Lol
So in essence he couldn’t be ■■■■■■ committing to his contract and liked the Hawks.
Superb.
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Honestly - I’d prefer Orazio in the leadership group.
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He won’t be in the leadership group and he’ll be traded at the end of 2026.
But, odds are he’ll win the B&F in 2026 because he’s still better at football than everyone else on our list.
7 Likes
So tone deaf, such a lack of self awareness. Terrifying he was our captain and leading our young players off the field.
11 Likes
I’d love to suddenly turn a corner and win now, but it’d be greatly satisfying to see us fly up the ladder the second he’s gone
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The meeting, the fallout, and where to from here: Zach Merrett tells his side of his Hawthorn trade request
After a nightmare season for the Bombers, their captain sat down with the coach and said he wanted to leave. Zach Merrett tells all on the “hardest conversation” he’s ever had — and where to now.
9 min read
November 23, 2025 - 8:00PM
News Sport Network
After a nightmare season for the Bombers, their captain sat down with the coach and said he wanted to leave. Zach Merrett tells all on the “hardest conversation” he’s ever had — and where to now.
Zach Merrett’s bottom lip trembled sitting at Brad Scott’s dinner table.
The moment had arrived for the Bombers’ captain to tell his senior coach that he wanted to look elsewhere.
For 12 years, the inspirational midfielder and six-time best-and-fairest winner had gone to bed almost every night dreaming about one thing, a red and black premiership.
But after 13-straight losses to finish last season, a horrendous injury run and more player departures, Merrett thought the team success he desperately craved at Tullamarine may finally be out of reach.
Zach Merrett requested a trade to Hawthorn after Essendon’s disastrous season. Picture: Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/Getty Images.
So, as he shifted the meat around on his plate in search of the right words, Merrett expressed openly to Scott what he had been feeling in the latter part of the season.
“It was at Brad’s house after he had cooked a nice steak and that was, to be honest, the hardest conversation – or one of the hardest conversations – I have ever had to have in my life,” Merrett recalled this week to the Herald Sun.
“It was really hard to get the words out. My bottom lip was quivering because I felt like we had been through so much together.
“And in some ways I felt like I was letting him down because he had given me my childhood dream of captaining Essendon.
“I felt like I have played my best footy under him.
“So it was a difficult couple of hours at his house. It was raw. I was emotional. We were both upset.
“And I had probably lost a little bit of love and connection I had had for the footy club, and that has been pretty deep.”
Essendon has stood firm in not trading Zach Merrett to Hawthorn, Charlie Curnow gets his wish of moving to Sydney and the winners and losers of the 2025 AFL trade period revealed.
Scott was clearly “shocked”, but also sympathetic.
But the coach made it clear in that moment any trade was going to be a long shot.
And Merrett knew it from the outset after re-signing a six-year deal back in 2021 which was topped-up in late 2024 amid a poaching raid from St Kilda.
The Bombers told their skipper they had zero interest in letting go their best player and leader at the most crucial moment of the club’s rebuild under Scott.
So, over the next month or so, Merrett went on the full rollercoaster ride, waking up one morning thinking one thing, only to doubt and second-guess himself only hours later.
His phone buzzed, constantly.
The brilliant ball-winner felt incredibly torn, overwhelmed at times by the attention the story received and was barely able to leave his house, if only to train or grab a coffee.
And it was really only when he was training or kicking the footy often with best mate, Jayden Laverde, that he could get away from the inferno.
“It wasn’t a loss of faith. I love the club. No matter what happened, I will always love Essendon,” Merrett said.
“It was really like, ‘Do our time frames line-up here?’ Was it better for me to move on to provide the club with the extra draft capital to help set it up?
“I’m a very driven person and after 12 years of not winning a final, knocking on the door of 30 (years old) you do reflect on your own life and career knowing it does not last forever.
“Late in the season I was able to compartmentalise it and perform on the field and still lead as well as I could.
“But, yeah, it got to the point where I wanted to explore it (trade).
“In a way, I feel very humbled that they would much prefer to keep me and keep building a list and a team that succeeds in the next five years.
“I can be part of that and that gives me a lot of confidence.
“So, it was never really a loss of faith.
“It was really digging deep into the realistic element of it (timings) and trying to park the emotion of how fun it would be to win premierships at Essendon.”
Every club in the league has won a final since the Bombers’ last tasted September joy 21 years ago, and in the last match of the season Gold Coast belted a depleted Essendon by 95 points up north.
For Merrett, 30, it was all deeply personal.
And it also got messy.
In particular, when Merrett was accused of being disrespectful to the club’s AFLW program.
ROCK BOTTOM
He was finishing some goal kicking in the same indoor area as the AFLW team as part of some training late last season.
On Channel’s 7’s ‘Agenda Setters’ program in mid-September, Merrett was accused of getting in the way, disappointing the Bombers’ women’s team.
“It stung me a lot, to have that quoted,” he said.
“I don’t know if I want to bring it up much more again and give it more oxygen, but that was a pretty dark night that one.
“I was sitting at home on the couch feeling pretty emotional.
“I can always deal with criticism of my footy or my leadership and how I perform or body language or missing a kick.
“But I did feel a little bit in the trade period there were a few things which popped up which were a little bit questionable and, as a general consensus, I think most people picked up on those.
“So there were a couple of bad nights.”
Essendon list boss Matt Rosa says Zach Merrett trade talks were ‘uncomfortable’ as a deal between the Bombers and Hawks was unable to be reached.
Merrett’s response in the break was to train even harder.
He enlisted a running coach, lost several kilograms, and will turn 30 next month looking and feeling like he is in the best shape of his brilliant career.
But in public there was only one thing people wanted to know. Was he out?
“You know it (story) is big and you try to shelter away from it,” Merrett said.
“But it is hard to shelter away when you have got your phone and you are scrolling something or an article pops up.
“It hits your algorithm in your phone and every coffee you go to there is a Herald Sun or an Age sitting there and your photo is on the front or the back page or both.
“So, I was overwhelmed a bit by it, for sure.
“But by and large, the support from the fans has been incredible, whether that was all the messages or seeing people in the street.
“I made a decision for me that I felt was best for me at the time, and I won’t have any regrets when I look back.
“But I also probably didn’t understand the level of gratitude or how big it was for the fans and that part.”
By the last day of the trade period, Merrett and manager Tom Petroro from TGI Sports remained resolute about the switch.
Tom Petroro reacts to the failed Merrett deal
Merrett still wanted to be a Hawk after meeting the club’s top brass at Sam Mitchell’s house.
It was an uneasy night spent deep in enemy territory.
“I had given my heart and soul for 12 years (at Essendon) and all you think about when you go to bed or get up in the morning is holding the cup up,” Merrett said.
“And then you find yourself sitting on the opposition’s coach’s couch.
“You definitely reflect and think ‘How did we get here’?” It was a unique experience”.
But it all fell over.
Essendon stuck to what it said it would do way back at Scott’s dinner table and knocked back a package of three (mid-to-late) first-round picks for him.
That was a hard night for Merrett, too, as his head spun all over again.
How does he walk back into a club he tried to leave? What would teammates think?
ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM
Merrett and his family headed north to Gold Coast for a week with his long-time and world-leading sports performance psychologist, Jonah Oliver, hiring a house within two minutes of his place for some intensive work.
It was the reset he needed, equipping Merrett with the clarity, approach and purpose he needed to move forward with the right frame of mind.
For all the anguish, Merrett feels as excited and engaged as ever.
“It was incredible,” Merrett said.
“We would get a coffee and go for a walk for an hour-and-a-half and just work through everything.
Zach Merrett is back at Bombers training, getting stuck into pre-season after the tumultuous trade period.
“We made a really clear plan for when I got back to try and attack, yeah, those elephants (in the room).
“But also just to make sure everyone was comfortable around me at the club, and not walking on any eggshells.
“In the end, I knew I was contracted and I knew it (trade) was always going to be very difficult.
“So there is no resentment over that part of it.”
Clearly, there would be some hurdles to jump and maybe a few awkward moments.
But as soon as the trade was rejected the calls and texts of support quickly came flooding in, including from new president Andrew Welsh and list boss Matt Rosa about what was next with the three aces up the club’s sleeve.
Up on Rosa’s white board were four names. Four priority draft targets.
Dyson Sharp. Picture: Michael Klein
Sullivan Robey. Picture: Michael Klein
Jacob Farrow. Picture: Michael Klein
Essendon ended up snaring three of them, including tough ballwinners Sullivan Robey (192cm) and Dyson Sharp (187cm) as well as jet playmaker and speedy half back Jacob Farrow (189cm).
Sam Cumming, who was snapped up by Richmond, was the other one in the mix.
But this was a serious injection of talent, snaring two bigger-bodied midfielders which Merrett said to the club he personally felt they desperately needed.
Essendon’s engine room now has some size. Merrett has some protection.
But off-field there has been a significant shift more broadly at Tullamarine, following a change in president, fitness department and coaching staff.
NEW DAWN
From the top down, Welsh has reinvigorated the club bringing not only a strong vision, but perhaps most importantly a sense of unity.
Plus, Bombers’ premiership hard man Dean Solomon has stepped in not only as an assistant coach, but also a cultural key in the footy department.
And the high performance program has been overhauled in a bid to curtail the devastating run of injuries.
The Bombers will be incredibly young next season, but Merrett has been genuinely excited by the “new energy” he has seen and felt walking back into Essendon.
“There is a sense of freshness, and we are doing a lot more intensity-based chaos-type drills which is where the game has gone to now,” Merrett said.
“I think adding those three (Robey, Farrow and Sharp) and then potentially a couple more (teenagers), there’s going to be 20-25 in that first-to-third year bracket which means we are young, but get amazing opportunities.
Essendon president Andrew Welsh. Picture: Supplied
Dean Solomon. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.
Matt Rosa. Picture: Michael Klein
“Adding ‘Solly’ has been important, because he is a really good cultural person, a good connector, and there just feels like there is a real freshness at the joint after Andrew taking over and new weights guy (former Brooklyn Nets strength coach David Regan) coming in.
“’Walshy’ has done a terrific job trying to really unite us as quickly as we can, because it gets some energy and urgency in the joint to get back up the ladder.
“For me, it is stimulating just walking back in and things like the warm-up is different, the running is different, and the kicking is different.”
Merrett’s focus is firmly on being in the best shape he can for the first game of the season against the team he tried to join, Hawthorn, at a packed-out MCG.
Now, Merrett isn’t thinking about a trade. He wants the four points. Footy moves fast like that.
Zach Merrett back at Essendon training at The Hangar on November 14.
“Outside of the boundary line there is a lot of chaos, but on the field I find it very spiritual or, I just feel so calm out there,” Merrett said.
“So for me it’s just really about how do I get back, make a great impression on the boys and make sure they know I am fully committed?
“That’s the way I rock up in shape and train and perform really well.
“We will probably have a few debutants (in round one), so I think we will have a lot of energy.
“Fans are yearning for a bit of success to cling to and I want to play the best footy I can so I can make them really proud.
“Hopefully, these draftees bring a lot of hope and we can harness that talent and try to climb the ladder as quickly as we can.”
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If there’s even any remote semblance of consistency in performance of some other players throughout 2026 they will ensure Merrett does not win the Crichton and allow us to go through that media circus again next year.
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Zach Merrett says he’s happy to hand over captaincy as senior Dons clear trade tensions
Zach Merrett wasn’t sure how it would feel walking back into Essendon after a failed trade request. He tells Jay Clark how his return went, what he thinks about remaining captain and more.
3 min read
November 23, 2025 - 8:00PM
News Sport Network
AFL: Bombers skipper Zach Merrett has returned to Tullamarine ahead of schedule even among transfer rumour in the off season that he had tried to pioneer.
Essendon superstar Zach Merrett is adamant there is no lingering tension at Tullamarine after addressing his failed trade request at a senior players’ dinner last week.
And the six-time Crichton medallist said he would happily hand over the captaincy if the Bombers felt it was the right move after the club blocked his attempt to join Hawthorn last month.
In a 30-minute interview with the Herald Sun, Merrett said he had no regrets over the move after feeling late last season that his time to win a flag at Essendon may have run out.
And he detailed the “raw” and “emotional” night he told coach Brad Scott he wanted out, as well as the conflicting emotions he felt sitting on Sam Mitchell’s couch talking about playing for the arch rival next year.
Zach Merrett back at training on Friday November 14.
Zach Merrett is back at Bombers training, getting stuck into pre-season after the tumultuous trade period.
But the jet onballer said he has been reinvigorated by recent changes at the Bombers, their dazzling draft haul and an intensive week spent with his long-time sports psychologist, Jonah Oliver, in Gold Coast.
Importantly, Merrett is adamant there is no remaining bad blood or divide at the club after meeting to discuss events and confront any ill-feelings with teammates last week.
“I had a really good dinner with the leaders the other night where we had a really good discussion and chat about everything,” Merrett said.
“We just all gave each other some context around it all and now we are all really comfortable moving forward together.
“There was a little bit of apprehension because you don’t know how people are going to be around you, but I didn’t feel nervous.
“I was like ‘How do I make sure people around me don’t feel nervous or anxious?’
“So I tried to walk into the club with a bounce in my step and help everyone feel as comfortable as possible. Whether that be staff, volunteers or players.
“Overall, that experience has been very warming and welcoming, and to be honest I couldn’t have felt any more normal.
Zach Merrett and Xavier Duursma after Merrett’s 250th game in red and black. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.
“That is probably not what you would expect considering the previous six or eight weeks, but certainly if you had a camera inside the place (it would show) that is the reality.”
Merrett, 30, said the players were buzzing with the new talent, including three first-round draft picks, an overhauled fitness department and changes in game style at training.
And he has addressed the continuing trade cloud over his head, saying he had not given “any thought” to seeking the same move to Hawthorn next year.
Merrett said he did not hold a grudge against the club for denying his trade request following the most turbulent, testing and emotional two-months of his career.
“How things played out a little bit – there was some disappointment, but overall there was no resentment towards any individual or decision that was made,” he said.
“Jonah was really good at working through all those different things mentally, and how I can go back, having a career-best year and helping Essendon win games of footy.”
Merrett has been captain for three seasons, but the club could make a key change with popular defender Andrew McGrath the most likely replacement.
Merrett said he would throw his full support behind a new skipper if required after deliberately trying to avoid making any major calls on the matter in recent weeks.
“It has been so clouded over the past two months, I have just tried to not make any rash decisions,” he said.
“I will let that all fizzle out and die down a bit and be a bit more calm and measured about it, and also the club will go through the process that every club does.
“That will be a conversation at the right time, and I will be very supportive whatever way the club ends up deciding to go.
“I have been very lucky and fortunate to be selected three times, but we will see where all that lands.”
If Zach Reid stays fit or Archie Roberts keeps up his trajectory they’ll both be a big chance.
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■■■■ off zach
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I don’t think there’ll be a media circus this time. I think Essendon will go “we believe it is in the best interests of both club and player to facilitate a trade” when he asks again.
We won’t get offered anything near what we were offered this year, though. But, we’ll trade him.
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3 different articles about the same fkn thing
thank god for archive.is
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TL;DR X3 cause IDGAF
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well if its going to happen again i think the club will have more of a heads up and they will probably come up with a deal that will be agreed on long before the trade period
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I’ve completely moved on from the drama of last month. He’s a Bomber and he’s committed to giving it everything in 2026 so he has my support.
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Utter nonsense.
What fans is he speaking to? His mum and dad?
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“I am single minded” “I am open to being captain”
Sorry it doesn’t work that way Zach. No issue with cheering you on and the team to get success. I know you will be a pro. But leading the team ends
33 Likes
That’s the part the stings, should’ve moved him on this year
Could’ve ended up with a Dovaston/Taylor to go with our haul plus another first rounder next year.
Probably end up with their first next year which will be a pick in the teens and that’s it
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ZM: I’m ■■■■■■ at the AFLW allegations so I made sure I told my manager about the drug talk.
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It is good to get these articles out of the way in November.
Now get the draftees in and get them going and focus on training and footy. I really hope our supporters/ members don’t create a circus, and boo and carry on in games. We need to all pull or push in the same direction.
End of the Year let’s see what we can get for him and just move him on. Then you can boo all you want when he is wearing the opposition jumper.
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