Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has admitted he was “dumbfounded” by the story surrounding Zach Merrett’s contract.

The former skipper was the main story during the trade period, after he failed to get to rival club Hawthorn, but he’s reportedly open to a contract extension at the Bombers.

“Whether he feels that it’s going to be too late for him now to find another club at 30 years of age,” Lloyd said on 3AW Football.

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“I wonder still whether we’ll look back and say, they should’ve let him go.”

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