There is a point in any negotiation when resolve begins to look like stubbornness.
asserted
resolve → be → stubbornness
When holding firm ceases to be a demonstration of strength and instead becomes an exercise in proving that strength exists.
asserted
strength → hold → strength
Essendon are approaching that point with Zach Merrett.
asserted
Essendon → approach → Merrett
The former skipper wants to leave (again).
asserted
skipper → want → ?
Hawthorn want him (again).
asserted
Hawthorn → want → him
Essendon knows it.
asserted
Essendon → know → it
Everyone in football knows it.
asserted
Everyone → know → it
So what, exactly, are the Bombers still fighting for?
asserted
Bombers → fight → what
President Andrew Welsh has again talked tough, warning Hawthorn not to “fumble” negotiations, not to get “too cute” and declaring that Essendon “won’t be crumbling”.
asserted
Essendon → talk → negotiations
He reminded Hawthorn that Merrett is Essendon’s best player.
asserted
Merrett → remind → Hawthorn
That he is contracted.
asserted
he → contract → ?
That last year’s attempt to prise him out of Tullamarine failed.
asserted
attempt → prise → Tullamarine
But none of it changes the most important fact in this entire saga: Merrett wants out.
asserted
Merrett → change → saga
At some point the Bombers need to stop trying to win the negotiation and start trying to win again.
asserted
Bombers → need → negotiation
The Bombers have spent too much of the past two decades fighting battles that ultimately haven’t taken them anywhere.
asserted
that → spend → them
They have changed coaches, chief executives, presidents, football bosses and strategies.
asserted
They → change → coaches
They have defended their people, sacked their people, promised patience and demanded standards.
asserted
They → defend → standards
Still, the drought goes on.
asserted
drought → go → ?
But now they have a choice.
asserted
they → have → choice
They can spend another trade period arguing over precisely what a 31-year-old Merrett is worth, extracting every last drop from Hawthorn and telling the football world they will not be pushed around.
asserted
they → spend → world
Or they can make the deal, take the picks and move forward.
Hawthorn’s opening offer this year, of picks 15 and 25 and a future third-round selection, was rejected.
asserted
offer → make → picks
It was an opening bid.
asserted
It → open → ?
Essendon are entitled to ask for more and Hawthorn should expect to pay a premium for a contracted champion.
asserted
Hawthorn → entitle → champion
But this cannot become another exercise in institutional pride.
asserted
this → become → pride
Merrett has given Essendon more than enough.
asserted
Merrett → give → enough
He has won seven Crichton Medals.
asserted
He → win → Medals
He has carried the club through some of the bleakest years in its history.
asserted
He → carry → history
He stayed when leaving would have been understandable.
asserted
leaving → stay → ?
He performed while administrations changed around him and September success remained perpetually on the horizon.
asserted
success → perform → horizon
Now, at 31, he wants the opportunity to chase something Essendon has been unable to give him: a premiership.
asserted
Essendon → want → him
Holding him to his contract might be Essendon’s right.
uncertain
Holding → hold → contract
That doesn’t make it right for Essendon.
asserted
it → make → Essendon
And there is an irony here that should not be lost on anyone.
asserted
that → be → anyone
More than two decades ago, Essendon and Hawthorn played the famous “Line in the Sand” game.
asserted
Essendon → play → game
Perhaps it is time for the Bombers to draw another one.
asserted
Bombers → draw → one
Draw a line underneath the idea that refusing to trade a player somehow proves you are a powerful football club.
asserted
you → draw → player
Strong clubs don’t need to constantly tell everyone they’re strong.
They make hard decisions and live with them.
asserted
They → need → them
Welsh says Hawthorn underestimated Essendon and “where we are going”.
asserted
we → say → Essendon
If Essendon genuinely believe in their direction, the departure of one 31-year-old midfielder – even one as decorated and important as Merrett – cannot be allowed to derail it.
asserted
departure → believe → it
Turn those selections into players who can be part of Essendon’s next serious premiership push.
asserted
who → turn → push
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
