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)

 

[Proper Gander]

Being perennially shit and then bobbing up for a flag once every 60 years?

Yep

 

[dazzledavey36]

Yeah we are pretty f*d for a few years tbh. List is as limp as a wet rag. Can see us in the Saints, Bombers realm of mediocrity but not bottoming out or making finals. Gotta clear some of the s* and hopefully a Bucks can attract some players and we fre up some cash by moving Oliver or Trac on as well as a Lever or May.

Its not actually that bad..

 

[Crusty Demon]

Its not actually that bad..

I've also mentioned that we do have a strong core young group already on the list. Development is key. We lack the mid 20's talent besides a few that could propel us into finals with a young group. We need to target that age of player and if we can do that and develop our young group to their potential, then yeah, we can see finals action again in the next few years. But if we can't we do run the risk of being another Saints and Essendon. Coach obviously key.

 

[danster168]

Windhager should be getting offers over a million and we should be all over him.

But its ok because we've got our eyes set on Wade Derksen and Max Heath.

 

[Lord Nev]

Windhager should be getting offers over a million and we should be all over him.

But its ok because we've got our eyes set on Wade Derksen and Max Heath.

Mate, trade period doesn't even start for a month, pace yourself.

 

[danster168]

Mate, trade period doesn't even start for a month, pace yourself.

true. But we still have a bunch of players that we know have nominated where they want to go. I just think the fans will rightfully be tearing the room off the place if we rock up to next season with just Derksen and Heath. Or even just pick upgrades that Lamb will botch isn't enough. Need to bring in at least 1 good player

 

[ray_purchase]

Freo will never win a thing. Imagine losing to Gold Coast in a home elimination final. Come back to your real home, Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

.

 

[markm106]

 

[Bluelegs]

Fantastic work getting this done as always, danster168

 

[Lampers]

OK, now that the real stuff is over (Casey eliminated) we can truly assess what will happen with the list.

With this being a really weak draft, the club's first round pick being with Essendon, plus Kynan White and likely Toby Sinnema coming in I can't see there being too much paring back of the list.

Culley and Henderson came on as LTI replacements for McAdam and Moniz Wakefield so there are actually two more players on the list than the true maximum.

Obvious outs for mine having watched far too much Casey football:

Henderson - in hindsight a real head scratcher of an acquisition, especially in preference to Culley who does have a couple of AFL level weapons. He wasn't even played in prominent roles in his VFL games and seemed forever injured towards the back end of the year.

Brown - he tries hard but he's undersized and has no AFL weapons. Maybe he could get somewhere as a forward, but not at Melbourne.

Woewodin - just really vanilla. But not even the classy vanilla, the supermarket brand vanilla.

Campbell - on the assumption that Heath is secured I think Campbell would take away development opportunities for both Heath and White. If there is a spate of injuries the mid-season draft would be the spot to grab another ruck, possibly even Campbell again.

Verrall - he hardly got any time in the ruck or as a resting forward towards the back end of the year. Unless he was managing some sort of injury that's a sign that he's out the door one way or another. Straight delist, or potentially another club has committed to him so Melbourne saw no point in giving him more development time.

Hore - he's retired so that's an easy one.

Billings - if he had any future with Melbourne he would've got games in the second half as his VFL form was outstanding.

Fullarton - was worth a shot, but just Schache mark 2.0 in the end.

Spargo - I think he has likely lost his number one supporter in Goodwin and may as well exercise his free agency if there's another club interested.

That's nine gone pretty easily, or really seven given the LTI position with McAdam and Moniz-Wakefield needing to come back onto the list.

Seven open list positions is heaps in a weak draft year with no good picks.

I can see arguments for trying to move on May, Petracca, Oliver, Laurie, Sestan and some others. But you're getting so deep into the pool of players who aren't on AFL lists already with seven vacancies it will definitely dilute the list strength.

To me there would need to be offers too good to refuse to move on those guys.

Especially when you know Melksham and McDonald would be almost certainties to go at the end of 2026, along with McAdam and another couple (Sharp, Sparrow?).

 

[Scythe]

Would be a good get, but I'd need to see the contract/trade before getting too hyped. They'll want a lot for him, and realistically, he's only played a handful of games where he's looked like a true top-liner.

Has the potential to fit our midfield perfectly, however.

 

[PerfectFooty]

Tagged Kozzie so good the club decided they had to get him

 

[Lampers]

That's interesting as Finey is a massive Saints man so he probably has some reasonable contacts.

He's probably worth a pick that Melbourne doesn't have right now, so you'd expect someone like Trac or Oliver would need to go to generate the trade capital, the cap space and the playing opportunity required for this move.

 

[Topkent]

I haven't seen much of him but he's a midfield only type isn't he?
Viney or Oliver need to get out or play somewhere else or else that's the end of Pickett and Rivers midfield minutea

 

[Scythe]

I haven't seen much of him but he's a midfield only type isn't he?
Viney or Oliver need to get out or play somewhere else or else that's the end of Pickett and Rivers midfield minutea

Yep, midfield predominantly. Trade wouldn't get done unless one of our mids are moved, you'd think (unless we traded our F1).

Good player. Has been one of the best taggers for a while now, but looked really good when he was freed up to be more attacking in the second half of the year. That being said, his kicking (while improved) is still not great. So he'll fill the void if one of Trac and Oliver goes lol

 

[Scythe]

Plus side is that we very much need a midfielder who runs both ways, so I get the logic

 

[Johnny Karate]

That's interesting as Finey is a massive Saints man so he probably has some reasonable contacts.

He's probably worth a pick that Melbourne doesn't have right now, so you'd expect someone like Trac or Oliver would need to go to generate the trade capital, the cap space and the playing opportunity required for this move.

From memory he had the running on Watters out Richo in at the Saints back in the day.

 

[Johnny Karate]

I’m just not sure that Windhager is a big enough name though. What’s Derek Eggmolese-Smith up to these days?

 

[Scythe]

Saints board is pretty funny. Lot's of "why would he want to leave a club like ours to go to a club like theirs".

Yeah, we're shit. But it's St Kilda, lol.

 

[Topkent]

Yep, midfield predominantly. Trade wouldn't get done unless one of our mids are moved, you'd think (unless we traded our F1).

Good player. Has been one of the best taggers for a while now, but looked really good when he was freed up to be more attacking in the second half of the year. That being said, his kicking (while improved) is still not great. So he'll fill the void if one of Trac and Oliver goes lol

Kind of what I thought. Hopefully that's the foreshadow to Oliver pissing off then

 

[schmuttt]

I haven't seen much of him but he's a midfield only type isn't he?
Viney or Oliver need to get out or play somewhere else or else that's the end of Pickett and Rivers midfield minutea

I feel like if this is happening we are waving goodbye to at least one of Trac/Oliver if not both. We'll have to generate the capital to trade for him so that probably means Trac is actually gone.

 

[schmuttt]

This would be a great get btw, sets up the midfield for the next decade.

 

[schmuttt]

From memory he had the running on Watters out Richo in at the Saints back in the day.

He also wouldn't be the type of guy to make shit up. If he is reporting this he is 100% confident it is the truth.

 

[danster168]

Fantastic work getting this done as always, danster168

lol you're welcome. Seemed absolutely nuts that we wouldn't move heaven and earth to get him. he's a 1m player in my eyes. I rate him highly. And he'd be our captain after Gawn. Ticks so many things. I'll believe it when I see it though.

I feel like the Dees should offer me a recruiting gig at this point. First I was right about Duursma and now Windhager (if this source can be trusted).

Good old Richardson saying 'we need to get older'. lol. He should've been sacked right there and then as well as Tim Lamb for wanting Dan Houston. That would've set us back 10 years.

 

[Topkent]

I feel like if this is happening we are waving goodbye to at least one of Trac/Oliver if not both. We'll have to generate the capital to trade for him so that probably means Trac is actually gone.

I hope so, I hate this move if we make it and we lose Fritsch and Lever say to bring him in.