AFL landscape being rewritten after club’s ‘sinister’ act
One surprise club is reportedly moving to turn the AFL landscape on its head with two of the sport’s biggest stars at the centre of rumours.
The Adelaide Crows have reportedly entered the ring as the fight for Essendon captain Zach Merrett took another wild twist on Tuesday.
The minor-premiers have suddenly emerged as a powerful player heading into the 2025 Trade Period after it was revealed on Tuesday the Crows have also expressed interest in Melbourne star Christian Petracca.
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According to multiple reports, the Crows have “joined the conversation” as Merrett heads towards a messy divorce with the Bombers.
The Merrett-Essendon meltdown reached a bitter low on Monday when veteran footy journalist Caroline Wilson reported the club had been letting a select group of people know about so-called “acts of selfishness” Merrett has shown at the club. It was also suggested by Wilson on Channel 7’s Agenda Setters that Merrett had shown “disrespect” towards AFLW players during a training session.
On Tuesday, Code Sports reported Merrett was “livid” and “shattered” by the claims.
The training session drama occurred in July, according to Channel 9’s Tom Morris.
Speaking on Footy Classified on Tuesday, former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire responded to the so-called “leak” by saying: “So somebody waited until mid-September to leak that, to really make Zach Merrett look bad and leak it through Caroline Wilson.”
He went on to say: “It sounded like there was something more sinister to it”.
In yet another bizarre twist to the saga, Morris reported on Tuesday night that Essendon is preparing to offer Merrett a pay rise to keep him at the club.
It is further evidence Essendon remains a fractured club with the right hand not talking to its left hand.
According to the report, the revised offer would see Merrett paid an additional $700,000 before his contract expires at the end of 2027.
The bump of $350,000 per season means Merrett’s salary would rise to a reported figure around $1.2 million.
According to Morris, Merrett previously knocked back an offer from St Kilda worth up to $1.6 million per year.
The new offer to Merrett would be the third time Essendon has given the 29-year-old a pay rise in recent years.
However, Essendon icon James Hird, who previously coached Merrett, said his understanding was that Merrett’s desire to leave the club centres around a belief that the club does not have a “high performance environment”.
Former Crows captain Rory Sloane said on Footy Classified he would pick Merrett over Petracca if the Crows could only recruit one of them.
“I’d well and truly take Christian Petracca at Adelaide,” the Adelaide legend said.
“I’d probably prefer Zach Merrett, though. I think with his skill level, with his decision-making around the ball. I think he’s outstanding.”
Morris on Tuesday suggested Petracca’s preference is to be traded to Hawthorn, however, that door will shut if the Hawks are able to get a deal done with Merrett and the Bombers.
Hird said he sees the Crows as a “perfect” fit for Petracca.
It was widely reported on Tuesday that Petracca is open to a move interstate.
“I just think he wants a change,” Hird said on Channel 9.
“I understand that after everything he’s been through. The way player movement is talked about now, he’ll get somewhere. It’s just what team does he get to?
“Adelaide would be perfect. I think Adelaide would be a perfect team. They’re going to have a better year next year. I think they’re going to learn a lot and that midfield needs bolstering.”
Morris said the Demons are also “open” to the prospect of trading Petracca.
“He’s not banging on the table like he did last year, and unlike last year, I think he’s relatively calm about the whole situation,” Morris said.
“Last year, he was frustrated. In many respects, he was quite angry about what happened and the way he was being treated. This year is about finding a fresh start if there is one.”
He went on to say: “Last year Melbourne was resolute. He’s not going anywhere. This year, they are far more open to it. But they won’t come out and say that because if they do, that means their bargaining power goes down.
“So this is a game of cat and mouse. They’re tiptoeing down towards the same outcome, but they’re not there yet.”
The Trade Period begins on October 6.
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