Zach Merrett wins Essendon’s best and fairest as trade war with Hawks resumes

Zach Merrett has claimed Essendon’s best-and-fairest award for the seventh time, as the Bombers remain in a stand-off with their bitter rivals Hawthorn over his trade value.

The resumption of hostilities over Merrett coincided with Essendon’s Crichton Medal dinner on Thursday night at Melbourne’s Centrepiece, where the star midfielder took the top gong ahead of runner-up Sam Durham and Archie Roberts in third.

The former captain now sits alongside Bomber legends Bill Hutchison and Dick Reynolds as the only players with seven best-and-fairest honours in the club’s 154-year history – a fact Merrett said made him feel “overwhelmed” and “a little bit uncomfortable”

“It’s pretty hard to put into words, what it means to me,” he said after receiving the award.

Merrett kept his best and fairest speech brief and straightforward, thanking his teammates, coaches and staff, as well as giving special mention to his wife Alexandra for “putting up with me”.

He described his 2026 season as “having lots of challenges” but highlighted the depth of emerging young talent at the club.

“Lastly, to the fans, I know it’s been a tough couple of decades, tough few years, but you always show up, you’re always there, you’re always passionate, you’re always so strong and loud,” he said.

“All the players in this period of time are working their backs off to improve and make you guys proud. So thank you.”

Merrett also secured his fourth consecutive McCracken Medal, an award voted by his peers to recognise the player who best represents the club’s on-field values.

Merrett’s big night came after news broke that Hawthorn’s opening offer to prise him away had been rebuffed by Essendon.

Hawthorn have offered picks 15 and 25 in this year’s draft, along with a future selection – either a second- or a third-round pick – in a package for the onballer who turns 31 on Saturday.

The Bombers have indicated the offer is not enough to convince them to release their ex-skipper, according to multiple industry sources not willing to publicly discuss trade talks. The initial deadlock sets the scene for another potentially explosive negotiation between two clubs with one of the fiercest rivalries in football.

It’s unclear what it will take to satisfy the Bombers in a trade.

A year ago, the same two clubs went to the brink over Merrett. The Hawks made a massive late play for the three-time All-Australian at the end of last year’s trade period – an offer of picks 10, 22, a future first-round pick and midfielder Henry Hustwaite – but the Bombers refused to blink.

Twelve months on, Merrett still wants to get to Hawthorn, and the Hawks still want him. Essendon still want a significant price to let him go.

And the two clubs still don’t particularly like each other.

This offer is Hawthorn’s first attempt to unlock a Merrett deal this year, but the Bombers are expected to push for greater draft capital before agreeing to release one of the most decorated players in the club’s modern history.

Even after trying to leave the Bombers last year, he toiled hard during 2026 while often playing out of position in a team that finished last on the ladder.

Last year’s talks dominated the trade period, with Hawthorn ultimately unable to satisfy Essendon despite putting a substantial package on the table. Merrett subsequently relinquished the captaincy and returned for another season, but Hawthorn did not give up the chase.

There is still plenty of time for both clubs to move, and Hawthorn’s opening offer provides the framework for negotiations to continue.

Both parties privately appear more confident of reaching an agreement than they were last year.

But Hawthorn want to make it happen early in the trade period, given they have another major priority in luring restricted free agent Ben King from Gold Coast.

While the Suns could accept compensation, there is still a chance they will match Hawthorn’s offer and force a trade. If that happens, Hawthorn will have two tricky trades on their hand heading into trade period, which officially opens on Monday.

It was another challenging year for Essendon, who finished at the bottom of the ladder with only two wins, after sacking coach Brad Scott in May.

In his address, club president Andrew Welsh thanked members for supporting the club during “a tough year”, and acknowledged the efforts of former coach Scott, while heralding the appointments of John Longmire and Mark McVeigh.

Welsh also delivered a rallying speech for Essendon’s future.

“We are not a club that is simply here to exist, on or off the field,” he told the room.

“We’re here to be relevant. We’re here to compete, and ultimately, we’re here to win week after week. We know that building a club the right way in the modern era takes hard decisions. Sometimes it means going through tough times.

“Sometimes it means the unpopular decisions. So when the opportunity presents itself, you’re up there for a long period of time, and not just for a moment.”

New coach McVeigh also expressed his gratitude to Essendon members and supporters, highlighting there was a generation of young Essendon supporters who “have not experienced the success their mums and dads did”.

McVeigh also echoed similar sentiments to Welsh, acknowledging that some of the club’s decisions may be unpopular.

“We are going to make strong decisions,” he said. “We’re going to make bold decisions, and at times, some of those decisions will not be popular. I’m not going to apologise for that. Every one of them will be made with one thing in mind: what is best for the Essendon Football Club.

“This isn’t about one appointment about one coach. It’s certainly not about one person. It’s about all of us.”

Geelong and Brisbane Lions also had their best and fairest awards on Thursday night, with Bailey Smith winning his maiden Carji Greeves Medal and grand final hero Will Ashcroft claiming his first Merrett-Murray Medal.

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