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
​

 

[WilburTwentyWilson]

Geelong got picks 14, 24 and 37 plus a future first for Tim Kelly

11

Tim Kelly

Age

31

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.6

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

19.9

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.6

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.7

5star

CL

3.6

4star

D

21.6

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.2

5star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

3.8

5star

when they traded him to West Coast in 2019.

Our starting point needs to be high and hard, and if they don’t like it, too bad! ! I’d be demanding nothing less.

West Coast thought they were in the premiership window in 2019, and they’d identified Kelly as key to that success, so they were happy to dig deep to appease Geelong.

Based on that trade, I’d ask for SDK (or Humphrey or Dempsey), their first round this year (pick 18) and a future first.

They’re wanting a proven ruck at the peak of his game, a bloke with several years left in him, a guy who has regularly featured in the top 5 or 6 of our B&F’s, with 2 years to run on his contract, (much of which has been prepaid), who they’ve identified as the missing link to their flag aspirations, ffs, if they want him, it’ll be costly.

I’m sure that’s what we’re thinking, hence Ross’s pre-warning a few weeks ago on TV - basically pony up or shut up!

We need to know what we’re doing and what we’re working with ASAP, so I’d put our demands to them formally on Monday, give them a very short window to respond, and if they can’t meet our demands then move on.

It’s us who are in the power position here, not Geelong FFS. Can you imagine what they’d be asking for if the situation was reversed?

The message needs to be loud and clear, we want him to stay, if you want him, dig deep boys, dig deep!!

 

[The Boar]

St Kilda is so hot right now he could take a crap, wrap it in tinfoil, put a couple of fish hooks on it and sell it to Queen Elizabeth as earrings

 

[dudeintheswamp]

I'm telling you man. Timeline shift. Something mystical happened, and we are now in a parallel timeline where St Kilda is no longer cursed. Did anybody hire any Etsy Witches? Be honest you're among friends

The Messiah winning the game for the Saints with a 666 against the Demons on a Sunday. It's almost enough to make one a believer

 

[CanadianSaint]

I do think we have to start acknowledging what Brad Hill has done for the club.

Yes he wasn't the main man, but thats NWM now, one of the young men he has helped guide. Hill has been a good contributer on the field, but off the field has helped build and shape this list. He's taken Windy and Nas under his wing, given training a positive and fun vibe, worked with Ross to shape how we play, allowed Sinclair to flourish in a role suited to him and has helped other players get to the physical level!

I know the previous dawn was a false dawn, but I will always be thankful the day Hill came to the club, he's a culture builder!

 

[MrFoster]

Geelong got picks 14, 24 and 37 plus a future first for Tim Kelly when they traded him to West Coast in 2019.

Our starting point needs to be high and hard, and if they don’t like it, too bad! ! I’d be demanding nothing less.

West Coast thought they were in the premiership window in 2019, and they’d identified Kelly as key to that success, so they were happy to dig deep to appease Geelong.

Based on that trade, I’d ask for SDK (or Humphrey or Dempsey), their first round this year (pick 18) and a future first.

They’re wanting a proven ruck at the peak of his game, a bloke with several years left in him, a guy who has regularly featured in the top 5 or 6 of our B&F’s, with 2 years to run on his contract, (much of which has been prepaid), who they’ve identified as the missing link to their flag aspirations, ffs, if they want him, it’ll be costly.

I’m sure that’s what we’re thinking, hence Ross’s pre-warning a few weeks ago on TV - basically pony up or shut up!

We need to know what we’re doing and what we’re working with ASAP, so I’d put our demands to them formally on Monday, give them a very short window to respond, and if they can’t meet our demands then move on.

It’s us who are in the power position here, not Geelong FFS. Can you imagine what they’d be asking for if the situation was reversed?

The message needs to be loud and clear, we want him to stay, if you want him, dig deep boys, dig deep!!

No way Marshall is worth SDK + pick 18 + future first (potentially pick 15-18).
You are asking them to pay equivalent of 3 first round picks (although late first round picks) for a 30 year old ruck who's not overly good at tap work but makes up for it with following up work and marking around the ground. This is not underselling Marshall, this is just the reality.

Think this one will get done for sure. And it'll be something like a future first with something add on. No one wants an unhappy Marshall to pay in VFL next year, that's for sure.

 

[L_W_P]

If Marshall goes, I wonder if we would consider Goldstein as back up ruck for a year? Obviously a break glass in case of emergency option, but it would cost absolutely nothing and give us some ruck depth which means we wouldn't solely rely on Dodson

I actually love this.

Get him in on a preseason deal with a wink wink promise that he coaches our rucks or gets a deal with the Moorabbin team.

 

[bergholt]

Do you think the Cats would’ve preferred to have landed TDK or Marshall?

I think Marshall, but I also think their time preference is different to ours. They love older guys and back themselves in to get a few years out of them and then sign more to replace them, we want guys who'll give us 5+ years at least.

 

[bergholt]

I actually love this.

Get him in on a preseason deal with a wink wink promise that he coaches our rucks or gets a deal with the Moorabbin team.

Yeah I think this is likely. Essendon basically used him as a ruck coach who ended up playing a bunch of games, pretty smart arrangement.

 

[Remboy]

Have a read of this one example of the guff that is out there in response to the Saints recruiting:

" TDK - Marshall (net loss) + Flanders - Captain Steele (net loss)
Two years of 2 million for NWM then off to SA (how will everyone feel when he’s gone)+
Overpaid Daddy’s Boy (to play FB which will be too much for his 12 games per season - will push him back to 8-10)"

Loving this!!

Basset did say we have to embrace becoming unpopular.

 

[Marlo]

Based on that trade, I’d ask for SDK (or Humphrey or Dempsey), their first round this year (pick 18) and a future first.

That's insane, duuuude

Be stoked with just their future first

 

[littlecreatures]

View attachment 2446018

Sexy Flanders!

 

[boulders]

The Nas effect.

 

[Harvestar]

The confidence I have in the current management (board, coaches and staff) could not be higher.

12 months ago I was questioning what Gubby Allen and team were bringing to the table. But it is clear now that they’ve been doing a lot, behind the scenes with engineering the salary cap and player contracts to get it to this point. Now the more visible things are manifesting.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re now perceived as the gold standard for list management in club land if this turns into more on field success next year and beyond.

How exciting!

 

[SaintOfLondon]

To say that TDK is no better than Marshall is either to seriously under rate TDK, or to think that the Marshall of 2026 will be the same as the Marshall of 2023. I love Ro, but he is an honest battler type now, not a star of the competition.

Agree 100%. Also Marshalls biggest strength is his clearance work which we needed during to our sub-par midfield but with the development of Nas, Windy, Hall, Boxshall etc you’d hope we no longer require a ruckman to grab and punt it long.

TDK is a big improvement.

 

[WilburTwentyWilson]

No way Marshall is worth SDK + pick 18 + future first (potentially pick 15-18).
You are asking them to pay equivalent of 3 first round picks (although late first round picks) for a 30 year old ruck who's not overly good at tap work but makes up for it with following up work and marking around the ground. This is not underselling Marshall, this is just the reality.

Think this one will get done for sure. And it'll be something like a future first with something add on. No one wants an unhappy Marshall to pay in VFL next year, that's for sure.

But Kelly was?

Gimme a break!

 

[Linton Street Saint]

R.I.P Minga's Avatar. Understandable but a moment of silence please.

 

[Miha]

Any chance we can re-sign the President?

 

[Linton Street Saint]

I do think we have to start acknowledging what Brad Hill has done for the club.

Yes he wasn't the main man, but thats NWM now, one of the young men he has helped guide. Hill has been a good contributer on the field, but off the field has helped build and shape this list. He's taken Windy and Nas under his wing, given training a positive and fun vibe, worked with Ross to shape how we play, allowed Sinclair to flourish in a role suited to him and has helped other players get to the physical level!

I know the previous dawn was a false dawn, but I will always be thankful the day Hill came to the club, he's a culture builder!

You must of missed the TB awards. Banger is a huge fan

 

[bladeyy21]

Geelong got picks 14, 24 and 37 plus a future first for Tim Kelly when they traded him to West Coast in 2019.

Our starting point needs to be high and hard, and if they don’t like it, too bad! ! I’d be demanding nothing less.

West Coast thought they were in the premiership window in 2019, and they’d identified Kelly as key to that success, so they were happy to dig deep to appease Geelong.

Based on that trade, I’d ask for SDK (or Humphrey or Dempsey), their first round this year (pick 18) and a future first.

They’re wanting a proven ruck at the peak of his game, a bloke with several years left in him, a guy who has regularly featured in the top 5 or 6 of our B&F’s, with 2 years to run on his contract, (much of which has been prepaid), who they’ve identified as the missing link to their flag aspirations, ffs, if they want him, it’ll be costly.

I’m sure that’s what we’re thinking, hence Ross’s pre-warning a few weeks ago on TV - basically pony up or shut up!

We need to know what we’re doing and what we’re working with ASAP, so I’d put our demands to them formally on Monday, give them a very short window to respond, and if they can’t meet our demands then move on.

It’s us who are in the power position here, not Geelong FFS. Can you imagine what they’d be asking for if the situation was reversed?

The message needs to be loud and clear, we want him to stay, if you want him, dig deep boys, dig deep!!

All of the above plus the we do not like Geelong tax. Let's make this as difficult as possible. I barrack equally as passionately for 2 teams every week: St kilda and whoever is playing Geelong

 

[Groater]

12 months ago I was questioning what Gubby Allen and team were bringing to the table. But it is clear now that they’ve been doing a lot, behind the scenes with engineering the salary cap and player contracts to get it to this point.

The amount of restraint they've shown is commendable. They had a plan and they stuck to it. Personally, even if it doesn't work out, it shows that we're well run and I'm happier about that more than anything else.

 

[Minga]

R.I.P Minga's Avatar. Understandable but a moment of silence please.

Going through an avatar hoe era but I plan to settle down with someone new soon

Ultimately had to replace this bad boy to commiserate the end of an era

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Any chance we can re-sign the President?

Priority 1.

 

[John2010362340]

I have been very vocal about his ceiling etc.

But with the movements happening. He is my VC standing next to Wilkie next year.

If Butler also goes.

It’s Nas Owens Windy Wilkie Wood leadership group for me.

Jack Sinclair is very underrated in the leadership space.

 

[Saintbloke]

Sure will be a different looking team next year- the Saints have thrown the kitchen sink at getting deep into finals.

 

[Sir Owens]

Is SOS sacked yet