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)

 

[danster168]

Hate to admit it but danster168 is right though what he means to say is good key forward. Having said that I disagree that we should be targeting one in the draft. Certainly not with picks 7 and 8. I think we need a reset as we've already lost a lot of experience with Trac and Oliver gone. Go for midfielders first and we can target a forward in the future. Perhaps not even in the draft, just try pinch someone from another club when we're competing again.

I 100% agree. I don't want to draft a key forward with 7 or 8 either. I just hope we don't reach for the sake of reaching for a need.

 

[danster168]

I'm including them all because it illustrates we have a ton of key forwards but very poor midfield and small forward numbers. There is 0 chance we take a tall forward with one of our top 10 picks. You don't lose Trac, Clarry, McVee and Spargo in one offseason and then go 'oh, I know what will fix our midfield issues and help our new fast, attacking game style! A key forward!'. Just not going to happen Dan.

There's also the point that we are yet to see any of those key forwards in a game style that actually helps key forwards. Watching JVR sprinting 100m back and forth to go with the floating defensive zone and then have to lead towards goal was an abomination. My opinion is that if you put our key forwards in front of an attacking style where they can lead at the ball carrier, and that ball carrier isn't Clarry or Trac, then you're going to see much better quality from them.

So yeah, I would be fixing the midfield and the lack of genuine small forwards way before I go drafting yet another key forward who would then take our list % of key forwards to over 20%.

we have Bailey Laurie, Harry Sharp, Sparrow and Culley. Our midfield is fine. That's the logic that you used to say that we don't need a key forward.

We should've delisted Jeffo, and Fullerton did get delisted so why are you including him in the list %? that's just wrong. And why did you include Fritsch and Melksham as if they are key forwards? which they aren't. so it's not 20%, and not even close.

We need 1-2 GOOD key forwards, a small forward, a good ruck for life after Gawn and 1-2 good key defenders as May and Lever are cooked and Jed Adams is untested and Petty has been up and down dependent on role. Turner is a gun though. And we need a lockdown defender for life after Mcvee. We need a LOT! so just take best available but don't pretend you have the faintest clue what Melbourne will take or not take. We've already been linked to Ludowyke which is really strange if we're not going to take a key forward. We may not, but we will if we consider them best available.

 

[Lord Nev]

we have Bailey Laurie, Harry Sharp, Sparrow and Culley. Our midfield is fine. That's the logic that you used to say that we don't need a key forward.

Yes, Dan that makes complete sense and is a totally coherent argument. Come on man.

We should've delisted Jeffo, and Fullerton did get delisted so why are you including him in the list %? that's just wrong. And why did you include Fritsch and Melksham as if they are key forwards? which they aren't. so it's not 20%, and not even close.

I didn't list Fullarton. I included Fritsch and Melksham given how they play and their contribution to forward pressure.

We need 1-2 GOOD key forwards, a small forward, a good ruck for life after Gawn and 1-2 good key defenders as May and Lever are cooked and Jed Adams is untested and Petty has been up and down dependent on role. Turner is a gun though. And we need a lockdown defender for life after Mcvee. We need a LOT! so just take best available but don't pretend you have the faintest clue what Melbourne will take or not take.

We don't need another 1-2 key forwards. Yet.

The whole point is we've just moved on two prime mids for us, and there is a significant game style shift incoming - So let all that play out and let's see how our very young high pick key forwards go with a game style that doesn't destroy them and hopefully an actual forward craft coach for the first time in their MFC careers.

I don't agree we need a lockdown defender. With a more agile backline they should all be capable, it's a waste of a spot to have a specialist 'lockdown defender'.

And yes, we do need a lot - And what are would you say is most important on the field? Midfield right? Surely even you won't argue against that.

We've already been linked to Ludowyke which is really strange if we're not going to take a key forward. We may not, but we will if we consider them best available.

There was a throwaway line in an article saying 'opposition clubs have linked MFC to him', hardly call that solid info Dan. Any half decent footy watcher would look at our current list, our ins and outs, our proposed new game style and say a key forward is the last thing the Dees should be looking at with their top 10 picks.

I do like you playing every single possible angle by saying 'we may, we may not, but we'll consider it'. Way to put your balls on the line Dan.

 

[melbun]

Gather 'round all ye pessimists.
Know this: Simon is gone.

Do not underestimate the impact of this.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Gather 'round all ye pessimists.
Know this: Simon is gone.

Do not underestimate the impact of this.

Yeah, I have no idea how we'll go next year. With Goody, you know what will happen. With Kingy, we're venturing into the unknown.

 

[Crusty Demon]

I'll be shocked if we win more than maybe 6 games. But it's all about the changes in the way we play and potential position changes/development like Petty to FB and bringing in Kentfield, Adams and hopefully seeing improvement in Tholstrup, JVR, Adams, Lindsay, Windsor.

 

[Demon Attack]

Our young players are gonna surprise a fair few people with a new coach imo

 

[Lampers]

Our young players are gonna surprise a fair few people with a new coach imo

Hopefully - the very restricted roles and game plan may also have made otherwise not so useful players more useful. If all they needed to do for most of the game was be fit and run to the right spots. Some players will probably show themselves to be inadequate under King when they were effective for Goodwin.

What I’m mostly hoping for is King to throw out any preconceptions of what a player is or isn’t, and then use them where the observations make sense.

I’m sure King will still have plenty of roles, it won’t be chaos where every player just free wheels it based on how they are feeling that day.

I’m looking forward to see what Chandler could do in a genuinely attacking forward role. He’s shown it in glimpses but some of his quieter games were ones where he racked up a mountain of distance covered so he was in that workhorse high-half-forward-who-is-really-a-defender role. Sparrow I have less hope for as when given his chance to step up he was super underwhelming.

What about Windsor with the half back experiment completely killed off and him breaking lines centre and forward of that?

What about Petty as the main man in the backline?

What about van Rooyen and/or Jefferson as genuine forwards leading into some space?

The irony of some of these was Goodwin seemed to be seeing the light here and there right before he got the knife. But I reckon if Goodwin stayed as did Trac and Oliver it would’ve been back to the same old setup at least to start 2026.

 

[McQueen]

Something wrong with Mitch Brown?

In my opinion, yes.

Is there something wrong with that?

 

[Headless]

In my opinion, yes.

Is there something wrong with that?

What's your reason? Pretty unusual drive-by.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

I'm just not a "everyone in they're own hole", thinker Re AFL.
I believe strongly in players being more than a one-dimensional player.

Petty is our best overhead mark at this stage, until someone else proves otherwise... apart from Maxy of course.

People who only read the part the bits that go along with their thinking are mostly black and white thinkers. And most of the spectrum is the grey between... and the grey between the ears.

Pretty is a shithouse contested mark because he has no physicality whatsoever, gets worked of the ball by defenders with ease. The most frustrating player on our list for mine, and that's saying something.

 

[Crusty Demon]

I know Goody was sh** for the last few years, but there's no guarantee King knows wtf he's doing either lol. We're all expecting a spike by a lot of our players, but I'm not sure King is a miracle worker. It all sounds good atm, but we might end up just having a lot of spuds on the list. Development is key. It's ok to say let's play free running attacking footy, but most of our list struggles to hit a target and some key players are nearly over the hill. I'm expecting a few years of pain tbh. Expectations for me are very low. I already see Gawn in the news saying he thinks we can play finals lol.

 

[danster168]

I know Goody was sh** for the last few years, but there's no guarantee King knows wtf he's doing either lol. We're all expecting a spike by a lot of our players, but I'm not sure King is a miracle worker. It all sounds good atm, but we might end up just having a lot of spuds on the list. Development is key. It's ok to say let's play free running attacking footy, but most of our list struggles to hit a target and some key players are nearly over the hill. I'm expecting a few years of pain tbh. Expectations for me are very low. I already see Gawn in the news saying he thinks we can play finals lol.

Spot on. Which is why all next year is just about watching the kids and hoping some pop.

 

[McQueen]

What's your reason? Pretty unusual drive-by.

Only responding to your drive by.

Had missed your reply up until tonight going back through notifications.
It caught my attention.

Why do you care what my reason is?

 

[Headless]

Only responding to your drive by.

Had missed your reply up until tonight going back through notifications.
It caught my attention.

Why do you care what my reason is?

No you didn't, because you replied and then deleted your post several weeks ago lol.

I'm simply curious. You brought up Mitch Brown out of nowhere, then said you think there's something wrong with Mitch Brown. Now I'm asking why.

 

[McQueen]

No you didn't, because you replied and then deleted your post several weeks ago lol.

I'm simply curious. You brought up Mitch Brown out of nowhere, then said you think there's something wrong with Mitch Brown. Now I'm asking why.

Ha. I can’t recall doing that but there you go…

You’re not curious and I’m content with my opinion of him.

 

[Headless]

Ha. I can’t recall doing that but there you go…

You’re not curious and I’m content with my opinion of him.

I'm very curious. Seems an odd thing to do to randomly bring another person into the discussion in a derogatory way for no reason whatsoever.

Guess we'll leave it there. I hope you, as a fellow human, have a great day.

 

[Topkent]

Kozzy on his best day couldn't dance around like this

 

[Proper Gander]

This thread has it all

 

[mrmonkey]

I'm curious as to which Mitch Brown we are talking about.

 

[Daemon]

Are we trading Mitch Brown back in?

 

[Lord Nev]

Saints even beating us for cat B signings...

 

[Toump Ass]

I'm curious as to which Mitch Brown we are talking about.

All of them.

 

[mrmonkey]

All of them.

Why stop there? Anyone with the last name Brown is not welcomed.

 

[Meds]

Why stop there? Anyone with the last name Brown is not welcomed.

Off-season thread idea - Best 18: Same surname only

Brown could be decent, but Smith is the 1st one that comes to mind