Tom Papley

Do you have a problem with it?

No, I don't have a problem with it at all.

I think it's a very mature response on his behalf.

He knows where he was over 12 months ago, or not even 12 months ago, but probably at some stage during the year he was thinking about what he might do at the end of last season.

didn't get to go where he wanted to go, understands the lay of the land and probably understands too.

And maybe the club's had a conversation with him and said, look, if somebody came to us at the end of this year and offered us a good deal for you, would you entertain them?

I don't know that that conversation's even been had.

That's where the Bombers are at.

I mean, they're in a reset.

If somebody came to Essendon at the end of this year, say Essendon were to finish where they currently are on the ladder, 17th, right?

So they get an early draft pick.

Possibly if somebody came to them, maybe it's Hawthorne again that will nibble and have a better deal than last time and say, listen, we still want Zach Merritt.

This is the deal we're prepared to offer.

They're still in that reset, rebuild area.

Essendon, they'd have to look at it.

Why would they?

I think he's being a pragmatist.

Why?

Why would Essendon look at it?

Because they had this offer on the table.