Going to drop one of those long posts. Read as you like:
Ok so list management can be roughly divided into three time frames
Short Term - Next Year (we'll call it Year 1)
Medium Term - Year 2-3
Long Term - Year 3-5
When you make a short term decision you are looking for an immediate effect. A player who comes in and elevates the team, or a stop-gap to replace a lost asset. When you make a medium term decision it's more risk orientated. You are aware it might not be a success, but you are taking a risk that in 2-3 years your move pays off, say moving along a senior player for a draft pick, or bringing in one who hasn't yet made his mark. When you make a long-term decision you are trying to lay down the foundations of the team's trajectory. These are inherently risky deals, so they are only done with premium assets.
If we were to frame them as draft picks:
Short-Term: A mature rookie
Medium-Term: A player selected at 25+
Long-Term: A player taken within the first 25 picks.
There is a trend in AFL list management to make large deals which involve a lot of picks moving, and I think what this reflects is an increase in the evaluation of medium term risks. Clubs are starting to value building a diverse portfolio of medium term risks, so that they increase their chance of an outright success. That's why trading a pick in the higher bands for several in the lower bands makes some sense. You are less likely to pick up a good player with any one of those picks, but you are more likely overall.
Picks in the top tier are aimed at players who demonstrate some exceptional capability (think Yarran or Rohan) or an almost unimpeachable expected output (think Scully or Cunningham). These players are often considered long-term investments and stay in the AFL system for at least 5 or so years.
Picks in the next step down are some mix of exceptional talent with big questions (Darling, Ben Brown) and consistent performers without a huge differentiation (Parker, Clarke).
Even further down are picks which basically become even more extreme version of the above (Dayle Garlett, Michael Barlow).
So where is Carlton at?
Short-Term: We need leadership and protection for developing talent
Medium-Term: We need players who can fill roles and play to the gameplan
Long-Term: We need players who will be exceptional
And how is our progress:
Short-Term: Retaining Gibbs, bringing in Palmer keeps our experience about where it was last year. Could stand to add another experienced AFL body
Medium-Term: Palmer and Smedts most likely will fill a role for 2-3 years, no other acquisitions. It seems likely that we will be satiating this requirement through the draft
Long-Term: Pick 5 and to a lesser extent Pick 25 ought to be dedicated to acquiring players we project to be exceptional.
As to how this effects who we should delist. Well looking at the candidates on the main list:
D. Buckley
D. Viojo-Rainbow
J. Tutt
M. Whiley
N. Graham
A. Everitt
I would think that of that list 4 names stand out as not adequately filling any requirements:
Viojo-Rainbow: Has not been able to make an impact at VFL or AFL, struggled with the pace. Seems unlikely to be able to make the grade
Tutt: Can play at VFL, cannot adequately play at AFL.
Whiley: Same as Tutt
Graham: Demonstrates more potential then the above, BUT seems to have significant problems with speed.
None of these players are better than a medium term investment in a draft pick.
Buckley might be a player who is successful over the medium term, Everitt is likely to be of benefit in the short-term.
These players are probably as useful as a later draft pick