2025 List Management Thread

[Uninformed]

Agree, Doggies.
Way more interested in this than any talk of Laverde, Ridley, May ect, ect.
Speaking of the Tigers, we should 100% be into Vlaustin, he would move the needle for us.

Not sure it is possible, but Vlaustin is the player I would want the most. (Butters next year!)

I think Vlaustin, more so than a tall, would fix our defence. He is very hard to get around and his kicking always turns his intercepts into a solid attack.

[Bornadog]

Why is it a either or situation? There are probably some scenarios where they are both on the list for next season.
While I tend to agree with you that in the end Jones will probably go it does depend on who we can bring in during the trade period..
FWIW, I don't think we are that desperate for list positions. Yes they all matter but we have the scope to carry a player or two.

Also, no use worrying about players already contracted and wanting them gone.
Check last year's List Management thread and many wanted Cleary gone (probably me too), and look how he has turned out.

[GVGjr]

That’s sorta my point though, I think there’s only room for one of Jones and Gardner on the list next year as depth (well providing we actually do bring in some mature defenders), personally I’d much rather Jones even at his age - yet it’ll likely be Gardner purely for the fact he was, insanely, extended to the end of 2026 at end of 2022.

Why is it a either or situation? There are probably some scenarios where they are both on the list for next season.
While I tend to agree with you that in the end Jones will probably go it does depend on who we can bring in during the trade period..
FWIW, I don't think we are that desperate for list positions. Yes they all matter but we have the scope to carry a player or two.

[doggies ftw]

He is a big enough body for the talent to go up against at training.
He is already contracted for 2026.
It is no more complicated than that, Gardner will be on the list until the end of 2026, when his career will end.

That’s sorta my point though, I think there’s only room for one of Jones and Gardner on the list next year as depth (well providing we actually do bring in some mature defenders), personally I’d much rather Jones even at his age - yet it’ll likely be Gardner purely for the fact he was, insanely, extended to the end of 2026 at end of 2022.

[Rusty12]

Gardner isn’t good depth if he has played 1 game in 2 seasons with other year to go on contract. That is a list clogger.

He is a big enough body for the talent to go up against at training.
He is already contracted for 2026.
It is no more complicated than that, Gardner will be on the list until the end of 2026, when his career will end.

[JanLorMill]

I don't really care if VDM, McNeil, Gardner ect, ect, are on the list or not, or how many years, as long as the money is low.
Im kind of with Jameek, they are good depth, however until those types of players are the 28-32 picked, and not playing 40 plus games between them, this team has reached its ceiling.

Gardner isn’t good depth if he has played 1 game in 2 seasons with other year to go on contract. That is a list clogger.

[Rusty12]

My problems not with having depth it’s with signing guys who wouldn’t get picked up elsewhere for 3-4 years it’s crazy. We’re in the situation now where LJones would
be much much better as the depth key back next year but will likely be Gardner because we signed him for 4 years (extended 3 years on an existing year), a term in which he’s played 11 games in, including 1 in the last 2 years.

No one’s going into full rebuild mode because they rightfully give VDM & Gardner 1 year deals instead of 3 & 4 lol, if they leave so be it. They won’t though because they have zero other options

I don't really care if VDM, McNeil, Gardner ect, ect, are on the list or not, or how many years, as long as the money is low.
Im kind of with Jameek, they are good depth, however until those types of players are the 28-32 picked, and not playing 40 plus games between them, this team has reached its ceiling.

[Rusty12]

Dogs interested in Tylar Young, still unsigned at tigers. I actually really like this, good age at 26 - was drafted mature age in ‘22, in ‘23 under siege in that backline he lost 9 from a total of 65 one on ones (13.8%), that is absolutely elite defensive territory. Taylor was the best in the league this year at 15.9%

Didnt reach the same heights in 2024 before doing an ACL but still, that’s enough of a sample size across his only full season at an elite level to show there’s something to work with. He obviously doesn’t offer as much in regards to interceptions or offensive game and probably not well rounded enough to be anything more than a good solid defender but that’s what we want. Someone to take the big blokes and free up Lobb & JOD

Agree, Doggies.
Way more interested in this than any talk of Laverde, Ridley, May ect, ect.
Speaking of the Tigers, we should 100% be into Vlaustin, he would move the needle for us.

[doggies ftw]

Because if you don't have the depth, as rudimentary as it is, you end up on the way to being as ****ed as Essendon has been this year.

Gardner and VDM aren't first choice, but they'll be senior experienced players on not much coin at all who have each shown they can provide a rudimentary level of cover at senior level. Something brand new players, outside very few, can.

If you're OK going into full rebuild mode that's fine, otherwise just suck up* the fact we're going to have some player contracts on overlap providing depth.

*Sorry, that sounded like it was directed at you, it wasn't, rather, the collective you/we.

My problems not with having depth it’s with signing guys who wouldn’t get picked up elsewhere for 3-4 years it’s crazy. We’re in the situation now where LJones would
be much much better as the depth key back next year but will likely be Gardner because we signed him for 4 years (extended 3 years on an existing year), a term in which he’s played 11 games in, including 1 in the last 2 years.

No one’s going into full rebuild mode because they rightfully give VDM & Gardner 1 year deals instead of 3 & 4 lol, if they leave so be it. They won’t though because they have zero other options

[jeemak]

Let’s be completely honest here, assuming we bring in at least one, hopefully two mature key defenders which we absolutely should be. List spots are tight, you could realistically hold one of Gardner or LJones as depth.

Who would we rather as a depth key defender who may be called upon for a game or two? Who’s going to perform better at AFL level. Who’s a better and more experienced leader that we want as a semi-development coach at training. Who do we want at VFL level alongside the likes of Buss bringing them along?

The answer is pretty bloody clear for mine, and it’s not the guy with the contract. Why do we lock ourselves into these 3-4 year deals for guys who are happy to be on a list? We’ll be in this same position in 2 years for VDM, if not sooner. It’s madness, for such a good operator some of these decisions from Power are completely cooked

Because if you don't have the depth, as rudimentary as it is, you end up on the way to being as ****ed as Essendon has been this year.

Gardner and VDM aren't first choice, but they'll be senior experienced players on not much coin at all who have each shown they can provide a rudimentary level of cover at senior level. Something brand new players, outside very few, can.

If you're OK going into full rebuild mode that's fine, otherwise just suck up* the fact we're going to have some player contracts on overlap providing depth.

*Sorry, that sounded like it was directed at you, it wasn't, rather, the collective you/we.

[doggies ftw]

Dogs interested in Tylar Young, still unsigned at tigers. I actually really like this, good age at 26 - was drafted mature age in ‘22, in ‘23 under siege in that backline he lost 9 from a total of 65 one on ones (13.8%), that is absolutely elite defensive territory. Taylor was the best in the league this year at 15.9%

Didnt reach the same heights in 2024 before doing an ACL but still, that’s enough of a sample size across his only full season at an elite level to show there’s something to work with. He obviously doesn’t offer as much in regards to interceptions or offensive game and probably not well rounded enough to be anything more than a good solid defender but that’s what we want. Someone to take the big blokes and free up Lobb & JOD

[doggies ftw]

Let’s be completely honest here, assuming we bring in at least one, hopefully two mature key defenders which we absolutely should be. List spots are tight, you could realistically hold one of Gardner or LJones as depth.

Who would we rather as a depth key defender who may be called upon for a game or two? Who’s going to perform better at AFL level. Who’s a better and more experienced leader that we want as a semi-development coach at training. Who do we want at VFL level alongside the likes of Buss bringing them along?

The answer is pretty bloody clear for mine, and it’s not the guy with the contract. Why do we lock ourselves into these 3-4 year deals for guys who are happy to be on a list? We’ll be in this same position in 2 years for VDM, if not sooner. It’s madness, for such a good operator some of these decisions from Power are completely cooked

[doggies ftw]

Other thing I like about bringing in another high quality inside 50 small is it releases West to the midfield rotation, as good as he is forward with Dovastan & Cody coming in West could take Garcia/Sanders mid minutes and I think that makes us a much better side.

Literally all it would take is:

- Butts for ie a 2nd & a decent pick up grade etc
- Secure Silvagni with an extra 50–100k on what we’re offering, who cares at the end of the day.
- Bond, wouldn’t be much probably similar to what we could get for Buku
- 1st rounder on Dovastan

and you could line up with the following round one:

Bond Butts Lobb
Dale Silvagni Bramble

Williams Libba Davo
English Bont Red

West Naughty AJ
Cody Darcy Dolan

Freijah, Kennedy, Sellwood, Croft, Dovastan

With Trelor, Harmes, Sanders, Jacques, Hynes, Baker, JOD, Cleary, Garcia all on the fringe (or in Treloars case if fit in the side)

that’s an outrageously good side and a much more balanced defence, who can actually defend first & foremost and it really wouldn’t take anything special to get it done. Just get it done and bring on round 1 asap

[doggies ftw]

If Croft is permanently forward, Khamis gets traded and JUH delisted, I think we’re suddenly running low on talls. My ideal player for our 1st is Xavier Taylor as a Weddle type. I think we’re fine up forward if we can get Arty, Dolan and Weightman playing a good number of games next year. The entire forward group is very young with huge upside still. Dovaston looked great when he played for Box Hill against us, I’d just be hesitant spending yet another early pick on a forward as we seem to have spent almost all our draft capital on forwards since 2020

For trades, I agree about trying for more than just Silvagni. I’d be happy to overpay for Butts if it means our defence stops being such a liability. Would be going for Bond too considering how much we missed Duryea this year

Can’t say I know much about Taylor but if he’s a Weddle type sign me up, and yeah I definitely wouldn’t be against spending it in the back half but probably not a tall defender. They just take too long and whilst Buss/JOD are a couple of years in I still very much consider them young developing tall defenders who are 2 years off being anywhere near their best. So I’d rather target the back half with mature & experienced defenders than high draft picks.

Dovastan I like because I consider him a bit different to the smalls we have, similar to El Souki though if we think we’re still a chance to get him with the rule changes so that may be a double up to consider.

Agree would definitely be targeting Bond too, and I’ve made it pretty clear I think Starcevich is a risk we should be willing to take with our cap position and team make up but in saying that he may not be interested in coming to Vic and doesn’t look like a live chance at this stage.

Tall forward we probably need another young one coming through now, although obviously wouldn’t spend super high on one considering our last 4 drafts obviously, we know we can make do with two of Croft, Naughty & Darcy and if we bring in mature defenders like Butts/Silvagni then JOD and Lobb can also go fwd in a pinch as a last resort so I don’t think it’s that bad really for depth across the talls (providing we bring in at least one, ideally 2 defenders). Realistically if you lose two starting key forwards to injury any team is in trouble and not covering that, we’d be better placed than most even without Marra & Buku.

Mids with Freijah and Richards moving there and Sanders, Hynes coming through were pretty set and I’d only be looking at a real high quality one, which you can only really get at the pointy end of the draft with any certainty which we won’t have a pick for (or Butters next year as the perfect Libba replacement.

So I still think a genuine gun small forward is one of our biggest points of need especially the way the games going you need to draft them high right now, and I’d also love a JJ/Bramble replacement or someone to come through under Dale - they’re my 2 biggest needs.

Honestly if we target the backline for mature quality as we should be, the list is in remarkably good shape for a starting 22 but also depth and young quality players coming through in every position.

[Virgin-Dog]

Very keen on Dovastan who should be around our first pick, avging 16 touches nearly 6 tackles and 2.4 goals in the u18s this year and looked good for Box hill against us a few weeks back. He’s straight out of the mould we need - fast and aggressive but can hit the scoreboard, reminds me of young Dahlhaus little bit of a scrapper but that’s okay.

I agree Dolan looks good and should be more primed for somewhat of an impact and Arty as well looks ready to take over from VDM/Mcneil as a hard runner with some offensive flair.

My dream, realistic, offseason is Silvagni, Butts for a 2nd and Dovastan with our 1st. A fwd half mix of Cody, West, AJ with Dolan & Dovastan coming through looks potentially very very strong. And a defensive mix of Butts, Lobb & Silvagni and possibly Sellwood looks much more balanced defensively with JOD & Buss coming through.

It really shouldn’t be hard to pull this off to be honest, we can’t sit on our hands and some pretty minor but significant changes like the above could make all the difference

If Croft is permanently forward, Khamis gets traded and JUH delisted, I think we’re suddenly running low on talls. My ideal player for our 1st is Xavier Taylor as a Weddle type. I think we’re fine up forward if we can get Arty, Dolan and Weightman playing a good number of games next year. The entire forward group is very young with huge upside still. Dovaston looked great when he played for Box Hill against us, I’d just be hesitant spending yet another early pick on a forward as we seem to have spent almost all our draft capital on forwards since 2020

For trades, I agree about trying for more than just Silvagni. I’d be happy to overpay for Butts if it means our defence stops being such a liability. Would be going for Bond too considering how much we missed Duryea this year