List Mgmt. 2025 Draft/Trade/FA Thread – everything must go!

[Scythe]

Just pinning this, as per previous years. Thanks as always to Lore.

Final trade/FA period results
Out:

• Charlie Spargo
• Judd McVee
• Christian Petracca
• Clayton Oliver
• Picks 28, 42 and 61
• Melbourne Second-Rounder (2026)
• Melbourne Third-Rounder (2026)
• Melbourne Fourth-Rounder (2026)
• Melbourne Fourth-Rounder (2027)

In:

• Jack Steele
• Changkuoth Jiath
• Brody Mihocek
• Max Heath
• Oscar Berry (Rookie)
• Picks 7, 8, 37 and 71 (2025)
• GC First-Rounder (2026)
• GWS Third-Rounder (2026)
• GC Third-Rounder (2027)

 

[Scythe]

Big fish etc

Demons set to boost defensive stocks with college basketballer

Melbourne is set to add a college basketballer to its ranks for the 2026 season

www.afl.com.au

 

[I Love Lamb]

Big fish etc

Demons set to boost defensive stocks with college basketballer

Melbourne is set to add a college basketballer to its ranks for the 2026 season

www.afl.com.au

Not going to lie, was expecting a 205cm+ bloke. Not a 194cm.

Either way worth the punt, can’t be any worse than Farris-White was.

2026 Casey forwardline will be

Johnson. Derksen. Berry.
JvR. Jefferson. Kentfield.

 

[I Love Lamb]

Which Duursma (1,2,or3,) are you talking about.?

There’s only 1 at North

 

[TheBoss]

Surprised Goody & co haven't trialed Lever to be our savior at Full Forward

 

[Crusty Demon]

There’s only 1 at North

Surely we are right into him. He trained with us and played for Casey. Not sure we have the capital to give though as he won't be cheap if they do let him go. Not that he's shown a lot so far, but his trade value will be high based on draft position alone.

 

[Lord Nev]

I think our footy dept are already into a test and see... before the trade and free agency period approaches.
Putting Lever back to Casey, allows us to see how our back-line looks with just May and Turner back, directing traffic.

Also some different looks in the centre-square makeup. Its started badly on the weekend, and head injuries didn't help us.

But I think we are right into our planning, looking forward to this off season, and beyond.
Some big decisions are in front of us, and right now winning the points is lower on the agenda.

Our next two off-seasons will be crucial for us Re Trade and Draft.

Nah it was purely for form. He's already missed 8 or so games through injury so 1 game at Casey won't make any difference to seeing how the backline goes without him.

 

[Lord Nev]

Surely we are right into him. He trained with us and played for Casey. Not sure we have the capital to give though as he won't be cheap if they do let him go. Not that he's shown a lot so far, but his trade value will be high based on draft position alone.

Jason Taylor really liked him at the draft - We apparently tried our best to get high enough to get Watson, with Duursma as the second option behind him. Wouldn't be surprised at all if we were to have a crack at him.

 

[stEdy]

I think some clubs will think they can get Lever back to his AA form, but I doubt his ankles let him. He just misses so much footy and comes back so slowly. Output just isn't there for how much $$$ we pay.

 

[Lord Nev]

I think some clubs will think they can get Lever back to his AA form, but I doubt his ankles let him. He just misses so much footy and comes back so slowly. Output just isn't there for how much $$$ we pay.

He might do better in a club that manages injuries properly. I'm sure Charlie Spargo is thinking the same as he checks out free agency.

 

[I Love Lamb]

He might do better in a club that manages injuries properly. I'm sure Charlie Spargo is thinking the same as he checks out free agency.

Not sure Levers injuries have been mismanaged. He has a weird knack for landing on the side of his foot every 2nd game, have seen him doing it when casually jogging away from the ball. Type of habit wouldn’t do wonders for anyone’s ankles.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Have a real opportunity to shake the list up this offseason. Trac, Oliver, Lever, May, Spargo, Fritta, Viney should all be floated. Not saying we trade all, but all should be put up to see what offers are out there. Tmac should retiring. Too lazy to look up contracts, but Laurie, Woey, Fullerton, Billings, Jefferson, Hore, Henderson, AJ, McAdam should all be on the cusp of being cut.

But watch us do little to nothing.

 

[Topkent]

Lol imagine criticizing the club for doing nothing a couple years after digging your heals in saying Oliver and Co can't be traded
It's too late now bucko

 

[Lord Nev]

Have a real opportunity to shake the list up this offseason. Trac, Oliver, Lever, May, Spargo, Fritta, Viney should all be floated. Not saying we trade all, but all should be put up to see what offers are out there. Tmac should retiring. Too lazy to look up contracts, but Laurie, Woey, Fullerton, Billings, Jefferson, Hore, Henderson, AJ, McAdam should all be on the cusp of being cut.

But watch us do little to nothing.

This is generally a pretty handy link: https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/out_of_contract_players

 

[Lampers]

From 36:10

Salem 257th rated player in the comp and outside top 300 in the last six weeks. He takes the 11th easiest kicks in the competition.

Rivers has been a top 100 player almost every year of his career. So tick there. But this year he is the 5th worst ball user in the competition.

Also brief commentary on Windsor being similar to Max Holmes, but no real stats on Windsor except that he’s never attended a centre bounce in his career. He did attend centre bounces in the VFL last week.

 

[stEdy]

Big fish etc

Demons set to boost defensive stocks with college basketballer

Melbourne is set to add a college basketballer to its ranks for the 2026 season

www.afl.com.au

How long until he's playing VAFA footy with Kyah Farris-White?

 

[omit]

From 36:10

Salem 257th rated player in the comp and outside top 300 in the last six weeks. He takes the 11th easiest kicks in the competition.

Rivers has been a top 100 player almost every year of his career. So tick there. But this year he is the 5th worst ball user in the competition.

Also brief commentary on Windsor being similar to Max Holmes, but no real stats on Windsor except that he’s never attended a centre bounce in his career. He did attend centre bounces in the VFL last week.

Given how heavily CD ratings favour ball distributing defenders, Salems ranking is an absolute indictment.

 

[Dancing Potato]

From 36:10

Salem 257th rated player in the comp and outside top 300 in the last six weeks. He takes the 11th easiest kicks in the competition.

Rivers has been a top 100 player almost every year of his career. So tick there. But this year he is the 5th worst ball user in the competition.

Also brief commentary on Windsor being similar to Max Holmes, but no real stats on Windsor except that he’s never attended a centre bounce in his career. He did attend centre bounces in the VFL last week.

Saying what we all know about Salem. He isn't damaging and hasn't ever been. Takes a bunch of safe, dinky kicks. He also isn't much chop as an actual defender so...what does he offer? SFA really, aside from an occasional OK/decent game. One of the most overrated players we've had on the list in recent memory.

Also no secret that we've destroyed Trent Rivers. Another player down on confidence, not being played to their strengths or in a defined role, and burning the ball.

 

[omit]

Saying what we all know about Salem. He isn't damaging and hasn't ever been. Takes a bunch of safe, dinky kicks. He also isn't much chop as an actual defender so...what does he offer? SFA really, aside from an occasional OK/decent game. One of the most overrated players we've had on the list in recent memory.

Also no secret that we've destroyed Trent Rivers. Another player down on confidence, not being played to their strengths or in a defined role, and burning the ball.

Rivers is learning midfield craft from Petracca, Oliver and Viney in Goodwins system. All he is being taught is "see ball, get ball, kick ball far"

It's a shame, he could be a really good player.

 

[stEdy]

Salem's down on points/impact because we are running our ball movement from the back half through Jake Bowey now who is a much better kick and decision maker - and the team is better for it.

He's just a foot soldier now and sadly gets burned by the quicker smalls out the back too often. I think Moniz-Wakefield could do a better job at his role if he recovers OK from the ACL as he actually had some toe and is tenacious. Would be open to letting Salem go but not sure if we'd get much for him - maybe North? as LMAC is probably worse than Salem and gets far too many games.

 

[Bluelegs]

We should just trade all our players to North.

 

[Dancing Potato]

We should just trade all our players to North.

 

[Lampers]

Salem's down on points/impact because we are running our ball movement from the back half through Jake Bowey now who is a much better kick and decision maker - and the team is better for it.

He's just a foot soldier now and sadly gets burned by the quicker smalls out the back too often. I think Moniz-Wakefield could do a better job at his role if he recovers OK from the ACL as he actually had some toe and is tenacious. Would be open to letting Salem go but not sure if we'd get much for him - maybe North? as LMAC is probably worse than Salem and gets far too many games.

Salem is exactly the type of player that the club should move on from. Not dangerous by foot, not fast, taking up game time that Moniz=Wakefield or Sestan or whoever could be having to develop instead.

Or if he wants to stay it should be made clear that he'll be mostly playing for Casey in a mentoring role and only used as injury cover for Melbourne.

If he left it would be one of those where he goes packaged with a future 4th rounder for a future 3rd rounder or whatever.

Nobody is giving up anything of true value for him. It would be Melbourne doing the right thing by a loyal servant and facilitating a move to a club where Salem's career might extend by another year or two.

But given he's a Goody favourite, it won't happen of course.

 

[Dancing Potato]

Where does one get the official player ratings from?

AFL website just wants to tell me about fantasy stats points

EDIT: If the Wheelo ratings are the same thing, then it looks like Salem has never been in the top 100 rated players of any given season. In fact, he's spent most of his career in the 200-300 range, and his rating in 2025 is negligibly different to the previous 3 years anyway.

 

[Crusty Demon]

This is generally a pretty handy link: https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/out_of_contract_players

Thanks for the link. I dont know if I could be bothered looking it up. All I know is we have a ton of players who aren't good enough. Blow it up and start again.

 

[Daemon]

I'm all for dumping Salem at Casey or giving him away. Absolute waste of list spot and has been most of his career.