Just days after holding Zach Merrett to his deal at Essendon amidst Hawthorn’s attempt to prise him out of the club, the Bombers lobbed the first trade bomb ahead of next year.
In putting forward a deal of at least seven years to Josh Weddle, which will be worth more than $1 million a season and close to $10 million in its entirety, Essendon has marked its turf and shown its intent.
AFL.com.au revealing on Wednesday that the Bombers had made plain their interest in Weddle with the long-term lucrative play ahead of his contract year in 2026 was the next step in a heated six weeks between the clubs since Merrett and Sam Mitchell’s meeting on the eve of the Hawks’ semi-final.
Weddle is one of the emerging players in the competition, is coming out of contract next year and has the football world at his feet after three exciting first seasons to start his career. Essendon won’t be the last club, and maybe isn’t the first, to get ahead of things and show their keenness in the 21-year-old before he re-signs.
The chances of him wanting to leave the Hawks for Essendon next year are very slim, which would be clear to all, but the Bombers have put their cards on the table in a move that will make Weddle consider his market rate.
It comes after Hawthorn has already re-signed Jai Newcombe, Nick Watson and Connor MacDonald ahead of their respective deals ending in 2026, with Weddle the obvious remaining priority for the Hawks heading into next season.
Essendon, with ample salary cap space, is taking an aggressive approach and the move for Weddle is unlikely to be the last major contract thrown at a rival. And nor should it be.
Clubs in the bottom rungs of the ladder should be using their cap space to unsettle settled lists, to target players on the cusp of pay rises and to identify players worth more to them than potentially where they are. Cap space is the equalisation tool that has no bumps or bend. It is the AFL’s most rigid plank of an at times uneven set of list build rules and Essendon has the cap room to go shopping. It won’t know if a player can be tempted financially without asking.
Hawthorn should, in some ways, note the compliment. The Hawks have been as aggressive as any club in recent years under Mitchell’s leadership and after securing Josh Battle as a free agent and Tom Barrass with two years left to run on his deal in 2024, were as active in the market as any club this year.
There was the 11-year deal tabled for Harley Reid after a long, aggressive approach for the West Coast young gun, there was the Merrett move, the Oscar Allen catch-up and even a late Bailey Humphrey pitch during the trade period. If Zak Butters was up for a switch this off-season, the Hawks were also in the race.
Sam Mitchell and Andrew Welsh during the match between Hawthorn and Essendon in 2009. Picture: AFL Photos
This is the modern game of trade machinations, where players are open to conversations more than ever before and willing to test the market, in contract or not, and clubs drive that as well.
Expect that unapologetic approach to be taken on by new Essendon president Andrew Welsh – like Mitchell at Hawthorn – with Welsh already making clear he wants to bring some “swagger” back to the Bombers.
Trade warfare between these long enemies is a new chapter in the brown and gold and red and black rivalry. There was the 1980s history between the clubs, when they faced off in three successive and brutal Grand Finals between 1983-85, and then the infamous ‘line in the sand’ game of 2004 at the MCG.
Hawthorn had the edge over Essendon under Alastair Clarkson, with Lance Franklin saving his best results for the Bombers. But an acquisition battle shapes as the next frontier for these two clubs after Merrett’s desire to get to Hawthorn and the Bombers’ return serve offer for Weddle.
Get out the popcorn.
