Is the pendulum swinging back towards Essendon the Zach Merrett scenario?

Plus why Melbourne holds the cards in the Christian Petracca talks … but not for Steven May.

In the latest episode of the Midweek Tackle digital-only show ‘Tackle The Headline’, Herald Sun reporters Lauren Wood and Jon Ralph, as well as Fox Footy commentator Corbin Middlemas, break down five major trade targets — and who holds the power in each situation.

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Merrett questioned on future with Dons | 01:37

ZACH MERRETT (ESSENDON)

Corbin Middlemas says: “It’s totally up to Hawthorn now. I feel like it’s more than a 50-50 chance that he stays with the Bombers. He’s got a contract there for two more years, the Bombers have also played their hand publicly in the sense they’ve come out and said they’re not trading him. The only way they’re going to be able to sell that to their members is if they get an absolute haul back for him. And if you’re Hawthorn, is that the best way to spend your chips at this particular stage where they’re right in the window? They’ve probably got a chance to make a big move, whether that’s Harley (Reid) down the track, Zak Butters a year from now, is it Christian Petracca? Are they going to go all in for Zach? Because I feel like they (the Bombers) are going to ask for an absolute haul for him. It’s now whether Hawthorn are willing to stump it up, otherwise he comes back to play at the Bombers.

Jon Ralph says: “I understand all of the things around ‘we can’t trade him’, but I still think if there’s that ‘monster haul’, what is that monster haul? Is it Pick 8, your second-rounder, Cam Mackenzie – who could be an A-grade midfielder – and then Ned Reeves? Because if you’re Hawthorn right now in a trade period that’s going to see the balance shift about 15 more times, you’re thinking: ‘They’re being strong now.’ I just think about the kind of arsenal they’re throwing at it. Ned Reeves isn’t going to play for them next year, Cam Mackenzie has been in the VFL for most of the second half of the year, Pick 8 was the pick they (the Hawks) thought they’d never have anyway – they wanted to give it off for Harley Reid. So what’s the package they’ve got right now? The balance hasn’t shifted back to Essendon, but the pendulum is moving a little bit more towards them.”

Corbin Middlemas says: “It’s got to be a first-choice player at least, doesn’t it? You’re talking about names like Josh Weddle, for example, and if you’re Hawthorn you’re thinking: ‘We don’t want to give him up!’ And that’s where you go maybe that’s how this reaches an impasse where you think: ‘What is possibly going to satisfy Essendon?’ Because I’m not sure those two players will.”

Jon Ralph says: “Maybe Essendon says: ‘Pick 8, we can trade that for a Jy Simpkin.’ So you get Simpkin and Mackenzie and Reeves – and all of a sudden, you’re thickening the soup in that trade.”

Suns refuse to confirm Curnow chat | 01:03

CHARLIE CURNOW (CARLTON)

Jon Ralph says: “I think Carlton has got all the power in this one – and they can’t afford to lose. He’d be nice at Geelong, he’d be really nice at Gold Coast – but they don’t need him – and I think Sydney would absolutely love him. If I’m Carlton, I’m thinking: ‘We need a generational-type player.’ There is nothing surer than him leaving that football club next year, having a beautiful pre-season and coming out and kicking 70. That’s why they need to get someone generational to come in. Even if I look at that package, you think what about Jed Walter, Sam Flanders and a future-second? Jed Walter might be 60 games away from dominating games of football – and that might be a period where they’ve moved on past Michael Voss. I just can’t see what the collateral is that any club gives to them that would actually satisfy Michael Voss, let alone Graham Wright.”

JY SIMPKIN (NORTH MELBOURNE)

Corbin Middlemas says: “I think he comes back (to the Kangaroos). The reports were he was shopping himself around for more midfield minutes, I’m not sure where he’s going to find anymore midfield minutes than at North Melbourne. The other thing for the club is I don’t think it’s a great sign. I know North are struggling, but how have we heard so little about that (Simpkin’s situation) and so much about Zach Merrett? I know Merrett is a better player than Jy Simpkin in most people’s estimations, but this was also the captain of the footy club shopping his wares and everything else.

Jon Ralph says: “That’s because Zach is a game-changer and Jy is not – and if he was a game-changer as an inside midfielder, they would play him there. But they’ve already got players like Finn O’Sullivan – who they want to bring in (to the midfield) – they brought in Colby McKercher a little bit but want to play him more as a midfielder and they certainly want to play Harry Sheezel (there) as they did in the last six rounds of the season. So he’s been pushed out … I think there’s a way back for him and them getting a pick for him does not help in any way. I think they should hold firm and keep him – and hopefully he can play a great season next year as an All-Australian wingman.”

‘Enough is enough’ as Simpkin wants out | 01:57

CHRISTIAN PETRACCA (MELBOURNE)

Jon Ralph says: “I think it’s Melbourne. All the list bosses feel like Melbourne is not going to tip over half their list. Steven May is a separate player, they want to bring in some young kids who they believe are already ready to play in these key-position defensive stocks. But they’re saying ‘we think we can compete next year’ – and if you’re doing that, you’re doing it with your second-best player … Adelaide will have a crack, Gold Coast will have a crack. But I think he’s done a really good job there to play very solid football – yes there was some drama surrounding him – and you would need an extraordinary deal with a couple of early top-10 picks. Otherwise if I’m Steven King, there’s no way I’m getting rid of one of my top-three players … Adelaide for me (would be the best fit). Explosive midfielder, him and Izak Rankine, swapping on-ball to half-forward. If you’re Matthew Nicks you say: ‘Come on in, do goalkicking for a few months and maybe win us a flag.’

STEVEN MAY (MELBOURNE)

Jon Ralph says: “May has got the balance of power because he’s on a deal of $800,000. There’s a club out there probably looking for him, but they’d say: ‘Why don’t we give you two years at $450,000 a year?’ And he’d say ‘no I’ll have the one year at $800,000’. It’s up to Melbourne to try and find somewhere that’s going to work for him. It’s really interesting that his captain Max Gawn at the Brownlow said: ‘I don’t know about it, I’ve seen the reports in the media, I’m a very, very strong friend of his.’ That, to me, was very important for him to say: ‘I’m not the captain who said let’s get rid of this problematic character.’ He didn’t want to be the fall guy for that. A lot to play out there.”