Zach has always been terrible and working the umps. You can see his attempts to play for a free coming a mile away and he gets quite indignant when it doesn’t come off
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Zak was told you’re role in the side is changing and Finals are a year or two away (but not out of the question) - wasn’t received well, and Gia needs a finals win on his resume to boost his coaching credentials, and they both gambled on Hawwforn to deliver on their craving and immediate ambition.
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Yep. Let him walk to Dingley from there.
Hawthorn aren’t knocking off Geelong, let alone Brisbane any time soon. They’re still thin across the ground.
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Yeh i rate Mitchell actually for getting the list he has to a Pre-Lim. I think they are about the 7th best list only… but they play together and at a high level.
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I don’t think a formal trade request will come unless there’s a high likelihood that it’s happening. Everyone knows he wants out, it’ll just stay like that until / if Essendon shift from a flat refusal. And that’ll depend on Hawthorn concocting something truly enticing.
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He is head and shoulder above Brad as a coach which is disgusting to say. My wife is a mad Hawks supporter and says Brad is uninspiring and I agree. Mitchell has trimmed the older boys off the list but somehow gets the players wanting to come there and has them in premiership contention. His game plan also is aggressive.
Brad has given us nothing and he has also trimmed the list.
Mitchell I reckon would have us purring.
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We just need to find a Mitchell type but one who is like, you know, a nice human being
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He won’t have to worry about it not coming off at Hawthorn. It will be interesting to see if he suddenly develops some weak knees next year.
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Which is what every professional in every field with extremely rare exceptions would do and would be applauded for by neutral observers, especially if they’re getting out of an amateur organisation after putting in their best
I hadn’t seen the Merrett one before, but that was an interesting contrast. Merrett had a lot of screaming “Yeeeaahhh”, but no instruction to any of his players, no encouraging of any of his players. Seems very insular, which I think is playing out now.
McGrath seemed far more natural, uber-encouraging. Gave good instruction both in setup and in the heat of battle (was giving live instruction to Nguyen in the middle of a stoppage). Merrett clearly a much better player, but McGrath seems a much more natural (and comfortable) leader.
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Agree which is sad. The fact we’re leaving the door open for him to return after completely disrespecting us doesn’t sit well with me, he doesn’t deserve to play for us anymore.
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Keeping Merrett now will be the final nail in our culture’s coffin.
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Agree. Kent needs to go.
McGrath’s natural leadership and rapport was what most impressed me. But it’s only a snapshot and I think it’s been edited to highlight Andy’s captaincy qualities whereas Merrett’s highlights his onfield work rate.
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“But he’s only in year 42 of a 683 year plan”…
So you would take pick 8, Hawks future 2nd and Henry List clogger Hustwaite for Merrett? This seems to be the most popular trade floating around
There was an article a couple of years back that mentioned that Stringer was actually the main pathway between Merrett and the younger players on the list, which I found interesting ( and slightly strange) at the time. Ergo, Jake was closer to , and bonded with, the young guys more than Zach was able. He also seems to have a fairly small trusted circle of people, and perhaps most of them are not at the club any more. I think we’re seeing a confluence of multiple factors playing out right now. I also think that this is quite unique and now believe this isn’t necessarily as completely irretrievable as I did , due to Zach’s personality. He absolutely cannot be captain now, though, no matter what happens. So much depends on the view of the total player group though.
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There has been nothing professional about the way Zak has pursued an exit out of his current contract with Essendon Football Club.
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