Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

_Mike_ · Sep 5, 2025

Opposition supporters coming to troll , you have been warned

Pencil case · Oct 11, 2025

Mojorisin said:
They have been told no this year, they're coming again next year when he is OOC.

Need to be re-signing him long term ASAP, offer him JUH’s contract.

Pencil case · Oct 11, 2025

Norm De Guerre said:
Is there any indication that its actually a two way conversation?

Because it reminds me of the stories from earlier in the week about clubs asking about Nick Daicos' status.

No. He doesn’t want to leave. People on here want to force out our young players with elite potential for fringe players from other clubs (Butts) who won’t make a difference in our defensive system. It’s bizarre.

redmania · Oct 11, 2025

I’m honestly struggling to understand what the Western Bulldogs’ strategy is. We’ve had two years of stagnation, two years of visible flaws on the list, and yet two trade periods in a row with zero meaningful aggression.

This isn’t about being reckless — it’s about ambition. And every recent premiership team shows exactly how it’s done.

Let’s look at the last 8 Grand Final-winning sides and what they did to get better:

2023 – Collingwood

Added key pieces over multiple trade periods (Bobby Hill, Lipinski, McStay).

Took calculated risks to fill gaps.

2022 – Geelong

Traded in Jeremy Cameron one of the biggest acquisition moves in modern footy.

Also brought in Tyson Stengle cheaply and turned him into an All-Australian.

2021 – Melbourne

Brought in Steven May and Jake Lever in consecutive aggressive trade periods.

Those two moves literally built their backline.

2020 – Richmond

Added Tom Lynch in 2019 — that was their “we’re going again” moment.

They didn't sit idle when they were already contenders.

2019 – West Coast

Traded for Tim Kelly immediately after their flag to stay in the window.

2018 – Richmond

Again — Lynch. They topped up rather than tinkered.

2017 – Richmond

Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy both traded in. They didn’t “hope for improvement,” they bought it.

2016 – Western Bulldogs

Even we traded for significant role players (Tom Boyd the year prior, Matt Suckling, etc.).

Ironically, the last time we showed ambition was before we won the damn thing.

And then look at Brisbane — who just keep swinging:

Lachie Neale (Brownlow winner)

Josh Dunkley (our own best and fairest!)

They’ve landed big names because they’re targeting improvement, not hoping it happens.

Meanwhile… the Dogs?

Two years of defensive issues → no key back acquired.

Midfield mix unbalanced → no hard-running winger or explosive mid brought in.

Forward line still too reliant on Naughton/luck → no serious trade targets landed.

Fringe/depth players clogging the list → no bold calls made.

We talk about “backing our group” but the group hasn’t improved — and the rest of the comp has. Doing nothing is not a strategy. Waiting for development is not a plan when you're supposedly in the window.

At some point, inaction becomes a choice — and it looks like a club that’s content finishing 6th–12th forever.

If clubs like Geelong, Collingwood, GC, St Kilda and Brisbane can be aggressive — what’s our excuse?

Where is the ambition? Where is the improvement? Where is the pressure on list management?

Because right now, it feels like we’re the only supposed contender trying to win a flag without actually changing anything.

Thunderoad · Oct 11, 2025

Chalky White said:
We don't get trades done. Well...we do for c graders who are not getting snapped up by anybody else. Give me a topliner that we have gort other than Adam Treloar. On the flip side look at all the good players that have left us for differing reasons.

That's different to sitting on our hands though.

Sitting on our hands implies that the club doesn't do anything and that's clearly not the case.

You might not like the outcome but we aren't just watching from the sidelines.

How many top line players move clubs in any given off season?

I'd say on average it would be no more than three and if there are 18 clubs in the competition then you will probably land one of those top line player every 4-5 years and that's before any other factors - big clubs, go home factor, get out of Melbourene factor - are applied.

I think some expectation management needs to be applied to the trade period.

Foxman98 · Oct 11, 2025

redmania said:
I’m honestly struggling to understand what the Western Bulldogs’ strategy is. We’ve had two years of stagnation, two years of visible flaws on the list, and yet two trade periods in a row with zero meaningful aggression.

This isn’t about being reckless — it’s about ambition. And every recent premiership team shows exactly how it’s done.

Let’s look at the last 8 Grand Final-winning sides and what they did to get better:

2023 – Collingwood

Added key pieces over multiple trade periods (Bobby Hill, Lipinski, McStay).

Took calculated risks to fill gaps.

2022 – Geelong

Traded in Jeremy Cameron, one of the biggest acquisition moves in modern footy.

Also brought in Tyson Stengle cheaply and turned him into an All-Australian.

2021 – Melbourne

Brought in Steven May and Jake Lever in consecutive aggressive trade periods.

Those two moves literally built their backline.

2020 – Richmond

Added Tom Lynch in 2019 — that was their “we’re going again” moment.

They didn't sit idle when they were already contenders.

2019 – West Coast

Traded for Tim Kelly immediately after their flag to stay in the window.

2018 – Richmond

Again — Lynch. They topped up rather than tinkered.

2017 – Richmond

Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy both traded in. They didn’t “hope for improvement,” they bought it.

2016 – Western Bulldogs

Even we traded for significant role players (Tom Boyd the year prior, Matt Suckling, etc.).

Ironically, the last time we showed ambition was before we won the damn thing.

And then look at Brisbane — who haven’t even won a premiership in this span — but they keep swinging:

Lachie Neale (Brownlow winner)

Josh Dunkley (our own best and fairest!)

They’ve landed big names because they’re targeting improvement, not hoping it happens.

Meanwhile… the Dogs?

Two years of defensive issues → no key back acquired.

Midfield mix unbalanced → no hard-running winger or explosive mid brought in.

Forward line still too reliant on Naughton/luck → no serious trade targets landed.

Fringe/depth players clogging the list → no bold calls made.

We talk about “backing our group” but the group hasn’t improved — and the rest of the comp has. Doing nothing is not a strategy. Waiting for development is not a plan when you're supposedly in the window.

At some point, inaction becomes a choice — and it looks like a club that’s content finishing 6th–12th forever.

If clubs like Geelong, Collingwood, GC, St Kilda and Brisbane can be aggressive — what’s our excuse?

Where is the ambition? Where is the improvement? Where is the pressure on list management?

Because right now, it feels like we’re the only supposed contender trying to win a flag without actually changing anything.

McStay didn’t play and Lipinski was sub

Jeremy Cameron was always going back to Geelong when he was a free agent not exactly going on a limb there similar to Baz once he signed with cotton on

Tom Lynch like every other FA at the time was going to either Richmond or Collingwood for success and to play in front of 80k each week

Tim Kelly literally is the reason west coast are as shit as they are now

Caddy and Prestia were solid role players no different to us adding Kennedy last year

We didn’t have defensive issues in 2024 this year we did we attempted to get Cal Wilkie to fix this Geelong have KpF issues and tried to get Curnow but can’t Ruck issues tried to get Marshall can’t

How is turning Ed Richards into an explosive goal kicking All Australian mid not addressing that whilst also doing that to a lesser extent with Freijah?

Davidson played 20 on games as hard running wing showed great promise

We had 6 players kick over 20 goals this year the same as Geelong who made the GF and played 3 extra games how are we reliant on Naughton?

Also lol St Kilda did the same thing 5 years ago and it did nothing

redmania · Oct 11, 2025

Foxman98 said:
McStay didn’t play and Lipinski was sub

Jeremy Cameron was always going back to Geelong when he was a free agent not exactly going on a limb there similar to Baz once he signed with cotton on

Tom Lynch like every other FA at the time was going to either Richmond or Collingwood for success and to play in front of 80k each week

Tim Kelly literally is the reason west coast are as shit as they are now

Caddy and Prestia were solid role players no different to us adding Kennedy last year

We didn’t have defensive issues in 2024 this year we did we attempted to get Cal Wilkie to fix this Geelong have KpF issues and tried to get Curnow but can’t Ruck issues tried to get Marshall can’t

How is turning Ed Richards into an explosive goal kicking All Australian mid not addressing that whilst also doing that to a lesser extent with Freijah?

Davidson played 20 on games as hard running wing showed great promise

We had 6 players kick over 20 goals this year the same as Geelong who made the GF and played 3 extra games how are we reliant on Naughton?

Also lol St Kilda did the same thing 5 years ago and it did nothing

Appreciate the effort in your points, but a few things need correcting or at least balancing out.

1. “McStay didn’t play / Lipinski was sub”
That’s the whole point — Collingwood still made moves. They added depth and competition for spots. We’ve done nothing this year, even with gaping list holes.

2. Jeremy Cameron / Tom Lynch / Tim Kelly comparisons
Free agency isn’t about guessing the destination — it’s about being in the conversations and putting compelling offers on the table.

Geelong still had to put a deal together for Cameron, and it changed their fortunes.

Lynch helped win flags — that’s exactly the kind of strategic move we refuse to even attempt.

Tim Kelly was elite in his first two years and cost West Coast because they went after talent — that’s ambition. We don’t even test the market.

3. Caddy / Prestia vs. Kennedy
Caddy and Prestia were part of a Richmond list build that resulted in three flags. Perspective matters. We added Kennedy as a band-aid. They built a system around aggression in trade and recruitment — we sit back and hope for development.

4. “We didn’t have defensive issues in 2024”
Yes, and we didn’t win a final either. This year exposed that our depth and structure weren’t built to withstand injuries or form drops. Identifying Wilkie is good — but failing to land anyone is the issue. Close doesn’t count.

5. “Geelong have KPF/Ruck issues too”
And yet they tried to get Curnow and Marshall — that’s the difference. They’re aggressive and transparent about needs. We act like improvement is optional.

6. Turning Ed Richards into an AA mid
Brilliant internal development — and credit to Bevo for that. But internal growth should complement external recruitment, not replace it. Freijah was drafted last year — not a trade or free agent solution. Still no mature injection of talent.

7. Davidson / youth development
Promising kids are great, but contenders don’t rely solely on promise. They supplement with experience, competition and high-end talent from elsewhere. Our wing depth still falls away dramatically after starters.

8. “We had 6× 20+ goal kickers — same as Geelong”
And Geelong won finals while we sat on the couch. That’s the difference. They don’t accept “good enough” — they actively look to top up. Naughton is still the bailout option whenever our ball movement stalls. Opposition coaches know it.

Bottom line:
We aren’t losing because of zero talent — we’re stagnating because of zero ambition in the trade space. Other clubs keep looking for edges. We keep convincing ourselves everything’s fine and development alone will bridge the gap. History says it won’t.

Until we stop patting ourselves on the back for “almost landing” players and start actually closing deals, nothing changes.

Thunderoad · Oct 11, 2025

redmania said:
I’m honestly struggling to understand what the Western Bulldogs’ strategy is. We’ve had two years of stagnation, two years of visible flaws on the list, and yet two trade periods in a row with zero meaningful aggression.

This isn’t about being reckless — it’s about ambition. And every recent premiership team shows exactly how it’s done.

Let’s look at the last 8 Grand Final-winning sides and what they did to get better:

2023 – Collingwood

Added key pieces over multiple trade periods (Bobby Hill, Lipinski, McStay).

Took calculated risks to fill gaps.

2022 – Geelong

Traded in Jeremy Cameron one of the biggest acquisition moves in modern footy.

Also brought in Tyson Stengle cheaply and turned him into an All-Australian.

2021 – Melbourne

Brought in Steven May and Jake Lever in consecutive aggressive trade periods.

Those two moves literally built their backline.

2020 – Richmond

Added Tom Lynch in 2019 — that was their “we’re going again” moment.

They didn't sit idle when they were already contenders.

2019 – West Coast

Traded for Tim Kelly immediately after their flag to stay in the window.

2018 – Richmond

Again — Lynch. They topped up rather than tinkered.

2017 – Richmond

Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy both traded in. They didn’t “hope for improvement,” they bought it.

2016 – Western Bulldogs

Even we traded for significant role players (Tom Boyd the year prior, Matt Suckling, etc.).

Ironically, the last time we showed ambition was before we won the damn thing.

And then look at Brisbane — who just keep swinging:

Lachie Neale (Brownlow winner)

Josh Dunkley (our own best and fairest!)

They’ve landed big names because they’re targeting improvement, not hoping it happens.

Meanwhile… the Dogs?

Two years of defensive issues → no key back acquired.

Midfield mix unbalanced → no hard-running winger or explosive mid brought in.

Forward line still too reliant on Naughton/luck → no serious trade targets landed.

Fringe/depth players clogging the list → no bold calls made.

We talk about “backing our group” but the group hasn’t improved — and the rest of the comp has. Doing nothing is not a strategy. Waiting for development is not a plan when you're supposedly in the window.

At some point, inaction becomes a choice — and it looks like a club that’s content finishing 6th–12th forever.

If clubs like Geelong, Collingwood, GC, St Kilda and Brisbane can be aggressive — what’s our excuse?

Where is the ambition? Where is the improvement? Where is the pressure on list management?

Because right now, it feels like we’re the only supposed contender trying to win a flag without actually changing anything.

If you're struggling to understand the strategy then I would recommend listing to Michael Regan's appearance on the Danny Boyd podcast, if you haven't already.

He goes into quite a bit of detail about the strategy.

Chalky White · Oct 11, 2025

Thunderoad said:
That's different to sitting on our hands though.

Sitting on our hands implies that the club doesn't do anything and that's clearly not the case.

You might not like the outcome but we aren't just watching from the sidelines.

How many top line players move clubs in any given off season?

I'd say on average it would be no more than three and if there are 18 clubs in the competition then you will probably land one of those top line player every 4-5 years and that's before any other factors - big clubs, go home factor, get out of Melbourene factor - are applied.

I think some expectation management needs to be applied to the trade period.

Well we have lost 3 top liners in 3 seasons ourselves. Dunkley, Smith and JUH are all players that will improve other teams. Macrae, Lipinski and Daniel to a lesser extent also going were still handy although not topliners at this stage of their careers.
We lose more quality than we gain, that is a historical fact. It goes back to the 1970s and hasn't really changed since.
I don't read anywhere other than the Wilkie offer that we have offered Will Ashcroft/Daicos (whoever) 2 mill a year to come and play with us. Yet everytime a topliner is in the media it is Geelong/Hawthorn/Brisbane/Sydney/St Kilda that are dangling the carrots.

redmania · Oct 11, 2025

Thunderoad said:
If you're struggling to understand the strategy then I would recommend listing to Michael Regan's appearance on the Danny Boyd podcast, if you haven't already.

He goes into quite a bit of detail about the strategy.

I’ve listened to the Regan interview — and that’s exactly why the frustration exists.

If anything, his appearance on Danny Boyd’s podcast only makes the situation more confusing:

He talks at length about a bold list management strategy… yet we’re the only club sitting on our hands during the trade period.

He outlines intent to aggressively improve the list… but there’s been zero execution to support that.

He promotes internal development as a pillar — but that’s not a substitute for external talent when every other premiership contender has topped up with proven players.

He speaks about being proactive and opportunistic… but the club hasn’t landed a single trade target while others around us have addressed gaps.

Listening to Regan didn’t clear up the strategy — it actually highlighted the gap between what’s being said and what’s being done.

Until actions reflect the vision he talks about, supporters are right to question whether there is a real plan in motion — or just talk on a podcast.

Thunderoad · Oct 11, 2025

Chalky White said:
Well we have lost 3 top liners in 3 seasons ourselves. Dunkley, Smith and JUH are all players that will improve other teams. Macrae, Lipinski and Daniel to a lesser extent also going were still handy although not topliners at this stage of their careers.
We lose more quality than we gain, that is a historical fact. It goes back to the 1970s and hasn't really changed since.
I don't read anywhere other than the Wilkie offer that we have offered Will Ashcroft/Daicos (whoever) 2 mill a year to come and play with us. Yet everytime a topliner is in the media it is Geelong/Hawthorn/Brisbane/Sydney/St Kilda that are dangling the carrots.

I'll give you Dunkley. That was somewhat preventable and his depature hurt on the field and culturally.

I can't level any criticism at the club for how they handled the Smith or JUH situations. That is just what happens sometimes.

We strategically moved Daniel and McCrae on and those deals were well executed.

Lipinski is a decent footballer but I don't think anyone loses any sleep about him not being on the list.

I really don't have an issue with how Power or the list management area have conducted themselves in recent years. I think they have got far more right than they have wrong.

I do have a problem with the reported reluctance of Bevo to aggressively pursue opposistion players during the season. I respect the guys ethics but I think this just too pure of a stance given what other clubs were doing.

Dogs_r_barking · Oct 11, 2025

So picking up Kennedy, Lobb, Baker, Harmes, doesn’t count?

We are a club that is good at drafting, and I am really happy with our most recent crop of draftees.

Clubs like geelong don’t have the same success at the draft as we do, and is one of the reasons they rely on trading in players.

Thunderoad · Oct 11, 2025

redmania said:
I’ve listened to the Regan interview — and that’s exactly why the frustration exists.

If anything, his appearance on Danny Boyd’s podcast only makes the situation more confusing:

He talks at length about a bold list management strategy… yet we’re the only club sitting on our hands during the trade period.

He outlines intent to aggressively improve the list… but there’s been zero execution to support that.

He promotes internal development as a pillar — but that’s not a substitute for external talent when every other premiership contender has topped up with proven players.

He speaks about being proactive and opportunistic… but the club hasn’t landed a single trade target while others around us have addressed gaps.

Listening to Regan didn’t clear up the strategy — it actually highlighted the gap between what’s being said and what’s being done.

Until actions reflect the vision he talks about, supporters are right to question whether there is a real plan in motion — or just talk on a podcast.

You seem to be hyper focussed on the trade facet of list management.

Most players who are traded or move due to free agency aren't A or even B grade players. They are the proverbial journeymen seeking more opportunities.

I'm no different to anyone else, I get a real thrill when we trade in a player, even a one of those C and D graders.

It feels like a win. It's feels like we have gotten one over every other club.

Ultimately though, it's just one part of the list management picture and I've always thought that given the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of the club that we are always better placed in focussing on identifying and developing young talent.

Foxman98 · Oct 11, 2025

redmania said:
Appreciate the effort in your points, but a few things need correcting or at least balancing out.

1. “McStay didn’t play / Lipinski was sub”
That’s the whole point — Collingwood still made moves. They added depth and competition for spots. We’ve done nothing this year, even with gaping list holes.

2. Jeremy Cameron / Tom Lynch / Tim Kelly comparisons
Free agency isn’t about guessing the destination — it’s about being in the conversations and putting compelling offers on the table.

Geelong still had to put a deal together for Cameron, and it changed their fortunes.

Lynch helped win flags — that’s exactly the kind of strategic move we refuse to even attempt.

Tim Kelly was elite in his first two years and cost West Coast because they went after talent — that’s ambition. We don’t even test the market.

3. Caddy / Prestia vs. Kennedy
Caddy and Prestia were part of a Richmond list build that resulted in three flags. Perspective matters. We added Kennedy as a band-aid. They built a system around aggression in trade and recruitment — we sit back and hope for development.

4. “We didn’t have defensive issues in 2024”
Yes, and we didn’t win a final either. This year exposed that our depth and structure weren’t built to withstand injuries or form drops. Identifying Wilkie is good — but failing to land anyone is the issue. Close doesn’t count.

5. “Geelong have KPF/Ruck issues too”
And yet they tried to get Curnow and Marshall — that’s the difference. They’re aggressive and transparent about needs. We act like improvement is optional.

6. Turning Ed Richards into an AA mid
Brilliant internal development — and credit to Bevo for that. But internal growth should complement external recruitment, not replace it. Freijah was drafted last year — not a trade or free agent solution. Still no mature injection of talent.

7. Davidson / youth development
Promising kids are great, but contenders don’t rely solely on promise. They supplement with experience, competition and high-end talent from elsewhere. Our wing depth still falls away dramatically after starters.

8. “We had 6× 20+ goal kickers — same as Geelong”
And Geelong won finals while we sat on the couch. That’s the difference. They don’t accept “good enough” — they actively look to top up. Naughton is still the bailout option whenever our ball movement stalls. Opposition coaches know it.

Bottom line:
We aren’t losing because of zero talent — we’re stagnating because of zero ambition in the trade space. Other clubs keep looking for edges. We keep convincing ourselves everything’s fine and development alone will bridge the gap. History says it won’t.

Until we stop patting ourselves on the back for “almost landing” players and start actually closing deals, nothing changes.

How do we have 0 ambition?

Did we not go for Wilkie? Were we not the front runner for JSos before St Kilda put in a ridiculous offer? Did we not target depth like Erasmus before Freo decided to start playing him again and up his offer?

You act as if there is anything we can do besides go stupid with money like St Kilda is doing reality is if players want to go home to vic and don’t want limelight they go to Geelong if they want to go to vic and play big games Collingwood or Richmond we are left fighting over the scraps and only way to win 9/10 is to over pay and ruin the team like St Kilda have just done

We draft exceptionally well and can top up with targeted players like we did with Buderick and will do with Butts once he is a FA

Foxman98 · Oct 11, 2025

Dogs_r_barking said:
So picking up Kennedy, Lobb, Baker, Harmes, doesn’t count?

We are a club that is good at drafting, and I am really happy with our most recent crop of draftees.

Clubs like geelong don’t have the same success at the draft as we do, and is one of the reasons they rely on trading in players.

Disagree Geelong are exceptional drafters for role players just shit at it for superstars since Selwood

Chalky White · Oct 11, 2025

Thunderoad said:
I'll give you Dunkley. That was somewhat preventable and his depature hurt on the field and culturally.

I can't level any criticism at the club for how they handled the Smith or JUH situations. That is just what happens sometimes.

We strategically moved Daniel and McCrae on and those deals were well executed.

Lipinski is a decent footballer but I don't think anyone loses any sleep about him not being on the list.

I really don't have an issue with how Power or the list management area have conducted themselves in recent years. I think they have got far more right than they have wrong.

I do have a problem with the reported reluctance of Bevo to aggressively pursue opposistion players during the season. I respect the guys ethics but I think this just too pure of a stance given what other clubs were doing.

It happens to us far more regularly than it does to other teams it seems. i don't mind losing players but we need to get some players back as well. We don't. We get players that are B Graders at best.

Dogs_r_barking · Oct 11, 2025

Foxman98 said:
Disagree Geelong are exceptional drafters for role players just shit at it for superstars since Selwood

Their most recent high draft pick was #7 they got from GC and he is a bust not the top echelon of player that pick 7 would bring.
If anything they are good at scouting local mature talent I.e Stewart and maybe hiding them.

BrisDog · Oct 11, 2025

Pencil case said:
No. He doesn’t want to leave. People on here want to force out our young players with elite potential for fringe players from other clubs (Butts) who won’t make a difference in our defensive system. It’s bizarre.

Which young player has ‘elite potential’ that we are potentially talking about here? Freijah, Darcy, Croft etc have not been mentioned. Darcy is already elite.

Foxman98 · Oct 11, 2025

Dogs_r_barking said:
Their most recent high draft pick was #7 they got from GC and he is a bust not the top echelon of player that pick 7 would bring.
If anything they are good at scouting local mature talent I.e Stewart and maybe hiding them.

Close Neale O’Connor Blicavs Mannagh Holmes ect

Edit how could I forget Ollie Dempsey

Gridlock'd · Oct 11, 2025

Pencil case said:
Need to be re-signing him long term ASAP, offer him JUH’s contract.

It’s gotta be this, which I’m comfortable with, or trade him out this year.

Otherwise it will hang over heads all next season and fair chance he will leave for Adelaide’s first rounder, likely pick 15-20.

Chalky White · Oct 11, 2025

Foxman98 said:
How do we have 0 ambition?

Did we not go for Wilkie? Were we not the front runner for JSos before St Kilda put in a ridiculous offer? Did we not target depth like Erasmus before Freo decided to start playing him again and up his offer?

You act as if there is anything we can do besides go stupid with money like St Kilda is doing reality is if players want to go home to vic and don’t want limelight they go to Geelong if they want to go to vic and play big games Collingwood or Richmond we are left fighting over the scraps and only way to win 9/10 is to over pay and ruin the team like St Kilda have just done

We draft exceptionally well and can top up with targeted players like we did with Buderick and will do with Butts once he is a FA

We went after Wilkie as a hail Mary after the season. Were we courting him all the way through the season? I doubt it.
JSOS is a B Grader who picked a club that was just far more aggressive than we were.
We were interested in Peatling when he left GWS, were we aggressive? I doubt it.
We are a soft touch in trade period and with our trade strategy.
How did Battle and Barrass end up at Hawthorn? A very aggressive recruitment campaign is how.
It's the same at Geelong, they know what they want and they move heaven and earth to get it.

Dogs_r_barking · Oct 11, 2025

Foxman98 said:
Close Neale O’Connor Blicavs Mannagh Holmes ect

Edit how could I forget Ollie Dempsey

How many of those are mature talent?

Mutt · Oct 11, 2025

dogwatch said:
Maybe we need to be more like Geelong. Target a really good player and work on him for 2-3 years. Like they did with Smith. Has to be someone we’re confident can eventually be prised out. (This is why GWS and GCS are so often raided.)

Wilkie seemed like a random throw at the stumps. A late thought bubble. It nearly came off to everyone’s surprise due to the amount of salary we waved in front of him.

The only player where we seem to have taken a strategic approach has been Butters, an operation still to reach its conclusion.

I think that's what we've done with Butters. And I agree that it's a good practice if you want to bring in quality consistently. You'll have some swings and a miss, but if you land one every couple of years, you'd be wrapt.

Thunderoad · Oct 11, 2025

Chalky White said:
It happens to us far more regularly than it does to other teams it seems. i don't mind losing players but we need to get some players back as well. We don't. We get players that are B Graders at best.

Brisbane won a flag and are losing Starsevich and Ah Chee.

They aren't losing them because they are a rubbish club, the are going becuase of external factors.

Chalky White · Oct 11, 2025

Dogs_r_barking said:
So picking up Kennedy, Lobb, Baker, Harmes, doesn’t count?

We are a club that is good at drafting, and I am really happy with our most recent crop of draftees.

Clubs like geelong don’t have the same success at the draft as we do, and is one of the reasons they rely on trading in players.

Kennedy B Grade
Lobb B
Harmes C
Baker D
Bramble C
Treloar B+
Poulter D

Foxman98 · Oct 11, 2025

Chalky White said:
We went after Wilkie as a hail Mary after the season. Were we courting him all the way through the season? I doubt it.
JSOS is a B Grader who picked a club that was just far more aggressive than we were.
We were interested in Peatling when he left GWS, were we aggressive? I doubt it.
We are a soft touch in trade period and with our trade strategy.
How did Battle and Barrass end up at Hawthorn? A very aggressive recruitment campaign is how.
It's the same at Geelong, they know what they want and they move heaven and earth to get it.

JSos is not a B grader he played 10 decent games as a Back pocket and got 5 years at 900k despite his age and injury history would’ve been the dumbest list management move ever to top it

We pivoted to Kennedy after missing Peatling who had a much better season

Hawthorn had a heap of cap space and play in front of larger crowds at the G most weeks

Geelong aren’t doing that now and have pulled out of 2 trades

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Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

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Club Legend

Premiers 2016

Premiership Player

Norm Smith Medallist

Norm Smith Medallist

Club Legend

Premiers 2016

Moderator

All Australian

Club Legend

Norm Smith Medallist

Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

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