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]

100%. We're also going to lose two best 22 mids (Viney and Steele) in 3 years time.

I think there is a group of players on the list King will want to get a look at (Jefferson, Kentfield, Adams, Tholstrup, AMW, Mentha) before he makes a call on them next year - if we reach for a KPF this year and suddenly Jefferson or Kentfield comes good (Very unlikely but possible) we probably have one too many KPFs on the list.

100%. Also think our success doesn't depend on key forwards, probably even more so under King given what he's said so far about our 2026 style.

Looking at our 2026 OOC list, it's a big opportunity to clear out some dead wood, might be a tough year or two results wise (although you never know with a change of style), but it's going to be a very different looking team by 2027.

 

[ABray10]

Yeh, any of our young forwards are a genuine chance to look much better with a gamestyle that prioritises faster ball movement.

Feel like we focus this draft and year on how we want to play and how we want to enter inside 50. Can then assess how the current forwards look in that gamestyle and specifically target any gaps next year.

 

[netslave]

I think it's a blessing in disguise people think we'll take a key forward in the draft, hopefully it will leave some other teams scrambling with their draft plans

 

[schmuttt]

Looking at our 2026 OOC list, it's a big opportunity to clear out some dead wood, might be a tough year or two results wise (although you never know with a change of style), but it's going to be a very different looking team by 2027.

Could be looking at 5 retirements next year before we even delist one guy. You're right, we are going to see a ton of list change. The 2027 list will be our youngest since probably like 2016.

 

[mrmonkey]

I feel like we already had our reach with Jefferson. There wasn't a lot on offer so we went with a forward. I think we'll go after midfielders considering we lost two this year. Either 1 in this year's draft and 1 next year or both this year midfielders. If we need to find a forward later on we can always try pinch one off another team. A bit like Hawthorn with Chol.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Why don't we select Ludowyke as well?

 

[I Love Lamb]

I remember phantom drafts had us taking [PLAYERCARD]Harley Balic[/PLAYERCARD] with our first pick in 2015. They love linking us to trash so good players slip through to there clubs.

Probably a west coast supporter trying to squeeze CDT through to them at 13 doing that draft having us take Schubert and Phillipou ahead of him.

 

[jikost]

I remember phantom drafts had us taking Harley Balic with our first pick in 2015. They love linking us to trash so good players slip through to there clubs.

Balic was linked to few clubs that year (not just Melbourne), and was a big slider on draft night... pretty sure every phantom had him top 15/20. Clubs did their homework, and there was a good reason most didn't want to touch him.

 

[mrmonkey]

Has us passing on CDT, Lindsay and Dovastan for Schubert. Who writes this crap.

Zero hanger isn't exactly a very reputable publication. This is a mere opinion piece from guys that are more like regular fans. Would be like reading a draft prediction on a draft thread on big footy. I know a lot of journalists are garbage but there are some that do have inside sources so I suspect we'll get a clearer picture closer to the draft. It's actually got to the point where the draft is pretty predictable. I think it's best to wait until then.

 

[stEdy]

I remember phantom drafts had us taking Harley Balic with our first pick in 2015. They love linking us to trash so good players slip through to there clubs.

Probably a west coast supporter trying to squeeze CDT through to them at 13 doing that draft having us take Schubert and Phillipou ahead of him.

How do phantom drafts affect real life again?

 

[MarcMaverick]

How do phantom drafts affect real life again?

Phantasmically and paranormally.

And if you can believe it, astrologically.

 

[The Dr]

Zero hanger isn't exactly a very reputable publication. This is a mere opinion piece from guys that are more like regular fans. Would be like reading a draft prediction on a draft thread on big footy. I know a lot of journalists are garbage but there are some that do have inside sources so I suspect we'll get a clearer picture closer to the draft. It's actually got to the point where the draft is pretty predictable. I think it's best to wait until then.

this.

Fans have to be more astute in deciding which media to pay attention to.

Genuine outlets like AFL Media, the Age, HS, ESPN’s draft guy etc are all very good in this space.

Conversely, there’s a huge amount of people producing content who wouldn’t know more than the average fan. You just have to be smart enough to ignore that noise.

 

[schmuttt]

this.

Fans have to be more astute in deciding which media to pay attention to.

Genuine outlets like AFL Media, the Age, HS, ESPN’s draft guy etc are all very good in this space.

Conversely, there’s a huge amount of people producing content who wouldn’t know more than the average fan. You just have to be smart enough to ignore that noise.

ESPNs draft guy eh?

Scythe your mate

 

[Scythe]

ESPNs draft guy eh?

Scythe your mate

Pretty sure ol' mate got fired from ESPN

 

[The Dr]

Pretty sure ol' mate got fired from ESPN

Na he left on his own accord.

The new bloke Jasper is excellent and worth following.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Given Brisbane’s forward line on GF day I’m over the ‘Dees need a KPF’ propaganda. All it did was distract from changing the game plan for four seasons which would have been much more productive. The Pies barely had a key forward in 2023.

We should have at least tried the Pies/Cats run and gun/corridor surge/roll up and roll back outnumber creation/trust going forward game plan in 2024 when we still had Trac and Oliver instead of trying to **** around with the forward line but sticking to the same ‘defensive perfection/dominate territory before considering attack/repeat stoppage repeat entries doesn’t matter if we turn it over because May and Lever will pick it off’ ethos. Play through risk and not around it. Became so choreographed and predictable that it didn’t matter how talented the team was, everyone knew how to beat us, system purity when everyone else understood that you need some volatility.

Now the talent is decimated but hopefully at least King can do what Goody held us back from and evolve the culture around to the hybrid chaos model that has won the last 4 premierships ie structured defence with instinctive ball movement and draft players who can live up to that. Front half pressure and rolling ball movement/overlap run based on trust and defensive buy-in (which we also just lacked the fitness to do). If a KPF is the best available go for it but we don’t need to reach for one because it’s not the most important piece

 

[Scythe]

Na he left on his own accord.

The new bloke Jasper is excellent and worth following.

Oh well that's less exciting then. All I know is that he's running some sort of crypto grift now (in addition to spouting random conspiracies and anti-immigration rhetoric on Twitter). Genuine dropkick of a dude from my experience (apologies if you know him personally).

Agree that Jasper's content has been much better. Still don't treat ESPN as a regular source of my footy news, but it has certainly improved.

 

[dazzledavey36]

This Jasper guy definitely gets it with his new phantom draft. Has us taking Sharp and Dovaston but even acknowledging we have enough set of talls up forward.

 

[Fork n Hell]

This Jasper guy definitely gets it with his new phantom draft. Has us taking Sharp and Dovaston but even acknowledging we have enough set of talls up forward.

it wouldn't surprise me if that's who we take either. Sharp has midfield leader written all over him for when Viney and Steele move out of the way, and we definitely need another good small forward.

 

[MarcMaverick]

This Jasper guy definitely gets it with his new phantom draft. Has us taking Sharp and Dovaston but even acknowledging we have enough set of talls up forward.

That would make us twice as Sharp.

 

[Bluelegs]

Pretty sure Dyson Sharp was the vacuum I bought a couple years back.

 

[stEdy]

Pretty sure Dyson Sharp was the vacuum I bought a couple years back.

Can it play multiple roles or inside only?

 

[Proper Gander]

Pretty sure Dyson Sharp was the vacuum I bought a couple years back.

Pretty sure it wasn’t, funny guy

 

[Bluelegs]

Can it play multiple roles or inside only?

Specifically says not to use on wet surfaces. So it should fit in well at the Dees.

 

[MarcMaverick]

All joking aside, I am glad that somebody isn't toeing the "MFC NEEDS A KPF!" line. Sharp or Greeves would be sensational in the first pick and maybe Pickett, Dovaston or Grlj for the second pick.