Recommitted Zach Merrett [Re-Signed til 2027]

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Bulldog Joe

Premiership Player
May 23, 2008
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There certainly looks to be a great feel/vibe to things as a supporter looking in from the outside, a feel that hasn't been there since prior to the saga derailing everything. Still think there are more changes to be made but the injection of youth/drafting/picking up the players we did and how well they've played it's certainly changed the environment for the better. Things just look exciting for the future!

I think an Essendon supporter should choose their words more carefully.

The introduction of high, well chosen draft picks seems the best thing for Essendon this millennium.
 
I think an Essendon supporter should choose their words more carefully.

The introduction of high, well chosen draft picks seems the best thing for Essendon this millennium.

Go Act like an idiot in the bay. Not here.
 
I go back to Saad leaving last year.
Daniher and Raz were already half out the door, so the fact they left was of little surprise.

It seemed there was a fairly bad vibe about the club, and that was amplified in the hubs.
Saad out of nowhere asks to leave, Dan Richardson clips him on the way out and then there is the rumours re: Merrett.

Since then, the vibe seems different. No hubs, Richo, coaching and direction seems better/clearer.
All of this is visible with the onfield performance. This is the first time in a looooong time i've seen an Essendon team playing for each other. Probably more so than they galvanised group of 2013.

It's giving me hope Merrett will stay.

firs time in a long time i have been excited about playing, even knowing we will likely lose.

Hope Zach sees that too!
 

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Virgin Dog

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busy kid.
Geelong to Port to Brisbane, then back for the Pies and Blues.

5 clubs register interest. lol. wtf are the other 12 doing.
Probably waiting and hoping Essendon does a Pies-style implosion and we can pick him up on the cheap with you covering a chunk of his salary ;)
 

Ants

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also, for all his faults, Dodoro is no Ned Guy.
Such a list management implosion would be very out of character.
I think he learned from Jackson's stuff up with Hird/Mercuri in 2000/2001 which forced us to trade out Hardwick, Caracella, Blumfield and Heffernan. You would think that would have scarred anyone working at the club at that time.
 
May 6, 2007
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I can definitely see Essendon moving in the right direction and up the ladder.
Add to that they have picked up some serious talent last yr Cox should of been top 5.
I think he will stay but obviously a number of clubs are going to come with godfather type offers.
It's funny that's there has been very little talk about Bont compared to Zakk.

From what it sounds like, the ‘leaders’ at the club are the right people now. Daniher is a renowned 50%er. Saad wanted to run his own race whilst the so called pact he was involved in with Raz went to shite when Orazio initially (didn’t) request a trade post 2019.

What it does bring is a new group wanting to prove a point. Be it Peter Wright and Nick Hind as older recycled players brought in to fill a role, Jye Caldwell looking to build on the promise of midfield minutes from EFC or the fresh exuberance of new draftees Cox, Lerkins, Reid and even Brand/Eyre looking to make early inroads into the senior team.

I think despite the so called doomsday of Saad, Fantasia, Daniher, it really is a blessing in disguise and one that Zac can hopefully see. Instill his high standards on the new guys that will hopefully start to really change the culture that has poisoned my club for far too long.


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Sep 19, 2007
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I'll look at another scenario.

Say Zach just doesn't want to play for Essendon. Essendon finish 13th, so pick up Picks #7 and #8 with FA. (North will get a priority pick just like every other team)

North get bold and offer up pick #2 and a very good package for Zach. Zach refuses, he ends up at North, or Essendon take a #3, or #4 from one of the other teams say Hawthorn, or Saints. I think Essendon play hard and force a better trade than FA. Surely North wouldn't pass up Merrett for #2
 

Hak94

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I'll look at another scenario.

Say Zach just doesn't want to play for Essendon. Essendon finish 13th, so pick up Picks #7 and #8 with FA. (North will get a priority pick just like every other team)

North get bold and offer up pick #2 and a very good package for Zach. Zach refuses, he ends up at North, or Essendon take a #3, or #4 from one of the other teams say Hawthorn, or Saints. I think Essendon play hard and force a better trade than FA. Surely North wouldn't pass up Merrett for #2
100% - he doesn't go to any of the mentioned clubs here. He either goes to a contender or stays at Essendon. Doesn't make sense for him to go play for a club that is in an equal position, if not worse in terms of youth etc, that are going to need another 3-4 years to reload i.e North & Hawthorn. St Kilda are in a similar state too at the moment, unless someting drastically starts to click again with their list once they get some players back. But, yeah, it's not about the money for Zach wherever he chooses to play, it's about the fact he is entering the prime of his career, his standards are insanely high, he wants to pull those around him along with him and be successful. Money is just a bonus for him, and he'll likely be renumerated pretty appropriately wherever he chooses to sign in terms of either a contender or Essendon.

North can try all they want, but he won't go there. Same with Hawthorn, cannot see it happening if we're going off the notion from what is being said about what he wants as a player/the kind of culture he wants to be around going ahead. He's done the middle of the road teams and losing, he wants to be part of a successful culture now. An environment that bright and one that competes.
 

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Sep 19, 2007
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100% - he doesn't go to any of the mentioned clubs here. He either goes to a contender or stays at Essendon. Doesn't make sense for him to go play for a club that is in an equal position, if not worse in terms of youth etc, that are going to need another 3-4 years to reload i.e North & Hawthorn. St Kilda are in a similar state too at the moment, unless someting drastically starts to click again with their list once they get some players back. But, yeah, it's not about the money for Zach wherever he chooses to play, it's about the fact he is entering the prime of his career, his standards are insanely high, he wants to pull those around him along with him and be successful. Money is just a bonus for him, and he'll likely be renumerated pretty appropriately wherever he chooses to sign in terms of either a contender or Essendon.

North can try all they want, but he won't go there. Same with Hawthorn, cannot see it happening if we're going off the notion from what is being said about what he wants as a player/the kind of culture he wants to be around going ahead. He's done the middle of the road teams and losing, he wants to be part of a successful culture now. An environment that bright and one that competes.
So how do Essendon force a trade. #7 won't be good enough.
 

Hak94

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So how do Essendon force a trade. #7 won't be good enough.
Not sure yet, but all of these clubs who are contending and wanting to secure his services I'm sure will need to figure that out as you're right that a pick of that level may not suffice Essendon's needs in return. Also, we're not even postseason yet and don't know what sort of a draft hand clubs have to play with in terms of offering up a suitable trade.
 

Ants

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So how do Essendon force a trade. #7 won't be good enough.
We can't. Your scenarios are ridiculous. If Zerrett nominates a club, he'll get there either via FA or trade, just as virtually every other player has done. If EFC decide that club has assets and position we can force a materially better outcome than FA, we'll do it. Otherwise we'll just suck it up and accept the FA compo.
 
Sep 19, 2007
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adelaide
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We can't. Your scenarios are ridiculous. If Zerrett nominates a club, he'll get there either via FA or trade, just as virtually every other player has done. If EFC decide that club has assets and position we can force a materially better outcome than FA, we'll do it. Otherwise we'll just suck it up and accept the FA compo.
How does PA do a trade? We don't have suitable picks.

I'd hate to think what players Essendon would demand.
 
How does PA do a trade? We don't have suitable picks.

I'd hate to think what players Essendon would demand.
Well, I don't think we want Ollie Wines anymore.
 

Foxx

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Jul 18, 2011
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Barring any influences we don't know about, I think it goes the same way as similar stalling contracts played out.
This is his single biggest contract of his career. As long as Essendon are looking positive in the next 5+ years of his career, which they seem to be. Then its cash, which Essendon can afford.
 

Hak94

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How does PA do a trade? We don't have suitable picks.

I'd hate to think what players Essendon would demand.
Hate to think.... well, you can bet they'll want a top-notch premium for him in return as he's in the top handful of mids in the game. There isn't too many questions about his game too (maybe bar his ability to kick goals as that's probably his only weak spot). Only going to get better too! It's not just PA but really, any team and what they can offer. He's Essendon's best and most important player and given their overall direction going forth he isn't someone they clearly don't want to lose. So, weigh that all up, they're going to play super hardball if it ends up going down that route of working out/fielding a trade with clubs.
 

Ants

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Hate to think.... well, you can bet they'll want a top-notch premium for him in return as he's in the top handful of mids in the game. There isn't too many questions about his game too (maybe bar his ability to kick goals as that's probably his only weak spot). Only going to get better too! It's not just PA but really, any team and what they can offer. He's Essendon's best and most important player and given their overall direction going forth he isn't someone they clearly don't want to lose. So, weigh that all up, they're going to play super hardball if it ends up going down that route of working out/fielding a trade with clubs.
BS. If a club doesn’t have superior picks we'll just accept FA compo like we did with Daniher.
 

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