List Mgmt. List management discussion 2026

[CHUBBSS]

So list decisions are made - draft is in.

We've picked up:

• Cam Nairn - I think we'll use him as a running player/mid rather than a forward
• Shubert - project key forward
• Dalton - inside mid
• Matt DelRay - winger

This crew is unlikely to improve our midfield in 2026, but luckily we already have a bunch of first round pick midfielders coming into the 100 game range (Ward, McKenzie, MacDonald, Butler) and Day of course.

It's intersting to stress and worry over which quality mids we pick up in a weaker draft, when we've got a lot of high quality picks sitting on our list with 3-4 pre seasons of development.

I think we've had a very good draft strategy of picking guys who have shown a lot while being underage in their category, and guys who have elite endurance. Shows how we want to shape the list overall and that we are building a long term view.

While it's impossible to overtake GC and Brisbane in pure list management (odds are stacked so well in their favour) we need to overtake them in terms of development (and we've done an overhaul of our development team) and coaching.

I think our main challengers/peers in 2026 will be Freo, Crows and GC. I think Brisbane will still be a cut above and that Geelong and Collingwood will fall away.

Looking forward to another set up thrills and heartbreaks

I think the bigger aspect is taking three kids that have grown up playing together, training together, running together, theirs some things you can’t teach and know each others games inside and out is a HUGE advantage to come into AFL with. You don’t build time trail numbers like they did without putting in the work, and it translated to how they played.

It’s a good sign when you could blink and be happy if all the players we picked were picked in the first round, I reckon this was an extremely even draft and will be end up being one of the most under rated.

 

[The Chad and I]

People were decrying our lack of new inside mids to cover Worpel's departure and now we've taken two who were touted as top 10-15 picks, if not for a double wrist injury, and... over-confidence???

DRAFT OVERVIEW
2 top inside mid prospects
1 gun forward/mid
1 best KP forward in the draft
1 absolute unit who might just be the best of them all

Killed it.
Absolutely killed it.

 

[Dewnior]

People were decrying our lack of new inside mids to cover Worpel's departure and now we've taken two who were touted as top 10-15 picks, if not for a double wrist injury, and... over-confidence???

DRAFT OVERVIEW
2 top inside mid prospects
1 gun forward/mid
1 best KP forward in the draft
1 absolute unit who might just be the best of them all

Killed it.
Absolutely killed it.

The club has an opening for a motivational speaker. Have you considered applying?

 

[mustang]

So list decisions are made - draft is in.

We've picked up:

• Cam Nairn - I think we'll use him as a running player/mid rather than a forward
• Shubert - project key forward
• Dalton - inside mid
• Matt DelRay - winger

This crew is unlikely to improve our midfield in 2026, but luckily we already have a bunch of first round pick midfielders coming into the 100 game range (Ward, McKenzie, MacDonald, Butler) and Day of course.

It's intersting to stress and worry over which quality mids we pick up in a weaker draft, when we've got a lot of high quality picks sitting on our list with 3-4 pre seasons of development.

I think we've had a very good draft strategy of picking guys who have shown a lot while being underage in their category, and guys who have elite endurance. Shows how we want to shape the list overall and that we are building a long term view.

While it's impossible to overtake GC and Brisbane in pure list management (odds are stacked so well in their favour) we need to overtake them in terms of development (and we've done an overhaul of our development team) and coaching.

I think our main challengers/peers in 2026 will be Freo, Crows and GC. I think Brisbane will still be a cut above and that Geelong and Collingwood will fall away.

Looking forward to another set up thrills and heartbreaks

With all the kids and the development coaches that have come in feel like we are back in development rebuilding mode, do we have any spots left open still for a SSP pick up like NHH if he was to do a pre season with us or someone from the state leagues?

 

[bigmaxi]

Did Ned Reeves sign on for 3 more years?

 

[eldorado]

With all the kids and the development coaches that have come in feel like we are back in development rebuilding mode, do we have any spots left open still for a SSP pick up like NHH if he was to do a pre season with us or someone from the state leagues?

Two SSP or MSD spots to go, rookie list

 

[streetspirit]

Did Ned Reeves sign on for 3 more years?

As the unofficial keeper of the contract stickied thread, nothing official since the pre trade period media reports that the extension was imminent

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Meh, messy quoting from the closed draft thread...

Is this the 2k time trial results or our draft-ranking? Some familiar names - even the guys we 'missed' in Grjl and Addinsall. It seems if you don't run top-10, you don't get drafted to Hawthorn....

Dalton, Nairn, Schubert all in the top 10.

2025 Telstra AFL/W Draft Combine testing results

The top results from athletic testing conducted at the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft Combine and Telstra AFLW Draft Combine have been announced

www.afl.com.au

 

[indianhawks]

Cam Nairn
Shubert
Dalton
Matt DelRay
Oliver Greeves

Which one will hit 150 games? All of the picks would have been traded for Merrett. If one plays 200 games, we have done better than we thought.

Lets hope one of them is like Moore / Isaac Smith

7

Isaac Smith

Age

37

Ht

188cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

8.4

5star

M

5.5

5star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.4

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.3

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

1.3

4star

D

19.2

5star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

5star

M

7.6

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

or Luke Bruest

 

[kazzooka]

Cam Nairn
Shubert
Dalton
Matt DelRay
Oliver Greeves

Which one will hit 150 games? All of the picks would have been traded for Merrett. If one plays 200 games, we have done better than we thought.

Lets hope one of them is like Moore / Isaac Smith or Luke Bruest

Add Henry Hustwaite to that list.

I think only Nain and Shubert picks were in the trade offer along with future 1sts. And we have actually turned our 10 and 22 into 4 players with the trades we did as we now have 2x F2 picks on top.

I think Delray or Greeves are the most i'm excited about. But probably need a bit of time. Nairn I am sure will get a bunch of games I think his floor is probably a guy who gets a handful of games and shows glipses like a Seamus, but his ceiling is a dynamic mid/foward that plays 200 very good games.

 

[FB19]

Add Henry Hustwaite to that list.

I think only Nain and Shubert picks were in the trade offer along with future 1sts. And we have actually turned our 10 and 22 into 4 players with the trades we did as we now have 2x F2 picks on top.

I think Delray or Greeves are the most i'm excited about. But probably need a bit of time. Nairn I am sure will get a bunch of games I think his floor is probably a guy who gets a handful of games and shows glipses like a Seamus, but his ceiling is a dynamic mid/foward that plays 200 very good games.

I’m surprised the dogs didn’t match our bid on Danny Delre’s son…

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

2027

Will be a difficult year, what with Tassie coming in. There is one player we should be pursuing in 2027 and that is Baxter Sruk.

 

[Dewnior]

Will be a difficult year, what with Tassie coming in. There is one player we should be pursuing in 2027 and that is Baxter Sruk.

Is he in our NGA?

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Is he in our NGA?

Not that I know of, wish he was.

 

[Dewnior]

Not that I know of, wish he was.

Well that means Tassie get first crack. We would need to trade one of our A graders to get access to him.

 

[hawkinoz]

Not that I know of, wish he was.

Does he have any points that can lead to qualification for NGA. Does one of his parents having some indigenous or non-European background( need to check which nations qualifies).

He is in Eastern rangers team, so quite likely in our zone.

His Surname is interesting, someone more knowledgeable can make enquiries or clarify.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Does he have any points that can lead to qualification for NGA. Does one of his parents having some indigenous or non-European background( need to check which nations qualifies).

He is in Eastern rangers team, so quite likely in our zone.

His Surname is interesting, someone more knowledgeable can make enquiries or clarify.

I believe the name is Croation, but his family have been here for generations. Great footy pedigree. Both grandfathers were multiple metropolitan league B&F winners, his great grandfather played about 100 games for Richmond with Jack Dyer. His eldest brother played at Box Hill, his other brother won the Eastern Ranges B&F by 37 votes in 2024, didn't get drafted and is now at Casey. Baxter has won the league B&F at every junior level except for this year when he was runner up after missing games due to rep duties. He won the Best Player award at the U15 State Carnival in 2024 and was named in the Aust team. He repeated the same things at the 2025 U16 State Championships. He captained the winning Rowville Sec Coll Intermediate Team in the Herald Sun Shield and was named best player in the final against Scotch. He is also the Captain of the Eastern Ranges U16 team. A really solid build, one grab, good footy brain, really quick off the mark and a terrific left footer, although if you saw him kick on his right, you'd think he was right footed and he kicks goals.

 

[FB19]

I believe the name is Croation, but his family have been here for generations. Great footy pedigree. Both grandfathers were multiple metropolitan league B&F winners, his great grandfather played about 100 games for Richmond with Jack Dyer. His eldest brother played at Box Hill, his other brother won the Eastern Ranges B&F by 37 votes in 2024, didn't get drafted and is now at Casey. Baxter has won the league B&F at every junior level except for this year when he was runner up after missing games due to rep duties. He won the Best Player award at the U15 State Carnival in 2024 and was named in the Aust team. He repeated the same things at the 2025 U16 State Championships. He captained the winning Rowville Sec Coll Intermediate Team in the Herald Sun Shield and was named best player in the final against Scotch. He is also the Captain of the Eastern Ranges U16 team. A really solid build, one grab, good footy brain, really quick off the mark and a terrific left footer, although if you saw him kick on his right, you'd think he was right footed and he kicks goals.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

I believe the name is Croation, but his family have been here for generations. Great footy pedigree. Both grandfathers were multiple metropolitan league B&F winners, his great grandfather played about 100 games for Richmond with Jack Dyer. His eldest brother played at Box Hill, his other brother won the Eastern Ranges B&F by 37 votes in 2024, didn't get drafted and is now at Casey. Baxter has won the league B&F at every junior level except for this year when he was runner up after missing games due to rep duties. He won the Best Player award at the U15 State Carnival in 2024 and was named in the Aust team. He repeated the same things at the 2025 U16 State Championships. He captained the winning Rowville Sec Coll Intermediate Team in the Herald Sun Shield and was named best player in the final against Scotch. He is also the Captain of the Eastern Ranges U16 team. A really solid build, one grab, good footy brain, really quick off the mark and a terrific left footer, although if you saw him kick on his right, you'd think he was right footed and he kicks goals.

So you're saying he's a Gold Coast Academy member?

 

[Davo-27]

So far our list rebuild has been a massive success, i was looking at our list profile and you can see from 24 yo down how stacked our list is with talent, our rebuild started later than it shouldve with Day, Newc ect, but was stalled by a change of coach ect and an investment in Tom Mitchell, JOM and Wingard that i think was misguided at the time....

30+ Gunston, Sicily, Barrass, Impey, Amon
29 Chol, Hardwick
28 -
27 Lewis, Nash, Scrimshaw, Battle, Meek, Reeves, Morrison
26 Moore
25 Maginness, Blanck
24 Day, Newcombe, Perez
23 Ginnivan, C.MacDonald, Butler
22 D'Ambrosio, Ward, MacKenzie, Ramsden, Hill, Uhr-Henry
21 Watson, Weddle, B.MacDonald, Hustwaite
20 Dear, McCabe, Mraz, Ryan, Anderson
19 Greeves, Leray
18 Schubert, Nairn, Dalton

 

[Davo-27]

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

 

[kazzooka]

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

Butler is in the side whiles we have 1 injury and played all finals last year. So he's 2pts.

I think it's unfair to put Dear, Mraz, Schubert, McCabe and Narin as first team. Understanding that it's on potential and they all look decent. But they certainly don't deserve to be above a guy that's actually proved to be in the first team when we are as close to full strength as we'll ever be.

One could even argue that Dear, despite his excellent 2024 has gotten his games whilst Lewis, Chol and Gunston were out injured and Gunston his back issues in 2024.

 

[mustang]

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

I've been saying we don't have enough potential A- Graders in our side going forward for a while, compared to GC and Brisbane, one of the reasons I'm hopeful we can get Humphrey and even Sam Marshall is another I'd be trying to get out of Brisbane.

 

[Ka Norkers]

by the end of this year, Watson and Weddle will be considered A graders, and possibly Dear and Ward.

 

[Davo-27]

I believe the name is Croation, but his family have been here for generations. Great footy pedigree. Both grandfathers were multiple metropolitan league B&F winners, his great grandfather played about 100 games for Richmond with Jack Dyer. His eldest brother played at Box Hill, his other brother won the Eastern Ranges B&F by 37 votes in 2024, didn't get drafted and is now at Casey. Baxter has won the league B&F at every junior level except for this year when he was runner up after missing games due to rep duties. He won the Best Player award at the U15 State Carnival in 2024 and was named in the Aust team. He repeated the same things at the 2025 U16 State Championships. He captained the winning Rowville Sec Coll Intermediate Team in the Herald Sun Shield and was named best player in the final against Scotch. He is also the Captain of the Eastern Ranges U16 team. A really solid build, one grab, good footy brain, really quick off the mark and a terrific left footer, although if you saw him kick on his right, you'd think he was right footed and he kicks goals.

Hes(Baxter Sruk) my favourite for pick 1 in 2027, he and Griffin Barker are top tier players at the u16s in 2025, likely Tassie Devils targets tbh