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
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[phantom13]

You dont make sense here
Improving Geelong is the exact reason not to trade Marshall
He is what they immediately need.
We need him as cover for Tdk & King
We dont immediately need Sdk, we have that position already covered

We improve Geelong for a year or two at most. Roma, Danger and Cameron likely all going in the next few years anyway and we’re not contending next year, also if we can’t beat them we’re not beating Brisbane so what’s the difference.

Also if we lose Wilkie for friejah then we absolutely need SDK, that’s the whole point.

 

[austinnn]

If we even consider thinking of letting Cal go, its because we rate our defence system as integral to success over any individual part, and we project one of the players we currently have or will get in as being able to do as good a job as Cal Wilkie in that system.

Cal has not missed a single game, maybe not a single minute of a game and is the most dependable defender in the league hands down.

It would be up there with the selling of Plugger as one of the ballsiest and riskiest moves we've ever made as a club.

Ww could end up looking like real chumps here.

 

[gringo2011]

Straight swap with frejiah would be the only thing that would turn heads imo, future gun. Otherwise no trade for wilks

Freijah is very promising but so are plenty of others. It's nowhere near enough. It's like swapping Wilson for 29 year old Lauchie Neale. Wilkie is an elite defender under contract. SOS is back on the chopping block if he does that deal.

He averages 19 touches and 79SC points. He had couple of matches with insane contested possession numbers early in the year and they started calling him mini Bont but he was pretty ordinary most of the year.

 

[gringo2011]

I can’t see how it happens but if we turn Roma and Wilkie into SDK and Freijah…

I gotta call that a win

You're trolling now aren't you? SDK is C grade at the moment and not what we need, he's physically tall but plays better away from an opponent. We go into next year with JSOS as the only player who can play on on one and he's only done it for half season in his whole career.

Freijah looks promising running around with no pressure on him. No idea how he goes as a main driver. Semi developed kids is what we don't need more of either. We need guys in their peak years that can hold up in finals.

 

[gringo2011]

That figure is in the vicinity of what’s being offered apparently.

It’s very similar information to what I sent to a handful last week. Including that part that it was still under consideration which is effectively what Twomey is reporting tonight.

•Marshall and Steele aren’t seen as part of the long-term plans. Both are likely to be moved on if the right offer comes in during the off-season.

•Wilkie has a big offer on the table — around $1.5M a year for five years. He’s still considering it. We’re keen to keep him, but there’s a genuine possibility he’s traded if the value is right. Not sure if it’s connected, but Freijah was mentioned as a seriously talented prospect.


•Still actively looking to bring in more players.

I shared the above with a handful last week on here. I said to not share until something comes first. Well I think that’s enough “hits” to say it’s accurate.

If the club trades Wilkie under contract they don't get let off when they don't perform. We have taken 2 A graders and an ex A grader out of the side for a bunch of average to below average talent on maximum dollars. Lyon and SOS are going to have to be held to account if they can't make a finals side out of it.

Losing Wilkie would be an absolute disaster after throwing elite money around everywhere for non star players.It actually looks quite embarrassing and put the club in the spotlight for criticism by media and laughed at if it doesn't work.

 

[gringo2011]

So how do the Bulldog players including Bont think about Wilkie being the top paid player at the club?
1.5 million a year does that. Like all these amounts being bandied take 20% off the total.
Even at 1.2, that is about 400k more a season we are paying him, so no wonder he is considering it.
I still go back to Lyon saying we wont be pushed around.
Some potential mid wont be enough, it would have to be extremely heavily in our favour.

Bont probably loves the idea. He's probably got couple of years to get another flag. It's more the guys at Wilkie level that are taking $700k to leave room for others that get their hackles up.

 

[gringo2011]

Switching Wilkie for SDK would be diabolical. The only thing SDK has is he's younger. Aside from that he's nowhere near the level of Wilkie. I just don't see the point at all.

SDK is Dougal Howard with blonde hair.

 

[jimmytigs]

Spot on. He's been very average lately including today. Why we'd give them a pick and Marshall for him would be completely beyond me.

struggling 13 pages behind again but i am right in this camp,screw giving them anything with roma for sdk,at the absolute worst they get to choose from z.jones byrnes and carroll,first round pick and roma for sdk?f me,straight swap we should think long and hard about,but in the end considering ages i would sign off on that,roma and a frdp is right up there with giving essendon our compo first rounder for shiel

 

[BrutThough]

Didn't SDK re-sign this year? Not sure why he keeps getting brought up.

Because people are bored so trade scenarios need created so there is something to argue about.

 

[Sully111]

Because people are bored so trade scenarios need created so there is something to argue about.

Surely you jest.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Because people are bored so trade scenarios need created so there is something to argue about.

 

[gringo2011]

The Wilkie paradox is really that we’d only trade him for overs and the dogs won’t give up overs, hence my comment I can’t see how it happens.

If we could turn Wilkie into freijah and the dogs first, then turn Roma and the dogs first into SDK I feel like we cover Wilkie (to a point) and improve our midfield massively for a guy who remains surplus to need imo.

Again, can’t see how any of it happens but that’s the terms I’d live with if Wilkie is to go. Nothing less.

We would have the worst defence of any side in the league apart from North at that point. Seems to defy the logic of everything we've done this off season. I know Lyon used to love turning shit players into role playing soldiers but even he used to love having quality surrounding them. That back 6 would be diabolically exposed.

 

[gringo2011]

I think it was mentioned here, some heavy hitters paid off the debt.
Was in a discussion about the 1984 players getting back what they were owed from the 20 cents in the $$.

Jerry Ryan someone on here suggested.

 

[gringo2011]

Interesting that a very long time supporter of the club has only chosen to help with the debt now.
Assume he obviously approves of the way the club is being run now.

Ryan has been financially helping the club for years. He's got so many other sporting interests as well. Our debt would be small fry compared to some of his other pursuits. Probably helps that we don't need anything else right now so he can hit the debt pile instead.

 

[DougalHoward]

SDK is Dougal Howard with blonde hair.

Want

 

[gringo2011]

Didn't SDK re-sign this year? Not sure why he keeps getting brought up.

Geelong don't need him and he's gone backwards so probably that. He's been poor since injury and their change of game plan. When they were a slow ball movement side he looked good sitting across HB ripping down marks when teams tried to kick over Tom Stewart. O'Sullivan is a similar size but younger and much more able one on one. Carrying 2x 200cm backs is bit limiting IMO.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Want

Doog's, my man, maybe you could ask this guy for some hirsute advice?


If not, try to get his attention and he might be able to bring you that Pink Grapefruit Rum Punch you've been waiting half an hour for.

 

[ScrappyDo]

Yeah, sorry that's exactly what I meant. I thought it was a brave move after a costly misstep, but he wore a shitload of flak for it, and some still talk about it now. Laughing stock in their eyes, not mine

Perceptions are a funny thing. It was a brave because of the flack he'd cop, but also obviously needed to be done so the move itself didn't require bravery. Similarly, challenging the FS/NGA stuff needed to be done and 12 months on there's a wide industry acceptance and other clubs are falling in behind Bassat. I suppose the AFL will only bend to public pressure but as we're getting belted for everything anyway it may as well be for a good cause.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

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[dudeintheswamp]

Hope Wilkie shows up tonight

 

[Red White Black]

Hope Wilkie shows up tonight

I’ve heard Max King is skipping the after party as he wants to get home before Antiques Roadshow starts

 

[phantom13]

You're trolling now aren't you? SDK is C grade at the moment and not what we need, he's physically tall but plays better away from an opponent. We go into next year with JSOS as the only player who can play on on one and he's only done it for half season in his whole career.

Freijah looks promising running around with no pressure on him. No idea how he goes as a main driver. Semi developed kids is what we don't need more of either. We need guys in their peak years that can hold up in finals.

Gringo... as always missing the point.

SDK aint c grade to start with. Ive said for a long long time that defense needs Camma/Howard in it, they are one out players along with JSOS but if you really think you need a stack of one on one players in defense then were just not gonna agree.

If Wilkie wants out and makes it nasty then turning him and Roma into Friejah is the win.

As ive said numerous times id rather retain Wilkie, if we cant cause he goes Merrett then we need SDK as the cover and we need make the dogs pay overs.

Freijah wouldnt be the main driver here either mate. Macrae is the Libba equivalent, Nas is the Richards equivalent and we actually have a defensive mid in the form of Windy.

We would have the worst defence of any side in the league apart from North at that point. Seems to defy the logic of everything we've done this off season. I know Lyon used to love turning shit players into role playing soldiers but even he used to love having quality surrounding them. That back 6 would be diabolically exposed.

Bullshit, complete bullshit. Richmond, West Coast, Essendon, Melbourne, Port, Dogs, Carlton all worse.

If SDK comes on as expected wed be as good as any bar probably Brissy.

 

[Remboy]

Naughton and Bont on well over $1M per season and I don't think they've been putting cap aside like we have. I call BS.

Didn’t you know, they’ve been banking cap space for at least a month.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Ryan has been financially helping the club for years. He's got so many other sporting interests as well. Our debt would be small fry compared to some of his other pursuits. Probably helps that we don't need anything else right now so he can hit the debt pile instead.

Well I think that another poster said it was someone else. Who knows?

End of the day - club should be pretty grateful to all their big donors, but to have the debt written off completely is huge.

 

[SaintersUnite]

Wilkie isn’t going anywhere. Stop worrying.