List Mgmt. 2025 Draft/Trade/FA Thread – everything must go!

[Scythe]

Just pinning this, as per previous years. Thanks as always to Lore.

Final trade/FA period results
Out:

• Charlie Spargo
• Judd McVee
• Christian Petracca
• Clayton Oliver
• Picks 28, 42 and 61
• Melbourne Second-Rounder (2026)
• Melbourne Third-Rounder (2026)
• Melbourne Fourth-Rounder (2026)
• Melbourne Fourth-Rounder (2027)

In:

• Jack Steele
• Changkuoth Jiath
• Brody Mihocek
• Max Heath
• Oscar Berry (Rookie)
• Picks 7, 8, 37 and 71 (2025)
• GC First-Rounder (2026)
• GWS Third-Rounder (2026)
• GC Third-Rounder (2027)

 

[Lord Nev]

all well and good, but half the board wanted him dropped. Also, where did Sparrow come in the bnf this year? must've been just outside the top 10 as he was 8th to round 16. So once again, another similarity.

And I looked at all of those numbers and they're all super close. which only further proves my point. If you pick a different season, say when they were both 23, Sparrow annihilates him in disposals, contested possessions, effective disposals, one percenters, , clearances etc. So it's very easy to pick and choose which season. Regardless, it's clear that they're very close in profile. For the record, ANB is the better player, I'm not disputing that but it's not by that much and people only needed to look at last season to realise how much you miss a defensive mids when they're not around.

LOL just pick a random season you reckon? Think you're missing the point mate. ANB turned the corner when he was sent to Casey to work on his game, completely changed his career trajectory. Sparrow's trajectory has been consistent the whole time, he's not improving. We're comparing development - Hence why we're comparing Sparrow at his current age to what ANB was doing at the same age.

But also, ANB wasn't a pure 'defensive mid'.

Comparison with Sparrow at the same age:

ANB v Sparrow (per game)
Disposals - 16.3 v 13.1
Inside 50s - 4.0 v 2.3
Goal Assists - 0.6 v 0.2
Score Involvements - 4.6 v 3.9
Tackles inside 50 - 1.7 v 0.9
Metres Gained - 274.2 v 216.6
Time on ground - 75.6 v 79.7

Sparrow not in at least the top 11 of the Bluey either for total votes or votes per game. "Top 10 player" in the eyes of the coaches you reckon?

Have a guess who actually WAS in the top 10 this year though? Harvey Langford.

 

[Proper Gander]

Yeah seriously the ANB and Sparrow link is extremely tenuous.

As for half the board wanting him (ANB) dropped - I think those numbers are somewhat exaggerated and I’ve seen no evidence of this wild claim. No quoted posts for example, and not from numbers that represent half the numbers of regular posters of the board. ANB is a solid player who wasn’t flashy and it took Paul Roos some time to debut him - nothing wrong with that. And he had some big fans right after his debut. He had some down years later and got criticism from some, not for being a spud but for people’s fairly rational frustration when we were underperforming in general, and it was felt that other untested players might get a run. I mean, we did finish 19th at the time. And by 2020 coaching group appeared to agree - they told both ANB and TMac to have a look around.

Both came back having not found a home and knuckled in and helped us win a premiership, and are rightly applauded for that.

I don’t see where this correlates to anyone’s frustration with Sparrow. The issue with Sparrow is that he has become a symbol of a coaching group who select him every week regardless of form and results which don’t appear to contribute much to great outcomes. And it’s still up in the air whether his best contributes in a team in the style of the game today.

Give over with the ANB whipping boy shit. It’s in your head as is the Langford having no talent narrative.

 

[mrmonkey]

I think we all acknowledge Sparrow has some good attributes, has a nice long kick, can take a good grab, works really hard. He just seems to go missing too often and his good games are too far apart. Hopefully under a new system he can make more of an impact. If he's going to have low possession perhaps his penetrating kick could be weapon. I guess I'll try be optimistic not with just him with all players. I'll guess we'll see.

 

[Proper Gander]

I think we all acknowledge Sparrow has some good attributes, has a nice long kick, can take a good grab, works really hard. He just seems to go missing too often and his good games are too far apart. Hopefully under a new system he can make more of an impact. If he's going to have low possession perhaps his penetrating kick could be weapon. I guess I'll try be optimistic not with just him with all players. I'll guess we'll see.

I’d like to see him in a different setup and we probably will. Definitely a we will see, but that applies to everyone around about now

 

[MarcMaverick]

ANB has a harder edge that Sparrow doesn't have.

 

[Proper Gander]

ANB has a harder edge that Sparrow doesn't have.

Maybe better footy smarts. I don’t know really.

The club have always talked up Sparrow’s effort so I’ll just take that one on face value. But I don’t get the comparison.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Why are we spending this much time on it? Dont fall into Danster's web.

 

[Proper Gander]

Why are we spending this much time on it? Dont fall into Danster's web.

You are so correct. I regretted it the moment I posted. Arguing with one of my pot plants is time better spent so I’m going to do that now

 

[I Love Lamb]

Why are we spending this much time on it? Dont fall into Danster's web.

I am keen to now know danster168 thoughts on Langford/Tauru with us having now taken Xavier Taylor. With this now in mind, does he still feel we made the wrong choice by taking Langford over Tauru.

Had we taken Tauru last year, may have meant we could have taken Sharp this year.

 

[Bluelegs]

Why are we spending this much time on it?

Because every three months, someone is torn to pieces by a crocodile in north Queensland.

 

[Lord Nev]

I am keen to now know danster168 thoughts on Langford/Tauru with us having now taken Xavier Taylor. With this now in mind, does he still feel we made the wrong choice by taking Langford over Tauru.

Had we taken Tauru last year, may have meant we could have taken Sharp this year.

You could probably just message him and ask him MJ.

 

[I Love Lamb]

You could probably just message him and ask him MJ.

Or ask him in a draft thread like I just did.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Sparrow is s*. End of discussion. Hopefully he and Salem are lining up at Casey come Round 1. Sparrow still yet to get 1 Brownlow vote. Even Oscar McDonald

21

Oscar Mcdonald

Age

29

Ht

196cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

191.4

3star

D

11.3

3star

K

7.7

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.7

3star

MG

157.7

3star

D

14.8

4star

K

5.4

2star

HB

9.4

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

0.4

3star

MG

138.4

3star

got one!!

 

[Toump Ass]

New reaction is nice isn't it.

 

[Lord Nev]

Or ask him in a draft thread like I just did.

 

[I Love Lamb]

View attachment 2484391

A couple of things mate:

At the same age that Sparrow was this season, Nibbler won our coaches award and was 8th in the Bluey in a Premiership year.

Sparrow was not in the top 10 for the Bluey this year, not 100% sure where he finished. That puts him firmly outside our top 10, which is voted on by the coaches.

The comparison is nowhere near what you think it is.

On top of that, what i think you'll find is that much of the frustration with him has surrounded him seeming to be 'undroppable'. Compare that to ANB's history where he spent nearly a full season improving his game at Casey and then coming back a way better player. Never happened with Sparrow.

 

[tomcruise]

Top Bombers draftee laid low by back concern

Sullivan Robey faces a delayed start to his first pre-season at Essendon

www.afl.com.au

 

[Crusty Demon]

Top Bombers draftee laid low by back concern

Sullivan Robey faces a delayed start to his first pre-season at Essendon

www.afl.com.au

I wonder if it's something he kept quiet before getting drafted.

 

[Proper Gander]

Poor bugger. You’d be so excited to get started and all.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Shot in the dark, I think his body couldn't adapt to the Tim English like growth spurt.

 

[Lampers]

I wonder if it's something he kept quiet before getting drafted.

Essendon and perpetually injured early draft picks. Name a more iconic duo.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Essendon and perpetually injured early draft picks. Name a more iconic duo.

Was it Jack Grimes who had back issues for us? Bit of a worry in a young kid. Back issues can cripple a career. Wonder if Bombers did their due diligence pre-draft on him.

 

[Lampers]

Was it Jack Grimes who had back issues for us? Bit of a worry in a young kid. Back issues can cripple a career. Wonder if Bombers did their due diligence pre-draft on him.

Yes, Grimes had back issues. Toumpas hip issues. Sylvia groin problems.

Melbourne haven’t been immune from early picks with significant injury problems early.

 

[Toump Ass]

Yes, Grimes had back issues. Toumpas hip issues. Sylvia groin problems.

Melbourne haven’t been immune from early picks with significant injury problems early.

Toumpas problem wasn't his hip though he was just soft as shit.

 

[mrmonkey]

Sam Blease

Sam Blease

Age

34

Ht

184cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.1

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

3.5

3star

M

2.1

2star

T

1.6

4star

CL

0.7

3star

No current season stats available

D

14.8

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.6

3star

is another one that comes to mind. Broke his leg playing footy at school. Trac also just came to mind did his knee. Gawn also had knee problems but he was always going to take a while.