2025 List Management Thread

[GVGjr]

Totally agree with this, however, that would mean we need to bring in 6 players (actually 5 with Budarick).

So we Draft in just 2 or 3 players. Promote 2 rookies and leave 2 spots open for a delisted Free Agent or SSP window.
Did you allow for Jamarra leaving?

[Pleather Sole]

Ps
My thinking is that early 2026 Lachlan Smith debuts pending a great preseason.
I think he could play behind the ball as 2nd or 3rd ruck starting games on the bench. From the little I saw of him in VFL games he looks very comfortable in defense. He does seem a tad slow but he's smart and can outbody biggish forwards in contests.
Might be why we're happy to let Buku go (apart from being decent humans).
Croft has surpassed Buku as a fwd-swingman and we would have 4 ruck choices.

I'm beginning to feel the urge to make 2026 line-ups!

[josie]

Ps
My thinking is that early 2026 Lachlan Smith debuts pending a great preseason.
I think he could play behind the ball as 2nd or 3rd ruck starting games on the bench. From the little I saw of him in VFL games he looks very comfortable in defense. He does seem a tad slow but he's smart and can outbody biggish forwards in contests.
Might be why we're happy to let Buku go (apart from being decent humans).
Croft has surpassed Buku as a fwd-swingman and we would have 4 ruck choices.

I'm beginning to feel the urge to make 2026 line-ups!

Gee it would be good if Smith can become a workmanlike key back, with a bit of ruck relief. From my viewing he is not that good at marking (not that he is bad, perhaps he is tired from a lot of ruck work which impacts marking ability). Hope he can improve that. If he can become a half decent one on one type defender it’s ok that he is not quick. Better body size than Lobb or Buss (for now) to hold out big key forwards.

[GVGjr]

Ps
My thinking is that early 2026 Lachlan Smith debuts pending a great preseason.
I think he could play behind the ball as 2nd or 3rd ruck starting games on the bench. From the little I saw of him in VFL games he looks very comfortable in defense. He does seem a tad slow but he's smart and can outbody biggish forwards in contests.
Might be why we're happy to let Buku go (apart from being decent humans).
Croft has surpassed Buku as a fwd-swingman and we would have 4 ruck choices.

I'm beginning to feel the urge to make 2026 line-ups!

He showed a lot of improvement in the 2nd half of the season.
Why I doubt he could be a defender is that he is just a tad slow with his movement, his kicking skills are average and he doesn't really have a vertical leap.
I know that sounds a tad harsh but I think he has some limitations.

[Pleather Sole]

He showed a lot of improvement in the 2nd half of the season.
Why I doubt he could be a defender is that he is just a tad slow with his movement, his kicking skills are average and he doesn't really have a vertical leap.
I know that sounds a tad harsh but I think he has some limitations.

Agree on the slowness as I noted. I do think he has the potential to be a 2nd ruck that rotates more backline than forward. I'd like to see him tried there pre-season. He wouldn't be a Liam Jones key type but I'd like to see his defensive instincts tested. You can build skills if the instinct is there, building instinct is almost impossible.

[Bornadog]

So we Draft in just 2 or 3 players. Promote 2 rookies and leave 2 spots open for a delisted Free Agent or SSP window.
Did you allow for Jamarra leaving?

Forgot about him

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Either way you look at our list management, there's going to be a hell of a lot of pressure to perform next year.

There's a fair bit of impatience and frustration from our supporter base. The last few years have taken a bit of a toll, even if some of the dialogue is over the top.

[Willow18]

Updated squad list; includes 3 new draftees.
44 listed, but expecting 2-3 delisting before the draft

18-23: (20)
O’Donnell, Busslinger, Freijah, S. Darcy, Sanders, Hynes, Croft, Cleary

Sellwood, Jaques, Kennedy, Gallagher, Poulter, Dolan, Walker, Jones, Smith, Pick 14, Pick 33, W. Darcy

24-29: (18)
Dale, Budarick, Williams, Davidson, Naughton, Kennedy, Weightman, West, English, Richards, Bramble

Gardner, Coffield, Baker, Vandermeer, Khamis, McNeil, Garcia

30+: (6)
Lobb, Bontempelli, Liberatore, Treloar

Harmes, Johannisen

[hujsh]

If Lual doesn't get a contract, do we bring him home? Can we wash off the Essendon stink?

[Mantis]

Either way you look at our list management, there's going to be a hell of a lot of pressure to perform next year.

There bloody well should be a big expectation that we improve on our performances from the past 2 years when we’ve been close to being a really good team, but haven’t quite got there.

We’ve backed in Beveridge by giving him a 2yr contract extension… he needs to deliver.

[doggies ftw]

He showed a lot of improvement in the 2nd half of the season.
Why I doubt he could be a defender is that he is just a tad slow with his movement, his kicking skills are average and he doesn't really have a vertical leap.
I know that sounds a tad harsh but I think he has some limitations.

Nah you’re right, I think the Smith to defence talk is very wishful thinking. In key back terms he’s treacle slow, and not a strong mark. He’d get murdered in our defensive scheme. Busslinger is slow enough but can maybe overcome it with natural positioning and reading of the play. Smith is even slower and probably no where near as natural in a position he doesn’t play.

I really like Smith though as a ruck, I think he has elite potential - some limitations sure, but 19 year olds just don’t perform like he has in the VFL. I’d potentially look at bringing him in this year for some ruck work which can allow English to drop back behind the ball. I actually think English playing some defensive coverage, 2nd ruck, forward work with Smith taking the gruntwork in the ruck could make us a better side both around the ground and in the midfield.

The only issue I’m seeing is the make up of the rest of the list with the likes of Lobb and Darcy were already covered for that super tall option at both ends. If we had smaller defences & fwd lines I’d love the ability to rotate English through there this year, but it just probably doesn’t suit us as much with the way we usually structure up.

Maybe we just play Naughty & Darcy forward, Croft training in defence. When Darcy/Naughty go bench, English goes fwd, Smith rucks. When Lobb goes bench (I know he doesn’t usually even go to the bench but is this sustainable for a 33yo? I’d rather Lobb at this best then out on his feet for a full 100% game time), English goes back, Smith rucks.

This allows us always to keep a similar structure across the field - I think our athletic, versatile talls are our biggest list strength and I’d like to see us lean into that and get creative with them. Especially now with 5 on the bench

[Rusty12]

Agree on the slowness as I noted. I do think he has the potential to be a 2nd ruck that rotates more backline than forward. I'd like to see him tried there pre-season. He wouldn't be a Liam Jones key type but I'd like to see his defensive instincts tested. You can build skills if the instinct is there, building instinct is almost impossible.

No team is picking a player like Smith as a 2nd ruck and wasting a spot on the bench. He is very limited, but he is improving with he tools he has, so good on him for that. He is not an AFL level player, and I'd be surprised if Lobb isn't the no. 1 ruck, if English was injured.

[Dogs 24/7]

It appears we had 44 players on the playing list

Outs and projected outs
Scott, L.Jones, Duryea all confirmed
Poulter, Coffield, Johannisen all projected delistings
Ugle-Hagan traded and Budarick coming in

By my calculations that leaves us with 3 draft spots (Will Darcy being one of them) 2 rookie upgrades (JOD and McNeil) and one spot for a delisted free agent (Defender)
Is that about right?

[Grantysghost]

There bloody well should be a big expectation that we improve on our performances from the past 2 years when we’ve been close to being a really good team, but haven’t quite got there.

We’ve backed in Beveridge by giving him a 2yr contract extension… he needs to deliver.

How do we expect to improve out of interest.

I'm feeling the opposite view. We've been on the slide for a bit just hanging in there.

Budarick is a good get, and hopefully we get improvement from Dolan, Jaques etc but the jury is out on Buss and the defence is still a disaster along with our one paced midfield.

We didn't beat anyone of note sadly.

Love the optimism but my reality is we slide down some more.

[Sedat]

How do we expect to improve out of interest.

I'm feeling the opposite view. We've been on the slide for a bit just hanging in there.

Budarick is a good get, and hopefully we get improvement from Dolan, Jaques etc but the jury is out on Buss and the defence is still a disaster along with our one paced midfield.

We didn't beat anyone of note sadly.

Love the optimism but my reality is we slide down some more.

Who kicks more goals in finals? Was it Morris/Gallop or was it Bailey/Lohmann/Rayner/Cameron who destroyed Geelong in the GF? Buderick is an underrated pick-up, and IMO our needs there were every bit as urgent as our needs for the KPD magnet.