List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion

[braddsey]

This posted on 28 August:

Injury overview: Off-season outlook for injured Dons

A rundown of Essendon's injury list as season concludes.

www.essendonfc.com.au

2. Sam Draper (achilles)
Draper is making solid progress and building his single leg calf strength.
The ruck will aim to return to run as the next major milestone in his recovery in the coming weeks.

14. Jordan Ridley

14

Jordan Ridley

Age

27

Ht

195cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.6

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

4.5

3star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.7

4star

MG

244.8

4star

D

17.0

4star

K

11.9

5star

HB

5.1

3star

M

6.7

5star

T

1.7

3star

MG

265.4

4star

D

13.8

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

4.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.4

4star

MG

208.2

4star

(hamstring)
Ridley has completed all his milestones from his hamstring injury.
The defender will also work closely with a sprint coach upon returning to Melbourne, after some time overseas during the off-season break.

 

[Maboo]

BREAKING: Big Bombers free agent makes call on AFL future after three-club race

BREAKING: Big Bombers free agent makes call on AFL future after three-club race

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[mattsmob]

There may be injury concerns but Allen, Draper, Ridley and Annable in one offseason is an insane trade/FA period

 

[JasRulz63]

Jarryd Roughead

Jarryd Roughead

Age

39

Ht

193cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.6

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

5.8

4star

M

4.7

4star

T

2.3

4star

G

2.0

5star

No current season stats available

D

7.2

2star

K

3.8

2star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

0.8

3star

G

1.0

4star

made his return to AFL level in around 10 months after his Achilles rupture. Andrew Swallow

Andrew Swallow

Age

38

Ht

182cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.7

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

11.1

5star

M

2.9

3star

T

6.6

5star

CL

5.8

5star

No current season stats available

D

8.8

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.4

5star

returned in a similar time frame.

In theory that timeline would see Draper ready for round 1 next year. Similar timeline would have Answerth back around the bye next year.

 

[Yoda_]

There may be injury concerns but Allen, Draper, Ridley and Annable in one offseason is an insane trade/FA period

Ridley won’t be traded, think it’s time to accept that

 

[Elixuh]

Ridley won’t be traded, think it’s time to accept that

 

[Elixuh]

Here's my last negative post before I retire the Dr*per hate until he does something goofy next year:

• No evidence that he can stay healthy
• No evidence that he can be a difference making ruck in categories I care about, like intercept marking. I don't care that he can occasionally do something sick.
• Only about 3 rucks in the comp are worth paying serious money to. If the Bombers get more than a second round comp pick we've paid too much.

I get why we want to recruit a ruck and I see the appeal of bringing in a free agent. Its a massive risk though.

Big big offseason for you coming up Tom. You’re going to have to really refine your Blueiris routine for 2026.

I’m really looking forward to it. Gosh we’re going to have a blast!

 

[irel]

Ridley won’t be traded, think it’s time to accept that

I say it's fair chance that Brisbane will ensure you get pick 6 as Draper compensation if Ridley is involved in the behind the curtain negotiations. Otherwise its band 2. it's a long way behind band 1 treat.

 

[Cockliff38]

Draper will be fine, I'm just not sure ruck is a position you need to splash cash. Fort has been more than serviceable, and I'm guessing he is costing us 50% of what Draper will.

 

[Elixuh]

The issue is availability of talent. There really isn’t much around and we don’t want someone who may take a couple of years to become serviceable. The list is in the win now phase.

Getting him with no draft capital and knowing he can play at the level + lack of other options means we might have to slightly overpay.

I’m trying to think of who an alternative would be. Someone like Ned Reeves? Obviously we’d have to trade for him. I can’t think of any other serviceable rucks who wouldn’t cost picks or a lot of cash or a combo of the two.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Looking forward to Drapes, think he'll add some needed character in the group since Joey's retirement.

 

[BRAB]

Tom14 Draper does this every game

 

[Sproj]

Draper will be fine, I'm just not sure ruck is a position you need to splash cash. Fort has been more than serviceable, and I'm guessing he is costing us 50% of what Draper will.

Fort is also old for a football player and at that age, when the end comes, it can come quickly and unexpectedly. Look at Charlie, that four year contract looks worse and worse by the game. Given O looks like retiring as well, we really do need to chase a ready to go ruckman. Draper costs nothing and is in the right age bracket - he’s as good as we are going to get for as little as we are going to pay.

 

[Morbidly_Obese]

 

[jjami15]

It’s interesting the view points of some on here which is totally fine as it is an online forum. My question is why would you rather; a club that you passionately follow trying their best to bring in players that fills a need OR a club that you passionately follow not trying their best to bring in players that fills a need? Remove the injury concern stuff, one could get hit by a bus crossing the road. I am glad to see my football club being proactive in this space and trying its best.

 

[Warwick]

This is really, really starting to concern me.

I get we’ve had some success recently with rehabbing blokes who struggled to get on the park but we’re starting to pay A LOT of money for some very concerning injuries.

A ruckman post an Achilles?? That rings all sorts of alarm bells. Finished Charman’s career before 30.

We’ve got a key defender coming back from a patella tendon repair (much harder and longer to rehab than an ACL) and now recruiting a key forward on close to $1 mill following the same surgery! Answerth another with an Achilles’ - an injury with a high recurrence rate in the normal population, let alone those constantly performing explosive running / leaping actions.

We haven’t been able to get Doedee or Coleman on the park in 2 years. Hipwood will miss considerable time. Berry’s shoulder will need a reconstruction.

Taking a risk on a fringe player prone to soft tissue injuries is one thing, we’re throwing very big money at players with some extremely serious, and long term injuries, prone to poor recovery, recurrence, or prolonged rehab.

It’s not just the money involved - that’s probably >$5 mill of our cap in those players listed above, it’s the time and resources required of our S&C team to develop and implement an individualised program for them all.

IMO we’ve had success with a few, but it’s starting to look less impressive this year - especially as we haven’t been able to get Coleman / Doedee on the park for 24 months, and we’re going too far.

 

[mpal6]

It’s interesting the view points of some on here which is totally fine as it is an online forum. My question is why would you rather; a club that you passionately follow trying their best to bring in players that fills a need OR a club that you passionately follow not trying their best to bring in players that fills a need? Remove the injury concern stuff, one could get hit by a bus crossing the road. I am glad to see my football club being proactive in this space and trying its best.

We are competing against the likes of Geelong who don't stop at any off-season - Dangerfield, Cameron, Bailey Smith, Stengle, Oli Henry, Bruhn, Bowes + pick 7, talking to Rowan Marshall now and were also in the frame for Butters/Harley Reid/Rowell. Even as mid-tier acquisitions they kept going with Jack Martin, Henderson and many more.

If that's what it takes to re-generate list, then I'm all for it. We got lucky with the midfield rebuild via father-son and academy and now time to get some key positions at both ends to get the next wave in place.

 

[mpal6]

This is really, really starting to concern me.

I get we’ve had some success recently with rehabbing blokes who struggled to get on the park but we’re starting to pay A LOT of money for some very concerning injuries.

A ruckman post an Achilles?? That rings all sorts of alarm bells. Finished Charman’s career before 30.

We’ve got a key defender coming back from a patella tendon repair (much harder and longer to rehab than an ACL) and now recruiting a key forward on close to $1 mill following the same surgery! Answerth another with an Achilles’ - an injury with a high recurrence rate in the normal population, let alone those constantly performing explosive running / leaping actions.

We haven’t been able to get Doedee or Coleman on the park in 2 years. Hipwood will miss considerable time. Berry’s shoulder will need a reconstruction.

Taking a risk on a fringe player prone to soft tissue injuries is one thing, we’re throwing very big money at players with some extremely serious, and long term injuries, prone to poor recovery, recurrence, or prolonged rehab.

It’s not just the money involved - that’s probably >$5 mill of our cap in those players listed above, it’s the time and resources required of our S&C team to develop and implement an individualised program for them all.

IMO we’ve had success with a few, but it’s starting to look less impressive this year - especially as we haven’t been able to get Coleman / Doedee on the park for 24 months, and we’re going too far.

I was in this camp earlier but considering out high ladder finishes, we are left with the option of trying our luck with some late picks or picking up fringe from opposition list and hope they turn out to be good. Either do that or take the route the club list management is taking now - recruit players who've shown some good traits in their career but having an interrupted injury run lately.

Not sure which way it'll turn out but I think our choices are limited on this front. I believe our draft work is done now from midfield perspective, any key position via draft will take 3-4 years, especially ruck. That person could also turn out to be Henry Smith in the end whom we're struggling with. If we whittle down all options - what we are trying is the most likely route for us at this stage.

 

[Squizz89]

This is really, really starting to concern me.

I get we’ve had some success recently with rehabbing blokes who struggled to get on the park but we’re starting to pay A LOT of money for some very concerning injuries.

A ruckman post an Achilles?? That rings all sorts of alarm bells. Finished Charman’s career before 30.

We’ve got a key defender coming back from a patella tendon repair (much harder and longer to rehab than an ACL) and now recruiting a key forward on close to $1 mill following the same surgery! Answerth another with an Achilles’ - an injury with a high recurrence rate in the normal population, let alone those constantly performing explosive running / leaping actions.

We haven’t been able to get Doedee or Coleman on the park in 2 years. Hipwood will miss considerable time. Berry’s shoulder will need a reconstruction.

Taking a risk on a fringe player prone to soft tissue injuries is one thing, we’re throwing very big money at players with some extremely serious, and long term injuries, prone to poor recovery, recurrence, or prolonged rehab.

It’s not just the money involved - that’s probably >$5 mill of our cap in those players listed above, it’s the time and resources required of our S&C team to develop and implement an individualised program for them all.

IMO we’ve had success with a few, but it’s starting to look less impressive this year - especially as we haven’t been able to get Coleman / Doedee on the park for 24 months, and we’re going too far.

Yeah I must admit I am starting to feel a bit this way as well. I know we have had good success in the past but the past 2 seasons certainly haven't been as successful in that regard as the few before it.

The issue is a lot of them are/can be long term/recurring injuries, and I take the point above that injuries can happen to anyone, but also at the same time there is a heightened risk with a lot of these guys coming back, given the injuries they have had.

It's all well and good to try and improve the list, and I for one am all for that and love seeing us having a crack, but as we're all debating whether we've reached the tipping point on injuries this year, there does come a time where we also reach a tipping point of bringing guys in who are already carrying injuries too imo.

 

[pod17]

I was in this camp earlier but considering out high ladder finishes, we are left with the option of trying our luck with some late picks or picking up fringe from opposition list and hope they turn out to be good. Either do that or take the route the club list management is taking now - recruit players who've shown some good traits in their career but having an interrupted injury run lately.

Not sure which way it'll turn out but I think our choices are limited on this front. I believe our draft work is done now from midfield perspective, any key position via draft will take 3-4 years, especially ruck. That person could also turn out to be Henry Smith in the end whom we're struggling with. If we whittle down all options - what we are trying is the most likely route for us at this stage.

Well said.

There are few moving parts, but without much draft capital available we are constrained to FA selections when it comes to bringing in higher level established players. When it comes to FA much depends on the year. We got lucky with Joe being available when we were hitting our straps, but this year the biggest names and best players are Allen and Draper who we have been able to attract which should be commended. Given we are in the flag winning window we’ve backed in our ability to get guys on the park. But there’s no doubt a degree of risk.

If you want a player from another team who hasn’t played but could fill a role I can think of someone from the Bulldogs… I’d be interested in getting him across, though I know others are very much against it. Obviously another very risky signing, but the reward could be huge.

We’ve had a couple of very short pre seasons which would have no doubt impacted our strength and conditioning programs and thus contributed to us carrying a few more injuries than we have in years gone by. It might be a silver lining to have another couple of weeks up our sleeve to prepare if we are to bow out this weekend.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Here's my last negative post before I retire the Dr*per hate until he does something goofy next year:

• No evidence that he can stay healthy
• No evidence that he can be a difference making ruck in categories I care about, like intercept marking. I don't care that he can occasionally do something sick.
• Only about 3 rucks in the comp are worth paying serious money to. If the Bombers get more than a second round comp pick we've paid too much.

I get why we want to recruit a ruck and I see the appeal of bringing in a free agent. Its a massive risk though.

As soon as he is a Lion he has my 100% support. Just like Robbo, Beams and others when they were playing for us.

 

[dlanod]

I believe both of them did well in the agility test at their respective combines.

Bit reckless on the field though, just completely lost her head.

 

[dlanod]

Big big offseason for you coming up Tom. You’re going to have to really refine your Blueiris routine for 2026.

I’m really looking forward to it. Gosh we’re going to have a blast!

It'll be the biggest heel turn since jackess decided to become a forceful voice of rationality.

 

[Tom14]

As soon as he is a Lion he has my 100% support. Just like Robbo, Beams and others when they were playing for us.

You've picked 2 lions who I definitely did NOT 100% support when they played for us lol. Robbo for much less serious reasons, of course.

 

[Tom14]

Perhaps he hasn't chosen the Lions yet...I hope he doesn't and goes to Crows.

But offering this guy 5 years with a trigger for a sixth.