List Mgmt. 2025 GWS Giants List Management - Academy, Free Agent, Trade & Draft

[Vic pokiesmon]

It’s too much detail to unpack fully, but you need look at just how many high picks he accumulated by trades of high-quality players, many of whom brought back multiple first-rounders or second-rounders, you then realise he’s been sitting on an absolute war chest of premium draft capital over the years. Just because it gets whittled down to a lot less after throwing picks in the bonfire to move up a few places, doesn't mean it didn't start off as really significant.

Those picks came off the back of departures like Smith, Shiel, Cameron, Taranto, McCarthy, Lobb, Hopper, Patton, Bruhn, Caldwell and others, not to mention players like Wilson who were highly rated too at the time.

So in nine years, with all that draft capital he accumulated, excluding academy selections of course, through the midfield and ruck department, he’s essentially landed one star midfielder in Callaghan and one above-average mid in Taranto (and even that should have been McCluggage). In the most important part of the field with that many high picks, it's cost flags is my concern.

BS that’s a cop out .Name who u would pick at specific drafts instead of who we went with.

 

[Cobblers]

Caruso is on borrowed time.
Only a 1st and 3rd rounder in next years draft.

IF Leake and Gothard don't kick on next year, their 3rd year, he should be out.

Signing Muff to a two year extension when he still has a year to run was madness.

People will say we have depth but most depth players arent even C graders.

Incorrect. Next year we have our 1st rounder and a second rounder tied to Melbourne's finishing position. We gave up our 2026 3rd rounder for Oliver which was a good deal.

 

[Bjo187]

BS that’s a cop out .Name who u would pick at specific drafts instead of who we went with.

Remember, my whole gripe with Caruso is the way he burns draft picks just to inch up a couple of spots for no real reason. It’s like rocking up to a house auction, yelling “$1.5 million!” before the auctioneer even clears his throat, and then proudly walking away saying, “Huge win for us today.”

Meanwhile everyone else is looking around going, “Mate… the bidding was supposed to start at $900k and it was going to sell for $950k. You just paid significant overs for absolutely nothing and now you don't have any money left to buy furniture.

Based upon that, if you can wind it all the way back to 2017, scoop up every pick the club originally held, then tack on all the extra picks we collected by trading out all those players I listed plus more… and give me the full haul before Caruso started fiddling with them, that’d be great.

Then, once you’ve done that, fire off the full draft list from each of those years 2017 to 2025 right up until the Giants’ last pick.

It’s a stupid amount of work, I know, but I’m sure you won't 'cop out' on it.

 

[sydney_gws]

I think history show greatest reward comes from accepting a F1 from someone else ( Callaghan and Curtin????). Trading up works ok, but mainly isn't worth it.
I dont think Caruso is one to see trade/ draft as
" me" time, but what would I know.

 

[Determinant]

I think history show greatest reward comes from accepting a F1 from someone else ( Callaghan and Curtin????). Trading up works ok, but mainly isn't worth it.
I dont think Caruso is one to see trade/ draft as
" me" time, but what would I know.

He is also not a one man band, the club has a brand of football it wants to play and it's the recruitment Team's job to find those players, some maybe steals, some maybe reaches, but at the end of the day it's not about consensus picking to they match outsiders view of the order, but to ensure they match the insiders view..

 

[Giant YoYo]

One can critique the drafting decisions while still broadly supporting the overall decisions, it's not an all or nothing proposition. It's quite clear we have depth in our forward and defensive positions. The area of concern is our midfield. Which is what is being alluded to.

The midfield was a great concern and now that we have Clarry apparently the recruitment strategy has been really grouse.

The orange tsunami is great when it works but when it doesn't, oh boy.

Some here are asserting that we have depth, in the midfield, since when? It was luck of the draw that we got Clayton rather than anything Caruso has done.

Posters ARE allowed to be critical of Caruso's drafting decisions and it's a hill I'm happy to die on. Why some want to shut this down is beyond me.

 

[Comedy Capers]

I'm just curious to know what.Emma.Quayle's exact role is on our recruitment team.

When.I lived in Melbourne I would read all her articles in the AGE where she specialised in the AFL draft and recruiting.

She was an excellent journalist and won numerous.

Just hope the Giants are using all her talents in that space.


Wish she would do some 8nterviews about recruitment or are they worried she will step on some toes.

The.Giants fans need more exposure to her.

 

[PaythePerryman]

Posters ARE allowed to be critical of Caruso's drafting decisions and it's a hill I'm happy to die on. Why some want to shut this down is beyond me.

Sure be critical of a decision here or there....but when people say he's 'on borrowed time'...I think that's what people are responding to.

No team bats 100 when it comes to selecting players in the draft.

I understand people's frustrations when it comes to 'burning' picks to move up a spot or two. But with the amount of youth on our list it's a clear strategy to get a targeted player when we likely weren't going to use that pick anyway.

We have often been in a great position to pick up multiple first/(early second) rounders.

I reckon Caruso has been really good
.. especially at transitioning to the type of players that Kingsley needs to make his game style work.

....and yet....I await Gothard's firey rebirth

 

[Giant Strides]

I'm just curious to know what.Emma.Quayle's exact role is on our recruitment team.

When.I lived in Melbourne I would read all her articles in the AGE where she specialised in the AFL draft and recruiting.

My understanding is that she's heavily into the "fit check" aspects. i.e. researching the player's background, talking to friends, family, teammates, coaches, teachers etc to get insights into how the kids tick.

 

[Giant Pete]

Now we’ve got our list basically done, here is a projected afl and vfl team:

Whitfield Taylor Idun
Ash Buckley Fonti
Angove Cogs Angwin
Greene Cadman Brown
Daniels Hogan Snooze
Briggs Green Callaghan

HH Oliver XOH Riccardi Stringer


Stone Aleer Oliver
Leake Laverde Davis
Taylor Rowston Hamilton
Hannaford Gru Thomas
Gothard Smith Thomas
Madden McMullin Ough

Delana plus vfl squad

 

[PaythePerryman]

Now we’ve got our list basically done, here is a projected afl and vfl team:

Whitfield Taylor Idun
Ash Buckley Fonti
Angove Cogs Angwin
Greene Cadman Brown
Daniels Hogan Snooze
Briggs Green Callaghan

HH Oliver XOH Riccardi Stringer


Stone Aleer Oliver
Leake Laverde Davis
Taylor Rowston Hamilton
Hannaford Gru Thomas
Gothard Smith Thomas
Madden McMullin Ough

Delana plus vfl squad

I'm kinda hoping Rowston can outperform Cogs this year and cement a spot

 

[Giant Strides]

Now we’ve got our list basically done, here is a projected AFL and VFL teams:

Whitfield STaylor Idun
Ash Buckley Fonti
Angove Cogs Angwin
Greene Cadman Brown
Daniels Hogan Snooze
Briggs Green Callaghan

HH COliver XOH Riccardi Stringer


Stone Aleer HOliver
Leake Laverde Davis
OTaylor Rowston Hamilton
Hannaford Gru Thomas
Gothard Smith Thomas Delana
Madden McMullin Ough

VFL squad

You've got Harvey Thomas twice.

Should acknowledge Kelly, Jones & Wardius out LTI.

Going to be a little confusion going forward with two Olivers and two Taylors, thankfully one of each in the first team. On top of two Green(e)s.

I will be interested to see the impact of the new ruck rules. I do wonder whether that could play towards Aleer getting a bench spot due to his jumping ability and becoming the second ruck, at the expense of Riccardi.

 

[Giant Pete]

This may be the first time we have proper depth in every position. What I mean by that is the guys who would come in have been in the system for a few years, and whilst some have barely played ones, they are fit and know our system well.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Sure be critical of a decision here or there....but when people say he's 'on borrowed time'...I think that's what people are responding to.

I take that as a venting of ones frustrations rather than anything else. We have not heard that the club is unhappy with his performance so far, and that by all accounts is the main thing.

No team bats 100 when it comes to selecting players in the draft.

Exactly - plus hindsight being a beautiful thing.

I understand people's frustrations when it comes to 'burning' picks to move up a spot or two. But with the amount of youth on our list it's a clear strategy to get a targeted player when we likely weren't going to use that pick anyway.

I see both sides of the coin - we just don't know what could have been had they opted for a different strategy.

We have often been in a great position to pick up multiple first/(early second) rounders.

I reckon Caruso has been really good
.. especially at transitioning to the type of players that Kingsley needs to make his game style work.

....and yet....I await Gothard's firey rebirth

Broadly agree. I think if we have depth in the midfield which has been a longstanding concern (because we're more or less covered in the front and back) then we should be right.

 

[Vic pokiesmon]

Remember, my whole gripe with Caruso is the way he burns draft picks just to inch up a couple of spots for no real reason. It’s like rocking up to a house auction, yelling “$1.5 million!” before the auctioneer even clears his throat, and then proudly walking away saying, “Huge win for us today.”

Meanwhile everyone else is looking around going, “Mate… the bidding was supposed to start at $900k and it was going to sell for $950k. You just paid significant overs for absolutely nothing and now you don't have any money left to buy furniture.

Based upon that, if you can wind it all the way back to 2017, scoop up every pick the club originally held, then tack on all the extra picks we collected by trading out all those players I listed plus more… and give me the full haul before Caruso started fiddling with them, that’d be great.

Then, once you’ve done that, fire off the full draft list from each of those years 2017 to 2025 right up until the Giants’ last pick.

It’s a stupid amount of work, I know, but I’m sure you won't 'cop out' on it.

Remember, my whole gripe with Caruso is the way he burns draft picks just to inch up a couple of spots for no real reason. It’s like rocking up to a house auction, yelling “$1.5 million!” before the auctioneer even clears his throat, and then proudly walking away saying, “Huge win for us today.”

Meanwhile everyone else is looking around going, “Mate… the bidding was supposed to start at $900k and it was going to sell for $950k. You just paid significant overs for absolutely nothing and now you don't have any money left to buy furniture.

Based upon that, if you can wind it all the way back to 2017, scoop up every pick the club originally held, then tack on all the extra picks we collected by trading out all those players I listed plus more… and give me the full haul before Caruso started fiddling with them, that’d be great.

Then, once you’ve done that, fire off the full draft list from each of those years 2017 to 2025 right up until the Giants’ last pick.

It’s a stupid amount of work, I know, but I’m sure you won't 'cop out' on it you

Remember, my whole gripe with Caruso is the way he burns draft picks just to inch up a couple of spots for no real reason. It’s like rocking up to a house auction, yelling “$1.5 million!” before the auctioneer even clears his throat, and then proudly walking away saying, “Huge win for us today.”

Meanwhile everyone else is looking around going, “Mate… the bidding was supposed to start at $900k and it was going to sell for $950k. You just paid significant overs for absolutely nothing and now you don't have any money left to buy furniture.

Based upon that, if you can wind it all the way back to 2017, scoop up every pick the club originally held, then tack on all the extra picks we collected by trading out all those players I listed plus more… and give me the full haul before Caruso started fiddling with them, that’d be great.

Then, once you’ve done that, fire off the full draft list from each of those years 2017 to 2025 right up until the Giants’ last pick.

It’s a stupid amount of work, I know, but I’m sure you won't 'cop out' on it.

You do realise the club under McCartney is on record as saying the draft board for us and other non Victorian cubs is not the same draft board as it is for others.Thats just the reality not an excuse.What for u may look like burning picks is after psych testing etc targeting a specific player that suits us from a playing perspective and also means it’s less likely they will become another go home baby.

If you look at the 2023 draft I admit I wanted Darcy Wilson pre draft.Then I saw his podcast with that young guy with the mullet Primetrain.After watching that I thought there’s no chance we pick him. Few days later we trade up for Gothard.Similar rumours of Sheezel and Wardlaw before we traded up for Cadman.Archie Perkins stated publicly he wouldn’t move interstate.There would be truckloads of other examples.I applaud the club for adopting this drafting policy after learning from mistakes in drafting Bruhn where he almost cried on stage when we drafted him.This is reality we deal with as Giants supporters .Its not easy to accept at time our decisions on draft night and not every decision is perfect but we haven’t missed many realistic targets over the years.

 

[Vic pokiesmon]

You do realise the club under McCartney is on record as saying the draft board for us and other non Victorian cubs is not the same draft board as it is for others.Thats just the reality not an excuse.What for u may look like burning picks is after psych testing etc targeting a specific player that suits us from a playing perspective and also means it’s less likely they will become another go home baby.

If you look at the 2023 draft I admit I wanted Darcy Wilson pre draft.Then I saw his podcast with that young guy with the mullet Primetrain.After watching that I thought there’s no chance we pick him. Few days later we trade up for Gothard.Similar rumours of Sheezel and Wardlaw before we traded up for Cadman.Archie Perkins stated publicly he wouldn’t move interstate.There would be truckloads of other examples.I applaud the club for adopting this drafting policy after learning from mistakes in drafting Bruhn where he almost cried on stage when we drafted him.This is reality we deal with as Giants supporters .Its not easy to accept at time our decisions on draft night and not every decision is perfect but we haven’t missed many realistic targets over the years.

You do realise the club under McCartney is on record as saying the draft board for us and other non Victorian cubs is not the same draft board as it is for others.Thats just the reality not an excuse.What for u may look like burning picks is after psych testing etc targeting a specific player that suits us from a playing perspective and also means it’s less likely they will become another go home baby.

If you look at the 2023 draft I admit I wanted Darcy Wilson pre draft.Then I saw his podcast with that young guy with the mullet Primetrain.After watching that I thought there’s no chance we pick him. Few days later we trade up for Gothard.Similar rumours of Sheezel and Wardlaw before we traded up for Cadman.Archie Perkins stated publicly he wouldn’t move interstate.There would be truckloads of other examples.I applaud the club for adopting this drafting policy after learning from mistakes in drafting Bruhn where he almost cried on stage when we drafted him.This is reality we deal with as Giants supporters .Its not easy to accept at time our decisions on draft night and not every decision is perfect but we haven’t missed many realistic targets over the years.

Times 3

 

[PaythePerryman]

You do realise the club under McCartney is on record as saying the draft board for us and other non Victorian cubs is not the same draft board as it is for others.Thats just the reality not an excuse.What for u may look like burning picks is after psych testing etc targeting a specific player that suits us from a playing perspective and also means it’s less likely they will become another go home baby.

If you look at the 2023 draft I admit I wanted Darcy Wilson pre draft.Then I saw his podcast with that young guy with the mullet Primetrain.After watching that I thought there’s no chance we pick him. Few days later we trade up for Gothard.Similar rumours of Sheezel and Wardlaw before we traded up for Cadman.Archie Perkins stated publicly he wouldn’t move interstate.There would be truckloads of other examples.I applaud the club for adopting this drafting policy after learning from mistakes in drafting Bruhn where he almost cried on stage when we drafted him.This is reality we deal with as Giants supporters .Its not easy to accept at time our decisions on draft night and not every decision is perfect but we haven’t missed many realistic targets over the years.

Yeah I wanted Caddy. Now I know that he didn't want to come.
We'd be ****ed if we just had a bunch of guys who didn't wanna come

 

[Comedy Capers]

We.dont want those vic metro mummys boys.
We made a mistake when we took Bruhn who had mummys boy written all over him but fortunately we learned from that mistake and for a pick 12 got 18 back so not too bad.

Im pretty.sure Sheezel would have left after his mandatory 3 years if we went down that path but he would have been handy.

Caddy. Well we drafted Aaron the year before so not sure why would have even targetted him.

Funny how many of our guys leave and go to the Bombers.

Ive worked it out.

With.Bombers you get.September off.

 

[Bjo187]

You do realise the club under McCartney is on record as saying the draft board for us and other non Victorian cubs is not the same draft board as it is for others.Thats just the reality not an excuse.What for u may look like burning picks is after psych testing etc targeting a specific player that suits us from a playing perspective and also means it’s less likely they will become another go home baby.

If you look at the 2023 draft I admit I wanted Darcy Wilson pre draft.Then I saw his podcast with that young guy with the mullet Primetrain.After watching that I thought there’s no chance we pick him. Few days later we trade up for Gothard.Similar rumours of Sheezel and Wardlaw before we traded up for Cadman.Archie Perkins stated publicly he wouldn’t move interstate.There would be truckloads of other examples.I applaud the club for adopting this drafting policy after learning from mistakes in drafting Bruhn where he almost cried on stage when we drafted him.This is reality we deal with as Giants supporters .Its not easy to accept at time our decisions on draft night and not every decision is perfect but we haven’t missed many realistic targets over the years.

Yeah, I get that view, especially in the seasons where the club looked like it was heading into a few down years so their appeal to draftees was lower. They were clearly spooked by the Bruhn situation and desperately needed a tall forward, so trading up then made sense. But that logic doesn’t need to apply to every draft forever. The northern clubs now have strong reputations: good culture, regular finals, great lifestyle, and less of the Melbourne bubble. I’d think only 20–30% of draftees are real flight risks these days.

That’s why burning capital every year to move up for players who aren’t that heavily sought after anyhow, isn’t a great strategy. I actually like Taylor, but surely he’s not worth a first-rounder and two seconds (the equivalent of a proven star of the competition), especially when most experts expected him to reach the Giants’ later pick anyway. It’s just one example of the overs they seem to pay every year now, which has left list holes in other areas of the ground, notably young midfield talent.

 

[PaythePerryman]

Caddy. Well we drafted Aaron the year before so not sure why would have even targetted him.

To pair with him long term. Get those talls in and developing early.

We didn't need a small fwd either.

 

[Giant Strides]

Caruso: We Focused On Bringing In Players Suited To Our Style

Hear from GIANTS Head of Talent Adrian Caruso after night 2 of the Telstra AFL Draft.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

 

[captainMyCaptain]

Some background on our draft night:

Hawthorn had been on the phones. With Grlj, Farrow and then Pickett off the board, the Hawks were open to shifting back down the board, knowing they had a group of players who would be there with a bunny hop backwards. GWS saw its opportunity to get up the board so offered a future second-rounder to climb the order. Hawthorn initially wanted Melbourne's future second-rounder, but instead took the Giants' future second. The Giants thought the Hawks might place a bid on Sydney Academy prospect Harry Kyle but wanted to be the ones to do it and try to land him, so rose up there and made the bid, which the Swans were prepared for. Anything past pick 11, Sydney was comfortable matching for the rugby convert.
The other reason for the Giants' trade up was to own the pick. Pick possession is 10/10ths of the law in drafts, and is a key factor in clubs stopping other clubs from outbidding them on picks that are on the trade table. The Giants had seen their other fancied players – Grlj (who coach Adam Kingsley

Adam Kingsley

Age

50

Ht

183cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.9

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

16.4

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

had spoken with on draft day), Pickett and Farrow – already taken so moved up to get fast half-back Oskar Taylor as he was the last remaining player of their group. If Taylor was gone, the Giants would have traded back and picked up draft collateral, with discussions already had with Adelaide, Geelong, Richmond and St Kilda on possible deals. Brisbane was asked by the Giants if it would jump back in using a future first-rounder, but the Lions weren't interested in parting with that pick.

Inside the draft: The 'Grlj spill', Sharp chase and Dees' perfect Pickett plan

Callum Twomey takes a closer look at the wheeling and dealing behind the scenes at the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft

www.afl.com.au

 

[dlanod]

There's definitely an attitude across several of the clubs that you're better off paying "overs" if you can get the last player in the current tier per your rankings, or trade down if there's enough of your current tier to ensure one will still be available later in the draft.

 

[Danny88]

Some background on our draft night:

Inside the draft: The 'Grlj spill', Sharp chase and Dees' perfect Pickett plan

Callum Twomey takes a closer look at the wheeling and dealing behind the scenes at the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft

www.afl.com.au

Definitely explains the thinking with both the trade up and the selection

 

[captainMyCaptain]