AFL trade latest: How Essendon will approach the final few days of the 2025 trade period
Essendon has a big decision to make over the next few days regarding the future of its skipper Zach Merrett. But could a blockbuster trade re-shape the order of next month’s draft?
Essendon is unlikely to secure St Kilda captain Jack Steele given his desire to remain at Moorabbin as the stalemate continues over Zach Merrett.
The Dons will enter the last 72 hours of trade period still totally unwilling to consider any offers for Merrett despite his determination to leave the Hangar.
Hawthorn is prepared to offer up its No. 9 draft pick and potentially other selections but is yet to have any meaningful dialogue with Essendon.
Merrett has just turned 30 so while the Hawks would consider giving up two first-rounders for Gold Coast’s Bailey Humphrey they have not yet offered up that trade package for the Dons captain.
It is likely to be their best offer but even that would be rejected by Essendon.
With Merrett having tried so hard and endured so much reputational damage to meet with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell the Hawks will at some stage have to put their best foot forward.
But the Dons could not be clearer that they will not even consider an offer.
Hawthorn has made clear it is not interested in trading No. 7 draft pick Cam Mackenzie and there has been no discussion on other players like Hawks tall forward Mitch Lewis.
Hawks ruckman Ned Reeves could sign a contract extension rather than consider his options as Hawthorn braces for new ruck rules which could impact Lloyd Meek’s impact next year.
If the AFL bans ruckmen from crossing the centre square in contests at October’s commission meeting tall jumping rucks like Reeves will come back into vogue and Meek will have to find new tricks.
So it is hard to see how the Hawks find any package of picks or players that changes the Bombers’ mind on Merrett.
Essendon has admired Steele from afar for his hard nut approach and leadership but has not met him and has been told he wants to stay at St Kilda.
There is enough time for the Dons to make a pitch to lure him across but their view is that he is more likely to stay.
St Kilda told him he should consider his options in a week where he said he was keen to play on without the St Kilda captaincy.
Essendon will trade for Gold Coast’s free agent wingman Brayden Fiorini to preserve their end of first-round compensation for Sam Draper.
The Suns would want a similar draft pick to the one they would have secured for Fiorini as they continue to amass draft points for their academy players including Zeke Uwland, Dylan Patterson and Beau Addinsall.
But they will wait for the Suns to get their trades done on Connor Budarick, Christian Petracca and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan before trading what will be a mid to late-round pick.
Essendon has picks five, six, 21, 27 and 30 and is open to trying to get up the draft order in multiple ways.
Not only is it interested in trying to secure the No. 1 overall draft pick from West Coast to secure young Victorian mid Willem Duursma, it is also keen to use a pair of those mid-20s picks to get another quality early selection.
The Dons have a pair of quality academy picks in Hussein El Achkar and Adam Sweid likely to go in the top 30 so will hope to take at least three quality draftees before it matches bids on that pair.
Originally published as AFL trade latest: How Essendon will approach the final few days of the 2025 trade period
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