List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion - Part IV

[Hubnester]

2025 List Management Discussion - Part 4

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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[phantom13]

Sounds like just a straight swap, Flanders for 7.

Would have been nice to get something late back.

Id rather we just get some deals going TBH, we can **** around with a swap of third or whatever but who cares.

We clearly dont care about this years draft so being more proactive is better than dicking around IMO.

 

[bergholt]

Yes please

Who is this guy? What does he do? Stats don't show much but he's been sub a lot.

 

[Yawkey way]

Sounds like just a straight swap, Flanders for 7.

Would have been nice to get something late back.

Maybe we’ll get a kickback later after they’ve made a few trades.

 

[ScrappyDo]

I see Hastie further up the ground, Stocker will need to shed a few kgs but I really like the way he plays.

We're starting to accumulate a few hard types in the defenders group. I like it, there's nothing like a bit of fear to lubricate a winning style.

 

[bergholt]

Id rather we just get some deals going TBH, we can **** around with a swap of third or whatever but who cares.

We clearly dont care about this years draft so being more proactive is better than dicking around IMO.

Yeah completely agree, the swap of thirds or whatever always just seems like dick measuring from the list managers. May as well just get the deal done and move on to the rest of our business.

 

[BilboJackins]

Probably selling him a bit short at this stage, he's ahead of LOC on raw talant. LOC was also trialled in the midfield late so it remains to be seen where he ends up. Hastie IMO will likely follow from Wilkie in any event since he's got the tools.

Players going through the midfield in the VFL is part of the club’s development plan to teach players to win their own ball.

Same thing happened with Wilson, Collard, Hastie etc

 

[ScrappyDo]

It's highly likely Stocker is a VFL footballer for the most part in 2026.

It's his spot to lose atm. The kids are coming along but will still need some time.

 

[Yawkey way]

Like wise would love him at Saints

Very small forward, I can’t recall seeing him play.

What do you think he’s worth and are we even in the market with Ryan coming and Collard waiting in the wings ?.

 

[OxSaint]

For those who know, what type of player is Jake Rogers?

 

[SainterinSydney]

Yes please

Would be some nice steak knives.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Yes please

Rogers, Rosas, Ainsworth, Lombard, Humphrey. Only so many small to medium sized forward-mid players can play at once. I reckon GC have their eggs firmly in the Humphrey and Lombard category, with maybe one more of the other 3 getting a gig as well.

 

[bird_man]

Id rather we just get some deals going TBH, we can **** around with a swap of third or whatever but who cares.

We clearly dont care about this years draft so being more proactive is better than dicking around IMO.

More so to make other deals easier and keep as many picks next year as possible.

All well and good to not rate this year's draft but it would be nice to have a decent hand next year.

 

[SainterinSydney]

Premium Jack Lonie.

Too small to play properly as a mid and doesn’t really have the game to play as a small forward.

I would stay well clear personally.

My dad's most hated player and he still brings him up to this day lol.

 

[thekizzler]

I was thinking last night about our squad and our direction and I started wondering whether we are in danger of becoming too offensive, which doesnt sound like a problem and is a pretty funny thing to think about a Lyon-coached team.

When I think about how we shape up in the back half, we place a lot of emphasis on dash of half back and interception. Our half backs all have licence to be creators rather than negators - Nas, Sinclair, Hastie, Travaglia, plus Wilson, Hill, Windy and Jones when they go back there. A few people have rightly voiced their concerns on who replaces the likes of Webster and Paton, the guy playing on the dangerous small forwards. So far our options seem to be Stocker - who makes his mean earn it but is found out against the quicker opponent, Hastie - who seems to be more of a dasher and creator than a stopper, and O'Connell who is very raw. Our incoming key backs have been selected for their ability in the air rather than their muscle.

On the face of it, this seems like a good thing. Less stodgy, more exciting, more flexible etc and I agree when we have the ball it gives us a lot more possibilities.

But in reality, there are plenty of teams right now who will be much stronger and will end up with a lot of the ball - how do we get that ball back? How do we stop it getting into the hands of C Cameron, Bailey, Rachelle, Rankine, Mannagh, Green, etc? What do we do when our boys who are guns at setting up plays, running into space, finding options and marking the ball, just can't get their hands on it?

This year, our players were out muscled, our tackles were slipped, and the oppo were able to create 20 minute bursts of 5-6 unanswered goals before we reset a few too many times. There were a few inevitably lucky goals in most of these moments but that luck often came from us being slack at defending dangerous areas and not being able to break up their faster chains into their F50.

The best teams have a good balance of everything and to be successful, long term we need to be able to shut teams like the Crows, Lions and Dogs right down. Anyone else concerned about this?

Nice post, nice thoughts. Rate it.

Definitely valid concerns.

If I had to guess, Wilkie will become our premier defender to play on smaller forwards. Remember when he used to always play on Toby Greene etc. He has been forced to play tall in recent years. When he plays on smalls, he can zone off to intercept mark.

Maybe we are one player short in this regard, but you can always find a player of this ilk reasonably easy - without any offence to small lockdown defenders. I think Wilkie, Stocker, Hastie, LOC is enough to go into a season with and if Hastie and LOC don't emerge as bonafide options, then you hunt for one at the end of next season.

As for the likes of Rankine, Bailey, Rachele, Bolton - the guys that push into the midfield and then drift forward - Windhager and Travaglia seem the best players to take this role on. Possibly Steele if he ends up staying.

My concern in 2025 was how easy we were scored against when the ball entered our D50 - compared to previously.

But it wasn't much of a surprise with Caminiti, Tauru, Hastie, Travaglia part of the back six at times - these guys are babies and need plenty of work learning how to function as a defensive unit - particularly clearing the ball out of D50.

It's no coincidence that Hunter Clark was put into half-back later in the season as a steadying influence.

Summing up, I think we have enough in your areas of concern to have a crack with in 2025 but the issues can be rectified if we don't end up with enough as small defenders and defensive mids are probably the easiest players to find and acquire.

 

[St Neil]

Not sure but I'm hoping we get Geel 1st for Rogers at GC & a 2nd rounder for Steele for Ryan.

West Coast are just posturing with Ryan. He will get done.

Ryan was even given permission to do a physical at Moorabbin weeks ago.

Their list manager is a goose. Talking up a big game.

 

[StCicatriz]

It's highly likely Stocker is a VFL footballer for the most part in 2026.

webster retired. he seems to be a walk up start to replace him. its his spot to lose.

 

[StCicatriz]

West Coast are just posturing with Ryan. He will get done.

Ryan was even given permission to do a physical at Moorabbin weeks ago.

Their list manager is a goose. Talking up a big game.

they got the richmond list boss didnt they?

 

[Hayes4PM]

For those who know, what type of player is Jake Rogers?

Hair cut like a Silkie Bantam, regularly seen browsing and pecking at the ground after Matt Rowell has nibbled away the turf.

 

[thekizzler]

Just heard on trade radio that Essendon are into Jack Steele. Interesting if so.

They are getting ready for trading Merrett. Will want a young player and a pick. Any young players we will be interested in? maybe Archie Roberts and a 2nd round pick

Archie Roberts finished second in Essendon's best and fairest. I also personally believe he should have finished top five in the Rising Star too.

Roberts, Caddy and Kako are literally the only shining lights at Tullamarine.

You keen to trade Garcia or Boxshall and a 2nd round pick for Darcy Parish?

That's the equivalent of Roberts and a 2nd for Steele.

 

[Tom12]

Pretty pumped we're securing Flanders - he's a few years away from his prime and he's going to be an upgrade in our midfield. Fits our age profile, pick 7 is a fair price - he's contracted.

 

[thekizzler]

I was keen on Liam McMahon/Archie May in mid season draft for KPF depth

I was keen on a Royal Stacks burger last night, but instead heated up leftover lasagna.

 

[The Punter]

Any (other) small forward we are into better be a tackling machine.

 

[Flandersss]

I was keen on a Royal Stacks burger last night, but instead heated up leftover lasagna.

 

[thekizzler]

You can see why the players warm to him, he is a very likeable old style character is our Gubby.

I would love to know what people would be saying about Gubby's style if they weren't happy with his list management role

Just envision it.

 

[thekizzler]

Agree I think we missed a trick not making list room to go to the MSD, particularly given our then list holes and a developing key forward still remains a hole.

For the millionth time, there wasn't a way we could make room for the mid-season draft lol.

Literally none without the benefit of hindsight - which you know...doesn't exist at the crucial time.