Recruiting AFL Trade & Free Agency XII - 💰💰💰

[Lore]

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Spoiler: 2024 Draft Order

 

[Milanista28]

I hope the Merrett news is true and we get overs in a trade.

 

[JayJ20]

Not even pick 1 would be enough to lose Merrett. Who the **** is going to be our captain?

St Kilda can take their shit and get out of here. There's not a player on their list I want for Merrett and not a draft pick they have that is enough.

I'm on board with trading most of our senior players for the right price, but Merrett is untouchable. Unless St Kilda are prepared to facilitate a deal that has Harley Reid coming our way, they can stay where they are.

 

[FootyGuru]

Who said he was looking elsewhere?


Some of you lot are insane with your baby and bathwater talk.

I should of said “I wouldn’t blame him for looking elsewhere”

 

[ghostdog]

I should of said “I wouldn’t blame him for looking elsewhere”

I wouldn't either. If he's sooking it up because of Lav and Stringer, let him go, he's not invested.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Trading Zerrett is the dumbest shit.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Plot twist: the Saints fail to specify which Merrett and a very confused Jackson is rolled out of the boot of a black sedan down at Moorabbin in the early hours after the deal is struck

 

[FootyGuru]

I wouldn't either. If he's sooking it up because of Lav and Stringer, let him go, he's not invested.

I think it’s more than that, the club is clearly looking to invest in youth and pushes the timeline of “in the window” out of merretts prime or potentially career.

Also Essendons lack lustre results in the back half while Merrett was getting a serious tag cost him all Australia selection.

 

[Vindicater]

The offseason was looking so good for Awhile there.

Heppell retired- yes
Stringer gone- yes
Laverde gone- yes

Merrett gone- WTF

 

[dank420_]

This is actually what blowing up the list looks like. You all wanted this.

 

[bommer16]

I’m on the outside looking in - I have no idea how Zach feels. He has every right to do what is best for him and his career. I will be upset if he goes but never upset with him.

If any capt wants success at a club then change has to occur at certain levels and this will impact players and coaches and how things are done.

Now if he goes then the club must elevate Caldwell to the leadership group bc apart from him duzz and Zach I can’t think of who else is as competitive in the current group.

 

[JayJ20]

This is actually what blowing up the list looks like. You all wanted this.

This is more like nuking the list and making the club a radioactive zone for years to come.

 

[JayJ20]

In all seriousness, I can see why Zach would consider leaving the club. He has tried his best throughout his career. If he were to go somewhere, maybe he'd go to a club that also has no success but has more prospects of featuring in September than us.

Sometimes people seek a change of environment. If he leaves, I know it's the second half of this year that finally broke him. He seemed so mad after some of the losses.

With Tassie coming in, I guess better now than later if he is determined to leave.

 

[dank420_]

This is more like nuking the list and making the club a radioactive zone for years to come.

We've done worse as a club.

 

[nipst@r]

Kelly and Heppell gone.

Our tall backline consists of;

McKay - Reid (inj) - Ridley (inj) with Lewis Hayes (young KPP yet to debut) for backup and/or Sam Weideman.

It's an exceedingly poor take to suggest Laverde wouldn't provide useful depth.

Laverde provides depth. So does Cox and even jones. So I'd keep laverde but we have plenty of options for the 2nd key defender role if he does leave for better offers. I would hope 2 of Reid, cox or hayes have overtaken laverde by the end of 2025. If they haven't not sure worth keeping them around.

Think we are a bit shorter on small/ meduim defenders. Mcgrath, roberts, redman but league is trending towards more small fwd set ups.

With heppel, hind and Kelly leaving. But guelfi or menzies can probably be given a go if needed.

 

[BomberManU]

This is actually what blowing up the list looks like. You all wanted this.

Surely you don't have to get rid of your best player, to 'blow up the list'.

 

[dank420_]

Surely you don't have to get rid of your best player, to 'blow up the list'.

No but you can

 

[Snake Charmer]

This is actually what blowing up the list looks like. You all wanted this.

We want the spuds gone not our only good player haha

 

[ant555]

Haha what a laugh click bait at its finest.

Our captain and contracted until 2027.

Keep dreaming sainties

Pick 8
Pick 9
Next years first round pick and a gun young player

Let’s see how bad you really want him


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

It is not click bait. Highly unlikely to happen but it is opposition clubs just chipping away to see what falls out. It is not media driven. Happens every year. Merretts manager would be fielding offers and getting asked by clubs what the situation is. He will then tell Zack these are what is on the table if you want out and it would be if.

 

[Squeaky]

We've done worse as a club.

Good post to name correlation!!

 

[FootyGuru]

I think many posters here unbiased view would have looked at the petracca/Melbourne situation and thought this is the solution for a fast tracked rebuild.

Merrett is our captain, petracca is the better player.

You really need to give something of value to get something of value.

I have been pushing for losing Langford because of this.

I have no doubt that they wouldn’t be chasing Merrett without knowing they will lose at least their 2 frp this season.


We won’t get much from losing leverde and stringer in terms of trade value.

Is this Essendons opportunity to get 3 top ten picks in a very strong draft?

I feel if st kilda are willing to overpay for someone of merretts age we should seriously consider pulling the trigger

 

[joey_jo_jo]

It is not click bait. Highly unlikely to happen but it is opposition clubs just chipping away to see what falls out. It is not media driven. Happens every year. Merretts manager would be fielding offers and getting asked by clubs what the situation is. He will then tell Zack these are what is on the table if you want out and it would be if.

It is click bait because of the way it's being reported and blown out of proportion by Morris/9. Like you said its standard behind the scenes stuff at this time of year but the headlines/tweets by 9/Morris are acting like its a "HUGE BOMBSHELL" that will "ROCK TRADE WEEK!!!".
This sort of sensationalist reporting has become an industry in itself

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

As they say, there's no smoke without fire...

 

[Call Me Cake]

Players of Merrett's calibre don't grow on trees. You can probably have 3 first rounders and still might not land a player of his level.

He's also not just our only elite player he is also probably the best captain in the league when it comes to mindset and dragging a team on his back.

Losing him would cause us to be in the bottom 3 for multiple years. People would need to be prepared for this in such an instance.

I would say it comes down to what the scenario is, which none of us know. Is he disappointed in standards or our plans for success? Back him in. If it's true that he's upset about a couple players not getting extensions, then there's nothing we can do but hold him to the contract and get what we must for the club.

 

[nipst@r]

Think Merret still has heaps of years left. How olds zorko?

As in 2-3 years Merret could play similar role to zorko until his mid 30, 34 or so with elite foot skills and would still have enough of the pace and tackling and leadership talent he has today.

Therefore I'd be wanting 2 x top 10 plus Mitch Owen's as a starting point. Maybe Marshall for draper or byran as sweetener.

Don't think we need to panic with the windows talk with merret as his game translates well in later years unlike watson/heppel who both were 1 paced with mud level foot skills.

Think that's why saints would target him as well.

 

[katana]

I'm reminded of the dogs losing Griffen. They turned it round pretty quick.