AFL Player 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett

[Don_Gia]

I love this club but ****…they never cease to amaze me lol

 

[nipst@r]

In fairness, discussions did begin before Round 1.

I’d say the club genuinely believes that retaining our only A-grader is the best path forward for the list build. There’s probably a PR element as well, signalling that he’s “fully committed.” That said, if they’re comfortable with it being leaked, you’d think they believe there’s a better than average chance he actually accepts it.

From the outside, though, it’s hard to gauge how real the chances are unless you’re directly involved in the conversations.

Yeah like bulldogs were fearful losing griffin and richmond delidio.

I think its worse keeping stars when they have shown they dont want to be there then letting them go.

West coast holding onto unmotivated/unfit stars has cooked them.

Im not fussed keeping him last year as captain but we need to let him go this year even if for a lot less. Think in hindsight should have taken hawks deal.

 

[Calthorpe14]

Yeah like bulldogs were fearful losing griffin and richmond delidio.

I think its worse keeping stars when they have shown they dont want to be there then letting them go.

West coast holding onto unmotivated/unfit stars has cooked them.

Im not fussed keeping him last year as captain but we need to let him go this year even if for a lot less. Think in hindsight should have taken hawks deal.

The difference with those examples is that the cupboard wasn’t as bare for those clubs as it is for us right now, even though they weren’t yet the premiership sides they became.

I’m not opposed to either option. If he signs on, great, we need quality players and he is the only one we have right now. If he wants to leave again, I’d happily take the best deal and wish him well. What I wouldn’t want to do, is be in a position where he doesn’t accept the deal and we decide to keep him. For mine, it has to be one or the other going forward.

 

[Milanista28]

He should request a trade now, play the best he can for the rest of the season and see what happens. Would be amazing viewing.

 

[quotemokc]

I look forward to this story plaguing us for the entire season.

 

[Milanista28]

I look forward to this story plaguing us for the entire season.

The only way it ends is if he signs an extension.

 

[bombreys]

Weak as p*** from the club

 

[Lads23]

Oh Essendon - can’t you go 5 minutes without humiliating yourself?

 

[thepokey]

If he accepts this contract and then tries to get traded again it will be so hilariously sad and we will be at previously unseen levels of laughing stock

 

[nipst@r]

The difference with those examples is that the cupboard wasn’t as bare for those clubs as it is for us right now, even though they weren’t yet the premiership sides they became.

I’m not opposed to either option. If he signs on, great, we need quality players and he is the only one we have right now. If he wants to leave again, I’d happily take the best deal and wish him well. What I wouldn’t want to do, is be in a position where he doesn’t accept the deal and we decide to keep him. For mine, it has to be one or the other going forward.

Richmond 13th - when delidio left, bulldogs 14th - griffen and essendon 15th last year.

It seemed pretty bare to those supporters at the time but understand they had been more competetive in years before that.

The Brisbane exodus was viewed even more grimly at the time.

I think if he signs on it has to spell the end for parish as a senior player.

 

[ant555]

Richmond 13th - when delidio left, bulldogs 14th - griffen and essendon 15th last year.

It seemed pretty bare to those supporters at the time but understand they had been more competetive in years before that.

The Brisbane exodus was viewed even more grimly at the time.

I think if he signs on it has to spell the end for parish as a senior player.

I know what you are saying but where those guys the best player at the club at the time ?
Without looking I think Richmond had Cotchin and Riewoldt.
We are pretty short on A grade talent.
I would have traded him but I can see why they wanted to hang onto him.

 

[ant555]

I think some of the comments in the media around offering an extension will now drag it on if he doesn’t sign are rubbish.
It was going to drag on anyway. The usual suspects where already writing he will ask for a trade again.

Only way the story loses momentum is if we win games and stay well in the finals hunt and that is really fantasy stuff.

Extension or no extension the media where going to talk about it.

 

[Calthorpe14]

Richmond 13th - when delidio left, bulldogs 14th - griffen and essendon 15th last year.

It seemed pretty bare to those supporters at the time but understand they had been more competetive in years before that.

The Brisbane exodus was viewed even more grimly at the time.

I think if he signs on it has to spell the end for parish as a senior player.

Hindsight does help, but Richmond had Martin, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Edwards etc & Bulldogs had Bontempelli, Libba, Macrae, Stringer etc. on their list when they walked out. In time, we may have players who we look back on and say they turned into All-Australian caliber talent, but right now, it’s hard to say we do with confidence.

I'm indifferent on whether we should keep him or not, but what has to be avoided at all costs is him going into the last year of his contract next year, because the chat around his contract cannot continue to be the narrative of our club

 

[King Patty]

If we sign him another year and boost his salary....does that increase his trade value, in that we can use our salary cap to pay his wage while he is at another club - Hawks/Blues/Pies/Swans etc. when he leaves.

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

 

[Bay53]

The truth is many Essendon supporters have a lot of sympathy for Merrett.

Because they are just as unhappy as he is.

 

[Albertross]

The truth is many Essendon supporters have a lot of sympathy for Merrett.

Because they are just as unhappy as he is.

Pfft...I remember the 70's, that was low. Then the high of the mid 80's. Then the lows of 89/90. Then the high of the one we pinched in 93. The low of that behind in 96. The..low...low...low of Dean flipping Wallis in 99! The absolute high of 2000, thinking we were on a verge of a huge dynasty. The low of 2001...a low that has sunk deeper every year since. No matter how hard we try to dig up, we go further down.

And I never got paid $1M a year for feeling this unhappy. So, no...fk him.

 

[astrowizzle]

Pfft...I remember the 70's, that was low. Then the high of the mid 80's. Then the lows of 89/90. Then the high of the one we pinched in 93. The low of that behind in 96. The..low...low...low of Dean flipping Wallis in 99! The absolute high of 2000, thinking we were on a verge of a huge dynasty. The low of 2001...a low that has sunk deeper every year since. No matter how hard we try to dig up, we go further down.

And I never got paid $1M a year for feeling this unhappy. So, no...fk him.

Don't blame Wallis there was some shit kicking at goal long before that

 

[Albertross]

Don't blame Wallis there was some shit kicking at goal long before that

True, but seriously, all he had to do was kick it to give us an even chance of a draw, or a win. But he decided to step outside of his lane and try to take someone on.

Just like the player who kicks a winning goal after the siren gets all the accolades, despite all that happened before in that game, he deserves to get as much shit as possible for that brain fart.

 

[Blind Turn]

True, but seriously, all he had to do was kick it to give us an even chance of a draw, or a win. But he decided to step outside of his lane and try to take someone on.

Just like the player who kicks a winning goal after the siren gets all the accolades, despite all that happened before in that game, he deserves to get as much shit as possible for that brain fart.

I prefer to think that without Wallis doing that particular brain fart the whole ‘greatest season ever’ would never have happened. Thank you Fraser Brown. We got 2000 and you got a belting in a grand final you frizzy-headed grub

 

[brutus76]

He's probably been paid overs so if he wants to be a 1 club player he should be looking at less $ for more years.

Otherwise see door and find door.

 

[madrigal]

The only way it ends is if he signs an extension.

How does Merrett signing a contract end speculation? He has shown he does not care if he is contracted.

 

[nipst@r]

How does Merrett signing a contract end speculation? He has shown he does not care if he is contracted.

Yep. He was on 360 the other week and was pretty obvious he wanted to leave still.

just wants people to stop talking about it. Sick of the noise.

Not sure that's a great reason for extending a contract. Id hope he actually believes in our direction and wants to finish at essendon as the reason for extending, rather than just worried we wont trade him again.

 

[Milanista28]

How does Merrett signing a contract end speculation? He has shown he does not care if he is contracted.

You think if he signed a long term extension the media will keep asking if he's going to request a trade every week?

 

[King Patty]

Not sure that's a great reason for extending a contract. Id hope he actually believes in our direction and wants to finish at essendon as the reason for extending, rather than just worried we wont trade him again.

The only thing left for him at Essendon is to become a 300 game player, and possibly add to his best and fairest count and be the most B&F leader.

He's like Robert harvey at the saints...winning brownlows but missing finals.
but at least Robert harvey had mates at the saints.