legacy with the leaks. Just bring some calm attend the bnf and we will explore it during trade period.

 

[Petrify]

BARRETT: Merrett must go after schoolyard fight with Dons turns nasty

The immature behaviour on display in Zach Merrett's dust-up with Essendon has pushed the relationship past the point of no return, writes Damian Barrett

www.afl.com.au

Barrett doing Barrett things. But then he lays the blame at Merrett's feet

Barretts obsession with Barham is WILD. Every single time he talks about Essendon he mentions Barham. Reckon Barham might've fired him or refused to hire him in the past given Barhams background in the media

 

[wiltho]

But then he lays the blame at Merrett's feet

I guess Merrett saw two paths

1. Come clean early and say "I need to leave, I'm sorry..." etc.
2. Scorched earth like we're seeing.

#1 saves his reputation with Essendon but arguably results in no trade at all.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

What's all this "disrespected the aflw team" stuff? The first time Ive seen anything about it is the article by Jay Clarke saying Merrett is upset this is being said.

 

[wiltho]

I think we need to chat to merret and says it's salvageable (sack manager and extend) and if not you dont need to completely ruin your legacy with the leaks. Just bring some calm attend the bnf and we will explore it during trade period.

We are probably being precious, yes...but what do you mean "sack manager"? (Zach asked Petroro to do this, he's not backing out now).

I would love to see this salvaged, but that's largely up to Zach. The club have tried to mend this.

 

[MiguelM]

What's all this "disrespected the aflw team" stuff? The first time Ive seen anything about it is the article by Jay Clarke saying Merrett is upset this is being said.

Storm in teacup, Journos going bottom of barrell!!

 

[YEMOC NAYR]

What's all this "disrespected the aflw team" stuff? The first time Ive seen anything about it is the article by Jay Clarke saying Merrett is upset this is being said.

Caro mentioned it last night, Cornes pressed her on it straight after and asked her to elaborate, she said little things being said in the background about him, cornes then followed up with like "kicking the ball on field while they're training" clearly he was just trying to set her up cos it's part of the script and then she follows up by saying it happens at alot of clubs.

Essentially, a **** load of nothing. But as an above poster said.. this is all calculated to make Merrett at this club untenable.

 

[ghostdog]

BARRETT: Merrett must go after schoolyard fight with Dons turns nasty

The immature behaviour on display in Zach Merrett's dust-up with Essendon has pushed the relationship past the point of no return, writes Damian Barrett

www.afl.com.au

Barrett doing Barrett things. But then he lays the blame at Merrett's feet

Lays a good part of it at Barham's as well.

 

[Lore]

Lays a good part of it at Barham's as well.

Yeah but Barrett and Barham seem to go way back. Don't remember him potting players like this before

 

[wiltho]

"kicking the ball on field while they're training"

What crap...as if he'd train in the middle of a drill or sim. He'll have been in the corner somewhere, if it's accurate to begin with.

 

[ghostdog]

****, I feel more stupid for having read that. "If Merrett was a good student at a school, and the school was Essendon and it was also the principal, then the student wants to leave the school and it would be bad for the school."

Doesn't deserve to go on the end of year excursion to Ibiza, that's for darn certain.