Speculation Zach Merrett [UFA 2027]

[CobberRodgers]

AFL Journos 101 right there

I reckon it was an all new level.

Looking forward to seeing what next week brings.

 

[Blackhawk42]

If it was up to me my friend Gresh Jones and few others wouldnt be on our list anymore but im just saying at the time we had limited list spots and you lose the picks once filled which is why we would require to move some on

Losing Merrett would have but i believe the final offer from guys still had Hustwaite included? then we asked to drop him and include your 27 First?

Not sure but i would have thought the AFL players association would have certain rules in place to protect AFL players still contracted and there would be clauses that had to be met in order to do this

Are Cox and Jones going to get games this year?

Perhaps maligned, but I feel as though Friday nights team with Guelfi, Tsatas, Gresham and Jones would have been far more competitive. Even Farrow in a debut.
Unsure if Jones is still injured though.

It was embarassing watching El Achkar run around on the MCG. That may sound harsh, but he's about as physically in shape as half the blokes I play country foory ressies with.

 

[matey]

Bizarre only a couple months ago as the captain wanted out ….. but today contract talk for an extension taking place

 

[Donflicted]

Are Cox and Jones going to get games this year?

Perhaps maligned, but I feel as though Friday nights team with Guelfi, Tsatas, Gresham and Jones would have been far more competitive. Even Farrow in a debut.
Unsure if Jones is still injured though.

It was embarassing watching El Achkar run around on the MCG. That may sound harsh, but he's about as physically in shape as half the blokes I play country foory ressies with.

I doubt all honesty Jones is not AFL standard imo and if it was up to me i dont think he would have gotten another contract

Coxy is playing but his not going to be in the team for a while after missing all of last year with the concussion stuff

Jones played a practice VFL match in the preseason but didn't play last weeks one

All honesty id rather see Huss play then Guelfi and Gresh but i would have dropped a tall and had either of them in but i wouldnt have them in at the cost of Huss

Remember he is 18 and that was his first preseason and is the stay at home small but was tasked with doing all the offensive 50 pressure he was always going to get gassed

I think it was more embarrassing seeing our midfields work rate that on paper was our strength against you guys but they showed little to no intent to chase or defend their man

However i would give Tsatas some games his worked hard on his kicking and from all reports his performance in the practice match against the roos was really good 35- 40 Disposals and was generating clearances at will and his kicking improved out of sight is the info that was given by a really good Dons podcaster

 

[jdstorm]

Dunno. Seems weird they’d leak the contract offer if they weren’t confident as it’ll be a nightmare all season if he doesn’t sign.

Twomey wouldn’t have put it out there without a reason.

Definitely interesting.

Unfortunately when it’s Essendon the reason is often stupid and misses the desired effect

 

[Farm Boy]

Massive opportunity missed to cash in Merrett. Was a good idea to cash him in even before he asked to be traded last year. Essendon needed to do something drastic. Its desperate times. The players they picked over the years with quality picks - haven't lived up to expectations. Its time to go to the well again.

 

[Donflicted]

Massive opportunity missed to cash in Merrett. Was a good idea to cash him in even before he asked to be traded last year. Essendon needed to do something drastic. Its desperate times. The players they picked over the years with quality picks - haven't lived up to expectations. Its time to go to the well again.

Careful mate Dodoro might sue you for speaking ill of his drafting

 

[CobberRodgers]

Unfortunately when it’s Essendon the reason is often stupid and misses the desired effect

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.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Hird reckons maybe both Zac and the club want to put what happened last year behind them quickly who knows what's going to happen next i think Zac will sign it.

Zac was hell bent on getting out last year and now they are are point where there is contract for him to sign very strange

 

[HairyO]

Hird reckons maybe both Zac and the club want to put what happened last year behind them quickly who knows what's going to happen next i think Zac will sign it.

Zac was hell bent on getting out last year and now they are are point where there is contract for him to sign very strange

They have all that Weddle money to offer him.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

They have all that Weddle money to offer him.

True.

Cal said it last night even if Zac signs we will still have plenty of cap space to brun

 

[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