Zach Merrett and Brad Scott have their say on extra time in the home-and-away season

The ending to the Pies-Bombers clash left many dissatisfied, not least the Essendon skipper and coach, so is it time for extra time to come into the home-and-away season? HAVE YOUR SAY.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 25: The Bombers walk off after the round seven AFL match between Essendon Bombers and Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on April 25, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Essendon coach Brad Scott says the fans should decide whether to banish the draw in the home-and-away season as his captain Zach Merrett declared he would prefer extra time to the hollow feeling of a tie.

A bumper crowd of 93,644 was left speechless at the MCG on Thursday when the final siren sounded with Essendon and Collingwood deadlocked on 85 points each.

Magpies coach Craig McRae said the draw is an uneasy result because “we are not sure how to act” and Anzac medallist Zach Merrett said he would have liked to play on into extra time, despite feeling cramp in his hamstrings.

“I love competing, I love winning,” he said.

“I hate losing so I would love to have played for an extra five or 10 minutes to get a result but it is a unique feeling walking off with no team song.”

Brad Scott and Zach Merrett at the final siren. Picture: Mark Stewart

Bombers coach Scott, who had overseen 240 matches with Essendon and North Melbourne before his first draw on Thursday, said he thought supporters would prefer extra time.

Scott filled the role of general manager of football at the AFL before stepping back into coaching with Essendon last year.

“If you ask the fans I think they probably want a result,” he said.

“It is an even comp. I think we fixed the major one, you don’t want a draw in a grand final as an industry.

“I don’t have a strong view for and against. If I was the AFL, I would poll the fans.”

The AFL banished the grand final replay – held a week after a drawn season decider – following the 2010 draw.

Extra time was added to the rule book in 1991 when scores were level at the end of finals.

McRae was on the fence when asked whether the draw should remain in the regular season.

“I actually said to the security guard after the game, I said I bet you they will start talking about extra time and what it looks like,” he said.

“We fought for 120 minutes and we couldn’t find a margin. I will leave that to others to decide if we need more time. It was a great game.”

Originally published as Zach Merrett and Brad Scott have their say on extra time in the home-and-away season