Bombers captain opens up on failed Hawthorn move and Essendon future

This, he says, was the reason for his extraordinary attempt to parachute away from the bombers.

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“I am very determined about success and focused on growing, getting better and performing, but success underpins all of that and I knew I was knocking on the door of 30. [years old]. I’m really close with Dyson and with him finishing his job soon I always thought we’d be successful.

“And then, seeing not his pain but his disappointment with the way his career ended, it was starting to get to me. Even though I wanted to play forever, I’m definitely on the back nine rather than the front nine, and I felt like, ‘Do I need a shift or a new environment to achieve what I want to achieve?’

“Everyone’s journey is different, but in my 12 years I’ve had five head coaches and 160 teammates.

“Players kept getting injured throughout the year and then we were losing games. “I was really trying to compartmentalise and focus on performing and leading as much as I could throughout the season.

“I can’t say I lost my faith [in those running the club and football]. After all these changes everyone had the right intentions and ambitions and hoped to do the right thing for the club. [but] The evidence clearly shows that we haven’t won a final for a long time.

“It was more like, ‘Okay, now we’ve lost 20 guys to injury’ and there’s talk of changing the direction of performance and that’s going to be another big change for the program. There’s no doubt that when you see [Jordan] Ridley, [Darcy] parish, [Kyle] So many people have recurring injuries, you start to get a little nervous because you’re like, ‘What’s going on here?'” Langford said. you think. And the competition is so tight right now, [if] “If you lose three or four of your best six or seven players, it’s very difficult in a young group.”

Merrett said doubts about the timeframe for success at Essendon had dogged him throughout the year. His response was to train harder and try to lighten the load on Scott.

At the end of the season, he met with his manager Tom Petroro and brought up the idea of ​​a transfer.

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“The conversation was more serious about: I’m not in a dark spot, but I’m having a little trouble seeing the light here,” Merrett said.

The two later had dinner with Scott and Vozzo at Scott’s house; here Scott expressed his concerns and raised the possibility of needing to look elsewhere.

“I really wanted to be respectful to them. Frankly, I was very, very aware that I was signing a contract, and I was very grateful that I had security locked down and signed that contract willingly.”

“So I had a good understanding of Essendon throughout the whole process and I had the right to really work for a deal that they saw fit, but it must have been a ridiculous deal. “To be honest Brad and Craig were really supportive and very good in the conversations we had.

“Craig was very clear that this was a board decision and there are a lot of challenges to overcome. Brad is also a very supportive coach. He had my best interest and my family’s best interest in mind, but he also understood that it would be difficult to make this happen.

“People may see this as an easy option, [but] It was a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of tossing and turning, which was the right thing for me.

“I’ve seen so many people come and go at the football club throughout my time and I’ve felt like I would never reach that milestone. Unfortunately, I probably reached mine this year, so I felt like: [leaving] It was the best option for me late in the year. I’m certainly not looking for any sympathy.

Why Hawthorn?

Deciding to explore the idea of ​​separation was one thing; Deciding where you wanted to go and only nominating one club made the reality of finding a fair trade a little more difficult.

Merrett says he understands that, but at the same time he’s not in a position to want to leave Essendon and go anywhere. He wanted to go to a club where he could only dream of success in his final years as a player. He liked the window Hawthorn was entering and could see how he could help them and they could help him.

“So obviously I respect Sam [Mitchell]”He’s had a fantastic career and is a very aggressive coach who is at the forefront of the way the game is played. The way they play is quite exciting.

“Obviously, they took three players in the first round [draft picks]So they weren’t offering anything but it didn’t happen.

“I knew from the beginning that the chances of it happening were not very high, I knew I had a two-year contract, I was club captain and I had been playing pretty good football over the last few years.

“Tommy was really clear with me about the expectations, so it wasn’t a huge surprise if it didn’t happen. I understand Essendon were looking for a Godfather offer.”

Facing backlash

When the best player at a club wants to leave, especially while his contract is still running, it is traumatizing for the fans. The pain is on another level when you are the captain and the club’s only bona fide A-list player who wants to leave a club starved for success.

Merrett knew that even if he abandoned the idea of ​​leaving, he would be open to criticism that he had betrayed his club and abdicated his leadership position.

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“I understand there will be consequences, there will be a backlash, and I was comfortable with that.” he said.

“I didn’t want to end my career regretting what I could or couldn’t have done. This was the decision I made and it was one I felt comfortable with.”

Some of this reaction came from his teammates. Mason Redman and Andy McGrath publicly stated that they were disappointed and outraged by the news. Later this year, Merrett did not attend McGrath’s wedding, which was interpreted as a snub. However, Merrett said he spoke to McGrath towards the end of the season and explained that he would not be there as he was traveling to former team-mate Marty Gleeson’s wedding in Queensland.

“I’ve probably had 25 very supportive messages and calls from my teammates and had good conversations with them. So I’ve actually felt a lot of love and support, but I think publicly those two boys have been more public to support the club and support Brad, which they had every right to do.”

“I think we’ve had conversations with those guys since then, and oddly enough, the fact that they were so keen for me to stay is a good sign that they weren’t kicking me out the door. “I realized at the time that it was just trying to support Brad.

“And Brad and I had probably five conversations during the trade period, so our dialogue was always consistent. I visited his house and he called me four or five times, so there was really no need to break bread after that. I was pretty clear with him that there were never any problems between us.”

“Brad and I have a strong relationship and I think I’ve probably played the best football of my career in the last three years under him.”

walk back

While others might feel shy or uncomfortable returning to their club after a failed attempt to leave, Merrett did not.

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“I really wanted to come back and run good sessions on the practice track,” he said. “It’s great to be back at the Hangar with the lads and have a bit of a laugh and a bit of banter. I’ve had incredible relationships both inside and outside of football as I’ve been there for 12 years, so in a weird way I’m quite excited. [to go back to the club].

“Of course there is a team element first and foremost, but everyone understands that you are always there to do what is best for you and your family. That conversation has been had, I don’t think there has been a formal discussion with the group.”

One of Merrett’s first meetings upon his return was with Essendon’s list manager, Rosa.

“Obviously we had chatted a bit throughout the season as well. I would give my opinion on the list, some of the players we had or didn’t have and what we could potentially get. So those conversations picked up pretty quickly after the trade didn’t go ahead and on Monday I think I wanted two big-bodied middles and a nice kick-off for the halfback.

“He texted me on Wednesday night laughing because he got all three, which was nice.”

Sullivan Robey (192 centimeters) and Dyson Sharp (187 cm) are strong midfielders, while Jake Farrow is a good football user and rebound runner.

“I’m excited to see them. You’re watching highlights from these two big boys and I think we’ve been clamoring for it for a few years now, so I’m excited to get them to the club,” Merrett said.

During this interview Merrett repeatedly expressed his excitement for working hard and doing everything to improve the club next year. Remarkable that he didn’t say that for the rest of my contract or career.

During the robust trade talks to take him to Hawthorn, Merrett’s agent Petroro told Essendon on more than one occasion that they could find themselves in the same position in 12 months’ time, his client could request a swap and his trade value would likely drop.

It was also revealed during these negotiations that Merrett’s contract was front-ended, with the bulk of his money coming in the first two years, meaning he would likely play well below market value in the final two years.

Merrett did not answer questions about whether he would seek a trade again in 12 months or whether he would reconsider his contract and extend his stay with the Bombers.

It’s too early to make a judgment on these results right now, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if both happen next year.

We aim to lead

Merrett is unclear as to where he stands on what happens next as a leader. He believes that his honesty with himself and his courage to hold up a mirror to the club is the strength of leadership. He has not given up on retaining the captaincy or some other form of leadership next season.

“Obviously it comes down to defining a leader. I’m not going to change the way I try to impress the group and try to perform,” he said. “So whether it’s a championship or not, we’ll wait and see. I’ll be who I’ve always been and try to lead as much as I can to help the boys win, win the final and hopefully win a premiership in return.”

So will he put himself forward to retain the captaincy?

“It’s going to be a process. I don’t know what that’s going to look like. And honestly, my mind has been racing for two months,” Merrett said. “I’m sure that when it’s all over there will be discussions, as there are at every club every year. It will be a very clear process and whatever is best for the club, I will fully support it.”

“I understand from the outside it’s like, ‘Oh my God, how are they fixing this relationship?’ It will look like. However, the conversations we had within the company, face to face or on the phone, were always very positive and strong. I also have great respect for Brad, Craig, Matty and Welshy.

“We all know we need to get the wheels turning faster, we need to be more urgent about chasing that success and becoming a dominant club again.

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“We’ve been in this middle tier for eight to 10 years, hopefully in a weird way – it wasn’t the outcome I wanted – but I hope everyone is now really energized and urgent to achieve success quickly.

“My decision is literally [about] Whether the club’s timeline fits mine and potentially whether my departure would give them a better draft pick in the next 10 years. The club said, ‘No, we are very happy to keep you in the team.’

“So for me now it’s important to fulfill this contract as best I can and have the best year possible and perform and get us into the top 10.”

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