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)

 

[Crusty Demon]

We are looking to be right in that low mid-table mire for a few years. Not good enough to contend, not quite bottoming out, aging stars past their best but capable enough to pinch just enough wins against other shit teams.

Terrible draft capitol followed by compromised drafts. Absolutely no attraction for free agents of any quality except maybe to play with kozzie... Maybe a new coach brings a suprise over.

Unless we have done a Geelong and stashed a bunch of high potential guns somewhere to draft in the 40-rookie pick range it is going to be pretty uninspiring for a few years.

Yeah we are pretty f*d for a few years tbh. List is as limp as a wet rag. Can see us in the Saints, Bombers realm of mediocrity but not bottoming out or making finals. Gotta clear some of the s* and hopefully a Bucks can attract some players and we fre up some cash by moving Oliver or Trac on as well as a Lever or May.

 

[Scythe]

**** middling out. 2nd best position to finish is last.

Let’s offload our older stars and rebuild fully. Being a middle team gets you nowhere, look at Freo and St Kilda.

And completely gutting your list gets you to being West Coast or Richmond. Good clubs find a balance.

(I'm pro trading a couple of stars, but a fire sale for the sake of it in a weak draft would be silly).

 

[Crusty Demon]

**** middling out. 2nd best position to finish is last.

Let’s offload our older stars and rebuild fully. Being a middle team gets you nowhere, look at Freo and St Kilda.

Problem is we aren't as bad as a Kangas, Eagles or Tigers were. We do have some decent young pieces coming through already. Bottoming out hasn't helped Kangas or Eagles. Need to focus on developing Langford, Lindsay, McVee, Windsor, JVR, Kentfield, Mentha, Adams, Tholstrup, Jefferson(?), Disco etc. Derksen and Heath if they come onto the list as well is still quite young. Bowey, Riv, Petty, Chandler and Koz need to step up into leadership roles. This is one area we can definitely strengthen in. That mid 20's player who has been in the system for a number of years and can be best 22. Last offseason, there were plenty out there on the move. Cumming, ANB, Peatling, Houston, Perryman, Membrey, Noble, Rioli, Stringer, Barass, Battle, Kennedy, Macrae etc etc. Plenty of talent looking to move for whatever reason. We just need to target quality over spuds. Whether that's $$ we need to offer more of, or maybe Bucks could attract some? Who knows, but we have young talent and enough vets playing well to not need to bottom out. Need to target that 22-27 year bracket.

 

[I Love Lamb]

And completely gutting your list gets you to being West Coast or Richmond. Good clubs find a balance.

(I'm pro trading a couple of stars, but a fire sale for the sake of it in a weak draft would be silly).

Both those clubs won flags recently, when was last time a middling team like Essendon, St Kilda or Freo won one?

 

[Headless]

Both those clubs won flags recently, when was last time a middling team like Essendon, St Kilda or Freo won one?

Bit irrelevant what they did prior to bottoming out.

 

[Canary]

Both those clubs won flags recently, when was last time a middling team like Essendon, St Kilda or Freo won one?

WCE and Richmond are both incredibly wealthy and can afford a true bottom out. Look how North is going. Bit of a drive-by on Freo too who have arguably the best young list in the competition. Knowing quite a few West Coast supporters I say with certainty they'd much rather be mid-table mediocrity than a one-win team.

 

[Topkent]

**** middling out. 2nd best position to finish is last.

Let’s offload our older stars and rebuild fully. Being a middle team gets you nowhere, look at Freo and St Kilda.

Lol old mate became a Melbourne fan after 2013 apparently.
Imagine if Melbourne already had an example of bottoming out to look at to show it doesn't work, can't think of one though

 

[Scythe]

Anyway, club memberships over the past two years have already plummeted. I doubt the club can actually afford to bottom out West Coast-style, would be disastrous financially.

 

[Bluelegs]

Don't think our list is in completely terrible shape.

 

[Dancing Potato]

Both those clubs won flags recently, when was last time a middling team like Essendon, St Kilda or Freo won one?

They both won flags before bottoming out and not yet achieving anything is relevant how?

 

[Scythe]

Don't think our list is in completely terrible shape.

Agreed. Pickett, Rivers, Langford, Lindsay, McVee (?), Turner, Windsor, Chandler, AMW, Mentha, Kentfield, Tholstrup, Culley, JVR etc is still a pretty good young core. Much better than the crop of youngsters that West Coast and Richmond had when they first bottomed-out (and still probably better than West Coast's now, to be fair).

Having a percentage of 93% despite having a crap year is a decent indicator that we're not a complete mile off being decent, so re-tooling would be the way to go about it. Start by balancing out of the midfield and go from there.

 

[Scythe]

Somehow we were the highest scoring team of the bottom-nine this year? Weird

 

[MarcMaverick]

Somehow we were the highest scoring team of the bottom-nine this year? Weird

Can't be. Really? I call nonsense.

Edit: Just check and yep we were.Huh.

 

[Scythe]

Can't be. Really? I call nonsense.

Yup

 

[PerfectFooty]

There is obvious elephant in that room if you widen it to bottom 10 that tricks your brain, But Scythe worded it well with bottom 9

 

[Bluelegs]

Somehow we were the highest scoring team of the bottom-nine this year? Weird

Our scoring got better in the second half of the year but our defence was terrible all season.

Still a shit team with no clutch that couldn't get it done when it mattered.

Don't think we're as close as Goodwin tried to pump up at the end but a couple of good off seasons and we could be there abouts with a decent coach.

 

[MarcMaverick]

I also think that we need to have a much better selection integrity, and not select favourites who are out of form.

 

[Lord Nev]

Our scoring got better in the second half of the year but our defence was terrible all season.

Still a shit team with no clutch that couldn't get it done when it mattered.

Don't think we're as close as Goodwin tried to pump up at the end but a couple of good off seasons and we could be there abouts with a decent coach.

Yep, the ball movement, including forward efficiency and punishing turnovers, really improved in the second half of the year.

Comparison (remembering that the 2025 numbers include the better games in the 2nd half):

Score per inside 50
2025 - 12th
Last 5 games - 9th

Score from turnover
2025 - 11th
Last 5 games - 8th

Biggest one though was our goal kicking. I know everyone totally understands and loves expected score:

Our +/- (which means accuracy based on difficulty):
2025 - 17th
Last 5 games - 6th

And our xSc per shot (which means the difficulty of the shot)
2025 - 13th
Last 5 games - 7th

So we were kicking more accurately, but more importantly, we were getting better looks at goal.

 

[Lampers]

Yep, the ball movement, including forward efficiency and punishing turnovers, really improved in the second half of the year.

Comparison (remembering that the 2025 numbers include the better games in the 2nd half):

Score per inside 50
2025 - 12th
Last 5 games - 9th

Score from turnover
2025 - 11th
Last 5 games - 8th

Biggest one though was our goal kicking. I know everyone totally understands and loves expected score:

Our +/- (which means accuracy based on difficulty):
2025 - 17th
Last 5 games - 6th

And our xSc per shot (which means the difficulty of the shot)
2025 - 13th
Last 5 games - 7th

So we were kicking more accurately, but more importantly, we were getting better looks at goal.

Was this improvement at the cost of the defence?

By that I mean as these measures improved through the year did the defensive measures go backwards at a similar rate?

So you can generate better looks at goal by moving the ball through the centre square instead of consistently entering the 50 from a flank. But if you screw it up in the centre square you’re far more likely to give up a goal as well.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Yep, the ball movement, including forward efficiency and punishing turnovers, really improved in the second half of the year.

Comparison (remembering that the 2025 numbers include the better games in the 2nd half):

Score per inside 50
2025 - 12th
Last 5 games - 9th

Score from turnover
2025 - 11th
Last 5 games - 8th

Biggest one though was our goal kicking. I know everyone totally understands and loves expected score:

Our +/- (which means accuracy based on difficulty):
2025 - 17th
Last 5 games - 6th

And our xSc per shot (which means the difficulty of the shot)
2025 - 13th
Last 5 games - 7th

So we were kicking more accurately, but more importantly, we were getting better looks at goal.

There were some good that happened this year. Lets hope the coach can build off that.

 

[Lord Nev]

Was this improvement at the cost of the defence?

By that I mean as these measures improved through the year did the defensive measures go backwards at a similar rate?

So you can generate better looks at goal by moving the ball through the centre square instead of consistently entering the 50 from a flank. But if you screw it up in the centre square you’re far more likely to give up a goal as well.

I would have thought so, but the numbers I've looked at don't seem to back that up weirdly.

Oppo goals per inside 50:
2025 - 16th
Last 5 games - 9th

Oppo scores from turnover and scores from stoppages actually slightly improved in the last 5 games compared to the year too. Doesn't feel right, so maybe there's a different metric that makes more sense?

 

[Proper Gander]

Hey guys I come in peace.

Just wondering what the general consensus is with Dees fans on whether you should try and contend with a new coach or go down the rebuild path like we did?

Your list is in a pretty similar position to us with a few older guys who have decent trade value (Petracca, Lever, Fritsch) that you could turn into draft assets.

The big difference is the quality of the draft this year vs last year. Perhaps you could push for future picks in trades?

Hey I reply in peace
Stuff contending. I think we should stick with our strengths

 

[Daemon]

Hey I reply in peace
Stuff contending. I think we should stick with our strengths

Being perennially shit and then bobbing up for a flag once every 60 years?

 

[schmuttt]

Reality is last year we were 2-7 in games decided by 12 points or less. Like last year we probably threw away 2-3 wins purely off how terrible we were in close ones. If the new coach can fix that the team is good enough to play finals (But not contend).

 

[Bluelegs]

Being perennially shit and then bobbing up for a flag once every 60 years?

It's the only way.