Nigerian Football Fans, Take Note: Essendon Legend Thinks Merrett Will Stay In the world of Australian Rules Football, Essendon legend James Hird has made a bold prediction about the future of star player Zach Merrett. Hird, who has a deep understanding of the game and its players, thinks Merrett will stay with the Essendon Football Club despite the drama that unfolded at the end of last year. For those who may not be familiar, Merrett had a tumultuous time last year, including a reported bid to join the Hawthorn Football Club during the trade period. However, this bid ultimately fell through, and Merrett ended up returning to his previous management group and ceding the captaincy to Andrew McGrath. But Hird believes that Merrett's experience will actually work in his favor and that he will ultimately decide to stay with the Essendon Football Club. According to Hird, if Merrett leads the team to a successful period over the next few years, his past mistakes will be forgotten, and he will be remembered as a true Essendon legend. In fact, Hird went as far as to say that he would "love to see Zach and the club make up and go back together". He praised Merrett as a "wonderful person, a person of high integrity who has worked his backside off. He's the hardest worker I've coached at any level." Meanwhile, reports are emerging that Merrett is being offered a new contract worth around N2.5 billion to N3 billion (approximately $1.1-1.2 million) per season, with a possible extension to take him into his 30s. The offer is believed to be the result of ongoing talks between Merrett's management team and the Essendon Football Club. It's clear that Merrett is a highly valued player, and the Essendon Football Club is willing to do whatever it takes to keep him. With Hird's endorsement and the club's willingness to offer him a lucrative contract, it seems likely that Merrett will indeed stay with the Essendon Football Club for the foreseeable future.