List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion

[Tom14]

Just heard Tom14 scream

 

[Elixuh]

 

[PattyKwasagun]

Reports on foxsports this morning that > "Foxfooty.com.au understands the Lions are the strong frontrunners in the three-horse race for Draper."

We are going to have some bloody good players missing a senior 23 spot in 2026, slow morning so I'll have a go at our 2026 side with the whole list healthy, I'm assuming Ah Chee leaves, Starcevich stays and no sub with 5 on the bench.

Keidean Coleman, Harris Andrews, Darcy Wilmot.
Noah Answerth, Jack Payne, Brandon Starcevich.

Sam Draper, Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley.
Hugh McCluggage, Will Ashcroft, Jarrod Berry.

Charlie Cameron, Oscar Allen, Zac Bailey.
Cam Rayner, Logan Morris, Kai Lohmann.

Bench- Jaspa Fletcher(wing/back/fwd/mid), Bruce Reville(wing/back/fwd), Dayne Zorko(fwd/back), Ryan Lester(back), Levi Ashcroft(mid).
______________________
Leaves some seriously good players out albeit Payne/Answerth probably not available till at least a month or so into the H&A season... Lincoln McCarthy, Sam Marshall, Daniel Annable, Tom Doedee, Darcy Fort, Eric Hipwood all depth.

With 5 on the bench I'm expecting Fages to play 2 rucks so Fort/Big O to probably play, who the hell do you leave out though? Maybe Reville but I think he has seriously good potential, elite kick and evasion. With new ruck rules likely to come in I think you could get by with having bit part rucks to back up Draper eg Allen, Dunkley. I like Hippy for his unrewarded running but who the hell goes out for him?

Starce is gone sadly.

 

[briztoon]

So has anything been reported directly from Oscar Allen or his manager about his request to exercise his RFA and go to Brisbane or is it a case of a salty leak from the Eagles? It is highly unusual for this information to go public, where in our case, our season is still live. In terms of the usual protocol, interesting that nothing has been said in response by the Lions either.

It’s 100% public from the Eagles. They put a club statement out yesterday afternoon.

They put Oscar in front of the media last Friday, after his exit meeting.

They’ve really burnt all their bridges with him, starting back last October, when they presented him with a low ball contract offer. After they’ve handed every other perma-injured player contract extensions.

 

[SizeMatters]

Starce is gone sadly.

We have coverage I think but he’s probably the best lock down small defender in the game. Any team who grabs him gets a blood who gives it everything.

 

[M Malice]

Starce is gone sadly.

Are you Stuart Dew PK?

 

[Nathan Barley]

Does Brain have the acceleration to play on the small backs? I doubt hes much slower than Starce but he doesn't seem to have the same level of concentration and ability to read the play.

We've invested in him but I'll be worried for any games without Noz and Starce

Maybe Kiddy comes in and plays more of a lockdown role until he finds his form or we find someone else

 

[M Malice]

Luke Beecken, great run and kick, also good defensively from my viewing of the VFL?

 

[mattsmob]

Does Brain have the acceleration to play on the small backs? I doubt hes much slower than Starce but he doesn't seem to have the same level of concentration and ability to read the play.

We've invested in him but I'll be worried for any games without Noz and Starce

Maybe Kiddy comes in and plays more of a lockdown role until he finds his form or we find someone else

Brain has shown enough for me to feel okay with him being the replacement for Starc going into next season, especially knowing Answerth is coming back as well. Starc is a great player but fitting into a backline like ours with guys like Harris and Lester keeping structure shouldn’t be the most difficult replacement to find imo

 

[dlanod]

Are you Stuart Dew PK?

You can't just ask that.

If he says yes, I need to permaban Elixuh for violating his restraining order.

 

[Ceebee]

Starce is gone sadly.

You know for sure?

 

[beatnik]

Agreed. I don’t like strengthening rival sides in any way, and still haven’t got over WC selling the farm for Kelly which allowed the Cats to nab Cameron.

That said, the Crows lack midfield talent which Ah Chee won’t cover. Bringing in Allen, along with potentially Draper and McGovern whilst losing Ah Chee (as well as maybe an O retirement, Dev traded) is probably net positive* as hard as it is to lose a guy that helped us win it last year.

*if we don’t also lose Starce.

I love Cal but Allen and Draper is a significant nett gain - partly because two first 23 is more than one first 23 player but, far more importantly, because it helps our structure - we’re flush with small forwards and desperately need a FF and/or ruck-forward

 

[Elixuh]

You can't just ask that.

If he says yes, I need to permaban Elixuh for violating his restraining order.

 

[HereIGoAgain]

Answerth's value to the team goes up again. It was concerning when Starce went out during the season but the backline covered his absence better than expected.

There isn't a direct replacement for Starce on the list. Not many players in the comp that could lockdown on small forwards like he did and cover the medium talls as well. An opportunity will be there for someone to grasp though if Starce is gone.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Answerth's value to the team goes up again. It was concerning when Starce went out during the season but the backline covered his absence better than expected.

There isn't a direct replacement for Starce on the list. Not many players in the comp that could lockdown on small forwards like he did and cover the medium talls as well. An opportunity will be there for someone to grasp though if Starce is gone.

Is it coincidence, we've played Bruce a bit deeper? He's not Starce, but could develop in that role given he's put on some muscle over the past couple of years.

 

[HereIGoAgain]

Is it coincidence, we've played Bruce a bit deeper? He's not Starce, but could develop in that role given he's put on some muscle over the past couple of years.

Good call. Didn't consider Bruce but he adds an interesting dynamic. His tackling stood out when he first came into the team.

 

[SizeMatters]

I wonder if Tunstill request to Fagan to play defence has anything to do with starc leaving. Might have seen an opportunity open and wanted to go for it. But in saying that is Jim even playing defence in the VfL?

 

[Section 5]

If every defender available and Starch leaves, we are still in a good position.
Good teams don't usually need more than 1 lockdown defender.

Zorko, Payne, Lester
Wilmot, Andrews, Answerth, Fletcher

Depth until Payne and Answerth available:
Coleman all about the preseason for him, Gardiner (OOC), Doedee, Brain, Joyce (OOC), LLoyd, Zakostelsky

I think Tunstill (OOC) could be turned into a lockdown defender.
Linc McCarthy is such a pressure player he may need to find a new role.
Bruce filled a role there (not lockdown) reasonably well so is now versatile.

The club also will have to decide which players OOC fit into their 2026 mix

 

[Section 5]

I wonder if Tunstill request to Fagan to play defence has anything to do with starc leaving. Might have seen an opportunity open and wanted to go for it. But in saying that is Jim even playing defence in the VfL?

Just beat me to that suggestion.
No to playing defense in the VFL
He could very well be delisted as the club will have to remove some players to finalize their list.

 

[M Malice]

If every defender available and Starch leaves, we are still in a good position.
Good teams don't usually need more than 1 lockdown defender.

Zorko, Payne, Lester
Wilmot, Andrews, Answerth, Fletcher

Depth until Payne and Answerth available:
Coleman all about the preseason for him, Gardiner (OOC), Doedee, Brain, Joyce (OOC), LLoyd, Zakostelsky

I think Tunstill (OOC) could be turned into a lockdown defender.
Linc McCarthy is such a pressure player he may need to find a new role.
Bruce filled a role there (not lockdown) reasonably well so is now versatile.

The club also will have to decide which players OOC fit into their 2026 mix

IMO Jaspa is going to end up a top 10-20 player in the competition and could do just as good a job as Brandon Starcevich in that role.

However long term I see Jaspa as an elite balanced mid in the Hugh McCluggage mould, great inside and out.

Getting him in the midfield rotation could be the problem though, might have to wait until Lachie calls it quits.

 

[Section 5]

IMO Jaspa is going to end up a top 10-20 player in the competition and could do just as good a job as Brandon Starcevich in that role.

However long term I see Jaspa as an elite balanced mid in the Hugh McCluggage mould, great inside and out.

Getting him in the midfield rotation could be the problem though, might have to wait until Lachie calls it quits.

Fagan hinted about Wilmot and Fletcher with mid capabilities.
But also indicated the present mix is hard to change

 

[M Malice]

Fagan hinted about Wilmot and Fletcher with mid capabilities.
But also indicated the present mix is hard to change

Plus we have Daniel Annabel coming this draft, and if the bid/matching rules remain the same 2 highly rated mids in the 2026 draft in Matthew Owen and Caylen Murray.

 

[Elixuh]

The comforting thing is we have had so many injuries to best 23 this year and have been able to cover with depth. If we bring in some guys like Allen and my boy Drapes and have natural progression of our young guys plus the guys who will come back from injury I’m not too concerned.

At a point you can’t compromise your list build to match offers of clubs who have bounds of cap space and you can’t be upset at either guy leaving for the money in the circumstances. They’ve given up loyal service and won us a flag.

I also think Starc is difficult to value if he is potentially one concussion away from medical retirement. We have a lot of injury prone guys on the list at the moment and having to match a generous offer from a WCE would be difficult to justify.

 

[John_Proctor]

Door ajar on Curnow move, Dons hunt a Lion: The trade state of play at each non-finals team

The off-season kicks off now – or at least becomes the major priority – for the clubs that will watch finals from the sidelines.

www.theage.com.au

anyone have Age access... who is the Lion the dons are hunting?

 

[Tom14]

Door ajar on Curnow move, Dons hunt a Lion: The trade state of play at each non-finals team

The off-season kicks off now – or at least becomes the major priority – for the clubs that will watch finals from the sidelines.

www.theage.com.au

anyone have Age access... who is the Lion the dons are hunting?

Starce.