List Mgmt. List management discussion 2026

[cryptor]

Of the players coming out of contract the only one I'm concerned about is Lewis. I can't imagine Jars or Gunners are going anywhere; likewise McCabe or Calsher. The others can probably go without it impacting us too much, although we wouldn't want to lose too many at once. But Lewis going would hurt if he plays like he has been all year and he's bound to be offered big money by someone.

There's lots of reasons for him to want to stay at Hawthorn. I think the one that might fly under the radar is the facilities at the KCC. With his injury history (shoulder, and I believe both knees) you'd think having access to the best rehab facilities would rank quite highly in consideration of where he can get the most out of the remainder of his career.

Collingwood will be able to offer many of the same perks and big money but their trajectory down the ladder will likely make them unappealing for a player who has been through so much to get on the field and has the opportunity to be the number 1 forward at a premiership contender for the next 5 years.

I think he re-signs. What interests me is will he angle for a 4+ year deal for security in light of his injury history, or take 2 years and consider a potential Tassie pay day after hopefully winning a couple flags.

 

[BigTonkaTroy]

Do we consider Brodie Mclaughlin again for MSD? We still have a spot open and he was looking likely to get an SSP spot before breaking his foot.

Back now in the VFL for Box Hill and kicked 3 and 4 goals in his 2 games and now been selected to play for Victoria in the VFL vs SANFL game this weekend.

Seems to be our least needed type as we have Dear, McCabe, Schubert and Ramsden already.

we already have too many forwards and he’s 28 and dear McCabe Schubert and Ramsden all younger and have more upside, would be a waste of a spot.

 

[Crankyhawk]

I was watching True Footy on youtube and they were doing predictions on young talent from 2021 draft onwards, so just turned 23/22 yos and younger, so some speculation, but i liked the exercise and thought i would attempt my version of that with our list... some havnt debuted yet so have to be cautious and until they do i either put them in unsure or first team if im more confident of their potential.

4 pts Elite - Watson
3 pts A Grade - Weddle, Ward
2 pts First Team - C.MacDonald, Dear, D'Ambrosio, MacKenzie, Mraz, Schubert, McCabe, Nairn
1 pt Talented, but - Butler, Ramsden, B.MacDonald
0 pts Unsure - Ryan, Leray, Anderson, Dalton, Greeves, Hustwaite, Hill, Uhr-Henry

29 pts which is slightly below WCE(31), North(32) and Richmonds(34) youth, but we have a better balanced team all up with our veterans and the many 27 yos in their prime, which makes us a better team now... as well as off field, admin, trainers and coaches being of a better quality atm imo

based on the one I saw them do for Carlton, I think you are playing with hawks glasses on
- I think they would have

4 pts - Watson
3 pts - Weddle
2 pts - Ward, Mc Donald, Dear, D'ambrosio, Mackenzie, Butler
1 pt - McCabe, Dalton, Ramsden
and 0 pts for the rest
Which gives us 22 pts

(which is still ahead of Carlton..)

 

[Elhawko]

based on the one I saw them do for Carlton, I think you are playing with hawks glasses on
- I think they would have

4 pts - Watson
3 pts - Weddle
2 pts - Ward, Mc Donald, Dear, D'ambrosio, Mackenzie, Butler
1 pt - McCabe, Dalton, Ramsden
and 0 pts for the rest
Which gives us 22 pts

(which is still ahead of Carlton..)

Why aren't we considering Ginni here? He's only a month older than CMac?

I think he and CMac are pushing into the 3 category. Mass could get there too based on his recent form. His best form is AA squad level after all.

It's a fraught exercise anyway, particularly for the really young players. Right now, the ceilings of Mraz, Schu, Dear, McCabe and the others can't be known - same as the kids at other clubs. They could all be elite in two years time (or not). Seems a bit pointless to make an assessment on them one way or another now. I mean, if we did this exercise two years ago, what would Watson's rating have been? Couldn't be a four based on his having hardly played, and yet now he is absolutely earning that mark and in retrospect he was always going to.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Of the players coming out of contract the only one I'm concerned about is Lewis. I can't imagine Jars or Gunners are going anywhere; likewise McCabe or Calsher. The others can probably go without it impacting us too much, although we wouldn't want to lose too many at once. But Lewis going would hurt if he plays like he has been all year and he's bound to be offered big money by someone.

I'd the Pies aren't putting together a thumper of a deal for him I'll be immensely surprised.

 

[Mopar Jason]

Of the players coming out of contract the only one I'm concerned about is Lewis. I can't imagine Jars or Gunners are going anywhere; likewise McCabe or Calsher. The others can probably go without it impacting us too much, although we wouldn't want to lose too many at once. But Lewis going would hurt if he plays like he has been all year and he's bound to be offered big money by someone.

It was reported a week or two ago that Jars is close to agreeing to a new 2 year deal, but like you I fear Lewis leaving is a distinct possibility especially for good money and terms from a club like Collingwood who are screaming out for key forwards.

 

[kazzooka]

Lewis, McCabe, Dear and Schubert would all expect to be playing regular AFL next year. With Gunston likely to go again and Chol contracted I can't see that happening.

Someone if going to leave and we really need to make sure we try to hang on to the right ones and maximise our return to boost our midfield.

Lewis - we have no control as UFA so will get a compensation pick. I think huge offers will come that we may not be able to match. So would need to fight to keep him and stretch to compensate.

Dear - Should be as simple as offer him a fair deal and he stays. He's proven AFL Level so should be a no brainier. I think even with Chol and Gunston back he'll stay in the side.

McCabe - 1 game so far in 3 years but is a real talent. versatile and skilled. can play forward, wing and back. Will have clubs promising him more opportunity. Need to sell him a pathway into a regular game that isn't just hope 2 talls miss.

Schubert - First year player, looking like an absolute jet. Contracted so can tell him to wait his turn and that gunston and chol aren't here forever.

 

[number23]

Lewis, McCabe, Dear and Schubert would all expect to be playing regular AFL next year. With Gunston likely to go again and Chol contracted I can't see that happening.

Someone if going to leave and we really need to make sure we try to hang on to the right ones and maximise our return to boost our midfield.

Lewis - we have no control as UFA so will get a compensation pick. I think huge offers will come that we may not be able to match. So would need to fight to keep him and stretch to compensate.

Dear - Should be as simple as offer him a fair deal and he stays. He's proven AFL Level so should be a no brainier. I think even with Chol and Gunston back he'll stay in the side.

McCabe - 1 game so far in 3 years but is a real talent. versatile and skilled. can play forward, wing and back. Will have clubs promising him more opportunity. Need to sell him a pathway into a regular game that isn't just hope 2 talls miss.

Schubert - First year player, looking like an absolute jet. Contracted so can tell him to wait his turn and that gunston and chol aren't here forever.

I can't see father-sons McCabe and Dear leaving. The club connections are too strong. Schubert is contracted as you say. McCabe can also play multiple positions so the forward squeeze is not as strong for him. Could it possible that Gunston gets squeezed out (like some of his former three peat team mates) and gets offered an off field role? Go out on top and give us more salary space for Lewis? Could Schubert be involved in a trade with Port for us to gain some assets (since the Crows need another key forward like Brisbane needs another midfielder) for our trading ?

 

[FB19]

Players out of contract this season

Amon - rolling 1 yr contract
Anderson - delist
Blanck - if we need a 4th tall defender then keep, if not delist
Dear - 4 year contract
Greeves - keep around for 2 more years on rookie see if he can take the next step?
Gunston - he is the rare 3 in 100 player(approx 25 out of 800 players in the AFL) who plays good footy post 32, 1 yr contracts until his form dips badly
Hill - delist
Hustwaite - delist
Impey - rolling 1 yr contracts
Lewis - 2-3 yr contract
B.MacDonald - with Perez taking his spot, might be a trade, 2-3 year contract
MacKenzie - trade? 2-3 yr contract?
McCabe - 2-3 yr contract
Morrison - delist
Perez - 2-3 yr contract
Ramsden - delist (unless we need a backup ruck forward?)
Ryan - if we think he could take Hardwicks role in 2-3 yrs?, sign on, if not maybe short term contract/delist?
Uhr-Henry - delist

This isn’t the time to be actively turning the list over we won’t have good draft picks and those we have you expect get used up in trade.
Cat B Hill JUH stay as they are both developing and need more time and aren’t costing us spots or money really.
The only players I would move on as our choice are Anderson and Hustwaite. I expect a few like BMac and Ramsden leave for more opportunities for me that’s enough expecting 1 or 2 more go too. Trade in a few players take a few speculative draft picks hold the squad together.

 

[mustang]

I've been saying for a while we should trade Lewis because his injury prone, so seeing his a FA agent this year I would offer him no more then a 3 year deal, because of his age and his injury history, in reality I think we should offer him 1 year deals every year till he retires but I know that's unlikely.

Because of this I fully expect a club to offer him 5 years and if that happens he would have to choose if he leaves or not, no way would I offer him 5.

 

[Dipper]

This isn’t the time to be actively turning the list over we won’t have good draft picks and those we have you expect get used up in trade.
Cat B Hill JUH stay as they are both developing and need more time and aren’t costing us spots or money really.
The only players I would move on as our choice are Anderson and Hustwaite. I expect a few like BMac and Ramsden leave for more opportunities for me that’s enough expecting 1 or 2 more go too. Trade in a few players take a few speculative draft picks hold the squad together.

I agree, the depth and development of the list is great. The only area to fill is the most difficult and costly, and that of course is A grade midfielders.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I can't see father-sons McCabe and Dear leaving. The club connections are too strong. Schubert is contracted as you say. McCabe can also play multiple positions so the forward squeeze is not as strong for him. Could it possible that Gunston gets squeezed out (like some of his former three peat team mates) and gets offered an off field role? Go out on top and give us more salary space for Lewis? Could Schubert be involved in a trade with Port for us to gain some assets (since the Crows need another key forward like Brisbane needs another midfielder) for our trading ?

JPK3 was in fairly similar situation to McCabe when he left, so I suppose it has happened before.

 

[tommyk72]

I agree, the depth and development of the list is great. The only area to fill is the most difficult and costly, and that of course is A grade midfielders.

Disagree the most difficult. The most difficult is high-calibre key forwards. And we have a handful.

I am more hopeful we'll fill this gap than I would be if we were searching for KPFs.

 

[Dipper]

Disagree the most difficult. The most difficult is high-calibre key forwards. And we have a handful.

I am more hopeful we'll fill this gap than I would be if we were searching for KPFs.

I agree that we have a fair few but doesn't that mean that they're not as difficult find?

We've got uncle Gunston, who we traded in originally for a pick around 20? when he was young, then got him back from Brisbane in a trade for a MSD player.

Lewis, virtually last pick in a draft.

Dear, late, late pick.

Cholly trade for not a lot.

Shubert for pick 23.

And we're still trying very hard to add in A grade midfield talent as shown by the Merrett saga, and all the Humphrey and Butters talk.

 

[tommyk72]

I agree that we have a fair few but doesn't that mean that they're not as difficult find?

We've got uncle Gunston, who we traded on for a pick around 20? when he was young, then got him back from Brisbane in a trade for a MSD player.

Lewis, virtually last pick in a draft.

Dear, late, late pick.

Cholly trade for not a lot.

Shubert for pick 23.

And we're still trying very hard to add in A grade midfield talent as shown by the Merrett saga, and all the Humphrey and Butters talk.

If you look at our list in isolation, that's fair. We've done a very good job of picking the eyes out of KPP with low picks/cheap trades. If you look league-wide, the trend is quite different.

 

[Dipper]

If you look at our list in isolation, that's fair. We've done a very good job of picking the eyes out of KPP with low picks/cheap trades. If you look league-wide, the trend is quite different.

I suppose, let's hope we can nab some midfield talent going forward.

I agree, we've done exceptionally well to get the tall forward talent onto our list that we have, without using any high picks whatsoever.

Shout out to Sleepy and his crew!

 

[number23]

JPK3 was in fairly similar situation to McCabe when he left, so I suppose it has happened before.

I think that it's a slightly different situation. JPK3 was a slow midfielder when there were 4 ahead of him (Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Sewell) and he seemed a one position player. Will McCabe is far more versatile due to his height and athleticism - he's played forward, back and on the wing. Sam wants versatility in his players and I think that holds him in good stead for a contract extension. He just needs to show form which has been pretty good this year. Taller players take time and his first year was wiped out due to his back issues. He's only 20.

 

[The Chad and I]

Lewis, Chol, Gunston, and Dear - when they're fit, are formidable and first choice.
We have one more year before we are forced to make room for Schubert, but given his trajectory, we may have to make a decision this year so he can play most game in 2027.

It's gonna be a tough decision, but it may turn out that other clubs will make it easier for us with a big offer.
Whatever happens, we are well positioned for talent.