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
​

 

[beside the seaside]

We must be well in for Flanders, especially if we were working on it earlier in the year.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

I think some on here have shiet memories on Jacks form this year. Inconsistent yes, defensively he put up somewhat of a master-class through the back end of the year.

Let him off from the captaincy, unburden him and build him up as the defensive linchpin in our midfield that allows trust for Lil Nasi-X, Hall, and others to get after the game, much like how Brisbane play with Dunkley.

I really hope Marshall and Steele play out another year, just to see how the dynamic works with a new team and where they can fit in.

If they do then they wont be worth anything by the end of next year ..... at least this year they have some trade capital and I am coming round to idea that it is NOW time for the new crew to take the baton and run with it

Without Marshall we get to play/fast track Dodson & Keeler as a 2nd ruck/forward in combo with TDK .... Steele gets replaced by Garcia / Boxshall / Flanders or CMac

Its time to move forward

 

[Premium]

If they do then they wont be worth anything by the end of next year ..... at least this year they have some trade capital and I am coming round to idea that it is NOW time for the new crew to take the baton and run with it

Without Marshall we get to play/fast track Dodson & Keeler as a 2nd ruck/forward in combo with TDK .... Steele gets replaced by Garcia / Boxshall / Flanders or CMac

Its time to move forward

Steele has been a loyal solder for a long time but he is a shadow of his former self, and his worth now would just leadership - the way I see him leaving is that he knows he is going to get limited game time in the future / West Coat could use him and it could well be the swap with Ryan.
Anyway he will be better depth than say a Jones or Dow.

I'm interested on who is being cut
We bring in TDK , JSOS , Aleer , Ryan , Flanders who is getting the chop because on top of 5 we still have to take 3 kids in the draft.

So 8 players must go

 

[Mat Mann]

They just need to force merrett to stay. They will have nobody else at the club of any real value. Who do they market around, Gresham’s manicured luscious eyebrows?

Strongly disagree, let him out, and any others that want as well.

That club needs a culture shock more than anything else, a pivotal moment in Essendon's future. Disharmony in the entire club with their AFLW team having beef as well.

Not sure the coach is great but he's stubborn enough to weather the storm coming, they are us before Lyon's appointment, minus the president willing to do something about it

 

[Anythings_sipposible]

Steele has been a loyal solder for a long time but he is a shadow of his former self, and his worth now would just leadership - the way I see him leaving is that he knows he is going to get limited game time in the future / West Coat could use him and it could well be the swap with Ryan.
Anyway he will be better depth than say a Jones or Dow.

I'm interested on who is being cut
We bring in TDK , JSOS , Aleer , Ryan , Flanders who is getting the chop because on top of 5 we still have to take 3 kids in the draft.

So 8 players must go

I think we can take 2 in the draft, as one will be Caminiti upgrade? I might be wrong about that. Maybe:

Marshall (traded)
Steele (traded)
Heath (traded)???
Boyd
Webster
Mclennan
Carrol
Jones
Shoenmaker????

Gonna be unfortunate for one or two players for sure

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Ward has come on and holding that spot out I guess.

Yes Ward has definitely come on .... if Merrett goes to Hawks then you think he would replace Worpel who could be on the move to the Cats ..... but who does Day replace on his return? ..... Ward or maybe Nash?

As some have said it is looking more likely that CMac will be hard pressed to get a look into the Hawks midfield if they are fully fit or even at 75%

 

[phantom13]

Honestly Roma and Steele to me are move ons if they want to. Both might get a decent little extra pay day, both are likely more depth options at this point.

If we can free up a little cap space and get some trade collateral in return why not.

If they both want to stay then no issues there either.

 

[Premium]

I think we can take 2 in the draft, as one will be Caminiti upgrade? I might be wrong about that. Maybe:

Marshall (traded)
Steele (traded)
Heath (traded)???
Boyd
Webster
Mclennan
Carrol
Jones
Shoenmaker????

Gonna be unfortunate for one or two players for sure

thks for the info

 

[saintkildaman]

Moving on both Marshall and Steele is a risky move, could be an absolute culture killer.

 

[Remboy]

He literally said "I haven't heard much about Jack Steele" then goes to say he is confident he won't be at Saints in 2026

View attachment 2427883

I'm seriously starting to think some of these guys are getting their info from Bigfooty.

 

[XhazzafootyX]

Sam McClure genuinely talks out of his ass. Talks like his opinion is fact

Whod be seriously interested in Steele ?

 

[gringo2011]

Yes Ward has definitely come on .... if Merrett goes to Hawks then you think he would replace Worpel who could be on the move to the Cats ..... but who does Day replace on his return? ..... Ward or maybe Nash?

As some have said it is looking more likely that CMac will be hard pressed to get a look into the Hawks midfield if they are fully fit or even at 75%

Nash is pretty established and adds a POD. I guess Weddle similar though.

 

[phantom13]

Moving on both Marshall and Steele is a risky move, could be an absolute culture killer.

Keeping them if they both request a trade could be worse.

 

[hayes]

Yes Ward has definitely come on .... if Merrett goes to Hawks then you think he would replace Worpel who could be on the move to the Cats ..... but who does Day replace on his return? ..... Ward or maybe Nash?

As some have said it is looking more likely that CMac will be hard pressed to get a look into the Hawks midfield if they are fully fit or even at 75%

Day is made of glass, if he plays it’s a bonus for them.

 

[Remboy]

I think we can take 2 in the draft, as one will be Caminiti upgrade? I might be wrong about that. Maybe:

Marshall (traded)
Steele (traded)
Heath (traded)???
Boyd
Webster
Mclennan
Carrol
Jones
Shoenmaker????

Gonna be unfortunate for one or two players for sure

I think we'll keep one of Marshall and Heath. Apart from that you're probably pretty close.

 

[austinnn]

Sam McClure genuinely talks out of his ass. Talks like his opinion is fact

Whod be seriously interested in Steele ?

Richmond
North
WCE
Essendon

Maybe GWS for the love

Probably about it i guess

 

[bird_man]

I think some on here have shiet memories on Jacks form this year. Inconsistent yes, defensively he put up somewhat of a master-class through the back end of the year.

Let him off from the captaincy, unburden him and build him up as the defensive linchpin in our midfield that allows trust for Lil Nasi-X, Hall, and others to get after the game, much like how Brisbane play with Dunkley.

I really hope Marshall and Steele play out another year, just to see how the dynamic works with a new team and where they can fit in.

No sheit memory here. Steele struggled most of the year.

You can't have a full time midfielder running around averaging 20 touches a game with very little damage.

If Nas plays full time mid and Hall and others get more trust in the midfield I can't see how there is room for him.

 

[The Boar]

Moving on both Marshall and Steele is a risky move, could be an absolute culture killer.

Fantastic unemotional list management on the other hand

 

[_Maximus_12]

Moving on both Marshall and Steele is a risky move, could be an absolute culture killer.

This is overrated to be honest. The club is now being driven by Nas & Co. they’ve created their own culture. The culture that Steele and Marshall drove had us in no man’s land. Mason Wood and Brad Hill are more integral to our culture

 

[Hayes4PM]

One of Steele or Marshal, don't mind if there's value in it for us. Both looks bad.

 

[hangdog]

People who go to school near trees are so privileged

I bet their favourite past time is hunting Guinea fowl and colonising

 

[hangdog]

Cam Mackenzie is in play.

Club working on him and Flanders.

I don’t know if it’s one or the other or both.

I hope it’s both.

Can you imagine C Mac sending an absolute dart of a kick to JUH next year? Stuff of dreams

 

[SainterinSydney]

Can you imagine C Mac sending an absolute dart of a kick to JUH next year? Stuff of dreams

Is that because both are playing in the VFL?

 

[stavro#4]

Desperate

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Desperate

Glad to mend bridges stavro#4

It’s very desperate