List Mgmt. List Management 2025-26

[PortAdelFC1997]

I’d say like a lot that are only contracted next year it’s make or break for them.
Lord, Mead and Soldo would all be in the same boat.

Because I would have liked to have another spot available on the list and drafted Zane Peucker/Leon Kickett and Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier.

 

[240volt]

Because I would have liked to have another spot available on the list and drafted Zane Peucker/Leon Kickett and Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier.

Valid point

 

[Andre]

I’m not saying we should do this, I’m merely suggesting that realistically with the draft capital available and the new rules of two picks, the only way to get everyone, would be to tank hard for 2 years. Having the number 1 pick gets you lots of options:

1. Long term signatures Butters and Bergman
2. Finish bottom 2026: Downgrade Pick 1, use that and a Pick 19, still get Dougie (negotiate him falling down the order, could even do it on draft night. Turn any extra capital into a future pick in 2027 draft.
3. Finish bottom 2027: get Pick 2. Downgrade again to get both Pilot, Salopek and Rodan. Trade with Tassie to help them slide. Using Pick 2, 2027 Pick 19, and an extra draft capital from 2026.
4. Get a priority pick for not winning any games 2 years in a row - Pick 3. Trade it for Nasiah, along with 2028 1st pick and 2nd pick.
5. Get Bailey as a free agent.

just saying, it’d be the only way to get everyone. It’s obviously totally unrealistic especially because our stars haven’t signed long term.

If you're a West Coast with a recent history of success and not long after a flag, you can do a 'strategic tank' to get priority picks, but 1) they don't get handed out like confetti anymore, 2) we don't have a recent history of success. A tank hard now would take Hinkley's 'finals are scary' and turn that into a full blown 'It's ok to lose anytime at the moment'. You can't tell an already mentally fragile group of players, they should go out and not try and then expect sometime in the future saying 'Now try' to work.

I've said this one numerous times in the past, but if you want a reference point for this, take 2000 when we were bottom of the ladder and played the Saints (second bottom). Port could have tanked, gotten Reiwoldt as first pick and hoped to bounce back. Choco made the right call though to battle hard, we won the game, got a few more wins late season, then were back in finals in 2001 and a flag in 2004. I'm absolutely certain if he'd let the players slack off and lose, they'd have lacked the mental strength to get to a flag not too long after. St. Kilda tanked, got Reiwoldt and they are now around three quarters of a century since a flag. This isn't Playstation, most footballers aren't that bright, you can't give out inconsistent messages around having a winning attitude as players and club and expect anything except to go nowhere.

We are desperately trying to get the stink of mediocrity out of the club, Carr and co. need to drive into the players anything less then full effort from them all (including the coaches) is unacceptable.

 

[longdonkey]

I’m not saying we should do this, I’m merely suggesting that realistically with the draft capital available and the new rules of two picks, the only way to get everyone, would be to tank hard for 2 years. Having the number 1 pick gets you lots of options:

1. Long term signatures Butters and Bergman
2. Finish bottom 2026: Downgrade Pick 1, use that and a Pick 19, still get Dougie (negotiate him falling down the order, could even do it on draft night. Turn any extra capital into a future pick in 2027 draft.
3. Finish bottom 2027: get Pick 2. Downgrade again to get both Pilot, Salopek and Rodan. Trade with Tassie to help them slide. Using Pick 2, 2027 Pick 19, and an extra draft capital from 2026.
4. Get a priority pick for not winning any games 2 years in a row - Pick 3. Trade it for Nasiah, along with 2028 1st pick and 2nd pick.
5. Get Bailey as a free agent.

just saying, it’d be the only way to get everyone. It’s obviously totally unrealistic especially because our stars haven’t signed long term.

OK I'm glad you're not saying this is something we should do. There is another option because I don't think the AFL have explained what happens if you go into points deficit under the new rules. The fact that they haven't suggests to me that the rules could change back at any stage.

I would say this if we used all our picks for 2 years to get Cochrane, Salopek, Rodan and Pilot is that a good outcome? I think it probably is.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I've said this one numerous times in the past, but if you want a reference point for this, take 2000 when we were bottom of the ladder and played the Saints (second bottom). Port could have tanked, gotten Reiwoldt as first pick and hoped to bounce back. Choco made the right call though to battle hard, we won the game, got a few more wins late season, then were back in finals in 2001 and a flag in 2004. I'm absolutely certain if he'd let the players slack off and lose, they'd have lacked the mental strength to get to a flag not too long after. St. Kilda tanked, got Reiwoldt and they are now around three quarters of a century since a flag. This isn't Playstation, most footballers aren't that bright, you can't give out inconsistent messages around having a winning attitude as players and club and expect anything except to go nowhere.

Choco put to the board - if we tank, we get Riewoldt. Greg Bolton and co. made it clear Port Adelaide doesn't tank.

https://archive.md/XnVAw#selection-775.0-779.191

In Season 2000, then Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams put up the thought of totally crashing a disastrous season — the Power was last with just one win after 12 games — to secure the No. 1 draft call.
The scouting reports on Nick Riewoldt, the eventual No. 1 pick, read of a once-in-a-lifetime player — a “franchise” player.

Critically, the Port Adelaide board rejected the concept. Key directors, who were up for re-election, noted the Power fans would never forgive a board that collected an AFL wooden spoon before a flag. This was a great safety valve at Alberton.
Today, the fans would probably tolerate — even encourage — tanking.

Right now, it is all the battered Essendon fans can look forward to as a silver lining to a horror chapter for the Bombers.

 

[RangaInTeal]

Choco put to the board - if we tank, we get Riewoldt. Greg Bolton and co. made it clear Port Adelaide doesn't tank.

https://archive.md/XnVAw#selection-775.0-779.191

In Season 2000, then Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams put up the thought of totally crashing a disastrous season — the Power was last with just one win after 12 games — to secure the No. 1 draft call.
The scouting reports on Nick Riewoldt, the eventual No. 1 pick, read of a once-in-a-lifetime player — a “franchise” player.

Critically, the Port Adelaide board rejected the concept. Key directors, who were up for re-election, noted the Power fans would never forgive a board that collected an AFL wooden spoon before a flag. This was a great safety valve at Alberton.
Today, the fans would probably tolerate — even encourage — tanking.

Right now, it is all the battered Essendon fans can look forward to as a silver lining to a horror chapter for the Bombers.

Winning culture is far healthier to long term business than a few great players, the old adage ‘The Club is Bigger than the Individual’ at its core is what hold good teams up over the journey. Saint Kilda, had all the Stars but zero silverware to show for it because they continually seek the easy option.

 

[240volt]

I believe you get a winning culture from winning flags.
Talk sounds nice for a while but is destined to fail eventually unless you reach the ultimate goal.
Winning all those flags in the SANFL gave us that culture.
Belief and improvement are required to reach that goal but until you get there and perform consistently you’re just making up the numbers.

 

[Willsy10]

I would never tolerate tanking. Winning those games at the back end of 2000 may have cost us Nick Riewoldt but it was the kick start of our most successful era in the AFL.

We ended up trading our first rounder for Wakelin, turned matthew bode

Matthew Bode

Age

46

Ht

178cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.5

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.1

5star

G

0.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

7.8

2star

K

4.8

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.6

2star

T

0.8

3star

G

0.6

3star

into Shaun Burgoyne

9

Shaun Burgoyne

Age

43

Ht

186cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.0

4star

K

9.9

4star

HB

8.1

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

3.8

5star

MG

162.7

3star

D

10.0

3star

K

5.6

2star

HB

4.4

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

162.7

3star

D

6.2

2star

K

3.2

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.6

4star

and selected Kane Cornes and Dom Cassisi. So we did pretty well out of that off season with what we had, and the confidence we gained in those late season wins was huge. I still remember the last two games fondly, after the siren winner against the second placed Blues and smacking the Crows in the showdown. The momentum we had going into season 2001 was huge.

 

[Willsy10]

Until we get some combination of Salopek, Rodan, NWM or Bailey onto our list, our midfield will lack depth and serious quality beyond Butters, JHF, Bergman. I don’t want to entertain the thought of no Butters and Bergman after 2026-7.

We therefore need Drew and Wines to play strong footy for the next two years at least.

Have we ruled a line through Rozee the midfielder? He did make the AA team in 2022 and 2023 as a mid.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Tanking works in the NBA where 1 player can completely transform your team, or even arguably the NFL if you're going for a generational quarterback, but even in those sports there are plenty of examples of teams tanking for a player who didn't end up driving the change they wanted.

In AFL footy, you could draft the best player ever to play the game and they won't be enough by themselves to carry you to a premiership. Winning culture is far more important and that's demonstrated again and again and again.

With the borked player movement system this is made even more significant because you can add elite players more easily through the free agency if they think they can win a flag with you (or if you have a nice farm for them).

There is no reason to ever tank. Win every game.

 

[Rash]

Have we ruled a line through Rozee the midfielder? He did make the AA team in 2022 and 2023 as a mid.

its very well known carr much prefers him in the defense

 

[RangaInTeal]

Have we ruled a line through Rozee the midfielder? He did make the AA team in 2022 and 2023 as a mid.

I think it’s more about disbursing the talent

 

[240volt]

I think it’s more about disbursing the talent

The half back line suits Rozee’s playing style.
Will be interesting to see if he stays there after 2026 if Butters leaves.

 

[PJ Power]

Have we ruled a line through Rozee the midfielder? He did make the AA team in 2022 and 2023 as a mid.

Sounds like Carr is committed to playing him at HB.

I’d hope if we prioritise getting Evans back up to AFL standard, and adding Lai to the HB mix, then maybe we can move Rozee back to the midfield.

 

[240volt]

Sounds like Carr is committed to playing him at HB.

I’d hope if we prioritise getting Evans back up to AFL standard, and adding Lai to the HB mix, then maybe we can move Rozee back to the midfield.

Evans is one of many that has to step up next year.
Hopefully it was just the second year blues but him like others are treading thin ice.

 

[Coobk001]

Have we ruled a line through Rozee the midfielder? He did make the AA team in 2022 and 2023 as a mid.

Hopefully we have. Harlem globetrotter against shit teams, put a bit of body on him and turns to a C grader.

 

[RangaInTeal]

The half back line suits Rozee’s playing style.
Will be interesting to see if he stays there after 2026 if Butters leaves.

So does Full Forward, as does the midfield.

Very hard to win games of football however if all your talent, poise and skill is overloaded in one area of the ground.

If we were going on ability, I like the fact we have spread our best 5 players across the 3 lines, Butters - Mid, Georgiadies & JHF - Fwd, Rozee and Burgman - Def. Obviously JHF and Burgman will slide through as Mids also, but that’s a good grouping of Talent/Ability/Contract across the three lines.

You need good Leg Speed and great Disposal Efficiency to build a good defensive unit in today’s game, no need to repeat defensive efforts if you are in possession of the ball. Sure having the Fab Four as a midfield quartet would be amazing, but in a game like today’s football, territory is King, you just need a group who complement each other.

 

[RossFC]

I still buy into the idea that Butters, JHF and Rozee's quality should be spread across the field instead of all of them being in the same spot.

Butters in the middle, JHF deep forward a bit like Dusty/Danger, Rozee half back.

As for midfield rotations:
Butters, Wines, Bergman would be my starting 3.
JHF, Brodie, Drew the backup 3.

 

[Willsy10]

Hopefully we have. Harlem globetrotter against shit teams, put a bit of body on him and turns to a C grader.

I dunno, i thought he was a very good mid in 2022-2023, AA selections to show for it. 2024 he was going good until that hamstring derailed his season, and last year he was good in patches in the midfield too.

 

[Willsy10]

Sounds like Carr is committed to playing him at HB.

I’d hope if we prioritise getting Evans back up to AFL standard, and adding Lai to the HB mix, then maybe we can move Rozee back to the midfield.

where has the Carr is committed to him playing at HB come from, surely not just that whiteboard from the other day?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Tanking works in the NBA where 1 player can completely transform your team, or even arguably the NFL if you're going for a generational quarterback, but even in those sports there are plenty of examples of teams tanking for a player who didn't end up driving the change they wanted.

In AFL footy, you could draft the best player ever to play the game and they won't be enough by themselves to carry you to a premiership. Winning culture is far more important and that's demonstrated again and again and again.

With the borked player movement system this is made even more significant because you can add elite players more easily through the free agency if they think they can win a flag with you (or if you have a nice farm for them).

There is no reason to ever tank. Win every game.

1 player out of 5 on a court 94 feet x 50 ft ie approx 28m x 15m - a non contact sport
vs
1 player out 18 on a field 160m x 130m - a contact sport

That's why some in the media - especially Craig Hutchison - get an orgasm about getting the #1 pick at almost any cost and forget the above basic facts.

 

[Rash]

where has the Carr is committed to him playing at HB come from, surely not just that whiteboard from the other day?

from rozee himself being interviewed, josh carr did a interview on Sen or five AA (cant remember which one) saying he prefers rozee in the backline.

 

[Andre]

Tanking works in the NBA where 1 player can completely transform your team, or even arguably the NFL if you're going for a generational quarterback, but even in those sports there are plenty of examples of teams tanking for a player who didn't end up driving the change they wanted.

In AFL footy, you could draft the best player ever to play the game and they won't be enough by themselves to carry you to a premiership. Winning culture is far more important and that's demonstrated again and again and again.

With the borked player movement system this is made even more significant because you can add elite players more easily through the free agency if they think they can win a flag with you (or if you have a nice farm for them).

There is no reason to ever tank. Win every game.

You coach the players selected to win every game. Anything less is asking for trouble. The only asterisk I'd put beside that is, once finals are out of reach, put every best 22 player that needs surgery and/or a rest out and blood younger players / players in other positions. However they should still be expected to give all. The Hinkley route of running players into the ground to make your H&A record look better, once you're out of contention is no help short or long term. I classify that as good player management though, not tanking. I'd still rather we win all games when doing that.

 

[PortAdelFC1997]

It's not like Rozee has his ability to play midfield. He is a 2 x AA as a mid. I'm fine with him staying at half-back and pinch hit in the middle every now and then to change things up when the usual setup isn't working. Bit of a waste if Butters, JHF and Rozee all start in the middle. Spread the wealth more for a more balanced team.

 

[El_Scorcho]

1 player out of 5 on a court 94 feet x 50 ft ie approx 28m x 45m - a non contact sport
vs
1 player out 18 on a field 160m x 130m - a contact sport

That's why some in the media - especially Craig Hutchison - get an orgasm about getting the #1 pick at almost any cost and forget the above basic facts.

Absolutely. There's a reason only 5 #1 picks have won a flag, with Tom Boyd being at a club he wasn't drafted by. Of the other 4, although all good players, only Hodge could be argued to be absolutely crucial to premiership success, and that was because of his leadership.