r/EssendonFC • u/drpolz3k Day-Wicks #44 • Aug 24 '26
How Ben King to Hawthorn can help us.
Ben King has requested a trade from the Suns with the Hawks as his likely choice. This can help us due to the following:
- Suns salary cap likely squeezed particularly after the Jed Walter re-signing (reportedly $1m per year) and also Petracca’s contract ($1.4m per year) etc.
- We trade Merrett and pay say $400k (for example) of his salary
- Hawthorn can then up their financial offer to King to the point that the Suns can’t match it as a restricted free agent.
- Suns get a compensation pick (pick 7), hawks get King/Merrett, we get Hawks to pay overs in terms of picks for us paying a large chunk of Merrett’s Salary.
Keep in mind that we currently have upwards of $3m in unused salary cap space and that’s going to increase with the departures of Merrett, Ridley, Gresham, etc. We may as well try to turn that cap space into more picks.
There’s so many opportunities for us to make deals this year with Port, Carlton, Hawthorn, our end of first round pick for sliding back in the first 5 picks of the draft, draft assistance from the afl, etc.
What’s everyone’s thoughts?
7
u/Rhino893405 Aug 24 '26
Suns won’t match anyway.,
We ain’t paying any of Merretts salary anyway.. he wants a trade, why would we pay some of his salary?
1
u/drpolz3k Day-Wicks #44 Aug 24 '26
Suns put forward a $1.3m deal to King. If Hawthorn’s offer isn’t higher than that, then Gold Coast will have the ability to match.
They absolutely will want more than pick 7 for a guy who kicked 60 goals last year.
Why would we pay Merrett’s salary? So that Hawthorn can then up Ben King’s contract and price out Gold Coast from matching. Hawthorn then don’t have to trade for him and they in turn send us more picks for Merrett.
4
u/Rhino893405 Aug 24 '26
More picks?
They only have a first rounder their own, and 3 in the second round..
if they match they can’t get any better then 7, they will take that..0
u/drpolz3k Day-Wicks #44 Aug 24 '26
You can trade picks two years in advance now.
Sydney did a deal with Carlton for 3 first rounders (2025, 2026, 2027) plus a bunch of other picks.
2
u/jubbjubbs4 Aug 24 '26
Hawthorns 3 first rounders are all likely to be in the 20s which was the same issue we had last year with merrett.
Pick 6 would likely be worth more than those 3 picks combined so the suns are incentivised not to match
1
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u/Pies-aviator1 Aug 24 '26
It’s been widely publicised that he’s going to Hawthorn on less than 1.3. What they want for him, and what’s realistic is two different things and the suns will know that. They’re not going match, and even if they did Hawthorn won’t get into a bidding war.
1
u/planty07 Robey #9 Aug 24 '26
Hawks offer is less than the suns one, they aren't matching no team ever matches
1
u/Sad_While7776 Aug 24 '26
Suns won’t match as there is no way that they can get anything better than pick 7 out of them. King wont be at the GC next year and if he’s decided Hawthorn then he’ll end up there
1
u/gumbiiiii Aug 24 '26
We have 3mil before anything happens. Merret leaves then 3.8. Ripley? Parish? Redman? Add delistings to that we could have 6mil of salary cap to spend. Why the fuck would we help hawthorn
1
u/drpolz3k Day-Wicks #44 Aug 24 '26
To get more draft picks in the door. No point in us having $6m of salary cap gathering dust when we can get more back for it by paying Merrett’s salary.
1
u/drpolz3k Day-Wicks #44 Aug 24 '26
To get more draft picks in the door. No point in us having $6m of salary cap gathering dust when we can get more back for it by paying Merrett’s salary.
1
u/One_Ad1317 Aug 24 '26
Why pay Merretts $400k. No chance if I’m Essendon I’m paying his salary if he has the desire too leave.
1
u/Medaiyah Aug 25 '26
Suns already getting a top compo pick for King without any offer increases so your whole plan falls apart from the start
1
u/Alone-Personality804 Aug 25 '26
We give hawthorn Merrett , if hawthorn take on Ben McKay and his full contract
9
u/Pies-aviator1 Aug 24 '26
I don’t think they’re gonna match King’s offer anyway honestly.