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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[bakes10]

We really need more trade news.

 

[Speck]

I would like a backup ruck in case TDK gets injured, but we also need to balance Dodson playing as the main ruck in the VFL for exposure. It's a tricky one. We'd need to find someone who can ideally play 70% forward in the VFL but could step up to AFL level if needed, especially if coming up against a monster ruck.

We also have a King injury giant hole forward. Keeler doesn't have the strength to be a stay at home forward and is better on the move from CHF, and I'm not completely sure Caminiti has it either. I wouldn't mind a 28 year old stop gap proper key forward with AFL experience if we can find one.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Boyd was a classic case of a "list clogger" for one reason and one reason only. He was selected to replace Marshall as the first ruck if Marshall got injured but Marshall didn't get injured. End of story.

The idea that the club should go into the season with someone they clearly don't rate (Heath), a skinny fwd who could possibly ruck for a few minutes (Keeler) and a 1st year player (Dodson) as the fall back options for a long term injury to Marshall is ludicrous.

I suspect what actually happened was that they de-listed Tom Campbell in the expectation of getting another AFL ruckman and when that fell through they went chasing a short term mature strong body who could carry the load if Marshall copped a longish term injury.

If Marshall goes they will be faced with exactly the same problem this year.

Heath won't stay if we don't match whatever Melbourne may offer and even then he may not given that its been made fairly clear to him that he isn't rated by the coaching panel.

I don't believe our club have completely written off Max Heath, although he should go given the 3 years offered by Melbourne.

I've had this discussion before, but long term we are much better off biting the bullet and playing a developing ruckman than a stop gap.

If we didn't learn anything from having Campbell and then Boyd on the list going nowhere then I give up.

 

[Off Stump 89]

Can't believe we have TDK, JSos and Flanders on the books and its nowhere near deadline day.

We can relax and watch the chaos and stress of other teams [pours whisky, reclines chair < yes I know its 10am ]

Its all small time and bonuses from here. Even the whole Marshall situation. If Geelong poney up, no problem, if not eh he doesn't go

 

[Hayes4PM]

Robbo rambling into his beer mug on trade radio right now. Long story short, everyone has wronged Robbo and they're all dead to him burp

 

[Diehard Saint]

I don't really get why anyone would be surprised that Marshall is getting traded. Hopefully we are holding out for a good deal but as soon as he requested he was gone.

Wellllll…. Now that Cats have to behave for the next two years after being ( sort of) caught fiddling with the SC and other external payments, Roma may not get his sheep station anymore

 

[sauce_head]

gringo2011 Kornes sounds like you

Wait, aren’t we meant to disagree with everything Cornes says? I’m confused.

 

[projectv]

So who are we signing today?

 

[pebblesofsand]

I don't believe our club have completely written off Max Heath, although he should go given the 3 years offered by Melbourne.

I've had this discussion before, but long term we are much better off biting the bullet and playing a developing ruckman than a stop gap.

If we didn't learn anything from having Campbell and then Boyd on the list going nowhere then I give up.

Sorry but I can't think of any club that has gone into a season with only one mature bodied ruckman - virtually every club has a mature second ruck and then at least one other developing ruckman.

Ideally Heath should be playing the Campbell/Boyd role by now but I don't think they rate him enough so I reckon we'll lose both Marshall and Heath and once again we'll be looking at a 2nd mature bodied ruckman.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

Robbo rambling into his beer mug on trade radio right now. Long story short, everyone has wronged Robbo and they're all dead to him burp

Miss him dearly

 

[sauce_head]

Sorry but I can't think of any club that has gone into a season with only one mature bodied ruckman - virtually every club has a mature second ruck and then at least one other developing ruckman.

Ideally Heath should be playing the Campbell/Boyd role by now but I don't think they rate him enough so I reckon we'll lose both Marshall and Heath and once again we'll be looking at a 2nd mature bodied ruckman.

If it’s that important then we can grab McKernan or Cox for nothing when we need to.

 

[Klaatu]

Where do we hide all the depth players- do TDK and Ro play together in the same team, does Steele and all our younger mids play in the same team on the day. Not sure where they're all going fit.

It's called depth something we are not used to, they end up in our VFL side & that's what makes a strong side.

 

[Klaatu]

Since when has Keeler been delisted ? between TDK, Keeler & Dodson we will be fine Ro going doesn't mean the sky's falling.

 

[bird_man]

It's called depth something we are not used to, they end up in our VFL side & that's what makes a strong side.

Unfortunately when you pay massive contracts to players something has to give eventually.

I understand there might be room in the cap to keep everyone now, but it may also mean it makes it hard to bring anyone in next year.

 

[bird_man]

Since when has Keeler been delisted ? between TDK, Keeler & Dodson we will be fine Ro going doesn't mean the sky's falling.

Agree. Dodson after another pre season will be a better back up than what we had last year.

 

[SainterinSydney]

gringo2011 Kornes sounds like you

Kane will no longer be called Kane but his new name is Paul as he has had his road to Damascus moment.

 

[MrFoster]

The difference being North stuffed most of their early draft picks and trades. 2020 draft Will Phillips, Tom Powell, Charlie Lazzaro, Pheonix Spicer is the classic example they have the worst list management and recruiting team in the comp. Richmond will be the exception after last years draft, they planned to trade out established players in an excellent draft year and will reap the benefits.

It's not so much they stuffed their draft picks. Actually they drafted quite well. But they didn't have a strong core of senior top players to do the heavy lifting first so the young players can slowly develop naturally. Melbourne was the same for a while. North finally got Parker and Darling last year, but a case of too little too late. Back in the early 2000s, Riewoldt / Kossie had Hamill, Gehrig, Harvey to lean on. Part of the reason why Billings/Dunstan/Acres failed was because we retired Riewoldt early, and traded Goddard/Dal Santo so the young players were there to fend for themselves from very early.

This time, we have some a senior core to support, Wilkie, Sinclair, Hill, Wood, TDK, JSOS, Ryan, Steele if he stays, our already burgeoning group of young players should go on and shine on the field. Go saints!

 

[NAS THE GOAT]

Robbo rambling into his beer mug on trade radio right now. Long story short, everyone has wronged Robbo and they're all dead to him burp

He gave a few a drive by though!

Better than listening to Morris, Edmund and Mclures of the world giving opinions as facts

 

[dudeintheswamp]

 

[SaintWrld]

Since when has Keeler been delisted ? between TDK, Keeler & Dodson we will be fine Ro going doesn't mean the sky's falling.

Yep, the power finished top 4 a few years back with Jeremy Finlayson as their main ruck after Lycett went down early in the season. Look at this years grand final, Darcy Fort v Rhys Stanley. We will be fine

 

[thekizzler]

Since when has Keeler been delisted ? between TDK, Keeler & Dodson we will be fine Ro going doesn't mean the sky's falling.

I'm in this camp.

Most lists have pretty average second string ruckman.

We can just make do with Dodson being a little inexperienced this year if he is required. It will be good for his development.

We have plenty of other players than TDK, Keeler and Dodson that can pinch hit if we somehow get horrific injuries.

It made complete sense to pick up Boyd last season as Heath, Keeler, Dodson were yet to make their AFL debut.

Now Dodson and Keeler have shown they can do enough at this stage at senior level - so we should be okay.

We might take a ruckman in the draft to develop just in case Dodson leaves down the track, but I think the timeline for selecting a junior ruck is better for the 2026 draft.

 

[Atomboy]

I don't believe our club have completely written off Max Heath, although he should go given the 3 years offered by Melbourne.

I've had this discussion before, but long term we are much better off biting the bullet and playing a developing ruckman than a stop gap.

If we didn't learn anything from having Campbell and then Boyd on the list going nowhere then I give up.

Even though he is 52, Goldstein could be a stop gap for a year to mentor Dodson in the ressies ?.

Hard to see him competing at AFL level although he played ok this year.

 

[PJays]

. More important is improvement and growth amongst the young guns. And a good injury run.

If we place things in broad categories I think 3 major things going right simultaneously could see St Kilda jump into contention next year.

1. Good injury run including existing players like King, Poo and Howard

2. Significant growth from the young crew like Tauru, Travaglia, Garcia.

3. New guys playing their best footy- especially Flanders whose best could really boost our midfield, and TDK who's crucial with Marshall going.

If those three things all happen, I could easily foresee St Kilda going deep into finals.

 

[SainterinSydney]

Since when has Keeler been delisted ? between TDK, Keeler & Dodson we will be fine Ro going doesn't mean the sky's falling.

It could also be a sliding doors moment where it means a guy like Dodson gets a good go and isn't tempted by SA next year.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

I wonder if the Saints like the look of big Cox?