Speculation Zach Merrett

[Yoda_]

Huss is no gun, but beggars can’t be choosers.
He was the only Hawks listed player interested in joining a club whose Captain was trying to flee.

Can't have been that interested, got told over the phone after the fact Essendon declined he was going to be moving.

 

[Yoda_]

nah, no confusion. Terrible list, just awful. Laughably bad.

Better placed than Tigers, possibly better placed than Eagles, but you do you

 

[Gavin Excell]

From old mate Twomey
“A year on, with Merrett a year deeper into his 30s and a year less left on his deal, the price will be lower this off-season given the former Bombers skipper, who is again being sought from the Hawks.”

Sorry Yoda - game over Grasshopper

Surprised Hawks are still interested

 

[Yoda_]

Surprised Hawks are still interested

they are in win now

 

[Farm Boy]

You keep saying pick 22 was useless to them, but you do realise you can still trade picks even on draft night? The rumour is they wanted to draft up for Duursma so those 3 picks would of given them lots of options.

22, along with the other picks on the table, were valuable selections. It was a hell of a haul put on the table by Hawthorn.

 

[triple treat]

22, along with the other picks on the table, were valuable selections. It was a hell of a haul put on the table by Hawthorn.

It was too much and im glad the Dons knocked it back. .

 

[Hawks91b]

John Ralph pinching stories from BF again......

 

[CobberRodgers]

Surprised Hawks are still interested

2026 Merrett has clearly checked out.

Underneath all that there’s still a good footballer there.

The issue is the seller.

 

[cAsEy_18]

2026 Merrett has clearly checked out.

Underneath all that there’s still a good footballer there.

The issue is the seller.

No doubt.
The prospective buyer is simply an innocent bystander.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

You keep saying pick 22 was useless to them, but you do realise you can still trade picks even on draft night? The rumour is they wanted to draft up for Duursma so those 3 picks would of given them lots of options.

Why should it be up to Essendon to trade picks. Give them picks or players they can use it’s that simple and no two days before the period ends is not enough time. It’s why the 2027 one has to be involved

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Why? a 2027 1st would likely be around the same range as the 3 that was offered last year! Or has it got something to do with "the 2027 draft is going to be better"? Cause we've all heard that one before.

Father son Bewick bid. The new rules were already half mooted last year and even if they weren’t an asset in 2027 was better than a pick 22 on 2025 that Essendon could not use

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Huss is no gun, but beggars can’t be choosers.
He was the only Hawks listed player interested in joining a club whose Captain was trying to flee.

In the last couple of seasons Essendon has thrown money and opportunity at Weddle, Reeves, Watson, Magginess, MacKenzie and Ramsden…. None of them wanted a bar of more money or games.

Nothing was stopping hawthorn trading a player elsewhere to improve the pick 22 to one Essendon could use or actually offer up the 2027 one. Essendon were never doing it unless the 2027 one was involved.

 

[CobberRodgers]

No doubt.
The prospective buyer is simply an innocent bystander.

Geez paranoid much.

My post means the issue is the seller not wanting to sell to Hawthorn.

Nothing to do with offers or packages.

 

[CobberRodgers]

Nothing was stopping hawthorn trading a player elsewhere to improve the pick 22 to one Essendon could use or actually offer up the 2027 one. Essendon were never doing it unless the 2027 one was involved.

Nothing was stopping Essendon packaging any picks up themselves.

They should have seen it as an opportunity, not the end of the world.

 

[bluespooner]

Why should it be up to Essendon to trade picks. Give them picks or players they can use it’s that simple and no two days before the period ends is not enough time. It’s why the 2027 one has to be involved

Well it won't be and it shouldn't be. Essendon were offered a phenomenal trade haul for a 30 year old and still wanted more. Due to their own stupidity that bus has now gone.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Well it won't be and it shouldn't be. Essendon were offered a phenomenal trade haul for a 30 year old and still wanted more. Due to their own stupidity that bus has now gone.

No they weren’t- they were offered LESS than we offered you. It was a fair to below fair deal. Pick 22 was useless no wonder Hawthorn weren’t caring if that went.

They will get two selections they can use this year that’s literally the same as it was last year.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Nothing was stopping Essendon packaging any picks up themselves.

They should have seen it as an opportunity, not the end of the world.

Probably would have but Hawks left it too late and didn't give Essendon enough time the better the offer.

Essendon had to do nothing considering Zac still had 2 years to run on his contract. Hawks chased the player and it's up to them to come up with a deal that's worth while

 

[Philhawk]

If a 2027 first round is included (as it should have been last year) it's already a better deal than last season. Letting the other side know more than 2 days out would be a good starting point as well.

Last year's deal would have been horrible for Essendon and was rightly rejected.

Ok, lay it out for me. Explain how that offer is better than the one that was on offer.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Probably would have but Hawks left it too late and didn't give Essendon enough time the better the offer.

Essendon had to do nothing considering Zac still had 2 years to run on his contract. Hawks chased the player and it's up to them to come up with a deal that's worth while

Bingo compare the three main deals Curnow, Trac, and Merrett. Two clubs gave the other side two weeks to negotiate…and got a deal that was fair across the board that both thought was fair. Hawthorn meanwhile said here’s two days take it or leave it..

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Bingo compare the three main deals Curnow, Trac, and Merrett. Two clubs gave the other side two weeks to negotiate…and got a deal that was fair across the board that both thought was fair. Hawthorn meanwhile said here’s two days take it or leave it..

Yep threating a club to take it or it leave is a scummy way of doing business

if I'm not mistaken Cox wasn't afraid to tap some one on the shoulder to be part of the Curnow trade he was at risk causing disharmony in the team but he desperately wanted Curnow

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Ok, lay it out for me. Explain how that offer is better than the one that was on offer.

Pick 22 last year was useless you can sprinkle it with fairy dust but fact is Essendon could not use it. It’s not up to them to get a pick they can use it’s up to the seller.

The only two picks worthwhile last year were what ended as pick 13 (a selection Essendon got anyway parting with a f2 in 2026) and your 2026 f1. That’s it. We won’t even talk about you trying to send a vfl dud in the deal too.

The deal this year more than likely is a 2026 and 2027 first with something back the hawks way in 27’. It’s already better as the 2027 will be used for matching the Bewick bid. This does two things but firstly means they may get a selection prior to Bewick then match the likely top 10 Bewick bid with your first plus their early second

 

[bluespooner]

Bingo compare the three main deals Curnow, Trac, and Merrett. Two clubs gave the other side two weeks to negotiate…and got a deal that was fair across the board that both thought was fair. Hawthorn meanwhile said here’s two days take it or leave it..

Why are you saying just pick 22. The offer was pick 10, 22, 2026 first round pick and Hurstwaite. All of that for a 30 year old. Geelong gave up picks 17 and 38 for a 24 year old Bailey Smith.

Let that sink-in.

 

[GinniAndTonic]

Why should it be up to Essendon to trade picks. Give them picks or players they can use it’s that simple and no two days before the period ends is not enough time. It’s why the 2027 one has to be involved

So you don’t want to mention more facts? Maybe the fact that Essendon were legitimately ignoring our calls? Fact is once Walsh went on footy classified and publicly said Merrett wasn’t getting traded the deal was almost never going through.

I’m not saying we couldn’t have handled things better we definitely could’ve but to think Essendon were angels in all of this is just ludicrous.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Why are you saying just pick 22. The offer was pick 10, 22, 2026 first round pick and Hurstwaite. All of that for a 30 year old. Geelong gave up picks 17 and 38 for a 24 year old Bailey Smith.

Let that sink-in.

The only picks Essendon could use were what would have been pick 13 (they got this anyway without giving Merrett up) and a future first. Hustwaithe is a spud they don’t need more of them you of all sides should know that

 

[LukeParkerno1]

So you don’t want to mention more facts? Maybe the fact that Essendon were legitimately ignoring our calls? Fact is once Walsh went on footy classified and publicly said Merrett wasn’t getting traded the deal was almost never going through.

I’m not saying we couldn’t have handled things better we definitely could’ve but to think Essendon were angels in all of this is just ludicrous.

You could have opened dialogue on day 1, not day 12 or whatever it was. It was poor. You make a club not “ignore” your calls but putting together a package they could not refuse this offer was nowhere near that level it might have been fair but it’s barely. You aren’t getting a contracted captain for fair you need to put forward overs