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Watson: “Nigh on impossible” Merrett plays for Essendon again
SEN • September 16th, 2025 10:53 am
Essendon legend Tim Watson has grave fears that Zach Merrett will not play for the club again.
The Merrett saga is changing by the day but Watson feels that perhaps it’s now gone too far after senior teammates commented on the situation.
The Bombers captain, who has met with Hawthorn, is believed to be intent in getting out of the club and given it’s such a strong stance, former club captain Watson suggests it’s “impossible” the five-time Crichton Medallist dons the sash again.
“I think everything has moved in the wrong direction. Zach is a tenacious, focused and driven competitor,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.
“I have said before I don't want him to leave.
“I wanted Essendon to be able to find a way to communicate with him and repair the damage that's been done and the reasons why he wants to leave the club, and convince him that there's a future there for him.
“But at the moment, at the most optimistic moment right now, I cannot see that happening.
“I think it's now turned into a situation where it's going to be, I think, nigh on impossible for him to come back and play at Essendon.”
Senior figures emphatic
Senior coach Brad Scott, CEO Craig Vozzo and president David Barham have all been emphatic that Merrett would not be traded.
But the situation might have changed since senior players Mason Redman and Nic Martin admitted it was disappointing that their skipper had met with the Hawks.
How do the Dons deal with the situation?
“In following this story, it's fluid, so you know that things do change,” Watson added.
“When they (Scott and Vozzo) were saying that, Redman hadn't spoken, and Martin hadn't spoken. I think that changes things as well when you've got current day players, your teammates, saying what they did.
“I think that people at the club were trying to balance out some of the narrative that had taken place around Zach Merrett, and our interview with Craig Vozzo, things that I had said about the club, that type of thing.
“I think there was an approach that they would try and balance that out and get another side of the story.”
Media 'backgrounding'?
Watson believes having Redman and Martin speak out may have been orchestrated by the club.
He also suggests that some 'backgrounding' in the media is taking place.
“I do (think it was orchestrated),” Watson said. “And I think that's ok, that's what a football club should try and do. (But) It can drive a wedge.
“The other part to all this - I think there's some backgrounding that's going on. Now, I understand that, that happens all the time. Why does Zach want to leave and all that type of thing.
“There were things that were said about him last night (on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters).”
Little acts of selfishness
Caroline Wilson said: “The reason I reckon he'll go is because the club in the last few weeks have just been selectively letting people know about little acts of selfishness, disrespecting AFLW players, just little things along the way.”
“It is a very particular thing,” Watson continued.
“So this goes to my point that there are people who are being backgrounded in the media to prosecute a case or to trash his brand. So that all adds and feeds into this.
“On the one hand you've got the president (Barham), and it's the right thing to say that under no circumstances will they trade Zach Merrett. And then on the other hand, you've got, I would think, people at the club who are then backgrounding the journalists.
“Therefore, this is why I think that we sat here last Thursday and we talked about Zach and I thought that there's a way back, but the narrative is changing, and I'm not convinced there is a way back.
“He certainly can't be the captain anymore. I don't know whether he'll turn up at the Brownlow. I’m assuming that he will. He'll be on a table there of Essendon players at the Brownlow, and then the best and fairest as well.
“He’ll win the best and fairest, but I don't know whether or not he'll be there. I believe there are some people have said that he will be there. That will be uncomfortable for a lot of people, including himself, but good on him and brave on him if he actually does turn up to accept it.”
Issues at the Dons
As an Essendon great, is Watson frustrated with where the club is at?
The fact that Sam Draper will leave for the Brisbane Lions, along with Jordan Ridley's apparent desire to look around and Merrett's stance says to Watson that there are major issues.
“I feel exactly the same as I did last Thursday when we talked about it, and that is I feel like there are things that need to be fixed at the football club.
“I choose Essendon, I choose the club, and that is always my guiding principle when I have a conversation around Essendon. What is best for the football club?
“I would think whatever is best for the football club is to examine what are the reasons why (Sam) Draper chooses the Brisbane Lions. (Jordan) Ridley wants out of the club. Merett, your captain, wants out of the club.
“Surely the most basic argument around this would be find out the reasons why and fix them. Our club is not operating magnificently when you've got these people that don't want to play for you.
“Isn't that obvious?
“I don't think they've got their head in the sand. I think they're constantly trying to improve themselves, but maybe there are parts of the football club that they're not acknowledging that they can be better than what they currently are.”
"I love my football club"
Watson concluded: “When you’ve got three of your best group of players not wanting to play at your club you’ve got a problem.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re Essendon or any other club in the competition - when you’ve got those players who don’t want to be at your club you’ve got a problem.
“I am not trying to rip my club apart. I love my football club like a lot of people do. I want my football club to be successful, I want them to be as good as they possibly can. I want them to be as vigorous and rigorous as they possibly can in searching for the answers to be as good as they possibly can.
“Sometimes that’s painful for people to accept. But if we want to be excellent, if we want to be the best then that’s what we’ve got to achieve.”
