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]

"Isn't going anywhere". Can imagine the market for him was exploding

Think they just meant he's at Casey and won't be going anywhere else.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Flexing ?? about a Tom Campbell

29

Tom Campbell

Age

34

Ht

201cm

Wt

108kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.1

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

1.6

4star

HO

17.0

5star

D

5.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.0

1star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.0

5star

D

7.2

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

3.0

3star

CL

1.2

4star

HO

13.2

5star

re-signing. This club has no shame.

 

[markm106]

He has been very good but didn’t expect that. Maybe Verrall will be moved on.

 

[Lord Nev]

He has been very good but didn’t expect that. Maybe Verrall will be moved on.

Yeah, Verrall gone was the first thing I thought too.

 

[markm106]

Yeah, Verrall gone was the first thing I thought too.

Maybe he’ll get a coaching gig also and can help flatten out some soft cap.

 

[MarcMaverick]

"Isn't going anywhere". Can imagine the market for him was exploding

"You're not getting our VFL ruck. He is staying!"

 

[Bluelegs]

New coach, new president. Will Demons also have a new midfielder?

The Demons’ period of change accelerates on Monday when interviews for a new senior coach begin on new CEO Paul Guerra’s first official day in the job.

www.theage.com.au

Melbourne’s pursuit of Windhager is genuine, but North Melbourne also consider themselves a genuine chance after offering the durable 22-year-old a five-year deal.

The Saints upped their original offer from two to four years recently and are keen to retain him after his good friend Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera re-signed for two years just before the season finished. However, the Demons and Kangaroos’ offers are more attractive.
Melbourne are also reportedly interested in Saints ruckman Max Heath, while they are yet to re-sign Judd McVee, who has interest from other clubs, and free agent and premiership forward Charlie Spargo

9

Charlie Spargo

Age

26

Ht

172cm

Wt

75kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.7

3star

K

6.4

3star

HB

5.3

4star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

8.0

2star

K

6.0

2star

HB

2.0

1star

M

1.0

1star

T

0.0

1star

G

0.0

1star

D

13.6

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

1.2

4star

.

 

[Crusty Demon]

New coach, new president. Will Demons also have a new midfielder?

The Demons’ period of change accelerates on Monday when interviews for a new senior coach begin on new CEO Paul Guerra’s first official day in the job.

www.theage.com.au

WTF do North want with yet another midfielder?

 

[I Love Lamb]

It’s ironic that we have an 8x AA ruckman on our list and yet we find ourselves ****ing around focussing on trading in/out rucks every year opposed to actually fixing our forward line.

 

[Crusty Demon]

It’s ironic that we have an 8x AA ruckman on our list and yet we find ourselves ****ing around focussing on trading in/out rucks every year opposed to actually fixing our forward line.

If we develop Kentfield and Mentha well enough those two could transfom our F50 moving forward. Keep Trac in and around the F50. We have enough pieces to make a decent forwardline moving ahead. Need to work on the delivery and gameplan which will clearly help also. Agree we need a forward or two who can hit the scoreboard. I don't care what size they are as long as they are dangerous around goal.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Plus Heath can go forward.

 

[schmuttt]

WTF do North want with yet another midfielder?

Yeah, bizarre list management.

 

[I Love Lamb]

WTF do North want with yet another midfielder?

A midfielder who is an inside contested beast, can tag, defend well and isn’t overly offensive. Something we must also lack.

 

[Crusty Demon]

A midfielder who defends and isn’t offensive. Something we must also lack.

I get a quality players is a quality player, but North have a stack of quality mids already and are clearly lacking in a few other areas, most notably their backline which is utter garbage. Bizarre they'd target yet another mid.

 

[Lampers]

He has been very good but didn’t expect that. Maybe Verrall will be moved on.

Recruiting Campbell in the first place made sense because Melbourne saw themselves as a contender and didn’t want to be too exposed with any potential Gawn injury.

But having him hang around when surely they aren’t anticipating contending in 2026 is a head scratcher.

Maybe it’s just another sign that the 2025 draft class is seen as diabolical.

Campbell is from what I can tell a good citizen and probably provides quite a bit culturally.

I’d have to agree if Heath is coming then this must be the end for Verrall. No way can a team carry four ruck first players (Gawn, Campbell, Heath and Verrall) plus another developing potential ruck in White who is probably years off a senior game.

 

[stEdy]

Wouldn't be surprised if they re-signed Campbell as a senior body to keep Max sharp at training.

 

[Fork n Hell]

Recruiting Campbell in the first place made sense because Melbourne saw themselves as a contender and didn’t want to be too exposed with any potential Gawn injury.

But having him hang around when surely they aren’t anticipating contending in 2026 is a head scratcher.

Maybe it’s just another sign that the 2025 draft class is seen as diabolical.

Campbell is from what I can tell a good citizen and probably provides quite a bit culturally.

I’d have to agree if Heath is coming then this must be the end for Verrall. No way can a team carry four ruck first players (Gawn, Campbell, Heath and Verrall) plus another developing potential ruck in White who is probably years off a senior game.

with the sub getting the boot and the interchange going to five players next year, i'm guessing that we might be targeting Heath to play a second ruck/forward role for us, so Campbell is then still seen as a genuine back up ruck for Gawn.

 

[danster168]

If we develop Kentfield and Mentha well enough those two could transfom our F50 moving forward. Keep Trac in and around the F50. We have enough pieces to make a decent forwardline moving ahead. Need to work on the delivery and gameplan which will clearly help also. Agree we need a forward or two who can hit the scoreboard. I don't care what size they are as long as they are dangerous around goal.

tracs kicking skills are too poor to be in the fwd line for me. menthe I dont think is going to move the needle. it would've been nice to see kentfield though

 

[Lampers]

Wouldn't be surprised if they re-signed Campbell as a senior body to keep Max sharp at training.

Surely Campbell could do that as a part time ruck coach?

 

[Crusty Demon]

tracs kicking skills are too poor to be in the fwd line for me. menthe I dont think is going to move the needle. it would've been nice to see kentfield though

Mentha still raw. But both he and Kentfield have a lot of upside. Can see them playing senior footy next year. Development is key. Still need a couple of smart forwards to come in,but we have pieces to create a half decent forwardline moving ahead. Gameplan and midfield are more important right now no point having a gun forwardline and a s* midfield who cant hit a target.

 

[markm106]

Surely Campbell could do that as a part time ruck coach?

Maybe he’ll do a bit of coaching as well. Keep some money out of the soft cap.

 

[Lampers]

Maybe he’ll do a bit of coaching as well. Keep some money out of the soft cap.

Melksham could be in a similar boat.

With such a shallow draft and not many draft able 18 year olds you may as well have a couple of quasi coaches who can play when required and give some soft cap relief - especially with the Goodwin pay out and potentially some other assistant coaches to be paid out too.

I know Melk was best 22/23 this year but it would be troubling if the plan was for him to be in the best team in 2026 too.

 

[Lord Nev]

Recruiting Campbell in the first place made sense because Melbourne saw themselves as a contender and didn’t want to be too exposed with any potential Gawn injury.

But having him hang around when surely they aren’t anticipating contending in 2026 is a head scratcher.

Maybe it’s just another sign that the 2025 draft class is seen as diabolical.

Campbell is from what I can tell a good citizen and probably provides quite a bit culturally.

I’d have to agree if Heath is coming then this must be the end for Verrall. No way can a team carry four ruck first players (Gawn, Campbell, Heath and Verrall) plus another developing potential ruck in White who is probably years off a senior game.

Fullarton gone, Verrall probs gone, White is more a key back for now (and won't play for a year or two at least IMO), so having Campbell there on minimum wage makes sense for injury cover. If they go to 5 on the bench the general consensus is lots of teams will pick 2 rucks, so we'd have Gawn and Heath and then Campbell as injury cover. Not really a wild decision IMO, most teams would have 3 rucks on their list wouldn't they?

 

[I Love Lamb]

Melksham could be in a similar boat.

With such a shallow draft and not many draft able 18 year olds you may as well have a couple of quasi coaches who can play when required and give some soft cap relief - especially with the Goodwin pay out and potentially some other assistant coaches to be paid out too.

I know Melk was best 22/23 this year but it would be troubling if the plan was for him to be in the best team in 2026 too.

It’s not smart instantly playing a few list spots down. Can guarantee some clubs find some talent this off season from local clubs/VFL/late picks ect still.

We should be finding that talent to, it’s what we pay Taylor for.

 

[Lampers]

It’s not smart instantly playing a few list spots down. Can guarantee some clubs find some talent this off season from local clubs/VFL/late picks ect still.

We should be finding that talent to, it’s what we pay Taylor for.

The pool of players available is broadly finite.

Every year X players from the pool retire due to age and injury, or they are delisted because they've shown they aren't up to the standard.

Every year there are players who have turned 18 coming into the pool.

The consensus is this year's draft is very shallow.

That means ther view is there are fewer viable AFL standard 18 year olds than those who have retired or been delisted. That's putting aside the highly talented but skinny 18 year old will be immediately less effective than a lesser skilled 23 year old with several AFL pre-seasons under their belt.

As good as Taylor and team are, or aren't depending on your view, they can't simply manufacture players who don't exist.

There will be some gems here or there that are older than 18 and overlooked previously for whatever reason, but there won't be many of them.

Going with Campbell, Melksham and Tmac isn't playing a few list spots down. It's saying another year from those guys is going to be more valuable than a year or two on the list by an 18 year old who has very little chance to be good enough, or a random 20 year old plucked from the VAFA.