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
​

 

[Diehard Saint]

I’d say this is a pretty good opportunity for a bloke who might want a 3 year guarantee with his football morality lurking Mike.

He plays every week next season for them. Maybe even the year after

Massive leadership vacuum once Merrett goes. Big body to support the kids etc.

Maybe they offer him the captaincy.
Won’t be the first ex-Saints player to get the gig.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Career high of 17.7 disps a game in 2023

Only averaged above 15 for a season 5 times

Career high 25 goals in 2022

Only gone above 20 goals 3 times in a season

Career high goal assists in 2022 with 25

Has had single digit assists in a season 5 times

Averages 2.1 tackles a game across his career



Those are VFL player stats.

Just because a player gets linked to us from another team doesn’t mean they slide into our 22 straight away.

Ben Ainsworth is terrible.

Wow, get off the fence. You do or don’t like him?

 

[Captain Paddy]

Wow, get off the fence. You do or don’t like him?

Mmm a mid/forward hybrid who doesn’t get a heap of ball, doesn’t kick a heap of goals and doesn’t lay a heap of tackles.

What a find

 

[Linton Street Saint]

Mmm a mid/forward hybrid who doesn’t get a heap of ball, doesn’t kick a heap of goals and doesn’t lay a heap of tackles.

What a find

From what I can see Butler should be playing for sheep stations for the local watering hole 3'rds if they are VFL stats.

Don't agree any of the above makes Ben Ainsworth terrible at all. Younger and everything indicates he is a straight upgrade on Butler even without considering GC's talent and ability to run through the middle.

Weird flex not wanting to upgrade our list.

 

[The_Steadier]

Who will be our no 1 ruck if Ro goes?

 

[stavro#4]

 

[Captain Paddy]

From what I can see Butler should be playing for sheep stations for the local watering hole 3'rds if they are VFL stats.

Don't agree any of the above makes Ben Ainsworth terrible at all. Younger and everything indicates he is a straight upgrade on Butler even without considering GC's talent and ability to run through the middle.

Weird flex not wanting to upgrade our list.

Would rather play Henry or Collard than give up anything for a 28 year old whose never been better than an average footballer

 

[Linton Street Saint]

Would rather play Henry or Collard than give up anything for a 28 year old whose never been better than an average footballer

So terrible = average now ?

Butler when fit was played ahead of Collard and Henry was playing wing when on and hasn't looked close to it for a year and half.

Must be missing something.

 

[LuckyBounce!]

Could Steele do the small lockdown defender role like Nathan Burke at the end of his career giving us a bit of glue down back?

 

[Joffaboy]

Would rather play Henry or Collard than give up anything for a 28 year old whose never been better than an average footballer

I don't think he is terrible but we just don't require him.
I mentioned Higgins, Collard, Butler and Ryan earlier, you just mentioned Henry as well.
Really we have that position covered. Anyway from Choomah the ITK, it seems his management approached the club.

A big no from me.

 

[ScrappyDo]

He didn't standout for Sandy in the backline for mine.
But the coaches have said that they are happy with his development back there.
But l agree,
he has sticky hands.
And they played him in one game forward for Sandy & he looked comfortable there.

Well we used a good pick on him so they obviously see something in him. Has played forward, mid abd defence in juniors and done alright at all 3 so it's possible he's just been taken on talant and position is a WIP.

 

[hayes]

Surely Steele playing the Zak Jones

3

Zak Jones

Age

30

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.8

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.1

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.1

4star

CL

4.9

5star

D

7.0

2star

K

2.8

1star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.6

4star

CL

1.0

3star

role is an upgrade on Zak Jones

3

Zak Jones

Age

30

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.8

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.1

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.1

4star

CL

4.9

5star

D

7.0

2star

K

2.8

1star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.6

4star

CL

1.0

3star

playing the Zak Jones

3

Zak Jones

Age

30

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.8

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.1

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.1

4star

CL

4.9

5star

D

7.0

2star

K

2.8

1star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.6

4star

CL

1.0

3star

role.

Both need to go.

 

[JG22]

Could Steele do the small lockdown defender role like Nathan Burke at the end of his career giving us a bit of glue down back?

Small forwards would destroy him with speed and agility

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Marshall & F2nd to Geelong

Pick 18 which could be 25
F1 to Saints

Does that work

Not my idea

Seems enticing

I just wanted straight swap for F1

 

[LuckyBounce!]

Small forwards would destroy him with speed and agility

Yeah you could be right there

 

[austinnn]

I can’t open it.

Yep, sorry. Cut and paste will be better.

Fox Footy today:

The AFL’s newest destination club is here. They’re about to shape the wildest trade period yet.

Gold Coast are no longer just the AFL’s newest destination club. They’ve become this off-season’s biggest player in the chase for some of the trade market’s most prized assets.

With Christian Petracca requesting a move north and the Suns sitting high on Charlie Curnow’s list of preferred 2026 destinations, the Suns’ power this October is no joke.

Add in their openness to serving as a second home for Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, and it’s clear: all of a sudden, everything’s happening on the Glitter Strip.

So two players just looking for someone - anyone - to save them from their current clubs and another one no one wants, with 5 or 6 players also looking to leave equals a destination club, does it?

Meanwhile half the league is asking to come to St Kilda and... crickets

 

[Armoooo]

So terrible = average now ?

Butler when fit was played ahead of Collard and Henry was playing wing when on and hasn't looked close to it for a year and half.

Must be missing something.

I think most of us really don't know much about Ainsworth. I actually watch quite a bit of Gold Coast because I tend to watch most of my footy on Sundays. Despite having seen heaps of them, just have never noticed Ainsworth at all. I'm not a great judge though so that doesn't mean he's bad.

But I think most of us feel that we are at the stage where we should only be bringing in players who improve our starting 18. It is a waste of capital to add another player into our fringe, especially on in his late 20s.

Ainsworth doesn't get many possessions, tackle much or score many goals. You've compared him to Butler, a player I would personally like to see traded. But even Butler has averaged an elite 18 pressure acts per game over his career compared to a below average 13.6 from Ainsworth.

So if Ainsworths contributions aren't coming from the things you notice like disposals and goals and they're not coming from the less visible stuff like pressure acts. What could he possibly add?

I'll back the club if they want to go after him, theyre better judges than me. But from what I can see, I'd be surprised if we had any interest whatsoever.

 

[Armoooo]

Marshall & F2nd to Geelong

Pick 18 which could be 25
F1 to Saints

Does that work

Not my idea

Seems enticing

I just wanted straight swap for F1

Honestly this is the best I'd dare to hope for.

I wouldn't be surprised if Geelong had a poor year next year by their standards, and that pick ends up somewhere from 8-12.

 

[Captain Paddy]

I think most of us really don't know much about Ainsworth. I actually watch quite a bit of Gold Coast because I tend to watch most of my footy on Sundays. Despite having seen heaps of them, just have never noticed Ainsworth at all. I'm not a great judge though so that doesn't mean he's bad.

But I think most of us feel that we are at the stage where we should only be bringing in players who improve our starting 18. It is a waste of capital to add another player into our fringe, especially on in his late 20s.

Ainsworth doesn't get many possessions, tackle much or score many goals. You've compared him to Butler, a player I would personally like to see traded. But even Butler has averaged an elite 18 pressure acts per game over his career compared to a below average 13.6 from Ainsworth.

So if Ainsworths contributions aren't coming from the things you notice like disposals and goals and they're not coming from the less visible stuff like pressure acts. What could he possibly add?

I'll back the club if they want to go after him, theyre better judges than me. But from what I can see, I'd be surprised if we had any interest whatsoever.

100000%

Why bring in another teams average asset if it means we’re potentially taking games away from some of our younger guys who might be better if given the chance.

Ainsworth is 10 years in to his career and with all due respect, he hasn’t achieved anything even remotely close to impressive

 

[stavro#4]

JSOS gets injured from here
TDK gets moved into a forward role and injured.

 

[Anythings_sipposible]

Steele has indicated he want to stay hopefully for success. Won't get that at WCE or Essendon.
Only a Bulldog ( nope) or Sydney (?), look like challenging for the 8, and then the eight who probably don't want him.
I really think he has indicated he doesn't want to go to a rebuilding team.

I agree, I'm just being dramatic

 

[Linton Street Saint]

100000%

Why bring in another teams average asset if it means we’re potentially taking games away from some of our younger guys who might be better if given the chance.

Ainsworth is 10 years in to his career and with all due respect, he hasn’t achieved anything even remotely close to impressive

All good, not bringing enough value =/= terrible footballer.

Thanks for clarifying and taking the L.

Haven't even an inkling on the cost so can't really have an opinion on him coming on board yet.

 

[Anythings_sipposible]

Maybe they offer him the captaincy.
Won’t be the first ex-Saints player to get the gig.

 

[Captain Paddy]

All good, not bringing enough value =/= terrible footballer.

Thanks for clarifying and taking the L.

Haven't even an inkling on the cost so can't really have an opinion on him coming on board yet.

He’s terrible cobba.

Calm down

 

[saintmike65]

I’d say this is a pretty good opportunity for a bloke who might want a 3 year guarantee with his football morality lurking Mike.

He plays every week next season for them. Maybe even the year after

Massive leadership vacuum once Merrett goes. Big body to support the kids etc.

He's done the hard yards for long enough..reckon he'll take his chances and stay