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St Kilda are making an audacious bid to poach Essendon captain Zach Merrett, according to shock reports.
The Bombers skipper controversially missed out on All-Australian selection for the fourth time in 2024 after an excellent season despite the team’s fade in the second half of the year to miss the finals.
Merrett notably had several frustrated exchanges with teammates as the losses mounted for the Bombers late in the season.
While he is contracted through to the end of 2027, that hasn’t stopped the Saints making enquiries, with Nine’s Tom Morris reporting that he could attract a ‘Godfather deal’ from the success-starved club.
“There’s been no formal contract offer yet, but those close to the Bombers captain are aware of the Saints’ approach,” Morris said on 9 News.
“I understand what’s been informally tabled equates to a godfather deal worth well over $1 million per season, which is more than what he’s on at the moment.”
However, Morris admitted the offer was ‘unlikely’ to lure Merrett away from the Bombers, where he has played 229 games and won four best and fairests since making his debut in 2014.
“Even though it’s unlikely to turn the contracted Merrett’s head, it speaks to the aggressive nature of St Kilda’s trade strategy,” Morris said.
“Bombers fans would expect their club to baulk at this, given he’s contracted until the end of 2027, just as Melbourne did with Christian Petracca – but it won’t stop St Kilda from trying.”
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said on SEN Breakfast the report is reflective of Merrett’s frustration at the Bombers’ lack of recent success, with the club having failed to win a final since 2004 – almost ten years before he joined the club.
“I get the sense Zach Merrett is someone who has had a troubled relationship with his club along the way,” Buckley said.
“His journey has coincided with some really challenging times at Essendon including changing over of coaches and senior leadership… he’s really hungry for success and being a part of an organisation that feels is going in the right direction.
“He’s absolutely entitled to have a look. What he contributes compared to what he’s gotten back, it’s worthy of consideration.
“If a club came to him and sold him, it wouldn’t just be selling him on cash, it would be about coming on their journey and them being able to provide him what he wants out of his career. That doesn’t surprise me that St Kilda feels they could do that.”
The Saints will lose free agent Josh Battle to Hawthorn when the trade and free agency period begins shortly following the end of the AFL season.
Zach Merrett celebrates with Archie Roberts after Essendon’s win over Fremantle. (Photo by Martin Keep/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Commentary doyen Bruce McAvaney will return to the screens of Seven for the final two weeks of the AFL season.
The network revealed the 71-year old, who last called a match in the 2020 grand final, will be back in a hosting role for both preliminary finals this weekend, as well as the AFL grand final.
However, he won’t be returning to commentary duties, with Brian Taylor and James Brayshaw expected to call the grand final for the fourth consecutive season.
“The AFL Grand Final is the greatest Saturday in Australian sport,” McAvaney said in a statement.
“And when I was asked a couple of weeks ago to be involved in a hosting role, there was a lot to consider. But the overwhelming sentiment was, how exciting it would be to be involved.”
“Just think about what’s happened over the weekend – two semi-finals for the ages – extraordinary, in a season that’s produced more excitement, more entertainment and more upsets than any in recent memory.
“Look what we’re facing now. Four teams from four states and that hasn’t happened since 2005. Honestly, who knows what’s going to happen in these last three matches for 2024.
“I can’t wait to get to the SCG for Friday when it all starts.”
McAvaney has remained a key part of Seven’s sport coverage since stepping away from the AFL, most prominently in its horse racing broadcasts and at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Seven West Media CEO Jeff Howard praised McAvaney as a ‘living legend’ in a statement confirming his return.
“He [Bruce] is part of the fabric of Seven and we are honoured that he is returning to our 7AFL coverage for the biggest three games of the season,” Howard said.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has been hit with a monster $20,000 fine from the AFL for his spray of Hawthorn players, in particular Jack Ginnivan, in a spicy postscript to the Power’s semi final win.
Hinkley engaged in a war of words with Hawks captain James Sicily as the teams lined up to form a guard of honour for 300-gamer Luke Breust, with the Power coach responding to Jack Ginnivan’s cheeky Instagram taunt in the lead-up to the match.
The AFL issued the 57-year old a ‘please’ explain on Saturday, and on Sunday dished out the fine for ‘conduct unbecoming’.
The fine is an equal amount to what GWS football manager Jason McCartney received for bumping into Sydney’s Tom Papley during a scrap at quarter time of their qualifying final match.
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“We understand it is a passionate game with a lot at stake for all clubs, however Ken made a decision to engage with opposition players post-match – a decision he has since admitted was the wrong one,” AFL counsel Stephen Meade said in a statement.
“Ken has acknowledged that his emotions got the better of him in the moment, however as a senior coach his actions fell well below what is expected by the AFL.
“As we reiterated last week, opposition officials and players inappropriately engaging each other is something we don’t want to see because of the potential to escalate and the example that it sets for football at lower levels and we are disappointed the moment took away from what was one of the great finals matches.”
In a statement, the Power acknowledged and accepted the fine.
“The AFL today confirmed the Port Adelaide Football Club has been sanctioned $20,000 for breaching AFL Rule 2.3(a) Conduct Unbecoming,” the statement reads.
“The sanction was determined after an AFL investigation into a post-game interaction between senior coach Ken Hinkley and a Hawthorn player following Friday night’s second semi-final at Adelaide Oval.
“The club now considers the matter closed.”
However, speaking on SEN on Monday, footy analyst and former player David King slammed the fine, saying Hinkley has been unfairly singled out for an action many coaches have been guilty of over the years.
“What are we doing to Kenny, seriously?” King asked.
“I can’t believe the AFL have come down so heavy with the $20,000 fine, I think that’s just way overs.
“Ken’s been under enormous pressure and we’ve ridden that all year… if there was ever a time for the AFL to support the coaches, the one person at the front of a football club who’s got all the shining lights on him and all the eyeballs of the football community – this was the time.
“Yes, Ken, you didn’t handle it well. There should have been a conversation behind the scenes between those who matter at the AFL and Ken Hinkley and those who matter at Port Adelaide and move on.
“Don’t put him in front of the shining lights again saying, ‘You’ve done the wrong thing, this is all your fault’.
“It wasn’t that bad an offence. Don’t single this one man out again and make us all sit back now for three days and talk about Ken Hinkley.”
King had harsher words for Hawks coach Sam Mitchell, who he said reacted ‘really poorly’ in a tense post-match press conference discussing the incident.
“Hawthorn have been asking for this,” King said.
“They’ve been asking for the whack between the eyes, for someone to fire back, and you know what? Someone did.
“Sam Mitchell’s handled himself really poorly – the carry on there was just wrong.
“He should have just said, ‘I need to talk to Jack. This is more on us than on them’.”
Hinkley’s reaction divided opinion around the footy world, with several former greats – most notably Hawthorn legends Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis and Dermott Brereton – blasting his conduct, while others argued the Hawks’ antagonistic approach in season 2024 means they need to cop what they dish out.
Speaking after the match, Hinkley expressed his regret for the outburst.
“It was an emotional game and a big result. There was stuff said during last week I certainly didn’t enjoy, but I shouldn’t have let that moment get to me,” he said.
“We as a footy club found it [Ginnivan’s Instagram comment] a little bit disrespectful. That’s why it gets to where it gets.
“It just goes to show everyone can get better and I’m still trying to get better.”
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