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
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[holllywood]

Of the confirmed players wanting to come across.

We have done a medical with Ryan which only occurs with West Coasts blessing.

GWS knew about Aleers contract offer as he was OOC

TDK and JSOS both free agents.

Merrett is contracted. Met with Hawthorn behind the back of the club he captains and is now forcing a move through.

The Flanders report is not confirmed that we have received his word to be traded to us and Gold Coast denied he was available.

Marshall met with Geelong because Ross believes the playing group should explore their options - because it should reaffirm the information he is being fed back. Which is the environment and culture is top 4 in the league. IF Marshall leaves - it then feeds into RTBs point that it will only occur at the benefit of the football club.

Very different scenarios.

Didn’t we meet with Merrett last year as well though?

 

[_Maximus_12]

Have watched enough of Cam over the last 4-5 seasons. He's a smart footballer, scans the field when he has ball in hand, and makes good decisions. Something we don't have much of in our brigade of young mids.

 

[BrutThough]

Didn’t we meet with Merrett last year as well though?

We reportedly had an offer for him but we never met with him directly.

 

[St Neil]

Didn’t we meet with Merrett last year as well though?

Didn’t we go through the right channels and communicate with his management?

His management then communicated with Merrett. I don’t think we approached him directly without Essendon’s knowledge and permission.

All clubs (except Hawthorn) follow those conventions.

 

[stavro#4]

Didn’t we go through the right channels and communicate with his management?

His management then communicated with Merrett. I don’t think we approached him directly without Essendon’s knowledge and permission.

All clubs (except Hawthorn) follow those conventions.

Yes. Never met with him. Via his agent

 

[stavro#4]

Have watched enough of Cam over the last 4-5 seasons. He's a smart footballer, scans the field when he has ball in hand, and makes good decisions. Something we don't have much of in our brigade of young mids.

He also prefers to be the last receiver in a passage of play because he wants to take that kick inside 50.

We probably have 5 players who are willing and skillful enough to take that kick.

Nas Sinclair Hall Macrae and Pou.

 

[Joffaboy]

Lenny reckons it takes 75 games to feel comfortable at the level.

He's shown plenty in his 1st few years to suggest he has a huge upside.

Harvs played 320 something games and said he never felt comfortable at seniors level. Probably why he was a maniac at preparation.

 

[phantom13]

Devil is in the detail.

Of the confirmed players wanting to come across.

We have done a medical with Ryan which only occurs with West Coasts blessing.

GWS knew about Aleers contract offer as he was OOC

TDK and JSOS both free agents.

Merrett is contracted. Met with Hawthorn behind the back of the club he captains and is now forcing a move through.

The Flanders report is not confirmed that we have received his word to be traded to us and Gold Coast denied he was available.

Marshall met with Geelong because Ross believes the playing group should explore their options - because it should reaffirm the information he is being fed back. Which is the environment and culture is top 4 in the league. IF Marshall leaves - it then feeds into RTBs point that it will only occur at the benefit of the football club.

Very different scenarios.

Whilst i do agree with this i also think what happened with Merrett is going to become the norm.

Player empowerment era etc.

 

[stavro#4]

Whilst i do agree with this i also think what happened with Merrett is going to become the norm.

Player empowerment era etc.

I agree. I’d say the issue is that he is the captain and their superstar.

I think the uproar would be similar or even bigger if it was Bont or Cripps or Gawn or Dawson etc

 

[Diehard Saint]

I think I'm a bit undecided on Mackenzie.

I think the romance of getting our NGA player back has been clouding my judgement. I'd love to see a package of him absolutely dominating, I'm not saying I'm off him, but I just want to see it from my own two eyes.

Let’s hope the list managers are not blinded by romance.

Mitchell is sneaky and devious. He is breaking long held ethics and conventions that a senior coach doesn’t personally immerse himself into the lives of players from other clubs.

Further to that, he is also using his spouse as part of the pitch as she befriends the spouse/partner of targeted recruits.

Other clubs dislike what he is doing but, as Brad Scott said, the ground is shifting.

Other clubs will start targeting Hawthorn and soon they will be the victims. Everyone abides by the same salary cap and number of list spots.

Was a sniper as a player and is continuing that as a coach.
Definitely my most disliked team - even more so than Carlton.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I have no opinion on CMac but i agree there are way to many that get sucked in by the romance of we should get him because we have his brother , they are best mates , went to school together , he is a Sandy boy ect .

We can only hope the list managers are not the romantic types!

 

[jumperfan]

It’s going to come down to whether we value any player in this draft higher than Cmac or Flanders. Given how thin the available talent looks at the top end this year I’d be taking the safe option and using pick 7 to grab one or both of the above.

 

[Leap of Faith]

Mitchell is sneaky and devious. He is breaking long held ethics and conventions that a senior coach doesn’t personally immerse himself into the lives of players from other clubs.

Further to that, he is also using his spouse as part of the pitch as she befriends the spouse/partner of targeted recruits.

Other clubs dislike what he is doing but, as Brad Scott said, the ground is shifting.

Other clubs will start targeting Hawthorn and soon they will be the victims. Everyone abides by the same salary cap and number of list spots.

Yeah I also noticed the change in conventions. Not so long ago an oppo coach directly approaching a contracted player from another club would have been totally out of bounds. Let alone the captain of another club. And the Hawthorn president also doubled down on it, saying they issue no apology for trying to improve their list.
They have a way to go to secede Carlton and the Injectors as most hated in my book, but I would really love Geelong to hand their arse to them on a plate this Friday. Wipe the smug grins off little show ponies like Watson and Ginnivan.

 

[Yawkey way]

Don’t think it’s going to be pick 7 straight up for Cmac.

It better not be.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

His highlights have stood out to me more than Flanders, personally.

Flanders is a bit older and has had 1 very good year, much better than what CMAS has shown so far, and is supposedly injured this year.

The romance side of things doesn’t hurt tho

Both Flanders & CMac have a touch of class .... which is never a bad thing .... plenty of upside

 

[Red White Black]

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Have watched enough of Cam over the last 4-5 seasons. He's a smart footballer, scans the field when he has ball in hand, and makes good decisions. Something we don't have much of in our brigade of young mids.

Arches that back and can be very elusive in traffic ..... have no idea why Mitchell has sidelined him?

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Arches that back and can be very elusive in traffic ..... have no idea why Mitchell has sidelined him?

Old Lady Mitchell doesn’t rate him

 

[SainterinSydney]

I have exclusive footage of Hardwick's response in Flander's exit meeting after Flanders requested a trade

 

[Dr Spaceman]

So Ned’s back in play?

 

[phantom13]

Id say unless we shed a Steele or similar id rather we target one of Flanders/C-Mac.

Getting two in with our current midfield crop wouldnt be ideal IMO.

Roma still goes too. The longer we get from the season gone the less keeping him makes sense to me (unless he wants to stay).

 

[MrFoster]

Have watched enough of Cam over the last 4-5 seasons. He's a smart footballer, scans the field when he has ball in hand, and makes good decisions. Something we don't have much of in our brigade of young mids.

Exactly, he is a dynamic mid who can play inside and outside, with good composure and can hit target with ease. I’m sure this will upset some people here (because we all have rose tinted glass for our own players), but I think Mackenzie is a better mid than Winghager. (cleaner, composure, better kick). Winghager is tough and still a good player, but long way to go before he is a top 3 mid in our team.

 

[Mstr Strokesman]

Don’t think it’s going to be pick 7 straight up for Cmac.

Are you thinking more or less.
Splitting pick 7 into 2 first the 1 each for Flanders and CMac would be the dream scenario.
Is this realistic ?

 

[MrFoster]

Id say unless we shed a Steele or similar id rather we target one of Flanders/C-Mac.

Getting two in with our current midfield crop wouldnt be ideal IMO.

Roma still goes too. The longer we get from the season gone the less keeping him makes sense to me (unless he wants to stay).

Let’s be honest, Marshall wouldn’t want to stay because
1. A chance to get paid more (his contract was front loaded
2. His preferred position is now filled by TDK
3. Chance to play in an already contending side with less pressure on him.

 

[Captain Paddy]

Would love to have enough depth next year that we see some of our players in the VFL team of the year.

Our VFL set up has been ordinary for too long