Rumour GFC 2025 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt 3

[cats_09]

2025 AFL Draft and Trade Dates:​

Fri Oct 3 - Fri Oct 10: 2025 Free Agency Period
Mon Oct 6 - Wed Oct 15: 2025 Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period
Wed Nov 19 - Thu Nov 20: 2025 Telstra AFL Draft

 

[kickazz]

Honestly i think opposition fans are pissed that we didn't get reamed.

You can tell some of them were desperately hoping we'd be forced to overpay.

I avoid all threads during trade week(s) and just wait until the deadline to see what happened. All the vicarious offence taking and indignation and all that stuff that goes on based on discussions happening elsewhere that we have no part of - I find it so puerile to be honest.

 

[standupand]

Honestly, what difference would have curnow made in the GF??

That GF highlighted very well some obvious deficiencies our side has had throughout the season, and Scott was right how he said at times he wasn’t sure if we could overcome the issues to make it.

Our midfield was absolutely pulverized…. It is very difficult to create tactics to win games of footy losing clearances by -17 and getting belted that badly around the ball.

Everything has a ripple effect.

Worpel imo is huge in addressing this… very good in and under mid at his best, would have helped on GF day.

would have Marshall helped?? Probably not.. nice to have, but wasn’t going to solve any issue on the day. He is an around the ground ruckman.

Curnow- tbh I wouldn’t be shocked if he went goalless on the day…

Bruhn- would be huge ( in and under mid). Yes he is a 15-18 touching mid, but he is pure inside mid, which our side is seriously lacking.

There are two clear things we need-

Inside mids + A grade mids in general… we only have 2 A grade mids where as brisbane have about 5-6.

Speedy pressure smalls. Yes we have small and medium forwards, but they are all endurance aerobic runner types, none of them are your explosive Charlie Cameron, Gary Rohan, Bobby hill types that can change games within minutes. We lack that electric pressure in our front half and it often bounces out too easily.

Think of how often Charlie Cameron in the GF created inferred or direct pressure that caused a coff up or goal… or even just his pressure throughout the season when he kicks no goals. We lack this sort of small or medium. This imo is where we miss Rohan quite a bit.

I don't see these as issues with our list. More issues with performance on the day.

Charlie Cameron was huge for the lions - yes. Stengle and Danger were very poor.

Will Ashcroft was huge. Smith not good enough. Holmes too.

Our best players underperformed massively.

Seems we pissed them off and then they shut up shop.
Probably just should have traded our future 1st like they wanted in the first place. Instead we refused and started telling the football world that we thought they had a salary cap squeeze.
Wells would have just done the deal I'm sure.
View attachment 2458334

Mackie called their bluff on the salary cap, and then rather than accept the deal they reinvented some cap space by screwing over Aleer. Pretty childish. I would be ropable if I was Aleer. Pretty disappointed if I was Marshall.

 

[Cataholic]

I wouldn't mind seeing the club employ Hawkins as a PT for Neale just to teach him positioning and bodywork during the off-season.

 

[Mac Chappy]

We'll be top 4 again.

 

[GlenMiddlemissed]

My2BobsWorth
The best trade was the non trade for Marshall IMO.
No lube needed as we didn't bend over.
Would he have been nice?? Yeah he would.
Was it a desperate need? Nah far from it.
Did we want to spend another 2 picks on a ruck??.
A 1st and a 2nd rounder on a ruckman that we have already spent the last 3 years of 2nd rounders on the same position?
Conway, Edwards and Molier... not even including Pike in that group.
I thought we'd won the trade period when the icing landed on top of the cake.
That being.
Nathan FIGJAM Buckley!!!
With the inclusion of WORPEL.
The returns of KOLO & Bruhn.
The natural progression of a youngster or two.
I am very Bullish on Molier and Edwards.
Things are going OK.
Enjoy the draft week boys as we have a curve ball or two to throw.
Have a feeling we are taking a VFL player this year.
Cheers!!

Tobyn Murray?

 

[Mr Meow]

I don't encourage gambling, but I imagine putting $10k on Geelong finishing top 4 at the start of every season since 2007 would have generated solid returns.

 

[Mac Chappy]

I wouldn't mind seeing the club employ Hawkins as a PT for Neale just to teach him positioning and bodywork during the off-season.

Agree.

We need him to be more physical because once he has the ball it’s lights out.

 

[cats_09]

Not sure how anyone could watch Harris Andrews absolutely destroy us yet again and think adding an elite tall forward wouldn't help.

Because our midfield was worse than our forward line on the day

Doesn't matter how good your forward line looks on paper if the midfield stinks it up, failing to play in a manner that benefits the forwards

 

[Mac Chappy]

If Ollie Henry has a huge summer, some may be surprised… he has talent.

I see him in the same vein as Neale, needs to get more physical in the contest and then he could be anything.

 

[BigCat1]

You don’t spend 1st round capital + second round capital (and something more in 2027) on a ruck!! Esp a 30yr old whose own club has decided there is better out there.

Thankfully it feel through.

 

[cats_09]

I wouldn't mind seeing the club employ Hawkins as a PT for Neale just to teach him positioning and bodywork during the off-season.

Isn't he Melbourne bound as a part-time coach - not sure you can part-time coach at multiple clubs

 

[cats_09]

Yes, he has talent, but he has a problem between the ears.

He can't choose when to go. He can't become invisible like he too often does.

He needs a harder edge.

I'm hopeful that the recent news regarding his mate will have a settling effect on him and help him get in the right mindset for a big summer and beyond

 

[Mr Meow]

Isn't he Melbourne bound as a part-time coach - not sure you can part-time coach at multiple clubs

What if we merged clubs? That way we could also say we recruited Steele.

 

[cats_09]

What if we merged clubs? That way we could also say we recruited Steele.

And we can have Gawn rucking to Holmes, Smith and Worpel

 

[Mr Meow]

I'm hopeful that the recent news regarding his mate will have a settling effect on him and help him get in the right mindset for a big summer and beyond

If Henry gets his act together I can see him breaking back in.

With 5 on the bench we could reduce Danger's game time but make more of it at stoppages as a mid. Plus we should give him more games off next season.

It'd help if Henry built his tank up so he could rotate to the wing. Being a forward pocket only is quite restrictive, especially if your ground ball game isn't great. A Dempsey-Henry swap could work.

 

[GlenMiddlemissed]

Yeah, Molier and Edwards will be the ones to watch over the pre-season and the early rounds. Tipping Edwards to make his debut, barring no further injuries. Happy for Molier just to get a consistent season of VFL into him. He looked good in those last few rounds (though very raw), and him doing a Neale-like apprenticeship for a couple of years should serve him well.

Agreed! They both only played in the 2nd half of the VFL season, but Edwards improvement was noticeable. In the last game, he had 23 disposals and 21 hitouts. Geelong is more likely to back him in, being the sort of mobile ruck they like, rather than get one of the so-called 'warm bodies' like Goldstein that some want.

Molier just looks like he has "it". He took 10 marks in the last game. And he chased down a known fast oppo player, (can't remember who) who took him on and couldn't get away. I see him like COS, 1 year in the reserves and bang.

 

[Mac Chappy]

And we can have Gawn rucking to Holmes, Smith and Worpel

 

[D BRIDGE]

I'm definitely a bit confused about us looking to trade away our future-firsts, "if" Butters is a live option... which some here are strongly saying he is.

Snagging Butters as a FA would be like finding oil... but can't expect us to get that lucky "unlike most other teams".

At least we have those picks now to use if they are required.

As you can see with these 3x - 4x R1 demands for gun players... It's gonna be an expensive get if Port match any bid.

Can't just offer insane $$$ for him... you'd think unless Port flunk next year, they'll match anything.

Fingers crossed I guess.

 

[PzBlinky]

Agreed! They both only played in the 2nd half of the VFL season, but Edwards improvement was noticeable. In the last game, he had 23 disposals and 21 hitouts. Geelong is more likely to back him in, being the sort of mobile ruck they like, rather than get one of the so-called 'warm bodies' like Goldstein that some want.

Molier just looks like he has "it". He took 10 marks in the last game. And he chased down a known fast oppo player, (can't remember who) who took him on and couldn't get away. I see him like COS, 1 year in the reserves and bang.

Yeah - I was thinking of the 4 goals Molier kicked in his second game. He had a few quiet ones after that but I'd forgotten about his banger performance against the Swans. Edwards seemed to ease into things but had a great finish to 2025. Fingers crossed for strong pre-season for both of them!

Someone just mentioned Tobyn Murray - he had a fantastic season for us. I just don't see how we would fit him into the squad as we're already stacked for small/medium forwards. But I think he'll be handy for whoever picks him up.

 

[The Unforgiven]

Agreed and I actually think what happened tonight is great for the competition. The players had too much power and there was a big divide between the top nine and bottom nine this year. Hawthorn and us were going to get stonger by taking quality players from the bottom nine and I think it would have helped in making it more lopsided next year when you expect Carlton and Melbourne will go backwards

I totally agree with you. If our last 20 years took St.Kilda's path, we'd be everyone's favourite minnow, and we'd be lauded by the competition for standing firm and not allowing "a big Melbourne club" to poach from us.

The fact that we've been not only successful, but have managed to maintain sustained success with very few lapses in continuity has meant that we are a powerful club these days, a destination club that players want to get to.

As much as I always want our club to get stronger - and we need to strengthen our list if we're to go on better next year - I also think of the wider competition and how inequities within the system must be restrained organiically, not just by AFL affirmative action.

Both Essendon and St.Kilda (Brisbane can GAGF as they should have accepted the Crows' offer for Ah Chee who was OOC) have exercised their right to hold a player to contract, and sent a message to the wider AFL comminity.

What is interesting, and what is yet to be realised, is whether there'll be any ramifications or blowback for doing so. Will the players double down and "hate" on Essendon and St.Kilda, or will serve as a bit of a reality check?

I'm as disappointed as the next Cats supporter that we were unable to secure either Curnow or Marshall. I'm also really disappointed that Carlton cut off its nose to spite its face by essentially agreeing to an objectively worse deal for Curnow than we offered.

However, we can't die wondering and I absolutely would not have wanted Mackie to offer any more than was already offered. We had a crack and we were never in a strong position to get either deal across.

Personally, I would like us to have a crack at Sam Walsh. I don't hold hope of Butters coming. I am almost certain he'll land at the dogs. However, Walsh might quietly want out after another season in the the wilderness of Lygon Street and perhaps coming home might do him wonders.

 

[Mac Chappy]

I'm definitely a bit confused about us looking to trade away our future-firsts, "if" Butters is a live option... which some here are strongly saying he is.

Snagging Butters as a FA would be like finding oil... but can't expect us to get that lucky "unlike most other teams".

At least we have those picks now to use if they are required.

As you can see with these 3x - 4x R1 demands for gun players... It's gonna be an expensive get if Port match any bid.

Can't just offer insane $$$ for him... you'd think unless Port flunk next year, they'll match anything.

Fingers crossed I guess.

I wonder how much we’d have to offer for them not to match

 

[Mr Meow]

I wonder how much we’d have to offer for them not to match

$2.4 million p/a

 

[Wosh]

The poor doggies board.

Spoiler

View attachment 2458225

CC Wosh Gralin if he's still going in the morning.

Yeah old mate has spoiled many a meal for me and also caused hours of clean ups. We’ve changed the site settings now tho so all newbies have to have pictures and gifs approved and they can’t make pm’s until they have certain amounts of posts, it has stopped the poo pictures at least. It’s incredibly hard these days with VPN’s tho, people just change and move around but generally boy gives himself away with posting.
I’m removing all the posts now, he doesn’t get to talk on this site…apologies if people’s posts get caught in the clean up.

 

[Mac Chappy]

$2.4 million p/a

They need to get rid of the ‘restricted’ part of FA.

 

[joe444]

Minority report?

We just dodged a bullet ... and a spitball.
Marshall is a below-average tap ruckman who may struggle even more with the bounce entirely removed. He'd be a minor upgrade but not enough to change games that really mattered.
Curnow was completely surplus to requirements and simply a temptation for CS to spend a whole bunch of years back in the twilight zone of picking an overly tall team.

If we're desperate for back-up, just bring in Goldstein on 'Hodge Deal' as a semi-ruck coach semi-player.

Neale's a ruckman anyway. Pull the trigger and move him there now that the bounce's capacity to injure him has gone. Play OHenry in the setup that suits him/us anyway.