List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion - Part V

[Hubnester]

2025 List Management Discussion - Part 5

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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[hayes]

Any news on the head of footy role..?

Some bloke named Ross Lyon.

 

[beside the seaside]

I found watching Steeley over the last few years was pretty challenging at times. I remember that game against the Hawks in 2023 where they torched us in the middle and he just looked like he was a step behind the pace. Other times this year he just didn't look like he could chase. I suspect he's pretty banged up. He has busted a gut for the last few years but he just hasn't been able to do what he used to. Still such a tough competitor, I can see him being a solid pick up for the Dees but I also completely understand the move from our behalf.

 

[Saints43]

Zac would have seen it coming. Arie would be gutted

Arie knew more than a month ago.

 

[bergholt]

And maybe we're paying 200k of 900k. That's still 700k off our books. It's not nothing. Yeah you're right, I don't know the amount, but either do you.

Yeah the people whinging about this don't really understand sunk cost.

We were always taking a cap hit of maybe $700k or something the next couple of years (assuming his $900k was front-loaded). That's the baseline.

Now we're taking a cap hit of maybe $200k. So we're at least $500k ahead, and we got paid a late pick as well as saving that money.

If someone thinks we'll miss Jack then that's a fair position to take, but we definitely saved money.

 

[Joffaboy]

Family mad Nth supporters but leaving for that basket case !!

bj's whole family are mad Carlton supporters, he has never been near the place.

 

[phantom13]

Yeah the people whinging about this don't really understand sunk cost.

We were always taking a cap hit of maybe $700k or something the next couple of years (assuming his $900k was front-loaded). That's the baseline.

Now we're taking a cap hit of maybe $200k. So we're at least $500k ahead, and we got paid a late pick as well as saving that money.

If someone thinks we'll miss Jack then that's a fair position to take, but we definitely saved money.

I understand sunk cost and the sunk cost fallacy I just maintain if we took a third to still pay some we may as well have taken a fifth and got all the wage off the books.

Or keep him

 

[PoppedCorn]

Im over it already

Bring on round one

 

[Saints43]

I understand sunk cost and the sunk cost fallacy I just maintain if we took a third to still pay some we may as well have taken a fifth and got all the wage off the books.

Or keep him

The other club has a say in the negotiation.

 

[stavro#4]

Family mad Nth supporters but leaving for that basket case !!

They really want him. If he isn’t signed early. They will come bloody hard at him.

 

[SainterinSydney]

They really want him. If he isn’t signed early. They will come bloody hard at him.

He is related to the Galloping Gasometer. They see it as "bringing him home". We must make him a priority signing.

 

[St Neil]

Don't care Steele has gone, I support the team not a player.
Thanks for the contribution, good luck going forward, but the only thing I want from the Steele trade is how it benefits us.
Couldn't care less about Richo, meetings with Melbourne, etc.
Like anyone else who leaves, I am not that interested in them. Their welfare is not my concern, they kick a football for 9 times the average wage. Really sucks to be them.

This.

I’ve waited 60 years for a Flag. I was born the year Baldock lead us to the holy land.

I’m desperate to see us win one. The club can be as ruthless as it bloody well wants to be.

 

[St Neil]

Appointing Richo was probably the biggest mistake the club made since 2010.

Everytime I hear his name, I just take a big sigh.

Appointment him was okay, re-appointing him was the mistake.

 

[bird_man]

I understand sunk cost and the sunk cost fallacy I just maintain if we took a third to still pay some we may as well have taken a fifth and got all the wage off the books.

Or keep him

Maybe Melbourne weren't prepared to pay all of his salary. They are already paying half of Oliver's wage and there was even a mention that they may be paying part of Petracca's.

If we decided to say you need to pay everything or we won't trade him, we could have been left with a 900k player in the VFL.

I'm not sure how much we are actually paying but if it's 200kish, that frees up 700k to chase a player next year or put towards a young player that we are desperate to keep for the future.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Yeah the people whinging about this don't really understand sunk cost.

We were always taking a cap hit of maybe $700k or something the next couple of years (assuming his $900k was front-loaded). That's the baseline.

Now we're taking a cap hit of maybe $200k. So we're at least $500k ahead, and we got paid a late pick as well as saving that money.

If someone thinks we'll miss Jack then that's a fair position to take, but we definitely saved money.

Agree. And it may well be much more than that. The mEDya can’t be trusted on numbers, but if it actually was still $1m (talk of being back ended originally for whatever reason I don’t know, but if the contract was, say, $1m average but $1.2m for the last two years, then we still may have front ended back to$1m), and our part could be less than $200k. Serves Cleary to make it sound a big deal.

 

[akaifu]

Arie knew more than a month ago.

Yep

 

[SG34]

I found watching Steeley over the last few years was pretty challenging at times. I remember that game against the Hawks in 2023 where they torched us in the middle and he just looked like he was a step behind the pace. Other times this year he just didn't look like he could chase. I suspect he's pretty banged up. He has busted a gut for the last few years but he just hasn't been able to do what he used to. Still such a tough competitor, I can see him being a solid pick up for the Dees but I also completely understand the move from our behalf.

If were coach I’d keep home another year. Then dump like MacCrae. Look at these stats. Time on ground was really reduced under Ross. 76% in 2025. That’s approaching Hunter Clark territory.

 

[bergholt]

I understand sunk cost and the sunk cost fallacy I just maintain if we took a third to still pay some we may as well have taken a fifth and got all the wage off the books.

Or keep him

Meh you get the deal done however you need to, could always dick around but if Jack's said that he wants to go - and sounds from the media like he was pretty convinced - then it's a gesture of goodwill to him to get it done quick and clean.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Who’d you rather be: Merrett, Simpkin, or Steele?

Very good question.

And tbh I think Jack.

Simpkin goes back to a rabble of a club.
Merrett has to go back and face a club and teammates he pretty much trashed.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Hard to take, not gonna lie

 

[Diehard Saint]

Yep

View attachment 2460403

Which at least gives his manager time to look around for another club. Glad they didn’t string it out to the bitter end.

Although, what about Byrnes - do we think he’ll hang on?
I hope so. Very good depth if all the others stand up.

 

[Saint_Dos]

Which at least gives him manger time to look around for another club. Glad they didn’t string it out to the bitter end.

Although, what about Byrnes - do we think he’ll hang on?
I hope so. Very good depth if all the others stand up.

I reckon Byrnes and Carroll will be delisted but told we will re-rookie them.
We will most likely have 5 picks in the rookie draft. Unlikely to find too many diamonds in the rough that late in the draft

 

[phantom13]

Meh you get the deal done however you need to, could always dick around but if Jack's said that he wants to go - and sounds from the media like he was pretty convinced - then it's a gesture of goodwill to him to get it done quick and clean.

It sounds from the media like we shoved him kicking and screaming out the door to Melbourne.

The truth is probably not that extreme but it doesn’t sound at all like he wanted to go.

Again, we weren’t ruthless nor were we respectful.

No one outside the saints bubble thinks that deal looked like honoring a former captain.

 

[Huntsman123]

If Wilson is truly a north fan, then it makes Barrett breaking the news of Wilson being disgruntled more interesting. Allows Barrett to kill two birds with one stone

 

[MrFoster]

Who’d you rather be: Merrett, Simpkin, or Steele?

Actually think Melbourne is going to be decent next year. Steele and Viney in the guts, with young players McVee, Langford, Lindsey, Windsor to rotate through. Steele may put on more muscle and become that tackling machine again. So definitely rather than Steele. A new lease of life as he really looked miserable in Saints colours last couple of years.

Both Simpkin and Merrett will probably lose the captaincy, have pissed off the playing group and supporters. Yet still have to deal with the idea that they won’t be able to play finals again.

 

[MrFoster]

Yeah the people whinging about this don't really understand sunk cost.

We were always taking a cap hit of maybe $700k or something the next couple of years (assuming his $900k was front-loaded). That's the baseline.

Now we're taking a cap hit of maybe $200k. So we're at least $500k ahead, and we got paid a late pick as well as saving that money.

If someone thinks we'll miss Jack then that's a fair position to take, but we definitely saved money.

Not only that, we made sure Steele got that extra year in the deal to the existing 2 year contract he got, heard somewhere that’s why we had to tip in some of the salary.

On top of that, we were willing to take a 3rd round pick (where he is probably worth a future 2nd). His manager actually commended the Saints on making this happen with honestly and respect.

So compare to him spending half of the time on the bench, half in VFL after a decorated career to now given the opportunity to prolong his career, get a fresh start and an extra year at the same salary. That’s a win for Steele too!!!