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
​

 

[SainterinSydney]

The Geelong supporters are shockingly quite dumb with their arguments.

 

[nikkig98]

The Geelong supporters are shockingly quite dumb with their arguments.

i once lived in geelong for 6 months for work, nothing shocking at all about geelong supporters being dumb

 

[ThomasR]

I was incorrect in needing to delist Carroll or Dow - we have a full contingent based on out current trade haul (4 players) and our minimum 3 picks at the National Draft.

I think you were right the first time. cannot be 39/4/1 as we can only have a max of 38 on the primary list.

but we are allowed to have 4 Cat As and 2 Cat Bs, so O'Connell and Armstrong can stay Cat B



essentially we would be 39/1/2 (post national draft), so still need to drop a contracted player from the senior list (trade or re-rookie), as it stands

 

[TheJackal]

Personally I'd love for Carlton to accept Geelong's 3 first rounders for Curnow.

Means its either SDK to us or 54 year old Rhys Stanley

1

Rhys Stanley

Age

35

Ht

200cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

6.4

4star

CL

3.4

5star

HO

27.6

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

4.5

3star

CL

5.0

5star

HO

21.5

5star

D

11.8

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

6.4

4star

CL

3.0

5star

HO

33.0

5star

getting mauled in the ruck yet again.

 

[Geezington]

Why do you say that, Geez?

we haven’t said anything, they’ve thrown the toys out of the cot cause we’ve walked away there’s still 6 days left in the trade period, they’ll end up coming back together and getting it done unless there’s another reason why they’ve pulled out

 

[SainterinSydney]

i once lived in geelong for 6 months for work, nothing shocking at all about geelong supporters being dumb

One said that a team can't play two rucks in today's game. Even before the changes coming next season, Geelong got smashed by a team playing two rucks lol

 

[littlecreatures]

It will blow over in 24 hours and no one will give a shit. Still a chance it gets done too.

Couldn’t agree more. Storm in a tea cup in grand scheme of things. It’ll be yesterday’s fish n chips paper tomorrow

 

[Anythings_sipposible]

If anyone wants their day ruined, have a listen to this

Lol, can't wait for Jye Caldwell, Tristan Xerris, and Ivan Soldo's contracts to get off our books. We'll be absolutely cashed up

 

[nikkig98]

It will blow over in 24 hours and no one will give a shit. Still a chance it gets done too.

Thank god for blokes like Bailey Smith who can't last 2 days without doing something stupid that gets blown up by the media

The Zach Merrett time bomb is also still ticking

 

[Sheepey]

For what it's worth, I think it could have been handled better. We should have withdrawn our interest in Aleer as soon as JSOS nominated us, as he wasn't needed anymore. From a human perspective, I do feel for Aleer. He'd be feeling like shit right now, and I hope he gets a good contract elsewhere.

Ultimately though, I am 100% confident that this is the right move for the Saints. It makes no sense to pay Aleer the amount of money that had been reported when we have Wilkie, Howard, Caminiti, Silvagni and Tauru all performing his role to a higher level. Even less sense to part with a future draft pick for it. He was always the player that stood out as making the least sense to trade in, as he wasn't a free agent (meaning we weren't spending high on him to avoid paying a draft pick), doesn't play a position that we need and just isn't very good. I think part of the reason that opposition clubs are so angry at us is because they can't clown us for going through with paying $700k over 4 years.

If reserve salary allows us to keep Marshall and pay Wilson next year when he's out of contract, given I am almost certain that clubs will be gunning for him, then it's ruthless but very good decision.

 

[DT_35]

Thank god for blokes like Bailey Smith who can't last 2 days without doing something stupid that gets blown up by the media

The Zach Merrett time bomb is also still ticking

Speaking of



Moron can’t help himself

 

[my name was taken]

If anyone wants their day ruined, have a listen to this

 

[SainterinSydney]

You'd suspect there will be some official announcement tomorrow if we have pulled the offer to Aleer.

 

[ThomasR]

Personally I'd love for Carlton to accept Geelong's 3 first rounders for Curnow.

Means its either SDK to us or 54 year old Rhys Stanley getting mauled in the ruck yet again.

not too fussed on SDK but I would also be very happy if Carlton took that deal, looks like a lose/lose

maybe supporter bias but I struggle to see how Curnow is being deemed worth the equivalent of Marshall plus two firsts to the Cats. coming off a pretty average 32-goal season, question marks over his knees and not filling a position of need. I'd be disappointed if we offered the equivalent

 

[XhazzafootyX]

Classic Andy and gaze to go early on something and hang people out even tho the there’s still heaps to play out. Will never forget them going hard at Fagan and Clarko in 2022 with no facts or evidence, ****ing pricks

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Well after today’s unexpected turn of events we may just have to send Gubby back in tomorrow to sort things out

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Straight swap, De Goey in, Steele out. We’ll add our F2.

You have no respect for Steele at all, fmd

 

[Tommy Wigs]

not too fussed on SDK but I would also be very happy if Carlton took that deal, looks like a lose/lose

maybe supporter bias but I struggle to see how Curnow is being deemed worth the equivalent of Marshall plus two firsts to the Cats. coming off a pretty average 32-goal season, question marks over his knees and not filling a position of need. I'd be disappointed if we offered the equivalent

Yeah, it might only be “picks in the 20s”, but gee that’s a looong time out of the top 30-40 of the draft. As you say, constant injury issues and hardly a kid. Cats being top 4 isn’t set in stone (even if only one off year). The 2027 pick, of course, isn’t great regardless.

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

For what it's worth, I think it could have been handled better. We should have withdrawn our interest in Aleer as soon as JSOS nominated us, as he wasn't needed anymore. From a human perspective, I do feel for Aleer. He'd be feeling like shit right now, and I hope he gets a good contract elsewhere.

Ultimately though, I am 100% confident that this is the right move for the Saints. It makes no sense to pay Aleer the amount of money that had been reported when we have Wilkie, Howard, Caminiti, Silvagni and Tauru all performing his role to a higher level. Even less sense to part with a future draft pick for it. He was always the player that stood out as making the least sense to trade in, as he wasn't a free agent (meaning we weren't spending high on him to avoid paying a draft pick), doesn't play a position that we need and just isn't very good. I think part of the reason that opposition clubs are so angry at us is because they can't clown us for going through with paying $700k over 4 years.

If reserve salary allows us to keep Marshall and pay Wilson next year when he's out of contract, given I am almost certain that clubs will be gunning for him, then it's ruthless but very good decision.

Who knew that Gws were going to be that difficult, F2 ffs
You know what
Who knew Jsos could be in our sights, it came late.
The dust settled
We thought we still wanted Aleer then Gws give us that crap.
We knew they had offered Aleer 3 years
We quickly re-assessed, you know what you can keep him & explain to him & his manager the reason why.
Our trade ins have been fair & quick
No stain on us.

 

[maanco]

I think you were right the first time. cannot be 39/4/1 as we can only have a max of 38 on the primary list.

but we are allowed to have 4 Cat As and 2 Cat Bs, so O'Connell and Armstrong can stay Cat B

View attachment 2451449

essentially we would be 39/1/2 (post national draft), so still need to drop a contracted player from the senior list (trade or re-rookie), as it stands

But can only have 1 Cat B Irish Rookie for some weird reason. 3 Cat B otherwise.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

we haven’t said anything, they’ve thrown the toys out of the cot cause we’ve walked away there’s still 6 days left in the trade period, they’ll end up coming back together and getting it done unless there’s another reason why they’ve pulled out

Hopefully - nothing worse than pulling out early

 

[geelong sajnt]

Anyone find it interesting that Bartel was the only one who got the St Kilda side of the story... future footy boss?

 

[mad-saint-guy]

On the Aleer situation: Is it a bit amateurish? Yes. Would I prefer that we cop the backlash for pulling out rather than going through with the misguided recruitment of a C-grade player who is surplus to needs? Absolutely

 

[ThomasR]

But can only have 1 Cat B Irish Rookie for some weird reason. 3 Cat B otherwise.

I assume that's coming from this page which is undated (but very old): https://www.afl.com.au/about-afl/rookie-players . I wish the AFL would update or remove it as it is full of misinformation

the latest regs AFAIK (Feb 2025) are here: https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/do...L-Rules-effective-14-February-2025-Final-.pdf

where Cat Bs are now capped at 2, and no real distinction is made between Irish players and all international players (except when it comes to scholarships). so I'm pretty sure we can keep LOC and Armstrong on there

the rules are pretty murky on moving from Cat B to Cat A but I assume that's what we did with McLennan as Draftguru has him listed as Cat A for this year

 

[CursingFijian]

What. The. Actual. ****.

Slow down you campaigners. Keep Fiji in mind!!