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
​

 

[akaifu]

i wonder if essendon might be in the market for someone like steele

Doubt it given they already have plenty of contest-winning mids

Caldwell, Durham, Parish, Setterfield (if he re-signs), Tsatas

Probably have a clearance-winning draftee or two coming in too

 

[EddieMurphy]

Personally, I believe the “go all in to make Nas happy” thing is in the main just what the Club was planning on doing anyway now. It was always the plan since RTB arrived to bring in experienced players from this year and the War Chest was constructed for this reason.

The War Chest that has been built is time limited (By only spending 95% of the Salary Cap , and preloading contracts of some existing players), and so it is "Use It or Lose It Time" starting from this trade period.

“Go all in to make Nas happy” may possibly have altered the mix slightly, but of those have said they want to join us, only Liam to me would be perhaps be someone we would not have targeted now.

We are certainly a better finals chance, and Flag chance with Nas., but the plan was to bring in experienced players now.

I do believe however that Nas extending has made it much easier to have our targets decide to join us.

• Aleer would probably have joined anyway. = Young
• TDK may have instead chased Finals/Premiership with the Cats on lower coin = Youngish
• JSOS is an opportunistic FA move that we would have liked, but JSOS may have decided that Pies?Dogs was better than a Nasiah-less St Kilda. = Yes a bit older, but is FA

If you look around available players who would be available to St Kilda, who would you have taken instead of whom we have landed?

And taking no-one, just wastes that expiring War Chest.

Imagine a Silvagni in a Saints jumper in a Saints premiership team

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

That's because he's an elite ball user though - he has the right to get it back

Just like how Nas gets free possies from kick-ins

Yeah he does... but my point was how basic generic stats like disposals can be very misleading.

Remember the night last year when we smashed Carlton when Cerra, Cripps & Hewett got 35+ touches each? All they did was kick it to each other because they couldn't get it through our zone. On paper it looked good but they had zero impact on the game.

 

[nikkig98]

The way I look at it, while the new recruits might help get us moving in the right direction, it is the mass of young talent that will be dragging us into the 8 & then hopefully up from there.

Of course that 2020 group had some promising kids too who didn't pan out for a variety of reasons... but I think we are deeper now, not to mention have absolute pros running the club.

We certainly didn't have that in 2020.

Man, I couldnt even fit both lists into the screenshot, and draftguru rankings arent the greatest, the comparison between 2020 and 2025 is night and day. Mind you, the 2025 list doesnt have Tauru, Hall, Boxshall cause i couldnt fit into the screenshot aha

 

[gringo2011]

I honestly don't think i was going to follow footy next year.

I went to the hawks game about 2 months ago and felt like I was at a wake. With the attitude the club had taken about the academies and father sons, seeming like we were losing a generational player, I was just defeated, it felt like what's the point.

But with Nas staying, other players wanting to join and the clubs attitude not being defeatist after all, being more like an F U type of attitude, I'm actually more enthusiastic than I have been for a long time.

Regardless of how things go down, I really rate how ruthless the club is willing to be and have faith in Basset and Ross.

If we fail, at least we will have gone down swinging, instead of meekly accepting our role as a club just their to pad out the TV rights deal.

Absolutely. It should be a very different looking side next year and it feels like we are going to go for it. I really didn't enjoy 2025 but can't wait for next year now.

 

[John2010362340]

I think we will end up with Jamarra. Gut feel.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Yeah he does... but my point was how basic generic stats like disposals can be very misleading.

Remember the night last year when we smashed Carlton when Cerra, Cripps & Hewett got 35+ touches each? All they did was kick it to each other because they couldn't get it through our zone. On paper it looked good but they had zero impact on the game.

Which is why i like the contested possessions stat.

 

[gringo2011]

View attachment 2422831
View attachment 2422832



Man, I couldnt even fit both lists into the screenshot, and draftguru rankings arent the greatest, the comparison between 2020 and 2025 is night and day. Mind you, the 2025 list doesnt have Tauru, Hall, Boxshall cause i couldnt fit into the screenshot aha

And Nas is still classed as B+. Hall is already absolute A grade too.

 

[nikkig98]

That was an absolute fork in the road moment. One way was doom and gloom and we managed to take the friendlier path fortunately.

If we go on to achieve success with this list, then I think that Melbourne game may be remembered as the biggest fork in the road moment in AFL history.

 

[Train12]

I think we will end up with Jamara. Gut feel.

Is that because Bradley Hill shared a insta video training with him ?

 

[MrFoster]

He's been a bit of a slow burn but he's still very young. I don't think he's kept his draft value but I'd certainly get him in for the pick 15 we'd likely get if we were to lose Marshall.

I look at Flanders who has had one good year in a contract year and think CMac has just as much potential based on all of Flanders' other seasons. In fact, looking at both players' first 3 seasons, CMac is probably in front.

I look at it as last year we missed out on a few mids in the first round at our pick, this year’s draft is even thinner, so it’s best to use our first round picks to trade in young mids who are more developed but starved of opportunities, this will fast track our midfield build again rather than draft an 18 year old average level mid and wait for him to star right away.

 

[St Neil]

I hope Essendon hold Merrett.

For the sake of the game it isn’t a good look when contenders are peeling off the best players from any club languishing near the bottom of the ladder.

Essendon are genuinely at a tipping point now. They could easily spiral down from here.

 

[John2010362340]

Is that because Bradley Hill shared a insta video training with him ?

Did he? Gut feel has now turned into confidence. In all seriousness though I think Saints would be the only club that has the resources to get him back on track.

 

[jwikked]

I think we will end up with Jamarra. Gut feel.

Hope not. Makes sense for a club like Gold Coast or Sydney to take a chance on him, but I don't want him or his slimy mates anywhere near our club. The guy is a walking disaster.

Lends his car, it gets stolen and used in crime. Driving in a Lambo, gets car stolen from him. At a nightclub with mates, fight breaks out around him.
Trouble seems to follow him around. Not good, not worth the risk.

Did he? Gut feel has now turned into confidence. In all seriousness though I think Saints would be the only club that has the resources to get him back on track.

Hmm, good point. Would be a real test of that, though.

 

[nikkig98]

I think we will end up with Jamarra. Gut feel.

Yikes
At least it looks better than the Tarryn Thomas association last year?

 

[sauce_head]

For the sake of the game it isn’t a good look when contenders are peeling off the best players from any club languishing near the bottom of the ladder.

Essendon are genuinely at a tipping point now. They could easily spiral down from here.

Agree. Especially when the contenders are getting free draft picks as well.

 

[nikkig98]

Hope not. Makes sense for a club like Gold Coast or Sydney to take a chance on him, but I don't want him or his slimy mates anywhere near our club. The guy is a walking disaster.

Lends his car, it gets stolen and used in crime. Driving in a Lambo, gets car stolen from him. At a nightclub with mates, fight breaks out around him.
Trouble seems to follow him around. Not good, not worth the risk.

you're absolutely right, but devils advocate, what if we fix him?

Feel like Bevo isn't handled to deal with personalities and that club doesnt have the indigenous program we do?
He has been a disgrace, but I will say that the bloke has been training and keeping fit throughout the season on his own.

 

[jwikked]

[/QUOTE]

Yikes
At least it looks better than the Tarryn Thomas association last year?

I was talking to an ex-coach who had coached in WA, at some AFL clubs and all over Australia. He thinks that the best thing for Tarryn Thomas would have been to go to the WA club that wanted him. They've apparently got a good support system for blokes like that, and it would have been a great way for him to rehabilitate himself.

The outrage shut it down, of course. Maybe TT is a lost cause, god knows North Melbourne really went above and beyond for him.

 

[LJC05]

I think we will end up with Jamarra. Gut feel.

Had a gym session with Hilly today, could be the day to day mentor he needs to get back on the straight and narrow.

 

[TheJackal]

Injury history? I have not followed him exactly and so perhaps he has been playing injured, but he does not seem to have actually missed many games?

View attachment 2422795

And we all know his games played each year hasn't been skewed by finals

 

[Leap of Faith]

For the sake of the game it isn’t a good look when contenders are peeling off the best players from any club languishing near the bottom of the ladder.

Essendon are genuinely at a tipping point now. They could easily spiral down from here.

A noble sentiment. But seriously, f*** Essendon. Same category as Carlton AFAIC. Any hardship, humiliation or unravelling that occurs - excellent.

 

[nikkig98]

Feel like the indigenous boys around the league really respect Hilly, he could potentially be the difference and might be able to keep Jamarra in line??

I mean, theres really not anyone like that at the dogs. Bont seems more like a "lead-by-type on the field" example.

Anyway, all of this speculation aside. I hope the team keeps Brad around in some capacity after he retires, he is unbelievable for the off field culture. Mason Wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

32

Ht

192cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.3

2star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

too.

 

[sauce_head]

you're absolutely right, but devils advocate, what if we fix him?

Feel like Bevo isn't handled to deal with personalities and that club doesnt have the indigenous program we do?
He has been a disgrace, but I will say that the bloke has been training and keeping fit throughout the season on his own.

It seems more likely to me he never plays AFL again and is never on another list.

 

[nikkig98]

It seems more likely to me he never plays AFL again and is never on another list.

don't get me wrong, i'd be more than happy to see that outcome after the way he has gone about it this year.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

i wonder if essendon might be in the market for someone like steele

I'm sure they'd swap him for Shiel if we gave them a first round pick.