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Why Hawthorn passed on "ridiculous" Merrett offer
SEN • October 21st, 2025 6:00 pm
Hawthorn president Andy Gowers has spoken on the club’s failed attempt to land Essendon captain Zach Merrett during the AFL Trade Period.
Merrett, a six-time Essendon best and fairest, was determined to find his way into the brown and gold ahead of the 2026 season, however despite numerous attempts, the Hawks simply weren’t able to get a deal done, with a final offer rejected just minutes prior to the trade deadline.
With the Bombers requesting a record-breaking four first-round picks in return for their star midfielder, the Hawks simply weren’t willing to offload such a package, holding firm on their belief that their offer of three first-round picks, a future second and Henry Hustwaite was sufficient.
Speaking with The Age, Gowers reported that he, alongside list manager Mark McKenzie and other key club figures, were advised that accepting Essendon's counter offer would be nothing short of ludicrous.
“He (Rob McCartney, GM of Football) said accepting that offer would have been ridiculous, so we didn’t,” Gowers said.
“You are not going to give away the farm. In the end, the deal wasn’t able to be done. That’s life, we get on with it. We look forward to the pre-season and the season ahead.
“We had some bold plans and, sometimes, your bold plans don’t work out at the moment. But we have a longer picture here. We want sustained success. We don’t want to be a one-year wonder.
“We are after sustained success here … the history of this club, we are out there to win. So, we do feel like we make bold decisions and bold plans.
“And over the long term, we will have to look back one day and see how successful this era will be.
“At this stage, we are confident about where we are headed, and we move on.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Hawthorn delisted 28-game defender Seamus Mitchell, as they approach the 2025 National Draft with a strong hand including a pair of first-round picks.
