James Hird believes Essendon simply cannot allow captain Zach Merrett to depart in the upcoming trade period, regardless of whether he wants out.
Nine's chief AFL reporter Tom Morris provided clarity on the situation on Tuesday night, saying the 29-year-old simply wants to play for a successful club, and if that's at the Bombers, then he is willing to stay.
However, the club is currently in a rebuild and overturning its list, something that would be tough for Merrett to hear, given he has not played in a finals win in his career.
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"Zach Merrett isn't frustrated at the past, he's frustrated at the lack of success that might be coming in the future," Morris told Nine's Footy Classified.
"He just wants to be at a successful club and if Essendon is going to succeed, he'll be there. He wants to win.
"Last Friday he met with the club and they talked him through their future plans. They're also keen to re-sign him and extend him beyond 2027, potentially by another two years."
Hird, who coached Merrett at Essendon at the start of his career, believes the club cannot allow him to leave under any circumstances, given he is clearly their best player and leader.
"There is no way Essendon can let him go. No matter what happens, no matter what he asks for, no matter where he wants to go, he just can't leave Essendon," Hird said.
"Essendon should just say, 'There is no way you are leaving, Zach'. They can't."
Hird was amongst a group of former club captains who met up with Merrett mid-season for a lunch planned by the current skipper.
Hird was joined by Matthew Lloyd, Jobe Watson and Dyson Heppell, with Merrett picking their brains about leading the club forward.
Star defender Jordan Ridley has also requested a trade, and hopes to join Brisbane despite having a contract with the Dons through to the end of 2029.
The 2020 Essendon best and fairest winner has been cruelled by injuries since his breakout season and clearly wants a fresh start.
Hird however believes that long term contract should give the Bombers control of where he is moved to.
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"Jordan Ridley has been a very good player for Essendon and has unfortunately had injuries, he's a real statesman for the club, he trains his backside off and is a professional," Hird said.
"But if you come to the club and say you want to go, they should be able to go 'OK, we'll send you wherever is best for us'.
"He can't just say he wants to go to one club when you've got a four-year contract.
"If I was Essendon, I'd be saying 'Jordan, fine if you want to go, but you're going where we want you to go'."
Ridley has played just 19 games across the last two seasons, dealing with repeated soft tissue injuries.
Essendon had an unfathomably bad run with injuries in 2025, finishing the year with 18 players on the injury list and dealing with repeated soft tissue strains.
They are on the hunt for a new head of high performance and are reviewing just what went so wrong.
