Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd says he can understand why captain Zach Merrett would be frustrated and potentially agitating for an early exit.
Journalist Damian Barrett reported on Nine’s Footy Classified on Monday night that Merrett was grappling with „a high degree of disillusionment“ following another dismal Bombers season.
Merrett is contracted to Essendon until the end of 2027 but his name is again bouncing around in end-of-season trade talk, just like in recent years.
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„He’s given his all for that club,“ Lloyd said on Footy Classified.
„He’ll have as good a record as anyone that’s ever played for the club with best and fairests and what he’s achieved there.
„But you get to an age of 30, where he’s at, and he’d be thinking to himself, ‚Well, am I running out of time? Are we going to see a winning final? Are we going to see a premiership in the next five years I’ve got left?‘
Essendon captain Zach Merrett. Getty
„I don’t know how close it would be to requesting a trade … because we’ve heard [of] disenchantment for a number of years out of Zach Merrett’s camp.
„I can understand his frustration.“
Merrett again produced an admirable campaign this year, averaging 28 touches per game and racking up more than 600 disposals for the third year in a row.
And in the 251-game career he’s put together since being drafted in 2013, the brilliant midfielder has earned three All-Australian blazers, won five club best and fairest awards, and claimed one Anzac Medal.
But for too long in red and black, Merrett has had too few helpers.
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The Bombers‘ usual issues were compounded this year by a horror injury toll, which resulted in 15 players debuting — an AFL era record — and the club opting against renewing the contract of high-performance boss Sean Murphy.
Not only is Merrett said to be disgruntled, defender Jordan Ridley reportedly floated the possibility of being traded in his exit interview despite being contracted until the end of 2029, and ruckman Sam Draper, an unrestricted free agent, reportedly told the club in his meeting that he wanted to leave.
„When you lose 13 games in a row, despite the injuries that have mounted on the club, players get disenchanted,“ Lloyd said.
„We’re seeing [West Coast co-captain] Oscar Allen leave [the Eagles] … There’s no one from good, strong clubs who are successful wanting out at the moment; it’s just the lesser clubs.“
The Bombers finished 15th on the ladder this season. They lost 17 games and won only six.
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