Why the Bombers may not get a draft bonanza if they lose Merrett to their bitter rivals

Essendon are not tipped to get a bonanza of early draft picks from Hawthorn, should disgruntled captain Zach Merrett depart for the Hawks.

Merrett will make his first public appearance since meeting with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell when he attends Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count with teammates. Young guns Archie Roberts, Nate Caddy, Angus Clarke and Isaac Kako have all been invited as the Bombers’ Rising Star nominees.

As the Bombers remain steadfast Merrett will not be traded under any circumstances, rivals are struggling to see a scenario where the club will receive commensurate compensation for parting ways with a soon-to-be six-time best and fairest winner and three-time All Australian.

One rival list manager, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were discussing another club, said the Bombers would get no better than the equivalent of 1½ first-round picks for Merrett.

Such a deal would include Hawthorn’s pick No.8, acquired last year from Carlton, and a future first-round pick in exchange for a future second.

This year’s pick eight will likely slide outside the top 10 once free agency compensation and academy and father/son selections are factored in. The Hawks’ first pick next year will likely be late in the first round again, given they would be expected to be among the flag contenders with Merrett bolstering their midfield.

Another industry source said a fair return for Essendon would be a top-five pick and an established player. The Hawks don’t have the former, and players are less likely to want to head to “the Hangar” when the Bombers’ on-field stocks are flagging.

The abundance of star players wanting a change of club is being seen as a positive in facilitating a trade for Merrett to Hawthorn. Carlton’s two-time Coleman medallist Charlie Curnow, Melbourne champion Christian Petracca and North Melbourne skipper Jy Simpkin are all testing the trade waters.

Opinions are split on whether the Bombers should hold on to Merrett. By letting him go, the Bombers run the risk of providing the blueprint for unhappy players to leave in coming seasons, and the value of Hawthorn’s first-round picks is somewhat diluted by Essendon’s already strong draft hand.

As one source pointed out, recent history suggests there are not happy endings for clubs who hold players against their will.

Bryce Gibbs departed Carlton at the end of 2017, a year after requesting a trade to Adelaide. Tim Kelly did likewise in 2019 after wanting to go home to Western Australia in 2018. Petracca and Clayton Oliver were below their best this year for Melbourne, though Petracca managed to finish runner-up to Max Gawn in the Dees’ best and fairest.

The exception was Sydney star Tom Papley, though he wanted to leave the Swans for personal reasons rather than any disillusionment with the club.

Essendon great James Hird has called for an end to the “rubbish” rumours about Merrett and believes the situation is still salvageable for both player and club.

Hird, a former coach and one of the greatest players to don the sash, has expressed his disappointment at some of the stories that have emerged questioning Merrett’s character since revelations the captain had met with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell about a move to the Hawks.

Teammates Nic Martin and Mason Redman have both spoken of their hurt at learning their skipper no longer wanted to stay at the Hangar because of a lack of belief in the club’s direction.

“I would love to see Zach and the club make up and go back together,” Hird said on Nine’s Footy Classified program.

“What is disappointing, though, is what has come out – the negative stuff that’s come out about Zach. I’ve coached the guy. He’s a wonderful person, a person of high integrity who has worked his backside off. He’s the hardest worker I’ve coached at any level.

“Some of the stuff that’s come out negatively, some of the rubbish, the club and he have to come together so that it doesn’t come out again because it’s not good for either party.”

Despite the straining of relationships over the past week between the captain and his teammates and the club, Hird called for the Bombers to retain Merrett.

“If I was Essendon and at Essendon now, I’d be still reaching out and trying to bring him in. He’s an Essendon person. I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. In terms of Brad Scott, he’s got another two years on his contract, and [president] David Barham has backed him all the way.

“What they should be doing is work out how they perform to the best of their ability next year and not having these internal, external fights that end up in the media.”

Hird, who was part of a delegation of former captains to meet with Merrett to discuss his leadership, empathised with the champion Bomber, who has played 251 games without tasting finals success.

“I’ve got no doubt Zach has pushed the envelope as far as he thinks he can to drive the standards as high as he possibly can at the club,” Hird said.

“When you say ‘what has he done’, in my impression on what he’s been told he’s gone to the utmost to do whatever he could to bring the highest professionalism to that club.”

Hird said he believed individual success was not driving Merrett, who is a red-hot favourite to win a sixth Bombers best and fairest. Only Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison have won more.

“That’s legendary status,” Hird said. “What he’s saying, in my mind is, he doesn’t want to do that. He wants to play in a successful team. There must be something going on for him to take away that legendary status and go somewhere else.”

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