Tom Papley

Tommy Papley to join us.

Tommy Green.

And Connor Iden, Andrew Russell's going to be in the studio.

Out of 8 o'clock, we'll do Carlton in greater detail.

And I know you've also got a wispatorial around Scott Pendlebury, so we'll do that out of the 8 o'clock news as well.

But right now, Zach Merritt, who was one of the big stories and big topics of conversation over the off-season season,

about his want to get to Hawthorne, Essendon's refusal to trade him and stand firm, and then he had to get reintroduced or reconnected back with his Essendon Football Club teammates, and he's played some really good footy this year.

It hasn't been an issue from where I sit.

He spoke to the boys from the run home, and they asked the question, do you see yourself as a red and black player for life?

This was his response.

So you've heard that.

I know you heard that they did a great job, Gacy and Andy, with Zach, and he spoke really well.

It was a long-form interview.

He was open.

He was expansive.

They asked him a whole heap of stuff about criticism and what it's like to be in the public eye when you cop on public criticism, and he didn't back away from any of it.

But you, as an Essendon man, have just heard that.

Does that inspire you to think that he's going to be an Essendon player for life or not?

No, it doesn't.

It doesn't.