Christian Petracca landed at Gold Coast on a deal that was exceptional for the Demons. Charlie Curnow was granted his wish, just 15 minutes before the deadline, in what must be considered a more than fair trade for Carlton.

But as the clock hit 7.30pm on Wednesday evening, Zach Merrett was stranded at Tullamarine, like millions of commuters, in what was the most dramatic and consequential of dealings in 2025.

The non-trading of Merrett was an earthquake, which was followed by three smaller aftershocks – the stranding of Rowan Marshall, Callum Ah Chee and Buku Khamis.

The ripples from Merrett’s failure to land at Hawthorn – or for those parties to reach an accommodation, amid acrimony – will spread into 2026 and beyond, as the Bombers seek to repair a damaged relationship with their soon

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