The Zac Merrett Thread

[Cards13 9,117]

24 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Except that Dodoro does the wheeling and dealing as GM List Management.  Mahoney is GM Football so I think they are peers.  .

Ah Yeap I just checked linkedin and they have plenty of GMs of roles, the all look like peers. 

[adonski 12,058]

Might be a few less dollars in the bank now for the club, Clarry has re-signed 

[Deemania since 56 6,634]

On 9/21/2020 at 3:43 PM, adonski said:

Would take our second rounder & future first....but probably worth it.

Nope, not worth it. The player is good but we are good, too - just a bit better. 

[deelusions from afar 1,810]

He would be a great get - but can't see it happening.  With Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, Brown, May and Lever there's a lot of players on decent coin - plus the likes of TMac and Brayshaw who I think signed  after big seasons.

We'd have to off-load some big names and I think given the work they've put into bringing the group together, trading someone like Harmes or Brayshaw might really disrupt the group.

[DubDee 25,847]

Depends what his motivation is - does he want money or success?

if he is happy to come to us for ~750K/yr then it could be doable.

If we are to offer up someone for trade we need to be VERY careful. look what happened at collingwood with Treloar - its a culture killer. A bloke like Gus, not our best. but well liked. its very delicate.  if in doubt I hope we back in our talent

 

[deelusions from afar 1,810]

8 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Depends what his motivation is - does he want money or success?

if he is happy to come to us for ~750K/yr then it could be doable.

If we are to offer up someone for trade we need to be VERY careful. look what happened at collingwood with Treloar - its a culture killer. A bloke like Gus, not our best. but well liked. its very delicate.  if in doubt I hope we back in our talent

 

Agree - but given what others have said here, he's a restricted free agent which means Essendon could match the offer - which would mean he would have to be paid a lot since (with a few of their big names gone) they could afford to pay him heaps!

Intrigued how other clubs have done this in the past - eg stories where they've all taken a pay cut - how would this work?  Would they all be asked if they'd be willing to take a 3-5% cut to allow them to bring a big name in?  Would they only discuss this with the highest paid players?  Would they just factor this in with players that are out of contract?  

I wonder if someone like Brayshaw would be wrapped to bring in a player like Merrett if he essentially takes his current position?

[DubDee 25,847]

6 minutes ago, deelusions from afar said:

Agree - but given what others have said here, he's a restricted free agent which means Essendon could match the offer - which would mean he would have to be paid a lot since (with a few of their big names gone) they could afford to pay him heaps!

Intrigued how other clubs have done this in the past - eg stories where they've all taken a pay cut - how would this work?  Would they all be asked if they'd be willing to take a 3-5% cut to allow them to bring a big name in?  Would they only discuss this with the highest paid players?  Would they just factor this in with players that are out of contract?  

I wonder if someone like Brayshaw would be wrapped to bring in a player like Merrett if he essentially takes his current position?

usually in 90% of cases, if a player wants to leave, he gets to where is wants to go regarding of RFA status

And then there is Essendon.  they treat their players as commodities and we all know where it has gotten them

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

The interesting part of this scuttlebutt is not the interest from Clubs in a good player from a wandering Club, but that  a Team/Club that would have usually been referred to as not a realistic choice or manager suggests a club without a future,  to all of a sudden a team with strength, future and formidable ball winners. True but how pathetically ironic.

[sisso 2,580]

Good player but who would he force out in our onball unit? It’s pretty stacked...

[CBDees 3,167]

For God’s sake, I cannot believe how many Demonlanders are suggesting trading Brayshaw! ? Brayshaw is our ‘culture’!  obviously, many have not watched Gus’s weekly session with Gawn to realise how popular he is and how it is guys like him that bond a team together. Plus he is not too shabby as a player. Frankly, I think that guys like Gawn, Petracca etc would prefer to have a drop in their own salary to keep Gus than to see our team ripped apart at his expense. 

[Adam The God 30,221]

I've changed my mind on trading Gus, not that we'd need to. The only way we attract Merrett IMO is we win the flag or go very close this year. That's how the likes of Richmond managed to get Lynch and Geelong Cameron.

[Nasher 33,613]

As long as we don’t start calling him Zerrett. Jeez I hate that.

Maybe when we had the McDonald brothers we should have called them OcDonald and TcDonald.

[dee-tox 4,835]

Good player but I'd target Lachie Ash if the rumours are true he wants to move back to Victoria. That dash out of the backline is tantalising...

[pitmaster 3,548]

8 hours ago, CBDees said:

For God’s sake, I cannot believe how many Demonlanders are suggesting trading Brayshaw! ? Brayshaw is our ‘culture’!  obviously, many have not watched Gus’s weekly session with Gawn to realise how popular he is and how it is guys like him that bond a team together. Plus he is not too shabby as a player. Frankly, I think that guys like Gawn, Petracca etc would prefer to have a drop in their own salary to keep Gus than to see our team ripped apart at his expense. 

This is intangible and crucial. Trading Newport last century hurt that Northey group immeasurably because he was a key part of the playing culture (even though the result was drafting Jakovic).

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,702]

8 hours ago, A F said:

I've changed my mind on trading Gus, not that we'd need to. The only way we attract Merrett IMO is we win the flag or go very close this year. That's how the likes of Richmond managed to get Lynch and Geelong Cameron.

Did you see the massive hugs he gave Clarry, Trac and Goodwin after the game, he embedded in our culture.

He was immense against the Cats of half back and spurts through the guts. Quoting from the movie Field of Dreams "If you build it they will come".

As for Merrett i wouldn't be surprised if the club have been talking with him for a while in the same way they lured Langdon, Lever, May, Brown etc.

We have form, only issue would be where the salary cap sits, but Jonesy and Nev would most probably retire at the end of this year which would release some cap space.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,817]

I'd ensure we have enough in the cap to pay for Salem before I'd start thinking about Merrett.

 

[Accepting Mediocrity 1,418]

1 hour ago, Nasher said:

As long as we don’t start calling him Zerrett. Jeez I hate that.

Maybe when we had the McDonald brothers we should have called them OcDonald and TcDonald.

OcDonald and TcDonald actually has a nice ring to it.

Lucky Jack Viney doesn't have a brother named William...

[Neil Crompton 5,535]

For the first time in too many years I am beginning to trust and believe in our current playing group, to the extent that I believe they can achieve something special. So at this stage I am perfectly happy with the current group and would go as far as to say I don't think we need Merrett.

Mind you, I might change my mind if we put in a shocker against the hawks.

[sisso 2,580]

1 hour ago, RigidMiddleDigit said:

This is intangible and crucial. Trading Newport last century hurt that Northey group immeasurably because he was a key part of the playing culture (even though the result was drafting Jakovic).

I agree. Gus came through as part of our big rebuild under Roos which is finally starting to pay off, we'd have to be very careful about jettisoning a player like him, breaking up the "brotherhood". That and he's a valuable member of the team I thought he was excellent dropping back as a defensive winger to help out on the weekend once May got hurt.

[rjay 24,917]

1 hour ago, dee-tox said:

Good player but I'd target Lachie Ash if the rumours are true he wants to move back to Victoria. That dash out of the backline is tantalising...

Agree, we need to find another like Langdon. Not the same type but a player who is on the cusp of going to the next level who is not going to cost the world in trade and money value.

Ash could be that player.

[BDA 22,743]

11 hours ago, CBDees said:

For God’s sake, I cannot believe how many Demonlanders are suggesting trading Brayshaw! ? Brayshaw is our ‘culture’!  obviously, many have not watched Gus’s weekly session with Gawn to realise how popular he is and how it is guys like him that bond a team together. Plus he is not too shabby as a player. Frankly, I think that guys like Gawn, Petracca etc would prefer to have a drop in their own salary to keep Gus than to see our team ripped apart at his expense. 

The same arguments were made for not trading Jack Watts. Very popular person, with a reliable kick so obviously still had something to offer the team. He still has plenty of friends at the club. But the trade was the right thing to do.

I agree culture is a huge part of the equation in terms of the decision to trade, which of course none of us can really see, but if the club decided to put him on the table I would understand and trust their judgment. I have no axe to grind with Gus, in fact I think he is doing an admirable job in an unfamiliar role this year. So if he stays I’ll have no issues with that either.

But anyone saying he is untradeable is letting emotion get in the way. Great bloke, playing his role at the moment and happy if he stays but if the club make a considered decision come trade time then I’ll support it.

[Little Goffy 14,522]

Maybe it is just because he is an Essendon player but I have never quite been as excited about Merrett as pretty much everyone else in football.  Strange.

Certainly I can't see how he would be a value acquisition - even as a free agent - given our midfield strength and the salary cap pressure we will be under for the next couple of years.

And, yeah, I do not understand or even respect the constant bagging and trade talk about Brayshaw.

[FritschyBusiness 1,478]

26 minutes ago, Better days ahead said:

The same arguments were made for not trading Jack Watts. Very popular person, with a reliable kick so obviously still had something to offer the team. He still has plenty of friends at the club. But the trade was the right thing to do.

I agree culture is a huge part of the equation in terms of the decision to trade, which of course none of us can really see, but if the club decided to put him on the table I would understand and trust their judgment. I have no axe to grind with Gus, in fact I think he is doing an admirable job in an unfamiliar role this year. So if he stays I’ll have no issues with that either.

But anyone saying he is untradeable is letting emotion get in the way. Great bloke, playing his role at the moment and happy if he stays but if the club make a considered decision come trade time then I’ll support it.

Especially since that trade got us Fritsch and Watts is now retired

[sisso 2,580]

53 minutes ago, Better days ahead said:

The same arguments were made for not trading Jack Watts. Very popular person, with a reliable kick so obviously still had something to offer the team. He still has plenty of friends at the club. But the trade was the right thing to do.

I agree culture is a huge part of the equation in terms of the decision to trade, which of course none of us can really see, but if the club decided to put him on the table I would understand and trust their judgment. I have no axe to grind with Gus, in fact I think he is doing an admirable job in an unfamiliar role this year. So if he stays I’ll have no issues with that either.

But anyone saying he is untradeable is letting emotion get in the way. Great bloke, playing his role at the moment and happy if he stays but if the club make a considered decision come trade time then I’ll support it.

Can't really compare Brayshaw and Watts - Melbourne were forever in Watt's ear about poor training standards and professionalism I recall Nathan Jones had to confront him as late as 2017...as a senior player it wasn't acceptable setting such a poor example for the younger players.

[Grimes Times 1,278]

Id prefer Kelly form GWS.