Hawks land Merrett as Bombers skipper finally gets wish
Zach Merrett is a Hawthorn player. Essendon agreed to trade its captain on Monday, the opening day of the AFL trade period, ending a year-long chase.
Essendon confirmed the trade in a club statement farewelling its skipper. It was one of three deals completed on Monday, in what the league logs as day two of the 2026 trade period AFL.com.au.
The price is set. Essendon receives picks No.15 and No.25 in this year's national draft, plus Hawthorn's second-round pick in 2028, for Merrett ABC News.
For newcomers, the mechanics are simple. During the trade period clubs can swap players and draft picks. A draft pick is a turn to select a young player. Pick 15 is a first-round chance. Pick 25 is early second round.
It took a year. Essendon and Hawthorn talked last off-season and could not reach a deal. Merrett said he weighed the call to leave for six to nine months before asking again.
He arrives with rare credentials. Merrett has won Essendon's best-and-fairest seven times. That award goes to the club's best player across the season, as voted by the coaches. Only Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison have also won it seven times at Essendon.
He does not yet know where he will play. Merrett said he has "no preconceived ideas" with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell about his role and will stay open-minded about where he fits.
That could mean almost anywhere. He named midfield, wing, half-back, half-forward and defence. The midfield is the engine room around stoppages and centre bounces. The wing is the wide running lane. Half-forward and half-back link defence and attack.
Merrett has already toured Hawthorn's Dingley headquarters and met captain Jai Newcombe.
Hawthorn is buying to contend. Its season ended with a preliminary-final loss to Brisbane, who went on to win the premiership. A preliminary final is the last knockout game before the Grand Final. Mitchell had said last month the Hawks would hit the trade period hard to make their list the best it can be.
Merrett may not be the only arrival. Hawthorn is also expected to recruit key forward Ben King from Gold Coast. A key forward is the tall target inside the forward 50-metre arc.
What makes this stand out is the patience behind it. Hawthorn held its first pick at No.15 after its finals run, then used it as the centrepiece a year after walking away. For Essendon fans, this means two early looks at the next crop. For Hawthorn fans, it means a proven ball-winner joining a side that was one win from a Grand Final.
