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Why Hawks young gun didn’t want Essendon meeting
Andrew Slevison • February 19th, 2026 9:53 am
The head of Hawthorn’s Josh Weddle was never turned by the massive money on offer from Essendon.
The 21-year-old put pen to paper on a four-year contract with the Hawks on Wednesday which ties him to the club until the end of 2030.
Weddle had been the subject of a seven-year, $10 million proposal from the Bombers amid the Zach Merrett craziness in October but he insists he never entertained the riches on offer.
The No.18 pick from the 2022 draft is more than happy as a Hawk and eager to achieve success under Sam Mitchell.
“Not really to be honest,” Weddle said on SEN’s Locked In with Kane Cornes when asked if he was tempted.
“I knew where I wanted to play my football and I didn’t see it at any other club. I knew I wanted to stay at Hawthorn, my manager (TGI’s Dylan Hodge) knew that.
“When that offer came out we were like, ‘Wow, thanks… I guess’, but we knew all along that I was never going to another club.
“I love being at Hawthorn. With the new facility, Sam as the coach and obviously my teammates as well, I love being around them and I’m in for the ride.
“Our goal is winning the premiership and I want to win it with these guys.”
Weddle says his camp had received the offer during the trade period which was made public a few weeks later when he was travelling the globe.
There was an initial awkwardness with those Hawks teammates he was with in London but everyone moved on pretty quickly.
“I remember getting a phone call from my manager, Dylan, in October and he said, ‘Look, this is going to come out after the trade deadline’,” Weddle added.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, sweet, sounds good’. I knew that the day it was coming out that I was going to be in London so I was actually overseas with a few of the boys.
“It was a bit awkward with the boys at first considering they didn’t know what to say and were unsure when to break the ice. It was a bit weird for me because no one over there knows what football is so I didn’t feel the hype of the whole contract until I came back to Melbourne.
“I knew about two weeks in advance before it came out.”
The 60-game talent never felt the need to meet with Dons coach Brad Scott as he knew it was only brown and gold for him.
“I did not meet with Brad at all. I knew all along that I was going to stay at Hawthorn so I didn’t really feel the need to meet with him,” said Weddle further.
“Not out of disrespect or anything, but it was almost like a waste of time if I did that because all along I knew I wanted to stay at Hawthorn.”
Weddle has spent much of his time in defence to date while also filling gaps up forward, in the ruck or on the wing.
But he’s eager to make a name for himself as a midfielder.
“Ultimately for me I would love to get into that midfield, that’s my goal,” he replied.
“I do really enjoy the utility role of just playing anywhere. But I would really like to keep working on my progression in the midfield.”
Weddle and the Hawks will take on the Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval in the AAMI Community Series next Friday night.
They kick off their season proper against GWS at ENGIE Stadium in Opening Round on Saturday, March 7.
