Kane Cornes has urged Zach Merrett to front-up at Essendon’s best and fairest night amid reports he’s considering skipping the event. The Bombers captain met with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell this week and is desperate for a trade away from Essendon.
The Bombers have stated that Merrett won’t won’t be traded under any circumstances. However the relationship appears irreparable after a number of teammates spoke out against the skipper on Thursday.
The situation took another turn on Thursday night when leading reporter Tom Morris revealed Merrett is considering skipping the club’s best and fairest presentation. Merrett is a five-time Crichton Medallist as the club’s player of the year, but there’s every chance he won’t be in attendance if he wins a sixth on October 2.
Zach Merrett is reportedly considering skipping Essendon’s best and fairest night. Image: Getty
“The big decision Merrett has to make is whether he attends the club’s best and fairest,” Morris said on Channel 9. “Speaking to several people around him today, they believe as it stands it’s unlikely he will attend. Given he’s a short-priced favourite to win a sixth Crichton Medal, that would be a huge statement.”
On SEN radio on Friday morning, Morris described it as a “Christian Petracca situation on steroids” after the Demons player tried to get out of Melbourne last year, only to stay put. “Petracca last year was desperate to get out, he was talking to everyone behind the scenes,” he said.
“I think Merrett is very much willing to go a step further, which is eventually speak publicly. Maybe not go to the best and fairest. And really make it impossible for Essendon to do anything else but look at a trade, if the deal is right.”
Zach Merrett after his 250th game for Essendon. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Zach Merrett awards night snub would ‘lack courage’
Cornes said it would “lack courage” if Merrett didn’t attend the awards night next month. “With two years (on his deal) left he’s gone and met with another coach and threatened not to turn up at the B&F,” he said on Friday. “This lacks courage from Zach. Even if he goes on to win a premiership at Hawthorn – it will be a cheap one.
“This from Merrett hurts your reputation significantly. I was certain (that Essendon won’t let him go), but now the teammates have come out talking so it becomes difficult. If 23 teammates come out and say they can’t play with him then not only can he not captain the club but he can’t play with them.”
Essendon teammate speaks on Zach Merrett situation
Morris said it’s “only going one way” and that’s a trade. “Essendon can say whatever they want at the moment, and obviously they can hold him if they want to. But the way this is tracking, I think it’s more likely he’s not there (next year),” Morris said.
“I don’t know exactly when he’s going to talk or even if he’s entirely settled on talking. I just know if you’re going to fully blow this thing up, even more than he’s doing at the moment, speaking publicly and voicing your desire to get out is necessary.”
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Earlier on Thursday, Essendon teammate Mason Redman publicly expressed his disappointment at the Merrett situation. “Whenever you go through tough periods of anything, you have thoughts pop into your head about all sorts of scenarios,” Redman told AFL.com.au.
“I certainly don’t begrudge him for having those thoughts. But myself being a leader, or the captain of the football club in his scenario, you have to potentially think about things differently because it’s not just you that this impacts, it’s the whole club. It’s ‘Scotty’ (Brad Scott) as the coach, it’s us as players, and all the fans as well.”