Dons’ reported $10m play for flashy young gun revealed just days after superstar’s trade saga

Hawthorn playmaker Josh Weddle has reportedly been offered a lucrative seven-year deal by Essendon, less than one week after the 2025 trade period.

AFL Media reports that the Bombers’ bold play for the 21-year-old would be worth almost $10 million, and see him contracted at Tullamarine until the end of 2033.

The versatile 191cm Hawk is contracted until the end of next year, and has given no indication yet he would want a fresh start at a second AFL club.

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Weddle is one of several promising players at Hawthorn who the club will be looking to extend well beyond 2026, with Mitch Lewis and Calsher Dear two similar types also set to bring about interest from rival clubs.

Weddle missed a crucial chunk of football with a back injury during the back end of the Hawks’ home-and-away season this year, but returned to have notable impact in their two finals victories.

Essendon’s play is in some ways ironic, given their unwillingness to deal on any trade involving club captain Zach Merrett in the most recent trade period that ended last Wednesday night.

The 251-game superstar’s desire for a fresh start at Hawthorn was well-documented heading into the 2025 off-season, despite being in contract for another two full seasons.

However, as revealed by Nine’s Tom Morris after the trade period, the Bombers’ end asking price was four first-round draft picks and a second-rounder; a deal that was simply never going to be fulfilled by the Hawks.

Hawthorn delisted promising utility Seamus Mitchell on Tuesday after five years at the club, having lost James Worpel, Changkuoth Jiath and Jai Serong to rival teams in the trade period

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