List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion - Part 3

[Hubnester]

2025 List Management Discussion - Part 3

Now that our season is over, and news is starting to break - it's time for a fresh thread.

This thread is to discuss all things list management - trades, draft, free agency, delistings and more.
As we are now officially in our off-season, we'll be wanting to keep this thread more strictly on-topic than the previous iterations.
Be respectful. You are allowed to disagree with someone - but play the ball, not the man. Repeat offenders will have their posting rights revoked.

Thanks to Lore once again for this incredibly useful spreadsheet.

2025 KEY DATES
Free Agency Period: Friday, October 3rd - Friday, October 10th
Trade Period: Monday, October 6th - Wednesday, October 15th
AFL Draft: Wednesday, November 19th - Thursday, November 20th

See Also:
2025 Year in Review Rumours & Confirmed Movements 2025 Draft Discussion
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[stavro#4]

Too right. They have made list decisions with these players very much a part of their plans.

Fair enough to make teams pay a fair price, but pulling the rug from under clubs isn't right.

You mean like when we lost Cmac? Or the Dees lost Mac Andrew or you mean when the league gave significant advantages to academies and punished clubs like ours at the bottom?

No what they are doing is removing every advantage and creating a level playing field.

 

[Banger9798]

Club strategically waits until a story about Wilkie is run by journos then release a 5 minute interview with Cal talking about how excited he is for next year hahahha

Just humiliating for Dogs to go after Wilkie, such an obvious reaction to the JSOS heist. When Wilkie turns round and laughs at it, it will just be cherry on top stuff.

 

[Off Stump 89]

Did anyone else hear Roey’s cheeked remark and “there is more to come” on MMM this morning. I got the sense there isn’t something that we haven’t heard about yet.

Trade period is a month away, can't be giving away our best signings this early

 

[St Neil]

So funny that the Bulldogs can just offer a new contract to a contracted player and the rules allow for this.

Should be like in the NBA where a deal can only be re-negotiated at certain points of the contract, and the contract is traded with the player. Ie they don't get a new one when they show up at a new club (unless via free agency)

In fairness, we are having a crack at Ryan and Flanders and they are both contracted.

I don’t mind it. Business is business. But the club that does it is obligated to put up and be prepared to pay significant overs.

They are also entitled to be dismissed out of hand.

The Bulldogs are rightly being dismissed out of hand.

 

[The Punter]

The self interest is delicious here. 2-3 years so they can collect all their academy and father sons picks

Clubs also made decisions based on the on field rules of the game, and the AFL has changed those pretty willy-nilly. The new centre circle rendered Steven McKee instantly obsolete as a ruckman.

Good luck Port, I think you'll need it.

 

[PlayerNumber9]

Fine, but he us going to need to sharpen his sets shots up. In fact a few of our forwards do, the pressure got to them and cost us wins this year and I would hate for us to lose another GF because of poor kicks on goal like in 09.

That's his job, he owes it to himself and the club to become more reliable. Ditto Max, Snags and a few others. Its about technique and mental pressure.

My observation is that it's almost entirely mental pressure. They don't miss much when warming up but come game time it starts to get dicey. Kicking for the win I'd only really trust Hall and Sharman - which is why Nas surprised me against Melbourne.

 

[Moquo]

Not wrong though

I think we have proven in the past that money alone entices bugger all talent. Except maybe a busted up Hanners

 

[Sully111]

It's good that opposition teams are falling over themselves to try and get our players.

Didn't exactly happen with Dunstan, Ross, Newnes etc

 

[Train12]

Bit of a feeling is us vs rest of the comp at the minute.

We have been throwing money at other players from other clubs, making other clubs pay more of their salary cap, bidding on f/s, academy’s making clubs pay full price (as per system) about to have the f/s academy’s removed from first round next year.

Recon we start banking picks for a bid on Fincher and expect clubs to try do the same to us - throw money at our players.

 

[stavro#4]

Bit of a feeling is us vs rest of the comp at the minute.

We have been throwing money at other players from other clubs, making other clubs pay more of their salary cap, bidding on f/s, academy’s making clubs pay full price (as per system) about to have the f/s academy’s removed from first round next year.

Recon we start banking picks for a bid on Fincher and expect clubs to try do the same to us - throw money at our players.

If a club rates Fincher well ahead of us. So be it.

 

[Joffaboy]

They got it wrong.

They might just be showing loyalty. Happens all the time.

He’s not the man to lead us forward. A change is long overdue.

How would you know? You are ignorant about the operations of the players and what they do.

 

[ThomasR]

The self interest is delicious here. 2-3 years so they can collect all their academy and father sons picks

why are the AFL still umming and aahing about Cochrane's NGA eligibility? has been what, a year and a half?

hard to argue you have been planning 3-5 years in advance when you still have no idea if you will have rights to a potential #1 pick

also look at the drop off of F/S guys like McGuane and Tyler Welsh in their top age years, still so much variability in performance and development of teenagers, hardly something you should be planning around too far in advance

the argument for phasing in changes is reasonable. perhaps no matching in the first round next year, then the second, third, etc. should make them happy right?

 

[sauce_head]

AFL players in general.
Why negotiate if you have already signed a contract.
That generally means you accept what was offered.
It may be media,but talk of Curnow,Merrett etc for example wanting out with multiple years still on their contracts.That may not be money,but losing consistently. So stiff to them if in fact it is the player themselves and they have to stay at their current clubs

It can never hurt to say “look I think I deserve a bit more. Give me a bit more now and I’ll sign up for an extra two years”. It’s hardly unheard of.

I am not saying that Wilkie has even said that. The point I am making is that I have seen no evidence outside of scuttlebutt that Wilkie is “whinging”. And even if he has asked the question above, and I am not suggesting he has, that in and of itself is not “whinging”.

 

[stavro#4]

I found this beauty in the dog’s list management thread. Love how it all changes when we get involved

 

[sauce_head]

why are the AFL still umming and aahing about Cochrane's NGA eligibility? has been what, a year and a half?

hard to argue you have been planning 3-5 years in advance when you still have no idea if you will have rights to a potential #1 pick

also look at the drop off of F/S guys like McGuane and Tyler Welsh in their top age years, still so much variability in performance and development of teenagers, hardly something you should be planning around too far in advance

the argument for phasing in changes is reasonable. perhaps no matching in the first round next year, then the second, third, etc. should make them happy right?

I am fairly sure the AFL did not phase the restriction on the top 20 for NGA, or whatever it was, that cost us the Hawks player. They just did it, then reverted back the following year, or something like that.

Sure, everybody has self interest in this, the AFL just needs to promote equity, ASAP, and not just in this area, many more as well, such as aces to matchday revenue.

 

[Sully111]

How would you know? You are ignorant about the operations of the players and what they do.

I watch games.

TBH I'm hoping Steele gets traded (don't think he will). He showed some improvement late but having him and Macrae in there isn't the way forward imo.

Grateful to Jack but it's a new day.

I absolutely don't see keeping him as captain as a good move though.

 

[TheJackal]

It can never hurt to say “look I think I deserve a bit more. Give me a bit more now and I’ll sign up for an extra two years”. It’s hardly unheard of.

I am not saying that Wilkie has even said that. The point I am making is that I have seen no evidence outside of scuttlebutt that Wilkie is “whinging”. And even if he has asked the question above, and I am not suggesting he has, that in and of itself is not “whinging”.

Imagine the uproar if a club said, you got dropped to the VFL this year and your form has been average at best. We're renegotiating your contract, you'll earn $250k less next year.

 

[Ads734]

All signs pointing to Tauru forward with the JSOS and Aleer acquisitions.

That’s as exciting as everything that’s happened so far.

Will be generational as a forward.

 

[ThomasR]

I am fairly sure the AFL did not phase the restriction on the top 20 for NGA, or whatever it was, that cost us the Hawks player. They just did it, then reverted back the following year, or something like that.

Sure, everybody has self interest in this, the AFL just needs to promote equity, ASAP, and not just in this area, many more as well, such as aces to matchday revenue.

I think it was phased in (top 20 and then top 40) and then they just scrapped it. Went something like

2020 - Dogs match JUH at pick 1
2021 - no NGA matching in top 20 (Windhager and Owens got through)
2022 - no NGA matching in top 40 (missed Mackenzie)
2023 - no change
2024 - the rule gets scrapped (for... reasons?). clubs can match NGA picks anywhere again
2025 - no change, but new points index makes it harder to match

the inconsistency and flip flopping is something to behold

 

[bergholt]

Bring back Lunch With Lenny.

Unparalleled Saints content

It was really good tbh

 

[Joffaboy]

I watch games.

TBH I'm hoping Steele gets traded (don't think he will). He showed some improvement late but having him and Macrae in there isn't the way forward imo.

Grateful to Jack but it's a new day.

I absolutely don't see keeping him as captain as a good move though.

Lol so you think watching a couple of games gives you more insight into a football club than the actual.playersxwho work there with each other, at training, in the gym, at player meetings, at one on one reviewing, line reviewing, player mentoring etc?
He is not a good captain because of your confirmation bias, not from a source a information or knowledge.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

But what would it realistically take to get Wilks and what do they have??
If we were open to a trade would other clubs jump in????

 

[Armoooo]

Imagine the uproar if a club said, you got dropped to the VFL this year and your form has been average at best. We're renegotiating your contract, you'll earn $250k less next year.

If the player agreed to the change, they could. Didnt Boyd take a lesser contract towards the end of his time at the dogs?

If Wilkie wants more money the club just need to decide how much they rate him. Do we want to offer him more to keep him happy and around longer, or do we want him disgruntled at requesting a trade?

I wouldn't begrudge guys wilke Wilkie getting frustrated at new blokes who aren't as good leapfrogging him salary wise.

It's probably just his manager trying to get a bit more coin and Wilkie giving him the green light. I dont think he's going anywhere. But maybe give him another 100k, especially if he extends for another year.

 

[Joffaboy]

What happened to the salty Bulldog? Some of my best work replying to him.

 

[Joffaboy]

But what would it realistically take to get Wilks and what do they have??
If we were open to a trade would other clubs jump in????

Send Wilkie to GC for 12, 15 and Flanders