Zach Merrett leaves manager after failed Hawthorn trade

Essendon star and six-time best-and-fairest winner Zach Merrett has moved on from manager Tom Petroro, who was by his side as the failed trade to Hawthorn dominated off-season headlines.

Merrett terminated his arrangement with Petroro on Tuesday, according to two industry sources with knowledge of the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Those same sources said Merrett was returning to his former manager Nick Gieschen, now of CDG Sports Management alongside Paul Connors.

This masthead has reached out to Petroro, Merrett and Essendon for comment. Gieschen, when contacted, politely declined to comment.

Speaking to AFL Trade Radio on the final day of the trade period back in October, Petroro was steadfast that Merrett wanted to continue his career at the Hawks.

“Zach really wants to be a Hawthorn footballer, so he’s all in on this [the attempt to secure a trade]. It’s been a difficult five or six-week period, and his instruction to me is to try and get him to Hawthorn,” Petroro said.

“He’s motivated to get to Hawthorn, he’s in the position where he feels he’s given his all to the Essendon footy club over the last 12 years. He’s never wavered… but he needs a fresh start and he wants to chase success at Hawthorn.”

Speaking to this masthead in November, after the trade period had concluded, and he remained a Bomber, Merrett said he was comfortable with his decision to request a trade and knew leaving Essendon would be a long shot.

Merrett spoke glowingly of Bombers coach Brad Scott, declaring, “I have played my best footy under him”, and also of the club’s chief executive, Craig Vozzo, who he described as “the nicest person in football”. He also spoke of president Andrew Welsh’s support and of list manager Matt Rosa, who delivered on his promise to Merrett of drafting two elite, big-bodied midfielders to support him in that part of the ground and a clean ball user off half-back (Sullivan Robey, Dyson Sharp and Jacob Farrow).

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Merrett’s predecessor as Essendon captain, Dyson Heppell, played out his entire AFL career in the red and black without winning a finals game. Merrett had no intention of following the same path.

“I’m very single-minded around success and very focused on growing and getting better and performing, but success underpins all of that stuff, and I knew I was knocking on the door of 30 [years old]. And I am really close with Dyson, and with him finishing up pretty recently, I always thought we’d have success together.

“And then seeing, not his pain, but the disappointment he had in the way his career finished, it was starting to hit home. As much as I want to play forever, I’m definitely on the back nine rather than the front, so it felt like, ‘Do I need a shift or new environment to achieve what I want to achieve?’

“Everyone’s journey is different, but I have had five head coaches and 160 teammates in my 12 years.

“Throughout the year, guys kept going down injured, and then we’re losing games. I was really trying to compartmentalise and focus on performing and leading as well as I could in the season.

“I wouldn’t say I lost faith [in those running the club and football]. It was just more around through all those changes, everyone’s got the right intentions and passions and hoping to do the right thing for the club, [but] the evidence obviously suggests we haven’t won a final for a long, long time.”

Speaking back in September, Scott admitted his was blindsided by Merrett’s face-to-face meeting with Hawks coach Sam Mitchell, which preceded his trade request.

Scott reiterated on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 that Essendon would not trade Merrett under any circumstances, and also condemned Mitchell and Hawthorn, declaring “the gloves are off.”

Merrett met Mitchell, along with Hawthorn football boss Rob McCartney and Petroro just three days before Hawthorn’s semi-final against Adelaide.

Later in September, Andrew Welsh, who was preparing to take over from David Barham as Essendon president, declared emphatically that Merrett would remain a Bomber in 2026.

Speaking on Footy Classified on Channel Nine (the owner of this masthead), Welsh acknowledged Merrett’s frustration with Essendon’s poor on-field performance and injury record, but was adamant the relationship between the Bombers and Merrett could be salvaged.

“He [Merrett]’s a winner. He’s an Essendon person. He’s a fantastic guy. He’s thinking through what best for Zach into the future. But I can say he’s playing at Essendon,” Welsh said.

“I hear [people saying], ‘Well, he’s made this call, it’s not recoverable’. [But] football clubs are amazing places of forgiveness and embracement. And I can guarantee you, day one of pre-season with Zach things will be resolved, and he will be the very best footballer and the very best champion player that he’s been for the club, and will continue to be.”

Andrew McGrath took over from Merrett as Bombers captain last month.

Merrett, now 30, has played 251 games since Essendon drafted him with pick No.26 in the 2013 national draft. He captained the club over the past three seasons, and is a three-time All-Australian.

Merrett was recently named in the Victorian State of Origin side to take on Western Australia on February 14 at Optus Stadium. Mitchell will be an assistant coach for the Victorian side under Chris Scott.

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