List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion - Part IV

[Hubnester]

2025 List Management Discussion - Part 4

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
​

 

[Saints43]

Little bit different hamill and Gehrig were genuine guns

Gehrig was playing on the wing for west coast and getting booed by the supporters.
His first few games in defence were shithouse.
He turned out to be one of my favorite ever players but I don't reckon anyone knew how fantastic he'd be with us.

 

[Diehard Saint]

No
5% in 23 and 24
5% over in 25 ( because 5% under in 24)
18.3 mill x 15 % = 2.745 mill
Wilson reports 17% underspend in 2025 fue to front loaded contracts
18.3 mill x17% = 3.111 mill
That's 5.856 mill.
This may or may not include 800k gor Crouch and whatever we paid for Billings.

So without the actual figures but what has been reported it is anywhere from 4.9 up to 6 mill.
Whatever it is, it is huge, done using SC, front loading, and very careful planning over 3 years.

Shows excellent planning and strategy and we are sticking to what they
told us the plan was - 4 or so years of hitting the draft and then going all out for free agents and trades.

And boy is it putting the competition’s, not to mention the media’s, collective noses out of joint.

(Edit: We did need luck going our way for a change with the signing of NAS, otherwise things may have looked completely different.)

 

[jumperfan]

Jon Ralph. Snippets because the mods are on my ass

Rival clubs believe the Saints have offered Flanders a five-year contract worth $900,000 a season.

Flanders is keen to move on from Gold Coast and is yet to officially select a new club with Essendon still in the mix after his meetings with Carlton and Melbourne.

St Kilda is prepared to offer up its current No.7 draft pick for Flanders, who is contracted for two more seasons on $600,000 a season.

St Kilda has told rival clubs that De Koning is being paid only $1.65 million a season

St Kilda is adamant it will not trade contracted ruckman Rowan Marshall despite his desire to get to Geelong

St Kilda will also hold vice captain Cal Wilkie despite the Dogs’ interest.

Why do the mods care?

 

[gubby88]

Why do the mods care?

copyright infingements

 

[Remboy]

Joffaboy Ralph has stolen your workings out and added about a 30% shaving to it

I’ve long suspected a lot of AFL journos get their info from Bigfooty.

 

[Train12]

I’ve long suspected a lot of AFL journos get their info from Bigfooty.

What a trade period if we can get all these players in!

 

[Remboy]

No
5% in 23 and 24
5% over in 25 ( because 5% under in 24)
18.3 mill x 15 % = 2.745 mill
Wilson reports 17% underspend in 2025 fue to front loaded contracts
18.3 mill x17% = 3.111 mill
That's 5.856 mill.
This may or may not include 800k gor Crouch and whatever we paid for Billings.

So without the actual figures but what has been reported it is anywhere from 4.9 up to 6 mill.
Whatever it is, it is huge, done using SC, front loading, and very careful planning over 3 years.

When Ross came back he mentioned Geelong and the Cotton On deals and said we had to use everything at our disposal. The biggest thing we’ve got is money. As players came out of contract they paid them what they were worth, Bassat got into the ear of club benefactors, we’re using the marketing allowance as some of TDK’s money (I don’t know if we’ve been using it before) and we’ve front ended deals to give us more cap space than anyone has ever had.
If you consider that a club paying 95% of their cap would have around $900k spare (5% of $18 mill). I doubt many are even in that position. They’d be lucky to have half of that, so around $400-500k. We’ve got over ten times that. Why do you think we can outbid everyone and still line up for more?
The club should announce we’re interviewing Petracca, Merrett and Curnow to fully take the piss.

 

[Remboy]

What a trade period if we can get all these players in!

We’ll get everyone who nominates us. Take it to the bank.

 

[Train12]

Would love to know what Ross said at a function yesterday! David King said it was the uncut version of him.
King shortly followed up with Flanders will be at the saints next year - wonder if the boss worded him up?

It was reported before he said yesterday at a function, that we have $4-5 million to play with the trade period ?

 

[gringo2011]

Well Gringo and others have been into Flanders for a while. I might disagree with him on a lot of things but rarely on players, so I will trust him on this.
As for not moving the needle. We aren't getting Bont, or a 25 y.o Dusty Martin, but we are getting TDK, Ryan, JSOS, Aleer, and probably Flanders, added to King, Pou, and Henry as new players, plus the likes of Hall, Windy, Wilson, Travaglia, Tauru with a full preseason, Garcia and Hastie all developing.
Maybe that will move the needle. Surprised someone like King who doesn't usually clickbait would go down that path.

Nathan Buckley was big on this working. Suggested that like Adelaide did, if you improve the quality of the players from your best 15 down, you get a big overall improvement. Turning someone like Byrnes who is C grade into a Flanders B+ is a big gain. Keeps your depth options high. We are also filling holes.

 

[Joffaboy]

When Ross came back he mentioned Geelong and the Cotton On deals and said we had to use everything at our disposal. The biggest thing we’ve got is money. As players came out of contract they paid them what they were worth, Bassat got into the ear of club benefactors, we’re using the marketing allowance as some of TDK’s money (I don’t know if we’ve been using it before) and we’ve front ended deals to give us more cap space than anyone has ever had.
If you consider that a club paying 95% of their cap would have around $900k spare (5% of $18 mill). I doubt many are even in that position. They’d be lucky to have half of that, so around $400-500k. We’ve got over ten times that. Why do you think we can outbid everyone and still line up for more?
The club should announce we’re interviewing Petracca, Merrett and Curnow to fully take the piss.

When 2027 rolls around we have a plethora of players OOC.
2027 is when the SC increases are announced.
It has been reported that only the Saints and Essendon have not built in SC increases to existing contracts.
So whatever the SC is increased, we will have it to spend where most clubs wont.

 

[sauce_head]

When 2027 rolls around we have a plethora of players OOC.
2027 is when the SC increases are announced.
It has been reported that only the Saints and Essendon have not built in SC increases to existing contracts.
So whatever the SC is increased, we will have it to spend where most clubs wont.

I’m really hopeful that some players won’t demand mega contracts in two years to enable the team to stick together. I’m probably being naive!

 

[Joffaboy]

Nathan Buckley was big on this working. Suggested that like Adelaide did, if you improve the quality of the players from your best 15 down, you get a big overall improvement. Turning someone like Byrnes who is C grade into a Flanders B+ is a big gain. Keeps your depth options high. We are also filling holes.

A rising tide lifts all boats. Our biggest weakness in Lyon V1.0 was our bottom six, probably cost us at least one flag, Lyon V2.0 is rectifying that ( although we don't have the top 6 that we had in 2009/10).
Hopefully we develop into the Geelong model.

 

[gringo2011]

Little bit different hamill and Gehrig were genuine guns

Funny enough Gehrig was a weirdly tall running HB until we created the gorilla forward. Hamill was a heart big as a lion type but he wasn't a star. He was tough and a leader but not sure he was ever more than a B to B+. It was huge that players wanted in for us though.

 

[Joffaboy]

I’m really hopeful that some players won’t demand mega contracts in two years to enable the team to stick together. I’m probably being naive!

I think you are. But that means we have improved to the extent we are being hunted. Maybe players will want to go to the Saints by then.

 

[jumperfan]

I’m really hopeful that some players won’t demand mega contracts in two years to enable the team to stick together. I’m probably being naive!

Hopefully by then the recent draft crops will have established themselves enough that it won't matter too much if a couple players leave for more cash.

 

[Remboy]

When 2027 rolls around we have a plethora of players OOC.
2027 is when the SC increases are announced.
It has been reported that only the Saints and Essendon have not built in SC increases to existing contracts.
So whatever the SC is increased, we will have it to spend where most clubs wont.

2027 will be very interesting. If we play finals the next two years we’ll be asking NAS to stay for less (although a lot), TDK’s deal will probably be front ended, we’ve got a truck load of players out of contract that we’ll make a call on. If we’re not in the finals, NAS might want out and we’ll load up on picks and hit the draft again, building on the young guys who be starting to hit their straps.
Interesting times ahead.

 

[St Neil]

Nathan Buckley was big on this working. Suggested that like Adelaide did, if you improve the quality of the players from your best 15 down, you get a big overall improvement. Turning someone like Byrnes who is C grade into a Flanders B+ is a big gain. Keeps your depth options high. We are also filling holes.

I think Hawthorn is the recent template.

Not many A graders but full of B grade players.

Lots of depth. Even spread. Play to a system. Have lots of buy in. Very difficult to shut down because they have no pressure points.

Hawks do lack those one or two generational type players that teams need to win the biggest games. But we have one in NWM and hopefully develop one or two more.

If King gets back to his best then he is our second.

 

[Broski]

Nathan Buckley was big on this working. Suggested that like Adelaide did, if you improve the quality of the players from your best 15 down, you get a big overall improvement. Turning someone like Byrnes who is C grade into a Flanders B+ is a big gain. Keeps your depth options high. We are also filling holes.

This is absolutely important if we want to be in the conversation of being a premiership contender. We need to raise our floor. Injuries and form fluctuations will always happen, so quality depth is crucial.

 

[stavro#4]

Would love to know what Ross said at a function yesterday! David King said it was the uncut version of him.
King shortly followed up with Flanders will be at the saints next year - wonder if the boss worded him up?

It was reported before he said yesterday at a function, that we have $4-5 million to play with the trade period ?

I don’t know what was said yesterday.

But Ross and co have had a few events and even dinners with coteries + high valued members. I say co because Gubby and SOS have attended some.

I shared with a few what I knew of one last week. But they all seem to be a similar theme.

No ****s given. We will throw money around and we are a serious football club who are coming.

A lot of high praise for kids. Happy to share specifics like Tauru down back etc.

openly saying that future state probably doesn’t include the skipper or Roma (whenever that is)

Openly talking about wilkies offer and accepting he will need to make a choice because it’s big and throwing figures out.

Then openly saying no one goes cheap from us.

And openly sharing that there is MORE than enough money to go around our playing list.

 

[St Steady]

how good will the first pre season training session be when they all get together including roma, cal and capt steele

 

[Diehard Saint]

Nathan Buckley was big on this working. Suggested that like Adelaide did, if you improve the quality of the players from your best 15 down, you get a big overall improvement. Turning someone like Byrnes who is C grade into a Flanders B+ is a big gain. Keeps your depth options high. We are also filling holes.

So you think Ronnie will get another gig?
Good, honest, ordinary player - and very good depth.
No further chat about Steele either?
Somethings got to give somewhere.

 

[Train12]

I don’t know what was said yesterday.

But Ross and co have had a few events and even dinners with coteries + high valued members. I say co because Gubby and SOS have attended some.

I shared with a few what I knew of one last week. But they all seem to be a similar theme.

No ****s given. We will throw money around and we are a serious football club who are coming.

A lot of high praise for kids. Happy to share specifics like Tauru down back etc.

openly saying that future state probably doesn’t include the skipper or Roma (whenever that is)

Openly talking about wilkies offer and accepting he will need to make a choice because it’s big and throwing figures out.

Then openly saying no one goes cheap from us.

And openly sharing that there is MORE than enough money to go around our playing list.

Based off that, Wilkie won’t get his contract adjusted ?

And Steele likely moves on this trade period ?

 

[Diehard Saint]

A rising tide lifts all boats. Our biggest weakness in Lyon V1.0 was our bottom six, probably cost us at least one flag, Lyon V2.0 is rectifying that ( although we don't have the top 6 that we had in 2009/10).
Hopefully we develop into the Geelong model.

Ross a big admirer of Scott and the Cats.
Often quotes them.

 

[St Neil]

I’m really hopeful that some players won’t demand mega contracts in two years to enable the team to stick together. I’m probably being naive!

Geelong can do it. So can we.

We just need to be creative, keep improving our culture and be winning more games.