Essendon captain Zach Merrett has confirmed St Kilda had shown interest in his services this year, with the Bombers star considering but deciding against entertaining a "large" offer from the Victorian rivals.
Merrett's name was stunningly raised in trade talk earlier this week as it was revealed the Saints were preparing a bold play to try and lure the 28-year-old to Moorabbin.
The Essendon skipper is contracted for the next three years, while it would be highly unlikely for the Bombers to even consider parting ways with their four-time best and fairest winner.
The Saints and Bombers commented on reports surrounding Merrett, with both parties ruling out moves for the ball-winning gun.
In an interview withย The Age,ย Merrett confirmed his manager had contacted him regarding "a potential offer from St Kilda that is quite large". The Bombers captain spoke with his partner after being made aware of the Saints' possible play but ultimately chose against pursuing the idea any further.
"I was driving home one day and got a call from my manager and I had not had one single thought about leaving or wanting to leave, so got a call from him to say there is a potential offer from St Kilda that is quite large," Merrett told the publication.
"I felt I had to take it to my partner [Alexandra] even though I did not have the appetite to leave, I felt it was the right thing to do.
"It was not that I wanted to leave. It was more: โThis is potentially life changing.' After a few discussions with my partner, who obviously knows me very well โฆ money is one thing, but it never got to the stage where I want to entertain this, or I want to have a discussion with St Kilda."
Merrett isn't the only contracted senior Bombers player to have questions raised over their future, with duo Jake Stringer and Jake Laverde both notified by the club they would need to look elsewhere if they wanted to extend their deals at Tullamarine beyond 2025.
Stringer is weighing up a potential move in the hope of securing a multi-year deal, with Sydney reported to be showing some level of interest in the Essendon forward.
Hoping Stringer remains in the red and black, Merrett said the ex-Bulldog responded maturely to crucial talks with coach Brad Scott in recent weeks that didn't work in his favour.
"Jake is not naive. He's 30. He's not stupid. He is respectful that Brad has [been honest]," Merrett said of the Dons livewire's situation. "We have chatted a lot and I have actually been pretty impressed with his response.
"Obviously, there are things to play out at his end, whether he does stay or go โฆ It's certainly the healthiest and fittest and mentally clear he has probably been for a long time.
"Hopefully [he stays] with us but, if not, he has got himself in a position to play some of his better footy."
Essendon are yet to announce decisions on the future of off-contract trio Jayden Davey,ย Will Setterfield and Sam Weideman, while ruckman Todd Goldstein has earned a new one-year deal.
The 2024 trade period opens on Monday, October 7 and will run until Wednesday, October 16.
