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Why Simpson has no sympathy for Merrett's situation
Nicholas Quinlan • September 13th, 2025 7:17 pm
Adam Simpson does not hold any sympathy for the predicament that Essendon captain Zach Merrett finds himself in amidst a potential departure.
Over the last week, murmurs of Merrett leaving the Bombers have only ramped up, having met with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell, according to Channel 9 reporter and SEN regular Tom Morris.
And as those murmurs have become louder, there are concerns that the situation could become untenable and force Essendon officials to trade him despite declaring that the 29-year-old will be held to his contract, which ends in 2027.
When asked by Sam Edmund if he felt any sympathy for Merrett’s situation, Simpson said he didn't having held the opinion that Merrett was not holding up his end of the bargain and needs to fulfill his duty as captain.
“Nup,” Simpson told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“You’re part of it. You’re the captain, so you’re part of the sell. You’re part of what happened three years ago (when the club changed its AFL coach and president). You’re part of recruiting, you’re part of performance, you’re part of standards.
“So, you’re part of it.
“Now, if you didn’t want to be part of it, don’t be captain. It’s not I’m only being captain if we start winning.
“You’re part of the problem; you’re part of the solution is the way I look at it.
“And he is 29, he’s not 34. He’ll play another six years. You know West Coast finished last in 2010 (and) played a prelim in 2011. Things changed.
“So you’re part of the solution, but you are also a part of the problem if you feel like, ‘I want success and I’m not happy going on’.
“Well, do something about it. It’s not just your performance; there’s more to it than just playing well.”
Premiership captain with the Crows, Mark Bickley, felt a similar way, believing that Merrett should not have gone any further with this once club officials had made their feelings known about a potential move.
“I’m exactly the same,” Bickley said.
“I do have some empathy because if you are one of these people who are hugely driven.
“And everyone is different. The loyalty piece was so important to me, and I played in a different era where the changing of clubs wasn’t as prolific as what it is now.
“But there are also different ways of going about it. If that was something that was really him, go to the club and say, ‘I’m really worried about this, where are we headed?, Is there a world where I want to get out and I can help you get some picks, and that helps you and I get to the club that I want to get to?'
“Do that behind closed doors with the president and the coach and the right people. And if they categorically say, ‘No, that is not an option, and we will not entertain that,’ Then that’s the end of it.
“I don’t care how driven you are, do it the right way.”
There is still plenty of time for Essendon and Merrett to get back on the same page before the Trade Period begins.
That does not officially start until October 6.
