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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[thekizzler]

If we place things in broad categories I think 3 major things going right simultaneously could see St Kilda jump into contention next year.

1. Good injury run including existing players like King, Poo and Howard

2. Significant growth from the young crew like Tauru, Travaglia, Garcia.

3. New guys playing their best footy- especially Flanders whose best could really boost our midfield, and TDK who's crucial with Marshall going.

If those three things all happen, I could easily foresee St Kilda going deep into finals.

Yes 100%

There are a lot of new players coming in, will need time to gel, and there is still plenty of development left in the younger talent.

We would need a fair bit to go right to go deep in finals.

Clubs like Geelong and Gold Coast had amazing luck with injury lists this year. Definitely helped with their season results as I don't think either club has amazing depth.

 

[saintmike65]

Apart from his gleaming pate, what's your analysis of Armstrong, SaintMike? Did you get to see him at training late in the year? Any views on how he could slot into our team?

He was thrown in the deep end playing VFL after arriving in a foreign country and playing a foreign sport.
He has pace, kicks it pretty well but far too soon to get a handle on his potential.
I'll keep an eye on him when preseason training starts November 10.

 

[11men1cup]

Off topic but why are dogs fans so sensitive. I just tweeted an off hand statement that 4 years is a long time in footy and that imagine telling a dog's fan in 2021 that both Smith and JUH would be let go for a single first round pick and now they're in my comments and ones even in my DMs stating YOU TOOK BILLINGS AND MCCARTIN

 

[nikkig98]

Carl Dilena will be on Trade Radio today i think

 

[gringo2011]

On our current strategy being a "risk" ... how so? It is onlk seen that way becuase the AFL media and public think trading and spending cap money isnt the right way and you must toil away at the draft until you get 22 guns... Absolute HORSE S***

Every succesfulk team has had a big blend of draftees, FAs, trades and wildcard rookies

The reason its being posed as a 'risk' is so the media can rip us down if we don't win a flag becuase they want us to remain shit.

Geelong/Hawks do it and suddenly its brilliance. The Hawks had a 34yo win their BnF, in many other teams that is seen as a very concerning factor.

We need to soend the cap money and we need to fill the list. Who gives a tinkers cuss how we do it? Draft? Trade? Off the street? It is ALL risk

The obsession with getting a free pass for drafting 18yos is a joke. Have a look at North... Genuine no mans land.

Drafting got us Nas and trading got us Hill. It’s pretty easy to make a case to keep drafting. I was calling for us to start loading up on some mature talent before we loose momentum but it’s all a gamble still. Paying two top wages limits future moves for more absolute elite players too. We are ch losing two high end talents and bringing in a bit more of a spread for gap filling. It should kick start some serious momentum on field but if it doesn’t we look like idiots. At least we are having a crack.

 

[FraserGehrigsHair]

Our current trade period assult is built on our strong drafting over the last few years.

Players on our who were 22 and under this year (some will be 23 by next season) who we have drafted and who have already debuted:

1. NWM (86 games)
2. Windhager (75 games)
3. Owens (72 games)
4. Caminiti (56 games)
5. Philipou
6. Wilson
7. Garcia (2025 rising star nom)
8. Boxhall (2025 rising star nom)
9. Tauru
10. Travaglia
11. Dodson
12. Hastie
13. O'Connel
14. Keeler
15. Collard
16. Heath
17. Schoenmaker

The first three are already locked in as senior players in our team. Pou and Wilson have both had down seasons, but fully expect them to be long term players. Tauru looks like a star. Dodson, huge potential. Trav, Hastie, O'Connel, Keeler, Collard, have all played solid AFL level games, although stilll inconsistant and need to keep improving. IMO Heath is a late developer and will play a fair bit more AFL, albeit at another club. Schoenmaker could be a bust at this stage but may still get another chance.

I would say with some confidence that minimum 8-12 of those guys will still be playing AFL footballl when they are aged 25/26, which is a great success rate. For comparison, the only guys on our a current AFL list who were under 22 in 2021, who we drafted are King, Clark and Byrnes (Byrnes is 24 and realistically may not make it to the 25/26 age bracket).

Re trading out our 1st round draft pick this year, I am 100% totally fine with it as long as we go back to the draft next year so we don't end up with a big age gap in our list like we have had for a long time. When the current crop are all 26 we need to make sure we have another group of good kids coming through.

 

[sauce_head]

Off topic but why are dogs fans so sensitive. I just tweeted an off hand statement that 4 years is a long time in footy and that imagine telling a dog's fan in 2021 that both Smith and JUH would be let go for a single first round pick and now they're in my comments and ones even in my DMs stating YOU TOOK BILLINGS AND MCCARTIN

Even though your comment is correct, I don’t understand what people expect to get on twitter except abuse. It’s a cesspool. Seems to get to the bottom of the barrel very quickly.

 

[saintmike65]

Super work doc..

 

[SainterinSydney]

Off topic but why are dogs fans so sensitive. I just tweeted an off hand statement that 4 years is a long time in footy and that imagine telling a dog's fan in 2021 that both Smith and JUH would be let go for a single first round pick and now they're in my comments and ones even in my DMs stating YOU TOOK BILLINGS AND MCCARTIN

Every Dog's fan right now

 

[akaifu]

If Marshall leaves...lol

 

[stavro#4]

 

[Yawkey way]

If the offer is on the lower side of what’s been rumoured then I would imagine someone like Port or North would nab him.

Let them, I’m happy to take that chance.

 

[SainterinSydney]

Unless we get something decent and assuming he isn't clogging up the books, I'd rather keep Steele. I think he could actually play well next year if injury free and unburdened by the captaincy. He is also a true Saint's man, and good for the culture and leadership around the club.

 

[nikkig98]

If Marshall leaves...lol

id genuinely rather just re-sign harry boyd than soldo, happened to watch the 1 game he got a run this year in and dear lord, he is not even VFL standard. Keep in mind that port had 2 of their rucks go down at different points throughout the season and he couldnt get a run

 

[saintmike65]

He looked to have pretty freakish agility and coordination for someone his height. I’m more than comfortable with him being the back up ruckman.

He's a terrific young man...speaking to him this year he's currently 204cm and hopeful of getting to 206!

 

[thekizzler]

Off topic but why are dogs fans so sensitive. I just tweeted an off hand statement that 4 years is a long time in footy and that imagine telling a dog's fan in 2021 that both Smith and JUH would be let go for a single first round pick and now they're in my comments and ones even in my DMs stating YOU TOOK BILLINGS AND MCCARTIN

Every club has unintelligent supporters - equally spread.

Social media has given a voice to everyone, including these people sadly, but ultimately humorously.

It's a subconscious defensive mechanism for how they feel deep down about losing those players.

Sad Sainter troll of Bulldogs fans for the win - whether it was meant or not haha.

 

[Armoooo]

Off topic but why are dogs fans so sensitive. I just tweeted an off hand statement that 4 years is a long time in footy and that imagine telling a dog's fan in 2021 that both Smith and JUH would be let go for a single first round pick and now they're in my comments and ones even in my DMs stating YOU TOOK BILLINGS AND MCCARTIN

It was you who drafted those two?!?!

Gtfo!

 

[SainterinSydney]

He's a terrific young man...speaking to him this year he's currently 204cm and hopeful of getting to 206!

The TDK and Dodson combo in years to come could be some serious frothage!

 

[dudeintheswamp]

If Marshall leaves...lol

Excellent

 

[Armoooo]

Just on Dodson, did anyone else just feel so confident when watching his debut, especially that first quarter, that this is just a bloke that belongs. The strength and fitness will come with time, but this is clearly a high quality AFL player.

I don't get that feeling very often and it's usually only the generational talent, early picks.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Just on Dodson, did anyone else just feel so confident when watching his debut, especially that first quarter, that this is just a bloke that belongs. The strength and fitness will come with time, but this is clearly a high quality AFL player.

I don't get that feeling very often and it's usually only the generational talent, early picks.

Yep will be a gun, just needs a tank

 

[Hayes4PM]

I'd love for Steele to stay, I get the Marshall trade and currency is there with Geelong, but I feel Steele is more valuable to us and this club than any trade we could get. Is anyone handing over a 1st round pick for him? I wouldn't think so. Even if he plays in the reserves for some games next year, that would be huge for our competitiveness and young kids to have him leading the way. Also, the additional man on the bench means we could potentially have him as a part-time forward and mid not on huge minutes.

 

[akaifu]

 

[bergholt]

I wonder if the Saints like the look of big Cox?

here's one

 

[SainterinSydney]

I wonder if the Saints like the look of big Cox?

Somehow this clip works on so many levels