‘Not going to be pushed around’: Merrett’s shock reveal on Scott axing as club backs no-trade call

Essendon president Andrew Welsh has passionately defended the club’s polarising decision to deny ex-skipper Zach Merrett’s trade request at the end of last season in the wreckage of senior coach Brad Scott’s sacking.

The Bombers on Tuesday confirmed the axing of Scott with another season to run on his deal following a horror stretch of one win from the club’s last 24 games.

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Those woes while Essendon goes through a rebuild and prioritises unearthing young talent has raised questions on whether the club should’ve granted Merrett his wish and moved the six-time All-Australian to Hawthorn for draft picks.

But Welsh emphatically rejected that idea.

“(The trade saga) was a challenging period, no doubt. But we’re not going to be pushed around as a club anymore,” Welsh said.

“And that was a step and a statement that we are clear in our direction and clear with our strategy and what we need to do to push this football club forward again.”

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Welsh said Merrett has been “amazing” this year — both due to his on-field performance and “tutelage to younger players.”

And the Bombers president said he expects Merrett to remain at the club in 2027 despite trade rumours circulating the star midfielder again amid more adversity this year.

“Zach is contracted until the end of next year. I don’t see any other reason to why he won’t be here next year,” he said.

“He’s been enormous for our group, the protection on field he’s been able to provide.”

Merrett said on Tuesday evening he wasn’t told by the club Scott had been sacked.

“I was actually at a coffee shop around the corner from the club and a random guy gave me the news,” Merrett said ahead of Sapporo Premium Beer’s 150th birthday as part of Rising Festival.

“Then I headed into the club and was formally told but it’s always really difficult when you spend four years with someone, anyone, but particularly the head coach.

“You spend a lot of time together, especially as captain for three of those years, so it’s a sad moment and I’m more so thinking of him and his family.

“It’s a pretty stressful role for anyone in that position around the competition, so I hope he’s holding up all right.”

Merrett said he was yet to reflect on how the decision would impact his call on his future.

“Yeah, it’s probably all so raw right now, I’ll have a bit of time and space to reflect and think through that in the not-so-distant future,” he said.

“But for now, to be honest, it’s about getting through the day, a day off tomorrow, you gather your thoughts and then make sure the young boys are focused on the game.

“There’s a game in five days’ time we want to perform in, I want to perform in, so making sure there’s no distractions.

“That (decision) will happen in time, for now I just feel like I need to hold my end of the bargain, make sure I am trying to lead these young boys through this weird phase.”

Four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis thinks the Bombers made a mistake by not trading Merrett and said the club will only grow when its highly-touted young crop matures.

“100 per cent (they should have traded him), yep, absolutely. They missed an opportunity,” Lewis said on SEN radio.

“I said this when Melbourne were going through it with Petracca and Oliver.

“As good as those players and Zach Merrett has been at the Essendon Football Club, you enter into a marriage and once one of the partners signals that they want out … the relationship is still never the same.

“That is the case with Essendon and they’ve just delayed that another 12 months, and potentially delayed the development inside that locker room with him being there.”

Injured Bombers skipper Andy McGrath, who replaced Merrett in the role, says he was “disappointed” when he found out Scott had been sacked at the hospital after undergoing jaw surgery.

“Got a phone call this morning. In the hospital, unfortunately. It’s obviously a really sad time for the playing group,” McGrath said.

“We’ve all got a really close connection with Brad, we love Brad and understand we live in a really brutal industry at times. Our support is with him at the moment and his family.

“The initial emotion is disappointment and sadness around the relationship you have with him and trust you build as a captain and a coach.

“It felt like we were putting together some really strong foundations, albeit, not showing it on the weekend too much.

“But it feels like the work we’ve been putting together Monday to Friday has been really solid and is going to hold the group in great stead.”

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