Bombers-Merrett saga: Pendulum swings after "official trade request"

Zach Merrett remains determined to leave Essendon and play for Hawthorn despite his club’s insistence they will not budge in the latest twist to the biggest saga of the trade period.

Hawthorn's offer

Hawthorn has offered a deal to Essendon for Merrett.

Tom Morris reported the Hawks have tabled Pick 9, a future first, a second rounder this year or next and Henry Hustwaite.

Sam Mitchell's phone call

Sam Mitchell remains eager to bring Zach Merrett to the Hawks ahead of 2026.

Having openly met with Merrett prior to the official trade period, Mitchell has been a long term admirer of the Essendon captain, with Hawthorn shaping as the only suitor for Merrett if he were to leave the club.

As reported by Tom Morris, Mitchell phoned in from the United States to speak with Merrett on Tuesday morning, confirming that the club will continue to push for a deal with Essendon prior to Wednesday's deadline.

"Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell called Zach Merrett this morning from the USA to reaffirm how much he wants Essendon's captain to join the club and check in on him," Morris said.

"It's abundantly clear Merrett still wants to join the Hawks.

"His manager Tom Petroro warned the Bombers yesterday that if he stays, the same happens next year and he's worth less as a 31 year-old via a trade than what he is now.

"Essendon officials and the board acknowledge this reality but are so far remaining steadfast."

"Official trade request"

The Essendon captain met with Bombers powerbrokers on Monday for key talks over a potential exit where, according to Sam Edmund, an official trade request was made.

“Merrett told coach Brad Scott directly that he wanted to be traded and wanted to play for the Hawks,” Edmund said on SEN Mornings.

“Scott told Merrett the club would not be trading him under any circumstances, with the club still defiant that the captain – contracted for two more years – won’t be leaving.

“But the Hawks are set to test that resolve with a trade package including at least two first-round draft picks. They will go down fighting.”

News from inside the Bombers-Merrett meeting comes after Tim Watson reported that a trade to Hawthorn was highly unlikely after Merrett and his manager Tom Petroro met with the club.

Asked about the meeting between club and player, SEN regular Tom Morris said Petroro tabled some trade scenarios to the Bombers who were steadfast in turning them down.

However, Morris understands there was no formal trade request made which brings about major confusion given Edmund’s report.

“I’ve got more information on yesterday’s meeting between Zach Merrett and the club,” Morris said on AFL Trade Radio.

“Merrett and his manager Tom Petroro met with CEO Craig Vozzo, list manager Matt Rosa and coach Brad Scott.

“There was no formal trade request but there was a discussion of a trade, and the nuance is important. A formal trade request means Zach Merrett walks in and says, ‘I want out, trade me to Hawthorn’.

“The discussion of a trade is probably more led by his manager and that’s exactly what happened yesterday. My understanding is Tom Petroro put forward a range of different and hypothetical trade scenarios - which he’d clearly done work on in the past - for the Bombers to consider to see if there was an opening.

“The answer yesterday was there is no opening. Some included third clubs as well.

“It was amicable but essentially Essendon was resolute. ‘We’re not going to even look at a trade for Merrett’.

“Essendon’s whole strategy is taking this deep and making Merrett blink and go, ‘Do I really want to go through with this? And even if I do want to go through with it, am I going to get it done?’.

“Does Merrett really want to walk back into a club after desperately trying to get out in the last 48 hours?

“To me it’s not surprising that they’re using this strategy and tactic. Then Hawthorn are sitting there going, ‘What are we doing? How long can we stay committed to the captain of a club with potential draft picks on the table when we can go and do other things as well?’.

“It’s reaching a very pointy end now. Merrett and Petroro need to decide how hard they want to push, privately and publicly, for him to get out.”

I AM CONVINCED

Essendon great Watson is adamant that Merrett will not be leaving the club.

The Bombers captain has seemingly been open to moving on despite being contracted until the end of 2027.

Links to Hawthorn have been strong but Merrett hasn’t formally requested a trade. The Dons have also been very strong in their stance that he will not be traded.

According to former club captain Watson, the 30-year-old six-time Crichton Medallist will remain in red and black.

“I believe that there was a lot of brinksmanship going on regarding Zach Merrett and Essendon’s stance,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.

“I don’t believe that any more. I believe that they will not do a deal with anybody and Zach Merrett will remain an Essendon player.

“I am convinced that is the case and that is exactly what will happen. There’s a conditioning process that’s probably been undertaken to this point.

“Hawthorn haven’t been able to pony up, they haven’t come forward with anything that’s going to turn Essendon’s head in any way. But even if they did I don’t believe they’d actually do the deal now anyway.”

Watson added: “In my mind right now he’s 100 per cent an Essendon player next season and beyond.

“They can worry about how they bring him back in the fold and alleviate any concerns that he has about where they’re at right now.

“But they want him to remain and he will remain an Essendon player.”