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AFLW 2025 - AFLW Trade and Draft - All the player moves
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Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)
- Thread starter _Mike_
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- May 23, 2019
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Who do you think is the best key defender available?
We’ve got Weightman coming back from injury next year and are backing in last year’s draftee Dolan to hit puberty. He’s got heaps going for him.
We’ve got Weightman coming back from injury next year and are backing in last year’s draftee Dolan to hit puberty. He’s got heaps going for him.
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- Oct 4, 2018
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Not to mention Arty Jones having a promising final game and West having his best year. Far from a weakness compared to our backline, where Jackson Trengrove would probably walk straight back in
I think May is a real possibility if we fail to bring in any upgrades on Lobb, JoD and Buss.
We might well be that desperate despite any posturing about cultural fit.
Going into 2026 with those 3, with Gardner (who will be delisted next year anyway - not a long term piece) and Will Darcy (stick figure, too long term a piece) would be negligent.
That said I was hopeful we would upgrade our small forward stocks with a proven player in the last trade period. So we weren’t reliant on McNeil and VDM bolstering very thin depth. Cody out for the year, and we got hit with needing to play the both of them most of the season. Which cooled very quickly after an uncharacteristic start in which they were hitting the scoreboard. Not a personal thing against them; we’ve had awful depth in that area for awhile, and haven’t had much to choose from. Looks slightly better now with Dolan and Arty, but neither can be reliably predicted to contribute consistently in 2026. Repeat that lack of action/urgency with the KPDs (and before it’s misconstrued - not equating the mentioned players) and we will feel it in 2026.
Whether we’re trying to take risks and can’t land anyone, or are wanting to play it safe, it doesn’t really matter. It should be assessed on outcomes. I like the Wilkie attempt but you don’t get points for trying. If Butts is made available, moves, and it’s not to us, that’s pretty bad. You do have to make these things happen.
I’m not saying we have to go full Dodo and “win” trade week. Even one good player could be enough if he’s the right one.
If the high press - engineered to roll over shit teams and fall short against good ones - is a result of a lack of trust in our defenders, it would seem pretty imperative that we address that so we can play more defensively. Which is historically what you need to be a contender.
Budarick is a good start but more is needed. Our tall defenders are hopeless one on one. Our midfield won’t win or equalise every clearance. Like we saw with Larkey ragdolling our entire backline in one quarter this year - it won’t always be on our terms and contingencies are needed.
It would be nice to have some kind of report locking us in to such a player by now, and yes there’s still a lot of time to play out. Time in which the afl makes clubs withhold deals and information until the last day. We shall see.
We might well be that desperate despite any posturing about cultural fit.
Going into 2026 with those 3, with Gardner (who will be delisted next year anyway - not a long term piece) and Will Darcy (stick figure, too long term a piece) would be negligent.
That said I was hopeful we would upgrade our small forward stocks with a proven player in the last trade period. So we weren’t reliant on McNeil and VDM bolstering very thin depth. Cody out for the year, and we got hit with needing to play the both of them most of the season. Which cooled very quickly after an uncharacteristic start in which they were hitting the scoreboard. Not a personal thing against them; we’ve had awful depth in that area for awhile, and haven’t had much to choose from. Looks slightly better now with Dolan and Arty, but neither can be reliably predicted to contribute consistently in 2026. Repeat that lack of action/urgency with the KPDs (and before it’s misconstrued - not equating the mentioned players) and we will feel it in 2026.
Whether we’re trying to take risks and can’t land anyone, or are wanting to play it safe, it doesn’t really matter. It should be assessed on outcomes. I like the Wilkie attempt but you don’t get points for trying. If Butts is made available, moves, and it’s not to us, that’s pretty bad. You do have to make these things happen.
I’m not saying we have to go full Dodo and “win” trade week. Even one good player could be enough if he’s the right one.
If the high press - engineered to roll over shit teams and fall short against good ones - is a result of a lack of trust in our defenders, it would seem pretty imperative that we address that so we can play more defensively. Which is historically what you need to be a contender.
Budarick is a good start but more is needed. Our tall defenders are hopeless one on one. Our midfield won’t win or equalise every clearance. Like we saw with Larkey ragdolling our entire backline in one quarter this year - it won’t always be on our terms and contingencies are needed.
It would be nice to have some kind of report locking us in to such a player by now, and yes there’s still a lot of time to play out. Time in which the afl makes clubs withhold deals and information until the last day. We shall see.
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For anybody paying attention and of course you are. What he said is in line with what Ive been saying on these matters.
It's time that I outed myself as Micheal Regan.
You can now ask me any list management questions that you like and I will endeavour to answer them as best I can.
So I'll address the elephant in the room. Yes. Zac Butters will ask for a trade before the wend of this trade period. Dont believe Ports spin about him being a loyal Port man. Ooops. Ive said too much...
Sorry Sam.
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Marsy
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A wise man once told me, "if you never celebrate your birthday you never grow old".
My understanding is that if Port matches, he can't move as a free agent. There are 3 options. 1) Butters signs with Port. 2) We trade for him. 3) He goes into the draft as an uncontracted player.
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1st question: There are no available options better than what we already have. Despite what you see in the media, our back six are generally pretty good, I think the biggest issue lies with the game plan.
2nd question: Cody Weightman hopefully plays second half of next year and is one of the best small forwards going around.
2nd question: Cody Weightman hopefully plays second half of next year and is one of the best small forwards going around.
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mal68au
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Weightman may be small and a forward, but that doesn't necessarily make him a small forward
welcome regardless.
I actually think Westy continues to refine the crumbing, snapping aspect of his game and plays that role for us, while Cody pushes out one of McNeil or VDM and possibly Dolan the other.
Bald Headed Flog
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He may not do as much crumbing, but he does pressure. He averaged 15.1 pressure acts a game in 2024. That would have had him #1 among our non-mids this year. West averaged 13.7, Naughton 9.8, McNeil 9.5 and VDM 9.0
He’ still an improvement on what we used in 2025 in that position.
Ralph is a w***er
Crow set to stay, how Bomber deal gets done, talks begin on McVee move
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Club aren’t planning on pursuing Butts
I’d still double check if Ralphy told me it was raining
Sorry for long post - so bored!
Carltank trying to offload McGovern and now Holland - would we consider?
Watched most of the VFL games this year. The weakness (if you can say that after being the premiers and have a great run home - was it 13 in a row?) - was tall forwards and ruck.
Lachie Smith did a great job but mostly alone - most team have multiple rucks. Our only truly proven back up ruck is Lobb - and then we lose our most experienced defender. One injury or concussion to English and we are in trouble. We should be looking for a playable back up. If we get the right one / should also help with out tall forwards.
Forwards was a makeshift game most weeks. At our best we had Khamis as the Key AFL listed key post - even if really a third key forward in AFL and with Croft in development. Ended up playing Walker as a make shift forward when Croft (our only AFL tall forward) got the call up and Khamis became ineligible. Walker did a great job.
Theoretically we should have had: Croft and Khamis - as back up but that didn’t work out and now likely we won’t have either of them in VFL - Croft replacing JUH in AFL (and him gone) and Khamis gone. This has become a weakness. Even if we get a ruck forward - we still need someone. I have already said I would go for Riccardi as someone who could play both but would also go for Dixon from Southport - he could make it at both ends - is now harder and more experienced.
Defence was stacked but this will change - We had Jones, Coffield, Buss and Gardner and then Walker as talls and Kellet, Orvill and then Sellwood - pushing Jacques to wing (where he was excellent). Best defence in VFL.
But now we have lost Jones (didn’t play him when we needed him most so I guess that was predictable), Buss got the call up (certainly not proven and particularly where we need him at FB), who knows if we will keep Coffield - he was solid but really disappointing - he is neither quick enough or tough enough - had hoped he could be the Wood like interceptor we have tried so many times to solve. Gardner is contracted back up - Shame for him to be left in the back room - he has improved every year but still just not enough. Expect the backup/VFL KPDs be:
Walker Gardner and Coffield maybe? Now
This Looks shaky. Hence looking for someone. Now only hearing about Butts with Derksen now possible. Not stars but moneyball picks. Sam will have to be creative.
Small defenders we will have Bramble (replaced by Buderick) and Sellwood - assuming Cleary currently in AFL but would be keen on Voss from Frankston. He is good back up.
Mids and wings look OK but would always look for replacements for Trelor then Libba then Bont (who will go forward when Croft goes back).
Today we have some back up:
Trelor - Hynes - get that Trelor has speed and power but Hynes will get the latter and will be a star. Also have Gags coming back who has speed.
Libba - I believe the best replacement is Sanders but assuming he will be off to the Devil in two - then I would move West in the guts. And bring his brother in on rotation. Also have Garcia but jeez he will take a bit his confidence back.
Bont - well that is easy. Cmon down Bont2 Fridge. Red will actually take his spot and Fridge take his but he will also rotate through for at least five years after he goes forward.
Backup of Harmes, Kennedy means OK for a few years and likely repopulated through draft. Like Jones our best VFL defender gone - Scott is our best VFL midfielder but I think we should be OK. I really like Husthwaite and we may go the XOH merry go round again. Trelor likes that other VFL fella but maybe we give Billy Crofts a go - either he or CCP have earned a call up. I like giving a Footscray player a rookie spot each year.
I expect we will take a couple of midfielders through draft and trade.
Out with JOD upgraded and two out means only one full list spot and one rookie. Assuming somehow Buderick and JUH replace each other (from a list number perspective). Khamis gives us one chance to address these if a trade can be found or another pick and we have to draft two (can we count JOD as one of the three picks?) - so while at least one other delisting but given the gaps I reckon we will need to delist two additional to that.
Carltank trying to offload McGovern and now Holland - would we consider?
Watched most of the VFL games this year. The weakness (if you can say that after being the premiers and have a great run home - was it 13 in a row?) - was tall forwards and ruck.
Lachie Smith did a great job but mostly alone - most team have multiple rucks. Our only truly proven back up ruck is Lobb - and then we lose our most experienced defender. One injury or concussion to English and we are in trouble. We should be looking for a playable back up. If we get the right one / should also help with out tall forwards.
Forwards was a makeshift game most weeks. At our best we had Khamis as the Key AFL listed key post - even if really a third key forward in AFL and with Croft in development. Ended up playing Walker as a make shift forward when Croft (our only AFL tall forward) got the call up and Khamis became ineligible. Walker did a great job.
Theoretically we should have had: Croft and Khamis - as back up but that didn’t work out and now likely we won’t have either of them in VFL - Croft replacing JUH in AFL (and him gone) and Khamis gone. This has become a weakness. Even if we get a ruck forward - we still need someone. I have already said I would go for Riccardi as someone who could play both but would also go for Dixon from Southport - he could make it at both ends - is now harder and more experienced.
Defence was stacked but this will change - We had Jones, Coffield, Buss and Gardner and then Walker as talls and Kellet, Orvill and then Sellwood - pushing Jacques to wing (where he was excellent). Best defence in VFL.
But now we have lost Jones (didn’t play him when we needed him most so I guess that was predictable), Buss got the call up (certainly not proven and particularly where we need him at FB), who knows if we will keep Coffield - he was solid but really disappointing - he is neither quick enough or tough enough - had hoped he could be the Wood like interceptor we have tried so many times to solve. Gardner is contracted back up - Shame for him to be left in the back room - he has improved every year but still just not enough. Expect the backup/VFL KPDs be:
Walker Gardner and Coffield maybe? Now
This Looks shaky. Hence looking for someone. Now only hearing about Butts with Derksen now possible. Not stars but moneyball picks. Sam will have to be creative.
Small defenders we will have Bramble (replaced by Buderick) and Sellwood - assuming Cleary currently in AFL but would be keen on Voss from Frankston. He is good back up.
Mids and wings look OK but would always look for replacements for Trelor then Libba then Bont (who will go forward when Croft goes back).
Today we have some back up:
Trelor - Hynes - get that Trelor has speed and power but Hynes will get the latter and will be a star. Also have Gags coming back who has speed.
Libba - I believe the best replacement is Sanders but assuming he will be off to the Devil in two - then I would move West in the guts. And bring his brother in on rotation. Also have Garcia but jeez he will take a bit his confidence back.
Bont - well that is easy. Cmon down Bont2 Fridge. Red will actually take his spot and Fridge take his but he will also rotate through for at least five years after he goes forward.
Backup of Harmes, Kennedy means OK for a few years and likely repopulated through draft. Like Jones our best VFL defender gone - Scott is our best VFL midfielder but I think we should be OK. I really like Husthwaite and we may go the XOH merry go round again. Trelor likes that other VFL fella but maybe we give Billy Crofts a go - either he or CCP have earned a call up. I like giving a Footscray player a rookie spot each year.
I expect we will take a couple of midfielders through draft and trade.
Out with JOD upgraded and two out means only one full list spot and one rookie. Assuming somehow Buderick and JUH replace each other (from a list number perspective). Khamis gives us one chance to address these if a trade can be found or another pick and we have to draft two (can we count JOD as one of the three picks?) - so while at least one other delisting but given the gaps I reckon we will need to delist two additional to that.
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- Sep 27, 2005
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To media sucks like Ralph, Hawthorn are the new 'they do everything soooo well' Geelong.
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Sounds like we pulled out - similar to Tylar Young. Club must rate Buss extremely highly, and are not just saying that to please the fans.Crow set to stay, how Bomber deal gets done, talks begin on McVee move
Check out all the latest trade news from around the League
Club aren’t planning on pursuing Butts
Thats a disappointing post. Possibly one of the last chances to use Butts in a joke.
You could have gone with 'We don't like big Butts I cannot lie'
- Aug 31, 2007
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Reading between the lines with Butts it seems pretty clear that either Adelaide have absolutely no intention of trading him this off-season or he isn't interested in leaving the Crows yet (or both). If a few clubs are asking about him, but there's no whispers of him being interested or coming out and asking for a trade, he obviously isn't available.
The last line also about him set to become the biggest name KPD free agent next year gives you a hint too maybe his manager is saying the offers will be even bigger next year, get back in the team and play some good footy and he'll be getting offers similar or greater to what JSOS got from the Saints.
The last line also about him set to become the biggest name KPD free agent next year gives you a hint too maybe his manager is saying the offers will be even bigger next year, get back in the team and play some good footy and he'll be getting offers similar or greater to what JSOS got from the Saints.
