Essendon Players Pull Hilarious Prank on Zach Merrett After Failed Trade Request
Essendon players have executed the ultimate prank on former captain Zach Merrett following his unsuccessful trade request at the end of last season. Merrett shocked the AFL community by requesting a move to Hawthorn, but the Bombers stood firm, retaining the six-time club champion under his contract. However, Merrett relinquished the captaincy upon his return after the tumultuous period.
Teammates Mason Redman and Nic Martin held clear-the-air discussions with Merrett, and the club has emphasized that the playing group has moved on over the summer. In fact, a recent prank suggests there is no lingering bad blood among the players.
Secret Santa Surprise: Signed Hawthorn Jumper
7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary revealed that teammate Jye Caldwell orchestrated a signed Hawthorn jumper for Merrett during their secret Santa gift exchange. Rookie Nate Caddy explained the humorous gesture, stating, "We have a secret Santa, and everyone had to make presents and stuff. Jye thought it would be funny to get Jack Ginnivan, who's one of his mates, to sign a jersey for him. And he gave it to Zach as a bit of a gag, and that was kind of, you know, put a full stop to it."
Coach Brad Scott expressed his approval of the prank, highlighting that it demonstrates the club has moved forward. "I loved it. If I'd thought of it, it would've been even funnier I reckon," Scott said on Monday. "It probably speaks to the fact that it's a big deal to everyone, I get it, they're fair questions - but we moved on a long time ago. Now we're at the stage where we're making jokes about it."
Club Confidence and Future Plans
Cleary also reported that Essendon has ample salary cap space and is confident in keeping Merrett for his entire career. Scott indicated the club plans to be aggressive in the player market, as shown by their pursuit of rising Hawthorn star Josh Weddle. "We're not going to sit by and just be attacked," he told 7NEWS. "And that's a decision you make. You attack another club, you also open yourself up to a counter-attack."
All eyes will be on Merrett this Friday night when Essendon opens their season against Hawthorn in a blockbuster match at the MCG. Scott plans to give Merrett space to prepare for the potentially awkward encounter, praising his mental resilience. "In my experience with the best players, they prepare themselves unbelievably well physically but even more so mentally," Scott said. "I've seen some strong, resilient characters in my time in footy and Zach Merrett's in the top echelon in terms of guys who have resilience. So of course my job as coach is to support him, but with those guys, my experience tells me just to get out of the way and let him do his thing."
Team Outlook and Player Updates
After a season marred by injuries, Essendon enters the 2026 campaign in a stronger position, aiming for a finals push. Scott noted it would be risky to play young gun Isaac Kako, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, against Hawthorn, and top draft pick Sullivan Robey is unavailable due to a back issue. However, fellow first-round selections Jacob Farrow and Dyson Sharp are contenders for debuts.
"Certainly on pre-season performance we're extremely happy with our draftees, but we're not in a position where we have to blood players," Scott explained. "We're not trying to bring players in just for the sake of being young. We're going to pick the side that's going to give us the best chance and if that happens to include a couple of debutants, I think that's really exciting for our future."
