List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion - Part V

[Hubnester]

2025 List Management Discussion - Part 5

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
​

 

[saintmike65]

Id love Collard to pass him, Collard has the traits to be the best small forward in the game.

It might never come together but if it does hell be unreal.

RTB made a comment at a function early this year that Collard will play 2 games or 200 games..

 

[CursingFijian]

The amazing thing about being up front and honest with respected players like Jack Steele

9

Jack Steele

Age

29

Ht

187cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

8.7

3star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

6.8

5star

CL

3.6

5star

D

21.3

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

16.8

4star

K

5.0

2star

HB

11.8

5star

M

2.6

3star

T

6.4

5star

CL

3.6

5star

in an exit interview is that it sends a very strong message to the youth to believe what they have been told.

If Wilson, Garcia, Pou, Hall and company have been told they are important and required players then our handling of Jack Steele

9

Jack Steele

Age

29

Ht

187cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

8.7

3star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

6.8

5star

CL

3.6

5star

D

21.3

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

16.8

4star

K

5.0

2star

HB

11.8

5star

M

2.6

3star

T

6.4

5star

CL

3.6

5star

underlines those conversations.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

If we can only keep one of Ari Monty or Zac who would you keep.
Monty links attacking strings all across the ground and pops up for the odd goal. A true warrior.
Zac is our best clearance player on his day.
Ari is a one trick pony and not a great defender.
Funnily enough I’d pick Ari. Could be an absolute weapon off a wing with further development and fitness.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Mackie's left deals to the last minute the last few years, no doubt a deliberate tactic

Yeah well it totally backfired on him this year.

 

[sammm]

It wasn’t a F1. It was this years first.

thanks, then, it wasn't worth it.

 

[Joffaboy]

We have a few potential guns in that lot but more a spread of B graders and some cover for holes/depth. We had a similar surge with Ryder, Hill, Butler, Howard, Snags etc but we hadn't done the big build under that. This model looks much better because it's a top up built on the back of a serious list rebuild.

Toce getting us Nas and kick starting us into a draft lead list build is where I put the year that built our chance at success. These guys are unlikely to be able to carry the whole side but they should allow the kids to play with freedom and protection and start a surge of momentum.

As you know I have a completely different view of the 2019 trades. Our list was so lacking in experience that we would have ended up looking like WCE or North in results and club morale and culture. This would have made it impossible to do what we have done over the past few years.
We still have four on the list after 6 years although Jones should be delisted this year. It was a good result to keep the team somewhat competitive, and probably helped us get Lyon back and allow us for the current tilt.

BUT....

It was never going to get us top four and you are correct with Toce. Not sure if he was the one who identified Wilkie who was a 2019 rookie (forgotten when the talk of the 5 trades take place) but he got us Sharman after he went to SA to scout the SANFL during covid and probably was instrumental in NAZ, Pou and Keeler as well really started this current process.

After the appalling drafting from 2012 onwards we needed the reset in 2019 to stay competitive, and then the four year plan of hitting the draft culminating in this trade period.

I am still of the view we need another outside star recruit to compliment the hoped for internal growth of players to be able to compete. I have a terrible feeling the AFL has created an absolute monster in the two fake Queensland clubs and our window will be smashed by these to unfairly stacked teams.

 

[MordySaint]

What I take out of the last week, there's no gain without pain.

The existing structure couldn't get the job done, so we need to realize that and make some very hard decisions.

Would I have liked more for Jack Steele

9

Jack Steele

Age

29

Ht

187cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

8.7

3star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

6.8

5star

CL

3.6

5star

D

21.3

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

16.8

4star

K

5.0

2star

HB

11.8

5star

M

2.6

3star

T

6.4

5star

CL

3.6

5star

, yes but that was what the market was offering. I agree with everything the club has done this last week.

 

[Minga]

If we can only keep one of Ari Monty or Zac who would you keep.
Monty links attacking strings all across the ground and pops up for the odd goal. A true warrior.
Zac is our best clearance player on his day.
Ari is a one trick pony and not a great defender.
Funnily enough I’d pick Ari. Could be an absolute weapon off a wing with further development and fitness.

Byrnes for me, proven role player.

Jones - older & injury prone.

Schoey - one true weapon in his boot but yet to see much else. Players like that don’t make it in the modern game.

 

[Sully111]

The club has been damn impressive imo.

We’ve had our share of challenges with list management this year. From other clubs desperate to get Nas, to trying to bring quality players in to improve our list. I don’t think the club could have handled those challenges much better tbh.

I think the money being thrown around did unsettle a few of our players… it’s human nature… but the club managed it.

Nas just had to get done. It got done.

I think the Windy signing was really important.

Selfishly, I got what I wanted. I said early in the year I’d love us to look at Jsos, not thinking it would happen. I couldn’t care less that he’s the son of Sos. He’s a smart player that gives 100% and uses the ball well. The fact we’ve brought in good ball users is what I’ve been wanting for years.
I also felt moving Steele on would be a good thing.
I didn’t want Aleer.

The club showed balls, both in keeping Ro and pulling out of the Aleer deal.

They treated Steele with respect by having the decency to be honest with him.

Hats off to Ross, Sos, and my new man crush, Gubby Swagger Allen

So now we’re ready to rock’n’roll. There’s no doubt that TDK’s best is very very good. Same with Flanders. Up to the coaches to see that happens. It really is over to the coaches now. No excuses. Finals or GTFO.

 

[saintmike65]

If we can only keep one of Ari Monty or Zac who would you keep.
Monty links attacking strings all across the ground and pops up for the odd goal. A true warrior.
Zac is our best clearance player on his day.
Ari is a one trick pony and not a great defender.
Funnily enough I’d pick Ari. Could be an absolute weapon off a wing with further development and fitness.

Jones is hit or miss, Byrnes should be a fringe player ( Fincher a better bet), Ari too many deficiencies

 

[MordySaint]

The club has been damn impressive imo.

We’ve had our share of challenges with list management this year. From other clubs desperate to get Nas, to trying to bring quality players in to improve our list. I don’t think the club could have handled those challenges much better tbh.

I think the money being thrown around did unsettle a few of our players… it’s human nature… but the club managed it.

Nas just had to get done. It got done.

I think the Windy signing was really important.

Selfishly, I got what I wanted. I said early in the year I’d love us to look at Jsos, not thinking it would happen. I couldn’t care less that he’s the son of Sos. He’s a smart player that gives 100% and uses the ball well. The fact we’ve brought in good ball users in what I’ve been wanting for years.
I also felt moving Steele on would be a good thing.
I didn’t want Aleer.

The club showed balls, both in keeping Ro and pulling out of the Aleer deal.

They treated Steele with respect by having the decency to be honest with him.

Hats off to Ross, Sos, and my new man crush, Gubby Swagger Allen

So now we’re ready to rock’n’roll. There’s no doubt that TDK’s best is very very good. Same with Flanders. Up to the coaches to see that happens. It really is over to the coaches now. No excuses. Finals or GTFO.

Best comment of the last 72 hours.

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Not sure about how Marshall fits & if he will actually help the team.
Have all along been worried about the King comeback & the need for cover
in case he struggles

In all seriousness, the no.1 reason to keep Marshall was to appease Geelong fc.
& not improve them.

 

[Mystifly]

I wonder why we loaded up in the 2027 draft, we have Rowan MacKenzie (Cam's brother) as an NGA next year, so points would've been better for 2026?

 

[Joffaboy]

Feel for the guy at a personal level tbh. He will always have a place in our hearts, and maybe even rank as one of the top "X" clubmen for us, but its better for him to be playing every week at the AFL than slowly being forgotten.

Like Macrae is a Bulldogs player on loan to us, Steele is a Saints man on loan to Melbourne.

 

[unrelentingbelief]

Like Macrae is a Bulldogs player on loan to us, Steele is a Saints man on loan to Melbourne.

This comment makes me feel better inside

 

[tassiesaint2024]

Jones is hit or miss, Byrnes should be a fringe player ( Fincher a better bet), Ari too many deficiencies

Ari is actually supremely talented. Has been the whole way through his junior footy, almost been too good in a way that he hasn’t had to put the work in. There are also valid question marks on character. Can he learn to put the work in and sort himself out? He’s only a kid, but I have my reservations on whether he can.
Actually reminds me of another kid from tassie, Alex Gilmour. Taken by Richmond early way back. Heaps of talent, but same approach to footy.

 

[SG34]

I heard Lyon and Watson for a few minutes on SEN this morning. Verdict was that Melbourne keeping Oliver and Petracca last season didn’t help them. The Merritt situation also not good. So my brain is of course asking about St Kilda and Marshall (doesn’t wanna be here) and Steele (desperately wanted to stay) and in a bigger picture, longer contracts. (Max King

Multiple players found. Use birthday to differentiate. eg [PLAYERCARD="23/11/1962"]Joe Smith[/PLAYERCARD]

will be a year-to-year proposition, despite his contract)

I came up with a bizarre rationale. We are better keeping Marshall, even if he’s grumbling and playing half reserves and 40% in the seniors with us, rather than having him playing 100% balls out with the Cats. This way of thinking surely means that 16 remaining teams are better off too? Yep, I suppose so. Steele is sad, but people are itching , biting at the bit for progress. Maybe he is too samey as McCrae? So he would have been like MaCCrae at his last year in the Bulldogs. Flanker, Sub, Occasional seconds. I think that would have been preferable to be honest. And I think he knew it was a possibility.

Well, no use crying over spilt milk now. It’s done, and overall, I am really happy. It’s risky. But we did something.

 

[phantom13]

Ease up on the Mayo , potential and actually doing it are two different things

Think i made that pretty clear in my post but sure.

 

[Significant]

Oh, whats that Carl, we were juggling list spots?!?! When it came to our decision-making around Aleer?

What?

That is BRAND NEW INFORMATION!

 

[heynow85]

Carl on Tradio

 

[Gavinmitchell11]

My very low respect for Essendon has slightly increased after not baulking

Agree in one sense, but the picks they woukd have received make more sense, unless they’re banking on Merrett having another great season and somehow using him to get butters next year. Anyway, Hawthorn and Geelong got nothing and that’s good news for everyone.

 

[Minga]

Carl Dilena on TR saying that highly focused on having strongest list possible for the next few years and when tassie come in because it’ll be a “raid like we’ve never seen before”

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Don’t take on the Gubbster!

 

[Significant]

People worried about the 2027 3rd rounders...

Nothing is static. If we need points for next year's NGA, we can trade them into 2026.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Carl Dilena got a bit stuttery and hesitant once the Leek Aleer topic was broached. To be fair, the CEO probably isn't the ideal man to be answering questions about when and how negotiation breakdowns took place and all the ins and outs of trade scenarios, but even with that he was a tad nervous.