Zach Merrett trade will only happen if approved by Essendon Bombers board
Any trade that would see Zach Merrett join Hawthorn would need to be approved by the Essendon Football Club board, which has taken a strong stance against the potential departure of the six-time best and fairest winner.
While the Bombers’ football department could approve a deal with Hawthorn, a swap would still need board approval, according to a senior club source who spoke anonymously. This veto power comes in an environment where the Essendon hierarchy, headed by new chairman and former player Andrew Welsh, is heavily involved in the Merrett issue.
Although the Hawks are keen to land Essendon captain Zach Merrett, the midway point of the trade deadline is approaching and the two clubs have yet to engage in serious negotiations.Credit: Getty Images
The fact that the board chaired by Welsh and including his friend and the club’s 2000 title hero Dean Solomon has veto power over the Merrett deal increases the high stakes involved and puts pressure on Hawthorn to find a deal that can satisfy Essendon from top to bottom.
According to sources from both clubs, there was no meaningful discussion between Hawthorn and Essendon regarding Merrett during this trade period. At the time of writing, Merrett has yet to officially request a trade but has made clear his desire to join Hawthorn since meeting with the club’s senior coach Sam Mitchell in September.
Welsh, who played 162 games for the Bombers before a successful property development career, met Merrett shortly before taking over as chairman from David Barham.
It is the view of both clubs that swap talks could begin as early as next week, but the Bombers remain firm that they will not trade Merrett and have privately stated that their captain has met with rival clubs such as Collingwood and Carlton in the past.
Hawthorn have indicated they will trade their first draft pick from Carlton, currently number 9, but there is no clear signal which players will be on the table. Merrett’s agent Tom Petroro may also need to find a player from a third club to broker a deal, but given he also handles Mitchell, he is well placed to broker a deal.
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