Hawks 'get on with it' after failed Merrett trade push

HAWTHORN president Andy Gowers has backed the club's football boss Rob McCartney, who said after the recent trade period it would have been "ridiculous" to meet Essendon's final demand for midfield star Zach Merrett.

Gowers was joined by club greats on Tuesday morning who watched as the statue of John Kennedy Snr was taken down at their Waverley base.

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Hawthorn are in the midst of moving to their new headquarters at Dingley and there was plenty of symbolism as the statue of the club's most important figure was put on the back of a truck for the relocation.

The media opportunity was staged six days after the trade period ended, when Merrett's push to join the Hawks fell short.

Last month, the Bombers were rocked when news emerged Merrett had met with Hawks coach Sam Mitchell, but Gowers was philosophical when asked about the failed trade push.

"You move on with a bit of disappointment - that's clear - but we set our sights firmly on 2026 and working with the players we have on our list," he said.

"There's a lot of development and growth in our list."

Gowers said the club had ongoing "bold plans" to put itself firmly in premiership contention.

"We want sustained success, we don't want to be a one-year wonder," he said.

"We will absolutely get better.

"Rob McCartney said it best - accepting that offer would have been ridiculous, so we didn't. You're not going to give away the farm.

"That's life. We get on with it."

Given their bitter rivalry, Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall fully understands how the audacious bid failed.

"We didn't get Merrett, but to be brutally honest, a cordial deal between Essendon and Hawthorn is highly unlikely when you look at the relationships between the two clubs historically," Dunstall said.

"I'd loved to have seen him in a Hawthorn jumper - I think he wanted to come, but it didn't pan out. That's okay.

"So they (Hawthorn) will go to the draft with a couple of good picks and there's still some improvement to come from some of the younger players. It's a work in progress."

Dunstall, Hawthorn's former football director and one of their greatest players, agreed with Gowers and McCartney the final demand from Essendon of multiple round-one draft picks was too steep.

He also noted any hope of a deal was ultimately doomed when Andrew Welsh took over from David Barham as Essendon president.

"You can't sell your soul for one deal. We did everything we possibly could, Zach did everything he possibly could," Dunstall said.

"But you get the new president come in and credit to Andrew Welsh, he planted his flag, didn't he, and said 'this isn't happening', and it didn't happen.

"Once the new president came in, I think there was no chance of getting a deal done."

Merrett was seen as the missing piece in Hawthorn's midfield after they reached a preliminary final this season, but Dunstall is bullish about how the Hawks are tracking.

"They're still not quite there with the top teams and they still need to develop the midfield," he said.

"Having Will Day available all the year 'round would be a big bonus.

"They're in good hands under Mitch. I have a lot of confidence about the direction the club's heading."

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