Essendon rejected Hawthorn’s initial trade offer for captain Zach Merrett, who wants to join the Hawks after five seasons without finals.
The proposal included Hawthorn’s No. 9 draft pick, a future first-rounder, a second-round pick, and midfielder Henry Hustwaite, but Essendon views it as inadequate for the contracted 29-year-old star.
With less than 24 hours until the 2025 AFL trade period ends, Hawthorn considers adding players like Changkuoth Jiath or Mitch Lewis to the deal, while Merrett’s manager warns of public escalation if talks stall.
