Zach Merrett spotted training at North Melbourne with Christian Petracca after failed trade request

Essendon captain Zach Merrett has been spotted training with new Gold Coast midfielder Christian Petracca at North Melbourne’s training base after his failed trade request.

In a tumultuous trade period, Merrett was the biggest name to be held to his lucrative contract, despite desperately trying to get to Hawthorn.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Zach Merrett spotted with rival players.

On Monday, North Melbourne shared a short video showing Merrett and Petracca shaking hands with Kangaroos stars Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw during an off-season session at Arden Street.

Also in the video was North Melbourne defender Toby Pink, among others. The Kangaroos players were doing their own training, separate to Merrett and Petracca.

Essendon remained steadfast from before the trade period until the deadline last Wednesday that Merrett would not be traded, ultimately rejecting Hawthorn’s second and final offer which included three first-round draft picks and young midfielder Henry Hustwaite.

Merrett has two years to run on his contract at the Bombers and remains their captain, but is expected to be replaced after the events of the past couple of weeks.

At a similar stage of his career, Petracca also asked for a move from his club Melbourne, who were more accommodating to facilitate a trade for their superstar midfielder.

Petracca met with Adelaide and Gold Coast before choosing the Suns, who handed over two top-ten draft picks as part of a blockbuster deal.

Hawthorn strangely waited until the final 30 hours of the trade period to make their first offer for Merett, despite coach Sam Mitchell met with Merrett last month.

It was a tactic that left Bombers CEO Craig Vozzo “surprised”.

“The first contact we had from Hawthorn was about 30 hours before the deadline, with a first and final offer, which had a seven-hour deadline,” Vozzo told Trade Radio last week.

“I was disappointed in the way that was presented.

“It was an unusual way to go about things.

“... we all go about our business in different ways and that’s the way they decided to approach it.

“I was surprised, very surprised.”

Hawthorn are now in a premiership window, having made the preliminary final this season, and Merrett wanted to join them after being starved of success at Essendon.

West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen also met with Mitchell earlier this year, before ultimately deciding to join dual reigning premiers Brisbane through free agency.

Hawks football boss Rob McCartney believes it would have been ridiculous to offer Essendon more than they did for Merrett.

“If you listen to the narrative, it was that it needed to be an exceptional offer that was put in front of Essendon,” he told Trade Radio.

“We felt we did that, but we just weren’t prepared to agree to a ridiculous one.

“Only Essendon can answer how close, they had the power of that final decision.

“We offered a compelling offer but they didn’t want to take it.”

- With AAP