ESSENDON GM of football Josh Mahoney has given the latest on Zach Merrett and Jake Stringer\u2019s contract situations.<\/p>\n
Merrett comes out of contract at the end of the season and is attracting interest from multiple rival clubs.<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ve had some really good chats with Zach,” Mahoney told SEN Breakfast.<\/p>\n
“As a club we\u2019ve presented to him what our plans are moving forward, but really, the best feedback is that every day Zach comes in here, he\u2019s having a real impact on our group.<\/p>\n
“We feel really comfortable what with he\u2019s doing at the moment and he\u2019s got every right to do what he\u2019s doing.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019m sure if Zach believes he\u2019s getting better every day, that contract will take care of itself.<\/p>\n
“Everyone appreciated the honesty from the article and that\u2019s what you get from every conversation you have with Zach, he just tells you up front what he\u2019s looking for, what he wants in a club, how he\u2019s feeling.<\/p>\n
“I think that\u2019s all you want from my perspective.”<\/p>\n
Stringer, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, is also coming out of contract.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s a quality player and he\u2019s an important player for us,\u201d Mahoney said.<\/p>\n
“He had an interrupted 2020, he had a slow start to this year, but in the three or four games that he\u2019s played you can see how much of an impact player he is.<\/p>\n
“There\u2019s no rush on getting him to sign a contract at the moment. He wants to stay at the club, we want Jake, so I think that\u2019ll get done.”<\/p>\n
Mahoney also provided an update on injured small forward Irving Mosquito who has taken indefinite leave from the club.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s such an exciting player and he just loves playing footy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
“A long-term injury is hard in rehab and sometimes you can seem a long way away from getting back to playing.<\/p>\n
“Irving has just struggled with that at different stages through the year, particularly when round one started and the boys were out there playing, it became a really tough time for him.<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ve given him some time off at different stages over the last few months. Probably about a month ago \u2018Mozzy\u2019 just asked that he needed an extended time away, so he\u2019s back in Halls Creek at the moment.<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ll keep talking to him and then look at what the future is after that.”<\/p>\n
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