{"id":151856,"date":"2025-09-18T10:27:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T10:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/151856\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T10:27:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T10:27:10","slug":"why-jordan-ridley-might-be-more-valuable-to-essendon-than-zach-merrett-trade-updates-on-charlie-curnow-callum-wilkie-elijah-hollands-and-ben-hobbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/151856\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Jordan Ridley might be more valuable to Essendon than Zach Merrett; trade updates on Charlie Curnow, Callum Wilkie, Elijah Hollands and Ben Hobbs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nine’s chief AFL<\/a> reporter Tom Morris has answered your questions ahead of what is set to be a blockbuster trade period. <\/p>\n

As you might expect, our call for questions was largely answered by concerned Essendon<\/a> fans, asking about the likes of Zach Merrett and Jordan Ridley.<\/p>\n

Morris has also provided updates on developing situations at Carlton<\/a>, North Melbourne<\/a> and St Kilda<\/a>, as well the Melbourne<\/a> coaching position.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: May told to pack his bags as Demons make big list call<\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE: Major Devils drama as panel says stadium should be canned<\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE: Coach reveals what Konstas ton means for Ashes battle<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Zach<\/p>\n

Zach Merrett of the Bombers is congratulated on his 250th game.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

If Zach Merrett does get his wish to go to Hawthorn, will Essendon be pushing hard for players because right now they need players they don’t need draft picks as they will have picks four and five already – via Rick on Facebook<\/p>\n

TOM MORRIS: I think it’s a bit simplistic to say they don’t need draft picks. I think the more the better. What happens with more picks is you can then bundle them up and move up the draft order.<\/p>\n

I hear that point, but I don’t necessarily agree. Exactly what Essendon is looking for I don’t know because it’s very much in-house at the moment, but if this deal gets done I expect a combination of draft picks and players to be involved.<\/p>\n

What trade would get Jordan Ridley to Brisbane? – via Dave on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: A very complex trade, I think. Four years remaining on a deal, best and fairest winner, he loves the idea of Brisbane.<\/p>\n

Some senior officials at Essendon see Ridley as more important than Merrett, which gives you an idea of how highly they rate him when he’s fit. He hasn’t been fit the last few years, so maybe his value diminishes slightly.<\/p>\n

Brisbane’s going to have to give up a lot for him and maybe even get a third club involved.<\/p>\n

\"Jordan<\/p>\n

Jordan Ridley of the Bombers warms up.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

With the Petracca v Merrett trade situation, do you think Merrett is better value trade with what clubs will have to give up? – via Ryan on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: I think Zach Merrett has more trade value now. Two years ago I would have said Christian Petracca easily, but now I think Merrett, even though he is a year older.<\/p>\n

Petracca is more likely to play at full forward and kick 50 goals, but I think Merrett is more likely to still be a really classy player at the age of 35 and the game has moved towards players who use the ball really well. I think Merrett is marginally ahead of Petracca in terms of trade value and that’s the way Hawthorn has assessed it as well.<\/p>\n

Will Ben Hobbs be at the Bombers next year? – via Chris on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: I don’t think there’s going to be any takers for Hobbs elsewhere. There’s a lot of midfielders potentially looking for new homes, so I can’t even be 100 per cent sure that he’s going to be on a list at all in 2026.<\/p>\n

Is there any chance Essendon will get the other Duursma brother from North? – via Chris on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: Lots of noise around Zane Duursma, but given he was pick four, North Melbourne would ask way too much for him this year. I think the more likely scenario is Zane Duursma gets traded at the end of next year, if at all.<\/p>\n

I’ve looked at this one pretty closely. No doubt he’s frustrated that he’s not playing, but I think everyone around the situation understands a trade would be nearly impossible to satisfy the Roos.<\/p>\n

\"Zane<\/p>\n

Zane Duursma of the Kangaroos.\u00a0AFL Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

What assets could possibly put Geelong in the frame for Charlie Curnow? Why would Carlton move him for picks in the late teens? – via Reece on FB<\/p>\n

TM: Well I don’t think Carlton would move him for picks in the teens. This is where a third club may have to get involved. Because draft picks don’t mean as much this year, I think clubs like Gold Coast are more likely to give up top 10 or 12 picks than they otherwise would.<\/p>\n

What Geelong has proven over a number of years is that they are very shrewd once they set their mind to someone. Bailey Smith was case in point last year. I know Smith was out of contract so it is slightly different. It’s also about how much Charlie Curnow wants to leave as well.<\/p>\n

If I was Carlton, I would be expecting a top 10 pick and some form of key forward at a minimum in return for Charlie Curnow.<\/p>\n

\"Charlie<\/p>\n

Charlie Curnow of the Blues celebrates a goal.\u00a0AFL Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Did Nathan Buckley treat the Demons coaching search with disrespect considering he wanted the Tassie job more? – via Matthew on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: No, I think he was open and upfront, so I think it was the opposite. I think had he not been as transparent with Melbourne, that would have been more disrespectful. He was never chips in for the Melbourne job, which is in the end why they went with Steven King.<\/p>\n

I still believe that had Nathan Buckley been all-in and said so, that he would be the Demons coach, but the Dees were right to push on elsewhere once they ascertained that Buckley had his eyes on the Tassie gig, which is still very much up in the air as well because of the politics down there.<\/p>\n

\"Callum<\/p>\n

Callum Wilkie of the Saints.\u00a0AFL Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Now that discussions have been had with Luke Beveridge, what is Cal Wilkie worth in trade value? – via Tamlin on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: I still find it hard to see how St Kilda trades Cal Wilkie. He’s their next captain, so I’m not sure there’s going to be anything the Bulldogs could offer that would actually tempt the Saints into trading him.<\/p>\n

North Melbourne picking up anyone else in the trade period after getting Spargo? – via Corey on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: Not that I know of. They’ve obviously gone quite young, and brought in veterans in last year’s trade period. I think they’re hoping for organic improvement now and more talent on the list.<\/p>\n

If I was them, I’d be trying to find a key defender. I think they desperately need a key defender.<\/p>\n

\"Mitch<\/p>\n

Mitch McGovern and Elijah Hollands of the Blues.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

Where is Elijah Hollands at in his search for a new club? – via Matthew on Facebook<\/p>\n

TM: Very much up in the air. I know his manager has been talking to lots of different clubs. It’s unclear if any are keen at the moment.<\/p>\n

I’ve heard West Coast mentioned, I’ve heard North Melbourne mentioned. He’s been a frustrating player for Carlton because they know he’s got talent, but for whatever reason he hasn’t quite committed to the elite lifestyle they wanted him to, which is why they have told him to look around.<\/p>\n

There’s no certainty that he’ll be elsewhere next year. He has the same agent as Matthew Kennedy, who was also allowed to explore a trade last year at Carlton, and he found a new home. I know they’re very different people, though.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nine’s chief AFL reporter Tom Morris has answered your questions ahead of what is set to be a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":151857,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-151856","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-afl","8":"tag-afl","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-australian-football-league","12":"tag-australianfootballleague","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=151856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151856\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/151857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=151856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=151856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}