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Sport Nation
The two-hour meeting: Essendon’s pitch to restless Merrett
Sam Edmund • September 3rd, 2025 10:30 am
Essendon chiefs last month sat down with Zach Merrett to pitch the club's vision for the future amid whispers he’d grown restless.
The meeting, which sources said went for as long as two hours, involved Bombers list boss Matt Rosa, chief executive Craig Vozzo and Merrett’s manager Tom Petroro.
Merrett asked a series of questions of the club hierarchy, particularly around the Essendon playing list.
It’s understood the answers didn’t fill the captain with a great deal of optimism, particularly when the conversation turned to the pending departure of Sam Draper and the lack of replacement options.
Merrett holds concerns over the depth of the list, with last year’s wave of experienced departures set to be followed by more, all while the club focuses on the draft.
Essendon sat fourth on the AFL ladder after Round 17 last year, but have since plummeted.
Merrett's close mates Jake Stringer (traded) and Nick Hind (retired) moved on last year, while Jake Kelly and Dyson Heppell also retired, with the latter not getting a Melbourne farewell game which upset some teammates.
Jordan Ridley wants to be traded, Jayden Laverde hasn’t been offered a new deal, Draper is out as an unrestricted free agent and there’s whispers about the commitment of others.
A players’ end-of-season gathering last Friday involved a lot of talk about the tough road ahead.
Merrett turns 30 next month as a five-time Crichton Medallist, triple All-Australian and three-year captain.
But he is yet to play in a winning final in his 12-year career.
