No hardball, no deadline drama: Inside Essendon’s trade reset

AI Summary

Essendon’s trades involving Merrett and Ridley are presented as part of an effort to reset the club’s culture. The negotiations reportedly proceeded with little haggling or public brinkmanship.

Culture is an overused word in the AFL, but the Merrett and Ridley trades, with minimal haggling and ambit claiming, was a measure of an Essendon attempt at cultural change.