Essendon Rumour Mill

[Rover99]

Think... (well really hope) Zerrett stays.

The silence surrounding Saad and Daniher is alarmingly.

Just another Dudoro move.... probably trying to clear $$ to give Cameron $1.2m a season

Geelong have come for Zerrett pretty hard.

So next year we'll see Zerrett a foot taller and 15kg heavier?

[BenDoolan]

Saad, Daniher and Zerrett potentially gone.

What an off-season

I wonder if Fantasia will be added to that list?

Shocked but not surprised to hear Merrett may want out.

I guess if there is any upside we can secure a handful of high draft picks and be forced to face the reality that a rebuild is underway

Possibly Aaron Francis too. Get the feeling he’s jack of the joint as well.

Unreal.

[Windy_Hill]

We will likely end up with pick 6 on ladder position. We don’t have a second round pick this year. As such our next pick is 41 I think

Not good in what needs to be a year where drafting players for the future is necessary. So honestly speaking, and not trying to have an agenda on any one player, if we did have an exodus involving the above mentioned players, including Francis, then we could do some serious damage at the draft table. Not sure if it’s a great year to be relying on the draft but hey, it is what it is.

So let’s assume the following players are traded for draft picks. And again, I am not suggesting we should or we shouldn’t, just trying to understand what we could gain in terms of picks. Please understand I am not trying to be precise here but rather estimate potential value.

Daniher - lets say he goes to Brisbane who finish third. Pick 15 and possibly a second round selection, say pick 33
Saad- High second round pick and mid third round - let’s say 20 And 40
Merrett - Mid First Round pick - let’s say 10
Fantasia - Mid Second Round and Mid Third round picks - Let’s say 30 and 45
Francis - Two third round picks - Let’s say 38 and 48

Result for Essendon. Picks 6, 10, 15, 20, 30, 33, 38, 40, 41, 45, 48.

That’s 11 picks inside the Top 50. These could be used to draft players directly or package up some second and third rounders for clubs needing points for NGA selections in return for players.

All hypothetical I know, but this is based on these players wanting to leave, if in fact that is the case.

[dodgey]

Not a great draft year by all reports.

No underage footy to get a grasp on the talent... and a majority of those who might have gone high are tied to
Clubs via. NGA

And Dudoro would still screw up that many picks

[mdso]

Think... (well really hope) Zerrett stays.

The silence surrounding Saad and Daniher is alarmingly.

Just another Dudoro move.... probably trying to clear $$ to give Cameron $1.2m a season


Cameron will not be coming to Essendon Apparently he had signed a long term deal with GWS.

Latest Rumour about Parish. We'd all better buy a a red and black jumper we might need to play next season. If it is true the club only has itself to blame. JoeDan is here one day and then might be gone tomorrow. Wait and see hide and seek.

[MH_Bomber]

Merrett should be captain.

It will be a massive indictment if we are losing any of these big name players.

No one really knows what big Joe wants to do but to also lose Saad and Merrett that would be shocking.

[Windy_Hill]

Am now hearing McGrath is not a happy camper. Apparently disillusioned by the lack of professionalism inside the Footy Dept and the squad itself.

[MH_Bomber]

Oh please say it ain’t so.

So maybe these hubs have given some of these blokes direct insight into how other clubs operate and they are starting to think outside the confines of what is normally sheltered club life.

If we are going to lose the likes of Daniher, Saad, McGrath and Merrett the club really needs to do something quickly to convince them the place will be worth staying at next year. A new regime might be the only thing that could do that.

Otherwise we may as well turn over a lot more players and go back to square one. I can’t see the point of losing these blokes but hanging onto blokes like Heppell, Hurley, Gleeson, Smith and Hooker. That means at least 5 to 7 more years in the wilderness.

[Rover99]

Yeah delist them all. Get a grant from the AFL and get Sheeds to start a brand new team. That's what AUFUL wants anyway...right?

[MH_Bomber]

May as well merge with GWS then hey Rover.

[Rover99]

May as well merge with GWS then hey Rover.

Yeah GWM. Were in the right spot anyway.

But seriously, if McGrath is that committed he's a rarity so have the balls to make him skipper immediately give him a raise and buy him a brand new team (with the exception of 2 or 3 that arent already f****d up).
No more dairy cows in 2021!!

[Windy_Hill]

May as well merge with GWS then hey Rover.

Yeah GWM. Were in the right spot anyway.

But seriously, if McGrath is that committed he's a rarity so have the balls to make him skipper immediately give him a raise and buy him a brand new team (with the exception of 2 or 3 that arent already f****d up).
No more dairy cows in 2021!!

no question about it - McGrath must be offered the captaincy. Merrett and Draper as Vice Captains. Let Heppell play out his career focusing on playing.

[MH_Bomber]

Agreed. McGrath would be a worthy captain. If we are keeping any of Heppell Hooker and Hurley they need to help the younger players and not be gifted games.

[mdso]

I heard Geelong were also looking at Parish. Looking at.

[Windy_Hill]

I heard Geelong were also looking at Parish. Looking at.

Pretty sure Parish is still under contract but yeah, has long been linked to a Geelong move...would be a star there. Other clubs are circling our better players like vultures over a dead carcass.

[nomolos]

Prominent senior players are pissed off that Bellchambers wasnt selected for last game even though he was right to play.

[nudder12]

Prominent senior players are pissed off that Bellchambers wasnt selected for last game even though he was right to play.

Think that's a fact, not a rumour
Hurley & Hooker disenchanted, possibly others.

[s'dreams]

Not a great draft year by all reports.

No underage footy to get a grasp on the talent... and a majority of those who might have gone high are tied to
Clubs via. NGA

And Dudoro would still screw up that many picks

The private schools that Dodo loves still have their time trials don't they?

[s'dreams]

Prominent senior players are pissed off that Bellchambers wasnt selected for last game even though he was right to play.

Think that's a fact, not a rumour
Hurley & Hooker disenchanted, possibly others.

Hurley being disenchanted don't phase me at all.

Hooker - IMO probably should have called it a day as well. His body is shot and he would get maybe a max of 10 games next year (though 3LO was discussing the possibility of Hooker as well as Hurley going to another club for a year in a Hodge style move).

[nudder12]

Prominent senior players are pissed off that Bellchambers wasnt selected for last game even though he was right to play.

Think that's a fact, not a rumour
Hurley & Hooker disenchanted, possibly others.

Hurley being disenchanted don't phase me at all.

Hooker - IMO probably should have called it a day as well. His body is shot and he would get maybe a max of 10 games next year (though 3LO was discussing the possibility of Hooker as well as Hurley going to another club for a year in a Hodge style move).

North Melb perhaps? I don't know what their defensive stocks are like now, given their mass delistings.
Then again, I wouldn't rate either of them in such a role relative to Hodge.