\n Executive General Manager of Football Rob McCartney is very optimistic about the club’s list following the 2025 trade period.\n <\/p>\n
Hawthorn has \u2018future-proofed\u2019 itself following the conclusion 2025 Continental Tyres Trade Period, according to Executive General Manager of Football Rob McCartney.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Following a busy final day of trading, the Hawks farewelled Jai Serong and Changkuoth Jiath, whilst also added a collection of draft picks, including two first-round selections in next month\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n
Speaking on AFL.com.au’s Trade Radio on Thursday morning, McCartney was very optimistic about the club’s moves.
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\u201cWe\u2019ve probably future-proofed the next few years by maintaining a really strong draft hand,\u201d McCartney said.
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\u201cWe have two picks inside the first round, one of them at 10.
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\u201cSo, we have the opportunity to add to the now, we think, in terms of players who can come in and play straight away at start of the season \u2013 I think young, drafted players are now starting to show that now when picked early.\u201d
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Following weeks of speculation, the well-publicised negotiations to secure the services of wantaway Bomber Zach Merrett did not eventuate before the 7.30pm deadline.
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\u201cI\u2019ve been amazingly impressed by Zach Merrett; he\u2019s a quality young man. And as much as he wanted something different to what he had, he didn\u2019t do that in a way that was disrespectful to Essendon \u2013 he just expressed what he wanted,\u201d McCartney said.
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\u201cThe conversations were back and forth, and if you listen to the narrative, it needed to be an exceptional offer that was put in front of Essendon\u2026 we felt that we did that, but we just weren’t prepared to agree to a ridiculous one.
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\u201cAt the end of the day, we did what we needed to do, we got to the table with something that has never been offered for a 30-year-old, maybe not even been offered for a player during this period, three first-round picks.
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Regardless, McCartney remains extremely confident in the trajectory of the club\u2019s list.
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\u201cWe just played off in a Prelim, and players like Calsher Dear, Will Day, Cam Mackenzie, Harry Morrison, Finn Maginness \u2013 they all didn\u2019t play in that game,\u201d he said.
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\u201cAnd we are still the ninth youngest list in the competition at the moment.
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\u201cWe have 17 players who are 26 years and under who played throughout the finals series, so we still think there\u2019s a lot of improvement in our current list.\u201d<\/p>\n
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