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

[Lore]

There we go, that's the clip:

 

[cobra land]

Dons keeping a disgruntled 30yo captain who wants out, won’t be around for the next flag, and the players have come out against. Also decided to not grab 3 x firsts and a good young player.

Good luck Essendon at getting any players who are managed by TGI in the future

Yeah I'm sure they will knock back the on offer...they are the parasites.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Suggest you look at what Sydney ponied up for Curnow to actually land their man.

Yep 2 first rounders and Hayward a best 22 player and then Florent on the side as a bonus

 

[randyzany]

Yeh the trade failed because Essendon can't do their jobs and sell themselves as a destination.

You know what Port did when we traded for Wingard?
They asked for our list of untouchables and despite that they still had a crack at Burton and convinced him to come over.

It's not up to us to sell the attraction of Essendon (of which there is none considering your captain wants out desperately). It's up to Essendon.

Anyway it's all moot now. We keep our picks and save ourselves from ourselves

It's monumentally stupid for a club to ask their own players if they're open to moving in order to facilitate a trade to bring a player from another club. It signals to them that they're at bottom of the hierarchy and could result in them planning to leave at the next possible opportunity to where they may feel more wanted.

 

[Yoda_]

King

If anyone thinks Hawthorn would be worried about Barrass or Gunston in a few years is funny, both have replacements already.

Gunston also came off a nearly career best season, Barrass played the most games in his career.

banking on a 33 year old to have another career best (3) seasons is fraught with danger. Im not mentioning Barass, he was brought in so one would think he stays put. Impey/Amon strike me as ones who would fall off a cliff so two possibilities

 

[Shueygod]

The replacements are already at the club and will likely be the ones to push out those players before they’re even “done”.

So funny

Who are these replacements, name me the players that in 3 years time will fill the boots of 1st in you B&F, 2nd in your B&F, two of your best defenders and 8th in your B&F?

Surely you aren’t talking about guys that’ll be 21/22 and were second round picks?

 

[Hawks_Footy]

Fair play Essendon.. you stared the deal down and walked away

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Him being injured now is not a great sign for his ability to stay injury free when he’s older.

I don’t know where I said Merrett will play til 38.

How many wingmen/HB’s are performing to a high level at 33?

He was injured and then finished off being in good form, back to his best. If he had been injured with the same injury time and time again sure, but he hasn’t been.

No you didn’t, everyone in this thread has, which if you think Amon and Impey are done by 33, guess Merrett will be too.

Pay four firsts and a second for let’s see: Merrett till 2027.

Zorko is literally doing it at 36, he’ll be 37 next year.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Well tbh I'm a bit disappointed. I wanted Merrett but also said I thought the club would walk away and not pay a price more than 2x first rounders.

I was surprised hawks went beyond this - but glad we walked away.

I was surprised at the lengths Welsh and the Essendon powerbrokers went to to beg Merrett to stay only for him to still request a trade.

But ultimately - it's a good list decision to walk away from a price like that. Well done hawks.

The only thing is that I wish we had walked away and resovled this much earlier and moved onto a different deal. Ah well. Here we are.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

its an educated guess, the educated part has a fair bit of evidence behind it. The wool isnt pulled over the masses eyes

Tom PEtroro is a grub, tried to throw a tantrum late and even that didn't work.

Again “you think”.

 

[Spook]

That doesn’t mean anything. There is 18 sides… 19 is second round if we are going by anything meaningful.

The official 2025 INDICATIVE DRAFT ORDER

https://www.afl.com.au/draft/draft-order

 

[Hawks_Footy]

I respect it big time

 

[Yummy5454]

well done to essondon for standing firm. the tears from hok fans have made 2025 a wonderful season.

Pretty sure we knocked you out of finals? On your own home deck? From 8th?

 

[Dockers26]

Hawthorn f....d around all week. They then placed time deadlines on the club and threatened to withdraw picks.

All this after the coach promised the world to a 250 game / 6 x B&F winning club captain.

And you didn't get it done. In fact, you got very little done as far as improving your list goes.

Swaggered into trade week like a gunslinger and slinked out with your tail between your legs. How embarrassing.

 

[Hawks_Footy]

Now your club needs to show that on field

 

[JayJ20]

Bombers fans - do you honestly think his output will be the same in 2026?
I bet he will not win another B and F

Zach is and has always been consistent in his football approach. H has a professional approach to preparation. I don't believe that will change.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

banking on a 33 year old to have another career best (3) seasons is fraught with danger. Im not mentioning Barass, he was brought in so one would think he stays put. Impey/Amon strike me as ones who would fall off a cliff so two possibilities

Not banking on it at all. He’s got replacements. Why would Amon/Impey “strike you as ones to fall off a cliff”.

You were one who believes Merrett plays till his mid to late 30s, so why would two half backs who’ve just had career best seasons be done in 2/3? Make it make sense.

 

[Shueygod]

He was injured and then finished off being in good form, back to his best. If he had been injured with the same injury time and time again sure, but he hasn’t been.

No you didn’t, everyone in this thread has, which if you think Amon and Impey are done by 33, guess Merrett will be too.

Pay four firsts and a second for let’s see: Merrett till 2027.

Zorko is literally doing it at 36, he’ll be 37 next year.

I’m saying having injuries at 30 doesn’t bode well for 34 :/

Zorko is a far better footballer than both those players. You’ve named one outlier, Isaac smith was also a better footballer and retired at 34. There’s about a 20% chance that they will perform to a finals calibre at 33/34 years old.

If you like those odds so be it.

 

[bzparkes]

Suggest you follow your own advice.

Yep, they gave up 3 first rounders an a 2x All Australian in Will Hayward. Sure, they gave up some 2nd rounders back but they're not worth much, if anything, in this draft as well as a 2027 2nd rounder.

If Hawthorn were serious and offered up a best 22 player, Essendon would've seriously considered it. They may have even got something coming back like Sydney did.

They didn't, so it didn't happen.

 

[The Kipster]

To put things into perspective - GC's pick 7 and 8 alone usurp Hawthorn's entire package for Merrett. That's not even accounting for the future first round pick they gave up for Trac.

lets not forget the AFL Ambassador payments, wink wink.

 

[Yoda_]

Again “you think”.

ive openly admitted to it being a very educated guess. a fair few in this thread pretended to know what was going on but went the other way

 

[Lore]

Bombers fans - do you honestly think his output will be the same in 2026?
I bet he will not win another B and F

He will if he wants to be traded to Hawthorn at the end of 2026, otherwise why would they want him?

 

[KickinGoalz]

Contracted players and their managers will certainly think twice about trying to move to Hawks in the future.

 

[Lore]

We literally offered more wtf do you mean?

I think there was some haggling around Curnow's salary too though.

 

[sleep]

Hawfies

 

[ceebsaf]

and this guy suspended. great result all round.