List Mgmt. 2026 List Management Discussion

[Perrip]

Lions out of contract this year:

• Lachie Neale
• Dayne Zorko
• Luke Lloyd
• Zane Zakostelsky
• Henry Smith
• Conor McKenna
• Darcy Gardiner
• James Tunstill
• Darcy Fort
• Zac Bailey
• Ryan Lester
• Reece Torrent
• Noah Answerth
• Luke Beecken (R)
• Will McLachlan (R)
• Bruce Reville (Cat. B R)
• Darragh Joyce (R)
• Lincoln McCarthy (R)

 

[Nathan Barley]

Operation; Re-sign Zac Bailey

33

Zac Bailey

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

12.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.4

3star

CL

0.7

3star

D

13.4

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.6

3star

 

[StevoJenkins]

Who you'd want to re-sign:

• Zane Zakostelsky
• Henry Smith
• Darcy Gardiner
• Zac Bailey
• Ryan Lester (if he can still go)
• Noah Answerth
• Luke Beecken (R)
• Bruce Reville (Cat. B R)
• Darcy Fort (if he can still go)

Meh:

• Lachie Neale
• Dayne Zorko
• Luke Lloyd
• Darragh Joyce (R)
• Lincoln McCarthy (R) (if he can still go)

Who won't be:

• Conor McKenna (retires)
• James Tunstill
• Reece Torrent
• Will McLachlan (R)

We need a couple of smalls, a ruck and a tall defender.
We will probably get Zane or the tall kid from the draft for that defender bit, but the loss of Ah Chee will be big for smalls.

Ruck stuff is only important if Smith leaves. Would've liked another developing ruck on draft night.

Zorko probably retires, but could stay on, Lachie would retire (vaguely remember him making a joke about 2026 expiry in the Aussie man interview) and Lester/McCarthy probably pull up stumps too.

 

[T Rick]

Probably opening up a nasty can of worms but now that Cal Ah Chee is a Crow, did we manage his Trade for the best or did we muck up unnecessarily?

 

[Nathan Barley]

Probably opening up a nasty can of worms but now that Cal Ah Chee is a Crow, did we manage his Trade for the best or did we muck up unnecessarily?

Looking at the quality of the second and third round selections in this year's draft, no way would a second and third round pick come close to being fair value for Cal

 

[dlanod]

Probably opening up a nasty can of worms but now that Cal Ah Chee is a Crow, did we manage his Trade for the best or did we muck up unnecessarily?

The club viewed it as being consistent with their internal philosophy of if you're bringing in a player you just get it done. Adelaide clearly wasn't interested in doing that as demonstrated by the offers they rejected. So it was more a case of demonstrating to potential recruits that Adelaide and us may be competing for in the future that we get deals done (Cameron, Neale, etc) whereas Adelaide will screw you around unnecessarily (Hately, Ah Chee).

 

[janty]

• Zac Bailey
• Ryan Lester

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I think this is Henry Smith's put up or shut up year. He's 23, time to force his way into the side. If he can't do that, I think it's not a disaster if he looks elsewhere.

 

[Perrip]

Bailey would 100% be the main re-signing the club wants done ASAP now the Ashcroft bros are re-signed.

 

[BuntonRules]

I think this is Henry Smith's put up or shut up year. He's 23, time to force his way into the side. If he can't do that, I think it's not a disaster if he looks elsewhere.

I reckon Henry is in the put up, or Zac Waller has got your job category.

 

[JasRulz63]

The club viewed it as being consistent with their internal philosophy of if you're bringing in a player you just get it done. Adelaide clearly wasn't interested in doing that as demonstrated by the offers they rejected. So it was more a case of demonstrating to potential recruits that Adelaide and us may be competing for in the future that we get deals done (Cameron, Neale, etc) whereas Adelaide will screw you around unnecessarily (Hately, Ah Chee).

It does feel like they 'miss out' on a decent amount of targets apart from the ones that want to desperately get to SA.

 

[Section 5]

Lions out of contract this year:

• Lachie Neale
• Dayne Zorko
• Luke Lloyd
• Zane Zakostelsky
• Henry Smith
• Conor McKenna
• Darcy Gardiner
• James Tunstill
• Darcy Fort
• Zac Bailey
• Ryan Lester
• Reece Torrent
• Noah Answerth
• Luke Beecken (R)
• Will McLachlan (R)
• Bruce Reville (Cat. B R)
• Darragh Joyce (R)
• Lincoln McCarthy (R)

18 uncontracted. Just enough for an on-field team.

FB: Answerth - Zakostelsky - Lloyd
HB: Lester - Joyce - Beecken

C.: Tunstill - Zorko - Reville
R.: Smith - Neale - Bailey

HF: McKenna - Gardiner - McCarthy
FF: Torrent (F/M) - Fort (F/R) - McLachlan

 

[Section 5]

Probably opening up a nasty can of worms but now that Cal Ah Chee is a Crow, did we manage his Trade for the best or did we muck up unnecessarily?

I am in the minority as i would have done the deal with 30 minutes to go. Nothing was going to change at that point.
Our club would have known before trade period even started, that Adelaide has form in this area.
The Lions should not have been surprised the Crows went down this path and held firm.

I don't care what the club or others give as a reason or excuse.
A second and third rounder is way better than nothing.

At a minimum it gives you a better chance to trade up the order in the first round along with many other options.
Also, we have no idea if the AFL will change things again. I suspect they will.
The more first and second rounds pick the club hold, the better to navigate any changes.

Below is what the future picks should have been.

BRISBANE

2026	2027
R1 pick	R1 pick
R2 pic R2 pick (tied to Adelaide)	R2 pick
R3 pick (tied to Melb) R3 pick (tied to Adelaide)	R3 pick
R3 pick (tied to Haw)	R4 pick
R4 pick

 

[Nathan Barley]

I am in the minority as i would have done the deal with 30 minutes to go. Nothing was going to change at that point.
Our club would have known before trade period even started, that Adelaide has form in this area.
The Lions should not have been surprised the Crows went down this path and held firm.

I don't care what the club or others give as a reason or excuse.
A second and third rounder is way better than nothing.

At a minimum it gives you a better chance to trade up the order in the first round along with many other options.
Also, we have no idea if the AFL will change things again. I suspect they will.
The more first and second rounds pick the club hold, the better to navigate any changes.

Below is what the future picks should have been.

BRISBANE

2026	2027
R1 pick	R1 pick
R2 pic R2 pick (tied to Adelaide)	R2 pick
R3 pick (tied to Melb) R3 pick (tied to Adelaide)	R3 pick
R3 pick (tied to Haw)	R4 pick
R4 pick

Then the crows go nope we're keeping the second rounder now?

 

[Sproj]

Lions out of contract this year:

• Lachie Neale - up to him but he might be starting to break down, earlyish retirement?
• Dayne Zorko - up to him but probably retires on the threepeat
• Luke Lloyd - probably de-list unless big improvement
• Zane Zakostelsky - probably Hold on to as depth
• Henry Smith - make or break year, possible delist
• Conor McKenna - retires
• Darcy Gardiner - retires or one year extension
• James Tunstill - probable depth extension on one year
• Darcy Fort - probable one year extension or retires on the threepeat
• Zac Bailey - priority re-signing
• Ryan Lester - up to him but probably sadly retires on the threepeat
• Reece Torrent - delist
• Noah Answerth - second priority re-signing and don’t see him going anywhere
• Luke Beecken (R) - delist
• Will McLachlan (R) - make or break, probable delist
• Bruce Reville (Cat. B R) - extension but not sure to how long
• Darragh Joyce (R) - borderline delist and depends on progress of ZZ and others
• Lincoln McCarthy (R) - definite retire

I’d say it’s something like the above.

 

[T Rick]

I am in the minority as i would have done the deal with 30 minutes to go. Nothing was going to change at that point.
Our club would have known before trade period even started, that Adelaide has form in this area.
The Lions should not have been surprised the Crows went down this path and held firm.

I don't care what the club or others give as a reason or excuse.
A second and third rounder is way better than nothing.

At a minimum it gives you a better chance to trade up the order in the first round along with many other options.
Also, we have no idea if the AFL will change things again. I suspect they will.
The more first and second rounds pick the club hold, the better to navigate any changes.

Below is what the future picks should have been.

BRISBANE

2026	2027
R1 pick	R1 pick
R2 pic R2 pick (tied to Adelaide)	R2 pick
R3 pick (tied to Melb) R3 pick (tied to Adelaide)	R3 pick
R3 pick (tied to Haw)	R4 pick
R4 pick

I don't know whether you are in the minority or not but the one thing I know is that our List Managers are normally very good and we have a history of getting deals done. I have always thought there must be more to this than meets the eye, some sort of backstory that we don't know, particularly given the way we typically treat players who want to move on. Ah Chee appears to be much loved at the Lions, so that makes the messy end to the process even more confusing. One thing is for sure, his manager came across as an absolute tool.

 

[briztoon]

For reference, picks traded in and out during the draft.

AFL Trade News & Video - AFL.com.au

Keep up-to-date with the latest AFL trade news, rumours, player movements and list lodgement.

www.afl.com.au

 

[briztoon]

AFL Trade News & Video - AFL.com.au

Keep up-to-date with the latest AFL trade news, rumours, player movements and list lodgement.

www.afl.com.au

 

[dlanod]

Interesting, Dom was pretty emphatic we got Sydney's F3, not Hawthorn's.

 

[morsie]

Probably opening up a nasty can of worms but now that Cal Ah Chee is a Crow, did we manage his Trade for the best or did we muck up unnecessarily?

It's a judgementl call .We were sending a message that we will not be lowballed. Was that message worth missing out on the picks offered? I think that's a question thatcan only be answered in clubland.Looking at it from the Crows perspective they have damaged their relationship with one other club and will give other clubs pause. Was it worth it for the sugar hit of getting the player for free?

 

[JasRulz63]

I'll let someone else start the thread, but for now I'll put this here

Stars of the future: 10 draft prospects to watch in 2026 - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1451032

Caylen Murray
Midfielder
183cm
3/1/08
Brisbane Academy/Allies

Murray is hoping to follow a similar path as other recent graduates of the Lions' Academy, including Dan Annable, Ty Gallop and Sam Marshall, in heading to Brisbane at the end of next year. The classy midfielder has also been used across defence where his ball use and kicking stands out. He played for the Allies this year whilst also representing Brisbane's VFL side too.

Coming in 2026, Return of the Rorts.

 

[Sproj]

We've got is it three kids who are projecting pretty well for 2026 or is it 2026 and 2027?

 

[Elixuh]

View attachment 2483344

AFL Trade News & Video - AFL.com.au

Keep up-to-date with the latest AFL trade news, rumours, player movements and list lodgement.

www.afl.com.au

I’m interested to see what happens in 2027, if we have a few academy prospects, with the draft being so compromised with Tasmania. Could he BAU with bidding or maybe we get some bargains.

 

[briztoon]

I'll let someone else start the thread, but for now I'll put this here

Stars of the future: 10 draft prospects to watch in 2026 - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1451032

Caylen Murray
Midfielder
183cm
3/1/08
Brisbane Academy/Allies

Murray is hoping to follow a similar path as other recent graduates of the Lions' Academy, including Dan Annable, Ty Gallop and Sam Marshall, in heading to Brisbane at the end of next year. The classy midfielder has also been used across defence where his ball use and kicking stands out. He played for the Allies this year whilst also representing Brisbane's VFL side too.

Coming in 2026, Return of the Rorts.

Soon.

 

[irel]

I’m interested to see what happens in 2027, if we have a few academy prospects, with the draft being so compromised with Tasmania. Could he BAU with bidding or maybe we get some bargains.

It really depends on what rules the AFL decides to introduce. There’s already talk that all Academy and NGA prospects could be made available to Tasmania, which would significantly change the landscape. In that scenario, we may well lose a few players who choose to take the Tassie option instead of staying with us.

That’s why 2027 will be so interesting. If the draft is heavily compromised, it could either force us to adapt to a new bidding system or, on the flip side, present opportunities to pick up some bargains late. Either way, the rules will shape how clubs like ours manage academy talent and draft strategy moving forward.