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
​

 

[akaifu]

Don't want Pertracca or Merrett, both don't fit our profile and will stagnate growth of other young mid fielders unless you move Steele and McLobster out. On top of costing far too much in value for what and how long they will add to the squad.

Fair but if its true we want to contend now with the Wilkie Sincs cohort then it wouldn't be a terrible move imo

 

[Linton Street Saint]

Fair but if its true we want to contend now with the Wilkie Sincs cohort then it wouldn't be a terrible move imo

Eye test for me says both are past their best and will be worse for it in 2-3 years if we are contending anyway. You would 'hope' players like Garcia and Pou are vying for those spots in that time.

 

[gringo2011]

There is no doubt Merrett is a high quality player, but he wants garuanteed finals and a chance at sucess - why would he even consider us! Giving up early picks for him is against every other list build strategy we have taken and it would end up a 3-4 year sugar hit. If we were in Hawthorns position chasing him makes a lot of sense, but not for us.

We must strive for sustained sucess if we are to win the big dance. Spending big on another 29yo would be completely the wrong step in my view.

It does and doesn't we are all in on the next couple of years, if this goes badly it likely ends up a disaster. We might as well go neck deep at this point.

Realistically we are following the same path as the Hawks and Adelaide. Well even the Pies and Cats and trying to bridge the gap through top ups. The midfield is still a work in progress and moving Nas or Hall on-ball robs other areas of their premium talent.

Merrett is an absolute premium quality mid and pretty resilient. Add him to Macrae and you have 2 premium on ball extractors with different qualities and a big pool of guys who can run through the midfield or are young and in development.

A fit King and a few more goals form extra firepower along side a slight tap upgrade and we all of a sudden have a pretty solid list. We are probably one premium mid off being serious side with everything else going as expected and some luck.

Sides that get into the finals seem to find it easier to maintain momentum than kick start it from the bottom 8. Not saying we should get him but he probably makes the most impact of any player that we've looked at.

 

[BrutThough]

Here me out

3-way trade

STK receive: Petracca
GEEL receive: Marshall
MELB receive: GEEL 1st

Brand Petrecca isnt coming to St Kilda

 

[stavro#4]

Marshall isn’t a guarantee to leave.

Club is going to be very firm on his asking price.

Ross has already made clear to Marshall that he is expecting him back for day 1 of pre season.

 

[SainterinSydney]

Here me out

3-way trade

STK receive: Petracca
GEEL receive: Marshall
MELB receive: GEEL 1st

Doubt Melbourne would agree. They would want more. I have my reservations about Trac after that horrific injury last year.

 

[gringo2011]

If anyone needs Merrett it is Adelaide. Their on ballers are just so vanilla and without Rankine. They had no impact and just couldn't get time and space to be effective. Whereas Hawks looked liked they had one extra player at every contest.
Using the new buzz word Peliminary Final Integrity...Flanders shown he has it and CMac was not in best 23 injured or otherwise. So Flanders for me, however
Dons are a mess they will get picks in a weak draft bit like 2020 and need players to support what they have.
Silvani does have PFI by the way he plays not sure about Aleer, TDK better have otherwise he is in for a world of hurt. I suppose Liam Ryan does with the flag but so does Butler who he probably replaces. Ryan adds something we do not have small man ariel ability.

So CMac or Hustwaite and their first for Merret probably does it. Then Dons could really have a go at some serious picks to GCS potentially for Flanders and maybe King depending on what happens with Curnow.

BTW of course Dimma is going to say we love Flanders.....he's been injured....so he will be better next year....sounds like he's talking up trade value.

Bit to play out before Flanders or CMac run around in the RWB.

Buckly was saying they need some rebound off HBF too which I agree with. I'll get laughed at but they should look at Riley Bonner. He's too good for VFL and would be a free competent HBF. A premium mid would be handy too but finding one is hard as we know.

 

[Zzzed]

After watching the ADL v HAW final on Friday, one thing became crystal clear - a good forward line is ineffective without a quality midfield further up the ground delivering quality ball into the forward line.
Adelaide's ''3 headed monster'' which on paper looks potent - was anything but.
On the other hand, every time Hawthorn went forward, their mids made good decisions that gave their forwards every opportunity.

Makes me think of how we have traditionally blazed away when moving it forward, kicking it high and long. Hall was easily our best this year at hitting up targets. Hope they pull out some of Halls highlights during the season and play it on repeat at team meetings during the offseason.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Ross has already made clear to Marshall that he is expecting him back for day 1 of pre season.

When’s that?

Some have started already

 

[gringo2011]

Here me out

3-way trade

STK receive: Petracca
GEEL receive: Marshall
MELB receive: GEEL 1st

Melbourne fans would riot if they got a pick in the 20s for Petracca.

 

[jumperfan]

Here me out

3-way trade

STK receive: Petracca
GEEL receive: Marshall
MELB receive: GEEL 1st

Zero chance Melbourne agree to that

 

[gringo2011]

After watching the ADL v HAW final on Friday, one thing became crystal clear - a good forward line is ineffective without a quality midfield further up the ground delivering quality ball into the forward line.
Adelaide's ''3 headed monster'' which on paper looks potent - was anything but.
On the other hand, every time Hawthorn went forward, their mids made good decisions that gave their forwards every opportunity.

Makes me think of how we have traditionally blazed away when moving it forward, kicking it high and long. Hall was easily our best this year at hitting up targets. Hope they pull out some of Halls highlights during the season and play it on repeat at team meetings during the offseason.

Hawks strength is the two rebound accurate kicking running backs in Impey and Karl Amon, Then they took Battle off us who is like a hybrid of a running HB and interceptor plus has good kicking. Add Hardwick and guys like Scrimshaw who also play back and they are premium off HB and the midfield has one absolute prime mover in Newcombe.

They get sides off HB and go end to end without anyone getting near them. Then converts well as anyone when they get chances. I think Lyon is a fan and we seem to be chasing momentum lifters and exciting players to build tempo and sizzle.

Hopefully he can do a Temu version. We have the two absolute elite rebound HBs and Wilkie is elite. Jack SOS is very good too.

 

[Broski]

Brand Petracca isnt coming to St Kilda

He isn't coming to us for essentially a pick in the 20s.

 

[Sir Owens]

Would rather C-Mac over P-Trac.

 

[StCicatriz]

Here me out

3-way trade

STK receive: Petracca
GEEL receive: Marshall
MELB receive: GEEL 1st

i dont thin petracca is a good fit now. we are better off doing that same trade but replace Flanders with Petracca.

 

[bakes10]

When’s that?

Some have started already

I hope NAS gets voted into the leadership group for 2026. He may be quietly spoken but his actions on the field are those of a leader.

 

[Jade Buddha]

Petracca would be short term hot not sustainable acquisition

 

[StCicatriz]

Hawks strength is the two rebound accurate kicking running backs in Impey and Karl Amon, Then they took Battle off us who is like a hybrid of a running HB and interceptor plus has good kicking. Add Hardwick and guys like Scrimshaw who also play back and they are premium off HB and the midfield has one absolute prime mover in Newcombe.

They get sides off HB and go end to end without anyone getting near them. Then converts well as anyone when they get chances. I think Lyon is a fan and we seem to be chasing momentum lifters and exciting players to build tempo and sizzle.

Hopefully he can do a Temu version. We have the two absolute elite rebound HBs and Wilkie is elite. Jack SOS is very good too.

hawks midfield cracks in pretty hard. they're very under-rated i feel. just hard at it.

like you said though their ball use on rebound is amazing. seem to have zip when they need it, then just execute on kick and connection.

 

[Saint Shags]

Petracca would be short term hot not sustainable acquisition

You could make the argument that with going for JSOS and Ryan that we are also looking short term.

Still don't think he would come anywhere near us however.

 

[jumperfan]

You could make the argument that with going for JSOS and Ryan that we are also looking short term.

Still don't think he would come anywhere near us however.

Both are a lot cheaper, and in JSOS' case younger, though

 

[phantom13]

Here me out

3-way trade

STK receive: Petracca
GEEL receive: Marshall
MELB receive: GEEL 1st

Would do that in a heartbeat and im not a huge wrap on Trac TBH.

If Melbourne agre id be ****ing shocked.

 

[phantom13]

Marshall isn’t a guarantee to leave.

Club is going to be very firm on his asking price.

Ross has already made clear to Marshall that he is expecting him back for day 1 of pre season.

Essendon said the same about Merett.
Its true til its not.

 

[Oh When the Saints]

Hawks drafted 30% (7) of their team from Qualifying Final win between 2020-2024. They also recruited 45% (10) of their team from other clubs between 2020-2024.

Across a 5-year period, they hit the draft hard and went hard at trading. 75% of the team that is now contending in the Preliminary final has been added to the list in the last 5 years.

This is the new blueprint. It is what the Saints are doing. You don't go for the 7-8-year slow burn rebuild like the Crows.

Half of our next finals team may be players from other clubs and a third should be relatively new draftees.

In my view we are 12 months behind the Hawks but following a similar plan. 3-4 years of hard drafting and trading to build a side.

No excuses in 2026 (barring injury and fixture, of course...)

 

[sauce_head]

You could make the argument that with going for JSOS and Ryan that we are also looking short term.

Still don't think he would come anywhere near us however.

Key difference with JSOS is its cap we had to burn and came free of any draft pick expense. I’m sure Ryan will come cheap on the latter.

 

[phantom13]

Hawks drafted 30% (7) of their team from Qualifying Final win between 2020-2024. They also recruited 45% (10) of their team from other clubs between 2020-2024.

Across a 5-year period, they hit the draft hard and went hard at trading. 75% of the team that is now contending in the Preliminary final has been added to the list in the last 5 years.

This is the new blueprint. It is what the Saints are doing. You don't go for the 7-8-year slow burn rebuild like the Crows.

Half of our next finals team may be players from other clubs and a third should be relatively new draftees.

In my view we are 12 months behind the Hawks but following a similar plan. 3-4 years of hard drafting and trading to build a side.

No excuses in 2026 (barring injury and fixture, of course...)

Nah, even with injuries and fixture, weve heard that too many times.