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

[Lore]

I assume it was a pressure tactic or something, or hoping we'd implode. They can't claim it was time they needed to chase up other clubs for more picks because they never offered anything like that even at the end.

There was something this morning that Merrett thought it’d leave a trail of destruction through Essendon and we might capitulate

 

[DERO]

There was something this morning that Merrett thought it’d leave a trail of destruction through Essendon and we might capitulate

You really think he thinks that way or is smart or selfish enough to think that way? I’m finding it hard to reconcile (but not saying that that didn’t happen).

 

[Petrify]

You really think he thinks that way or is smart or selfish enough to think that way? I’m finding it hard to reconcile (but not saying that that didn’t happen).

Cleary said last night that Merrett thought Essendon would implode so yeah... he clearly thinks that way

 

[Proper Gander]

The bit I still don’t get is who tries to impress someone by serving up Moussaka?

 

[DERO]

Cleary said last night that Merrett thought Essendon would implode so yeah... he clearly thinks that way

Mitch Cleary said that so it must be true!

 

[Lethal]

 

[DERO]

The bit I still don’t get is who tries to impress someone by serving up Moussaka?

Me. I had vegetarians for dinner one time. It was stressful.

 

[Lore]

Me. I had vegetarians for dinner one time. It was stressful.

Might be a bit tough too.

 

[Old man fletch]

There was something this morning that Merrett thought it’d leave a trail of destruction through Essendon and we might capitulate

Merrett or Petroro? He's a player manager with a history of getting deals done. Surely he's advising Zach on what to/not to do before any strategy is implemented

 

[Lore]

 

[Cold Sober]

Me. I had vegetarians for dinner one time. It was stressful.

I dished up steak and mushrooms not so long back for my wife's friends, I didn't have to cook for three days.

 

[bombreys]

In no world does Merrett remain captain.

Here’s hoping the group embrace him back and encourage him to purely focus on playing his best. Might thrive without the burden of leadership.

Oh, and get a BIG dog up ya, Sam.

I think he has to stay captain. I don’t want him to, but we can’t say the whole ‘we expect him to be a pro, good attitude, come back 100%, all will be forgiven, bla bla bla’

Oh but we’re taking the captaincy off him though because he hurt out feelings

 

[Phone]

Haha rightio. It's not a non-factor to Hawthorn or Zach. Worked out well for them

the deal not going ahead is simply because Essendon didn't want to do the deal. The timing of the Hawks first offer is really not a factor here.

 

[cAsEy_18]

I think he has to stay captain. I don’t want him to, but we can’t say the whole ‘we expect him to be a pro, good attitude, come back 100%, all will be forgiven, bla bla bla’

Oh but we’re taking the captaincy off him though because he hurt out feelings

We’re not taking the captaincy off him because he hurt our feelings.

We’re taking the captaincy off him because he as good as said “I want to win, and these guys here aren’t good enough to win.” How on earth can that be your leader?

 

[crackers65]

Just found out I’ve been spelling Hawthorn wrong! WHORETHORN

 

[Phone]

But is it really a fair comparison? The offer Sydney put to Carlton is appreciably better than the one hawthorn offered us. At the very least by the inclusion of a player(Hayward) who has been a regular best 22 in a mostly top 8 side in multiple seasons and still only 26 , compared with a player (Hurstwaite) who has appeared mainly at VFL level.

Well it's just not a great comparison because Carlton were willing to do a deal and Essendon wasn't, and I could write a longer post, but it's perfectly clear Carlton were ok with losing Curnow and we weren't ok with losing Merrett, and so there's totally different paths the Clubs were on

 

[Lore]

Curnow also had some salary thing with Sydney and Hawthorn that would’ve affected his trade value.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

I mean if he was given certain assurances about our direction in order to have him sign the contract, and then thinks start looking to him like we're not living up to those I can understand why he might not be happy about it.

It seems like the things he was particularly upset about was Draper being let go and Laverde being delisted; the loss of mature players who might bring about success quicker than a new crop of draftees.

If he thinks that an UFA was 'let go' and that J Laverde was likely to influence an improvment in our teams performance over the next 4 -5 years of Zach's career, then his judgement appears even worse than I've been thinking.

 

[chungi]

the deal not going ahead is simply because Essendon didn't want to do the deal. The timing of the Hawks first offer is really not a factor here.

Of course. That's been Essendon's stance from the get go and we haven't wavered. And i know most of these deals happen at the death, I'm just saying the earlier that initial offer comes in, the more time there is to negotiate and work with other clubs for better picks - which leads to a better chance of the deal getting done.

 

[bombreys]

We’re not taking the captaincy off him because he hurt our feelings.

We’re taking the captaincy off him because he as good as said “I want to win, and these guys here aren’t good enough to win.” How on earth can that be your leader?

I agree he shouldn’t be - but then you can’t say ‘oh all is forgiven, we move forward’

You can’t have it both ways. Stripping him of the captaincy isn’t moving forward/forgiving/etc

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Well Princess, you didn’t get your way and will no doubt relinquish the captaincy, but now it’s time to roll the sleeves up and get back to work. We are paying your salary after all…

 

[Bunk Moreland]

There was something this morning that Merrett thought it’d leave a trail of destruction through Essendon and we might capitulate

Yeah

They ****ed it

The attitude was clearly, let’s leave this til the very last minute, put up a okay deal, wind the pressure up as high as possible with the clock ticking and watch them break.

It was pretty obvious:

- No proper trade request til a couple of days ago

- No offer til last night

- A threat to withdraw the offer

- Going to the media with the “nuclear” thing today

It didn’t work. Hawthorn and Petroro misjudged the situation and they’re not looking great as a result. The plan was questionable and ZM would not be rapt right now.

They needed to get into this much earlier. As it happened they found Essendon’s break point - the extra F1 on top of this - but it was too late for them to negotiate back from there.

Merrett won’t do this again next year - he’s not gonna risk it again. If he does want out, he’ll allow multiple clubs. You’re not gonna burn yourself like that again.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

We're not getting the same or similar value next season even if he earns another AA jacket, I'd expect we'd be lucky to get a single first rounder.

If he has an AA season in 2026 I'd be very surprised if there wasn't at least a first rounder on offer. And he will still be contracted so if we get low-balled again ,we aren't obliged to trade him then.If he then leaves at end of 2027 we will get free agency compo. And will have had the services of our best and most experienced player for 2 further years. The downside is not massive.
It's possible he could throw the toys out of the cot and have a shocker next year. Would he do that and risk reducing his own future contract value?

 

[Andronicus]

Well it's just not a great comparison because Carlton were willing to do a deal and Essendon wasn't, and I could write a longer post, but it's perfectly clear Carlton were ok with losing Curnow and we weren't ok with losing Merrett, and so there's totally different paths the Clubs were on

Carlton were offered a much better deal. That has to make it easier to accept.

They also knocked back the first and saw it improve to one they wanted.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

The bit I still don’t get is who tries to impress someone by serving up Moussaka?

I would have thought a yummy moussaka dinner was far and away the best thing about this whole episode .