List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion - Part 3

[Hubnester]

2025 List Management Discussion - Part 3

Now that our season is over, and news is starting to break - it's time for a fresh thread.

This thread is to discuss all things list management - trades, draft, free agency, delistings and more.
As we are now officially in our off-season, we'll be wanting to keep this thread more strictly on-topic than the previous iterations.
Be respectful. You are allowed to disagree with someone - but play the ball, not the man. Repeat offenders will have their posting rights revoked.

Thanks to Lore once again for this incredibly useful spreadsheet.

2025 KEY DATES
Free Agency Period: Friday, October 3rd - Friday, October 10th
Trade Period: Monday, October 6th - Wednesday, October 15th
AFL Draft: Wednesday, November 19th - Thursday, November 20th

See Also:
2025 Year in Review Rumours & Confirmed Movements 2025 Draft Discussion
​

 

[stavro#4]

Freijah + Croft + F1 is a realistic and not terrible haul I think

Then on-trade one of our F1s for Flanders?

Okay.

Id cop that.

Won’t happen.

 

[luca77]

Realistically - Joel Freijah, Ryley Sanders and Jedd Busslinger while we're at it. **** these shitty compromised draft picks

You want to make our contracted vice captain your second highest player behind Bont to push for a premiership? We'll take your future

I'd start by asking for Sam Darcy though.

Yeah, as I said earlier today, I wouldn't trade Wilkie anyway. But just tossing up what we could do if we actually wanted to use the situation to our advantage.

So you wouldn't take Freijah AND Sanders if they said no to the rest?

 

[nikkig98]

Culture killer.

I’ve seen him out and about - toxic bloke.

I would genuinely rather have JUH on the saints than may. Both flogs but atleast one could have some decent footy left in him lol

 

[CursingFijian]

Interesting Melbourne saying priority is youth and May encouraged to look elsewhere. Suggests a “refresh”/“reset”/other wank term to acknowledge they’re probably going back to go forward again.

The only way is up at Moorabbin Mr Flanders. Strap yourself in

I don’t think Flanders is chasing success, if he is why would he leave a team that’s already playing finals and looks like it’s still rising and which he’s best 22?

I think he’s chasing a role.

I reckon he wants to be the next Zac Butters, so that he can maximise his value.

Reckon he’s more likely to get that opportunity at Melbourne.

 

[sauce_head]

Apparently their ItK.

Let the games begin.

View attachment 2429322

Clickbait! He’s contracted! However if they make him their highest earner because they trade us Bont, there could be something in it…

 

[luca77]

I'd hate that, not only is May a renowned prick, he has dropped away so much over the last 18 months

He might only have to cover for Dougal if he gets injured again. Until Hill trains with him, though, I won't give it too much more thought.

 

[Holy Hunter Clark]

I had a dream about unicorns last night

Wilkie for Sam Darcy confirmed

 

[StCicatriz]

Freijah + Croft + F1 is a realistic and not terrible haul I think

Then on-trade one of our F1s for Flanders?

problem will be list spots

 

[nikkig98]

Yeah, as I said earlier today, I wouldn't trade Wilkie anyway. But just tossing up what we could do if we actually wanted to use the situation to our advantage.

So you wouldn't take Freijah AND Sanders if they said no to the rest?

Probably not, but I am a very spiteful person. I'd rather see Cal in the VFL held to his contract for 2 years than playing for Bevo and those arrogant twats because he couldnt negotiate the salary he wanted. Sick of this player power bullshit. Its why Im not fussed about flanders either.

 

[sauce_head]

Yeah, as I said earlier today, I wouldn't trade Wilkie anyway. But just tossing up what we could do if we actually wanted to use the situation to our advantage.

So you wouldn't take Freijah AND Sanders if they said no to the rest?

I LOVE your profile pic! I remember that footy record article as clear as day. Do you have a high res copy of the pic?

 

[stavro#4]

Tom Morris

Now that discussions have been had with Luke Beveridge, what is Cal Wilkie worth in trade value? - via Tamlin on Facebook

TM: I still find it hard to see how St Kilda trades Cal Wilkie. He's their next captain, so I'm not sure there's going to be anything the Bulldogs could offer that would actually tempt the Saints into trading him.

 

[akaifu]

Flanders is a good player but he's also a classic case of someone who instantly becomes better because they might be traded. He a B to B+ mid.

But he was worse this year. His best was last year and late 2023

A B+ mid with A-grade upside for a mid-late first rounder isn't a bad swap

 

[luca77]

I LOVE your profile pic! I remember that footy record article as clear as day. Do you have a high res copy of the pic?

Nah, I can't remember where I found the pic... but I remember the big deal made at the time too!

Loved big Stew.
This came up on google:

 

[akaifu]

Okay.

Id cop that.

Won’t happen.

Can say that for pretty much any hypothetical trade that is remotely realistic

 

[SG34]

The way things are going, would anyone be surprised if Max King

Multiple players found. Use birthday to differentiate. eg [PLAYERCARD="23/11/1962"]Joe Smith[/PLAYERCARD]

asks to leave in 12 months, if he has a bad trot next season?

From my ten seconds of research on Safari, it seems that what is happening in the AFL now, with players squeezing their way out contracts and pulling all kinds of levers to do it (intentional leaks, media comments, meeting oppo coached etc.) , is on par with what is happening in other codes around the world. So that’s food for thought.

 

[gringo2011]

Tauru has played 10 games in his first season.

He has already equaled the club spoil record. He has shown an elite ability to leap and mark - whilst averaging over 1 intercept mark a game. He has shown he can positively contribute at both ends and has supporters across all clubs wishing they had him.

This is a kid that hasn’t done a pre season in a couple of years. Came to us with a significant Injury and had a stop start run leading to his debut.

Kinda boggles the mind if any supporter looked at him after his 10 games and thought, yeah let’s put a lid on his ceiling over the next few years instead of thinking.

Yeah sky’s the limit based off of this sample size.

He's high potential but so was Jack Billings and Luke Dunstan. It hurts short term. Perhaps an absolute masterstroke but only time tells how well it works out.

 

[stavro#4]

Can say that for pretty much any hypothetical trade that is remotely realistic

As I said mate.

They have the pieces that could make a trade happen.

They won’t offer those pieces.

You look at the dogs board and people are saying “finally going all in”.

They ain’t doing shit.

 

[Joffaboy]

Clickbait! He’s contracted! However if they make him their highest earner because they trade us Bont, there could be something in it…

Wow a 30 y.o defender coming in as the Bulldogs second highest paid player. What's the journo's playbook? Surely some of their players will be 'disquieted' and upset by an outsider getting more than them.
Darcy, Sanders, Richards will surely get chased with bigger contract offers

 

[stavro#4]

He's high potential but so was Jack Billings and Luke Dunstan. It hurts short term. Perhaps an absolute masterstroke but only time tells how well it works out.

It’s purely a discussion about his potential based on what we have seen.

In 12 months it could be a different convo.

 

[TheNewEnsign]

Wilkie + our F1 for Richards; that's pretty much the only deal I would offer (EDIT: and only if Cal asks for a trade - no way I'd offer him up without a trade request).

I understand this would be outrageous to Dogs fans but they are talking north of $1.1m p.a. over four seasons for our contracted VC, All-Australian and current B&F holder.

He's not an RFA next year so there's no consideration about 'do we deal now while we can still negotiate?', we can hold Cal til end of 2027 and a lot could change by then. There's just no reason for us to take a scrappy pack of picks in poor drafts.

If they want us to help solve their biggest list hole they can help solve our biggest one in return.

 

[nikkig98]

Tom Morris

Now that discussions have been had with Luke Beveridge, what is Cal Wilkie worth in trade value? - via Tamlin on Facebook

TM: I still find it hard to see how St Kilda trades Cal Wilkie. He's their next captain, so I'm not sure there's going to be anything the Bulldogs could offer that would actually tempt the Saints into trading him.

Wonder if this Tamlin happens to be Cal Wilkies missus on a burner from these group chats everyone was going on about?
Really trying all avenues

 

[akaifu]

The way things are going, would anyone be surprised if Max King asks to leave in 12 months, if he has a bad trot next season?

From my ten seconds of research on Safari, it seems that what is happening in the AFL now, with players squeezing their way out contracts and pulling all kinds of levers to do it (intentional leaks, media comments, meeting oppo coached etc.) , is on par with what is happening in other codes around the world. So that’s food for thought.

The only reason he'd leave would be if he loses faith in our medical staff

Grew up a Saints supporter, recently signed a long-term deal, apparently took unders to stay at the club he loves, repaying the loyalty we've shown to him, re-signings of all our key pieces

Something would have to go terribly wrong

 

[MrFoster]

As I said mate.

They have the pieces that could make a trade happen.

They won’t offer those pieces.

You look at the dogs board and people are saying “finally going all in”.

They ain’t doing shit.

I think if they got Wilkie’s go ahead, they’ll offer up the young players to get it done, it won’t be easy. But Wilkie will be their messiah (they backline is rubbish), and they do have young talents coming through they could sacrifice, let’s see if it actually happens. But when there’s smoke, there’s fire.

 

[stavro#4]

Wilkie + our F1 for Richards; that's pretty much the only deal I would offer.

I understand this would be outrageous to Dogs fans but they are talking north of $1.1m p.a. over four seasons for our contracted VC, All-Australian and current B&F holder.

He's not an RFA next year so there's no consideration about 'do we deal now while we can still negotiate?', we can hold Cal til end of 2027 and a lot could change by then. There's just no reason for us to take a scrappy pack of picks in poor drafts.

If they want us to help solve their biggest list hole they can help solve our biggest one in return.

I would prefer to take them to a minute before the deadline and then say. No deal.

And just laugh whilst they haven’t recruited any key backs. Wasting another year of the Bont.

 

[AirWinmar]

This is awesome news, can somewhat relax and enjoy the trade and draft period now