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)

 

[TheBoss]

It's an absolute terrible pick. I don't shit on Taylor like a lot here but this was an absolute howler. I still rate him (Taylor) though.

Jason Taylor has a lot of credit in the bank, and rightfully so, he had an outstanding stretch between 2013-2019. But the well has run dry since then.

2019 looks like the last genuinely strong haul. And sure, it's always easy to look back with the benefit of hindsight and say "should've taken Murphy Reid instead of Lindsey." But een with that caveat, the returns have been flat at best, actively damaging at worst. It feels like every year we're reaching for blokes with negative expected value at their range. We're doing other clubs a favour by crossing their names off the board.

To date, Laser Laurie, JVR, Jefferson, Windsor, Tholstrup etc. haven't looked like they will exceed their draft range. JVR is regressing. Windsor has some tools but is far from proven. Laser and Tholstrup are list cloggers.

The only players since 2019 that genuinely look like they will outperform their draft spot are Langford and McVee. Beyond that, it is a lot of guys tracking below par. Two guys in five years is hardly a purple patch.

Taylor deserves his flowers for the work he did to build our 2021 side. But we're now five drafts on from the last decent haul and the cupboard is starting to look pretty bare. With more retirements coming from the 2021 core, the lack of value from recent classes is starting to bite. You can't live on past glories forever. If you consistently pick players below their expected output, the list eventually suffers.

At some point, the club needs to stop pointing at the 2021 cup and saying "job done". Hard calls need to be made with the personnel in our footy department. Too many that don't perform - Choco, Richo, Jones, Lamb

 

[Lord Nev]

JUH won't even be playing AFL next year.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Tom Morris strikes yet again. Wtf is this? Provides nothing. JUH wasnt involved but was with a friend in the area? Lol. Absolute grub

 

[Bluelegs]

Tom Morris strikes yet again. Wtf is this? Provides nothing. JUH wasnt involved but was with a friend in the area? Lol. Absolute grub

I mean that's two shootings JUH has been connected with in a couple of months.

 

[Lord Nev]

Tom Morris strikes yet again. Wtf is this? Provides nothing. JUH wasnt involved but was with a friend in the area? Lol. Absolute grub

Tom Morris gets A LOT right. Yeah, maybe a little vague, but read between the lines...

 

[I Love Lamb]

lol @ everyone always dismissing Tom Morris when he is always on the money.

If he wasn’t we would still have Goodwin as coach

 

[Crusty Demon]

I mean that's two shootings JUH has been connected with in a couple of months.

He literally says wasnt involved. So why even report it? If he was involved, then by all means. Its just grubby journalism.

 

[Proper Gander]

He literally says wasnt involved. So why even report it? If he was involved, then by all means. Its just grubby journalism.

I think his implication is that, statistically at least, J and friends seem to end up in colourful places. And yes it is a bit grubby but it is starting to look worrisome all the same

 

[Lord Nev]

JUDD MCVEE​

McVee is now some chance to hold off contract talks until the Demons secure a new coach amid strong interest from multiple Victorian clubs and teams in West Australia.

But what is in Melbourne’s favour is that his partner is Melbourne AFLW defender Lily Johnson, who played five games last year with the Demons and is still on the list.

So he is not interested in a return home to WA as he considers a contract that he has had in front of him since late last year.

What he wants to assess is his role at the Demons as a running high half forward rather than a back pocket chasing around the stars of the competition.

He has always had it in his mind to stay at the Demons, he just hasn’t quite pulled the trigger yet.

So the confusion over the club’s coach will now buy him some time to consider his future.

Here is the issue — maybe he is best used as a lock-down defender, so does the new coach tell him what he wants to hear or tell him where he would really use him?

 

[Bluelegs]

He literally says wasnt involved. So why even report it? If he was involved, then by all means. Its just grubby journalism.

JUH has clearly made some very scaly mates who don't have his best interests at heart and his choice to associate with those people and piss off training is ruining his career. That's the story.

 

[Proper Gander]

JUH has clearly made some very scaly mates who don't have his best interests at heart and his choice to associate with those people and piss off training is ruining his career. That's the story.

It’s a pretty awful story really. Plenty of people have been young and dumb, but you have to imagine he will have some real regrets sooner or later

 

[Lampers]

Here is the issue — maybe he is best used as a lock-down defender, so does the new coach tell him what he wants to hear or tell him where he would really use him?

Do what Collingwood did with Jeremy Howe. Say “Sure, we will play you forward” and then play him where you want to play him anyway.

McVee isn’t the level of player who should be calling shots, especially after the mediocre year (potentially injury driven) he’s put together.

 

[Bluelegs]

Do what Collingwood did with Jeremy Howe. Say “Sure, we will play you forward” and then play him where you want to play him anyway.

McVee isn’t the level of player who should be calling shots, especially after the mediocre year (potentially injury driven) he’s put together.

Not Buckley's first rodeo.

 

[stEdy]

Has Nathan Buckley already LIED to Judd McVee?

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

JUH has clearly made some very scaly mates who don't have his best interests at heart and his choice to associate with those people and piss off training is ruining his career. That's the story.

And you can bet that as soon as the money dries up those guys wont be around if some of them arent taken care of before that.

 

[Crusty Demon]

JUH has clearly made some very scaly mates who don't have his best interests at heart and his choice to associate with those people and piss off training is ruining his career. That's the story.

See. You can do a much better job than Tom Morris. Grubby journalism even bringing it up when he "supposedly" wasnt even involved. It would be like Steven May making the news because he happened to be at a pub where there was an assault. Otherwise it was just a player in the vicinity of a shot being fired outside a nightclub. Its grubby putting it out there imo. Just reeks of piling onto a bloke and making a story out of nothing because the world wants JUH f*ing up stories. Unless of course JUH WAS directly involved.

Imagine Tom Morris sniffing around the old Tunnel nightclub back in the day lol.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Has Nathan Buckley already LIED to Judd McVee?

So..he wants to play high half forward? Does Judd not see the amazing work Tom Sparrow is doing in that position?

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

See. You can do a much better job than Tom Morris. Grubby journalism even bringing it up when he "supposedly" wasnt even involved. It would be like Steven May making the news because he happened to be at a pub where there was an assault. Otherwise it was just a player in the vicinity of a shot being fired outside a nightclub. Its grubby putting it out there imo. Just reeks of piling onto a bloke and making a story out of nothing because the world wants JUH f*ing up stories. Unless of course JUH WAS directly involved.

Imagine Tom Morris sniffing around the old Tunnel nightclub back in the day lol.

He signed a big contract then ****ed off. If you want to pull a stunt like that expect criticism and stories. Hes clearly hanging out with dodgy people, no one said he pulled the trigger but verbal altercations dont usually result in guns being pulled in Australia do they.

 

[TheBoss]

Stalling tactic. Waiting for a better offer.

Which is ambitious since his value has gone down since this offer was put in front of him!

 

[ray_purchase]

A lot of people here already writing off Tholstrup. Was great for Casey yesterday and he had no preseason. Probably just starting to be able to run out games.

He will prove you all wrong next season.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

A lot of people here already writing off Tholstrup. Was great for Casey yesterday and he had no preseason. Probably just starting to be able to run out games.

He will prove you all wrong next season.

No. Good VFL player, can't adjust to the speed of AFL. Been plenty like him.

 

[Topkent]

JUH has clearly made some very scaly mates who don't have his best interests at heart and his choice to associate with those people and piss off training is ruining his career. That's the story.

Which isn't a career ender on its own. Dane Swan and Dusty had some pretty rough around the edges mates, hell even Jake King made a good fist of a career with those distractions.
Those blokes stayed dedicated to training and footy though, if they were actual mates they'd be telling him to get off the gas and back into doing his job.

 

[Crusty Demon]

He signed a big contract then ****ed off. If you want to pull a stunt like that expect criticism and stories. Hes clearly hanging out with dodgy people, no one said he pulled the trigger but verbal altercations dont usually result in guns being pulled in Australia do they.

Well, Melbourne has headed down that path for awhile. JUH clearly isnt a clean skin and has made a mess of his career, but this just seems grubby to me. Its OK if you dont agree. I just think reporting that he was there but wasnt involved was pointless and screams pile on.

 

[I Love Lamb]

A lot of people here already writing off Tholstrup. Was great for Casey yesterday and he had no preseason. Probably just starting to be able to run out games.

He will prove you all wrong next season.

How did Laser go?

 

[ABray10]

Well, Melbourne has headed down that path for awhile. JUH clearly isnt a clean skin and has made a mess of his career, but this just seems grubby to me. Its OK if you dont agree. I just think reporting that he was there but wasnt involved was pointless and screams pile on.

I don't know, I think the only reason there is a story there is because the group of friends he was with were involved 1st of all. Second of all I guess the fact that he is getting paid big bucks, isn't fit to turn up to training but was out clubbing at 2.30am doesn't really compute.

Had it been 7pm and he and his friends were at a venue where two completely unrelated parties had a disagreement involving a gun I agree it would have been a non-story.