Crystal Ball: The subpar Bomber facing potential contract pay-out

The Crystal Ball is back on SEN Fireball.

SEN’s Tom Morris is facing the music ahead of what threatens to be a busy off-season, giving his take on where he thinks a number of high-profile players will play their football in 2027.

Based on ongoing talks, Morris has had a stab at three Essendon talents, predicting where they will land following Mark McVeigh’s first offseason as head coach.

See Morris’ predictions below:

Darcy Parish

“Essendon. Only because I don’t think there’s a lot of interest for him. If you ask me for 2028, I reckon Tasmania is red hot for Darcy Parish.”

Zach Merrett

“Hawthorn. I don’t think I need a crystal ball to say that.

“I think he will be at Hawthorn next year. The language has changed at Essendon around him.

“Last year, Andrew Welsh said he is not going anywhere, flag in the ground. This year, he is saying it’s up to Mark McVeigh.”

Ben McKay

“I’ve spoken to Essendon – they deny that Ben McKay was told in his exit meeting that the club would look to trade him or pay out his contract and delist him.

“But I’ve also spoken to people close to Ben McKay, who believe that that is very much a real scenario; that they will either look to trade him or delist him and pay out the last three years of his contract.

“It is a front-ended contract, so there is not a lot of money left on it anyway.

“They haven’t made any delistings yet at the Bombers – they are still in the VFL finals, and they had a win on the weekend.

“People close to Ben McKay believe that that is a very live option.

“He was paid exceptionally well in the first few years of his deal.”