2025 List Management Thread

[GVGjr]

Five trade targets for the Western Bulldogs

Here are the suggestions from Zero Hanger on who we might target

Neil Erasmus
Last year's Simpson Medallist, as the player adjudged best on ground in the WAFL Grand Final, Neil Erasmus is a midfielder positively starved of opportunity since Fremantle called his name on draft night, in 2021.
The top 10 pick averaged 28 disposals over the course of 17 WAFL appearances last season, but has featured at AFL level just 35 times in four seasons in purple.
The young and dynamic Dockers' midfield appears set for the foreseeable future, with key components Hayden Young and Andrew Brayshaw locked away until 2033 and 2031, respectively.
Largely owing to Young's injury-enforced absence this season, Erasmus has featured in Fremantle's senior side 12 times, in a substitute role on four of these occasions - hardly reassuring for the South African-born Erasmus, in a contract year.
Erasmus shapes as a low-risk, high-reward recruitment for the Western Bulldogs, as they begin preparing for life after the ageing Adam Treloar and Tom Liberatore. The ball winner will need to be pried from his home state, but the lure of opportunity could prove too strong for him to refuse.

Alex Davies
Alex Davies presents as another player who could seek a fresh start at the Whitten Oval, facing similar circumstances to Erasmus.
A 2020 draftee, the Cairns-born Suns academy product has played just 32 games for the Gold Coast, while prime movers Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and Touk Miller dominate centre bounce attendances for the finals fancies.
With two games before Touk Miller's estimated return from injury, the next fortnight presents as an opportunity for Davies to showcase his abilities to interested parties, one of whom, could be the Dogs.
His big frame is an in-demand trait amongst modern midfielders. Although contracted until the end of 2026, Davies would presumably not command a hefty price at the trade table.

Jack Silvagni
The versatile Carlton defender has been in the news recently, after an unlikely defection to traditional rivals Collingwood gained traction.
The third-generation Blue remains unsigned beyond this season, with The Age's Peter Ryan and Michael Gleeson recently reporting the Dogs' interest, which was later confirmed by Dogs football boss, Matthew Egan.
The acquisition of Silvagni addresses a well-documented need for defensive stability, and with his price tag rumoured to be around the $600,000/year mark, the Bulldogs would not be breaking the bank to secure his services.

Zak Butters
Power brokers at Alberton reportedly offered Zak Butters what could very well be the largest deal in AFL history, in a bid to secure his services beyond 2026.
Geelong and the Western Bulldogs have emerged as the two likely landing spots for the exceptional midfielder, given their relative proximity to Butters' family ties in the Bacchus Marsh area.
A prospective partnership with the likes of Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards understandably sends tails wagging, with the Darley product's tenacious attack on the football and the man firming him as a ready-made replacement for fan favourite, Tom Liberatore.
A dual All-Australian, Butters does not come with the bargain price tag of previous names on this list, but what a coup he would be to represent for the Sons of the West.

Brandon Starcevich
Another potential piece of defensive stability, Brisbane Lions premiership player Brandon Starcevich, is out of contract at the end of this season. His restricted free agency status, coupled with question marks over his playing future that would accompany another concussion, means interested parties may tread cautiously.
The lockdown small defender is adored in Brisbane, and the Lions would love to keep him, but interest from his home state of Western Australia has surfaced this year, while Essendon and North Melbourne have enquired about his services as well.
The Dogs could do with a 'set and forget' defensive stalwart, to complement the suite of aggressively offensive-minded small defenders Beveridge likes to play, and Starcevich represents just that.

[Uninformed]

Hope your tongue is in cheek to some degree... Lipinski the only one of those four who would be getting a game for us in their preferred role.

Good luck to them, but Young is horrible 1v1, Caleb's decision making has deserted him, Macrae was behind four other mids so needed to move, Sweet was never getting picked ahead of English so needed to move...

Buku has strengths and I'm sure we'd like him to stay, but he will never be a consistent best 7 forward alongside Naughton and Darcy IMO. If he moves because a team without two elite key forwards is offering greater opportunities, that is the right call by him and not necessarily a fault of our list management or coaching.

Not so much tongue in cheek as acknowledging win wins. All players struggling to find a spot with us but who developed solid careers elsewhere. Win for them, win for the teams getting them and win for us in refreshing and reshaping our list. The only players we have lost who would be perhaps making us better are Dunkley and Smith.

[Uninformed]

In my opinion trading for Mccreery & silvagni would put us in flag contention

Would love to have either or both. Be great gets.

[FrediKanoute]

We offered Lipinski a three year contract, he left because he wasn't aligned with our vision for him versus that of Collingwood's.

The vision which saw him playing a wing/HF role rather than more time in he midfield which is what Collingwood offered him. We did that because we expected Dunks to stay

[Axe Man]

DOGS TO LOOK AT FREIJAH DEAL

THE WESTERN Bulldogs will revisit contract talks with breakout star Joel Freijah later this year, after attempting to lock the youngster into an extension earlier this season.

Freijah, who is contracted for 2026, has been one of the best young players in the competition this season having made a blistering start to the year when he was trialled through the midfield earlier in the campaign.

Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable this week, Freijah's manager John Meesen from Kapital Sports Group said talks on a new deal for the 19-year-old could pick up again after the season following his stunning patch of form.

"At the start of the year, there were some chats with [Bulldogs football boss] Sam Power there around a possible extension … I'm kind of glad we just held off a little bit," Meesen laughed.

"He's had a pretty good year and he's doing really well. He wanted to back himself in and see where he could take his game.

"He's locked in for next year, so we'll probably start looking at that at the end of the year or through the pre-season. He loves it at the Dogs." – Riley Beveridge

[Bornadog]

From The Age - Players yet to sign

Western Bulldogs (12)

Oskar Baker, Nick Coffield, Taylor Duryea, Jason Johannisen, Arthur Jones, Liam Jones, Tom Liberatore, Caleb Poulter, Anthony Scott, Michael Sellwood, Adam Treloar. Adam Treloar is hoping to get fit and back in the team before the end of the season.

Liberatore will stay on another one-year deal, and Arthur Jones has an offer to remain at the Kennel. Small forwards are hot property, so he may not rush to re-sign. Treloar’s injury concerns mean he is yet to re-sign, but it would be a shock if he was not on the list next season. Baker has been in and out of the team but is too good to play VFL. Duryea and Liam Jones are nearing the end, while ex-Saint Coffield is touch and go after limited opportunities at AFL level.

All clubs click here

[Bornadog]

In my opinion trading for Mccreery & silvagni would put us in flag contention

McCreey and Elliot from Collingwood have offers to go to GC and North are also interested in Silvagni

[kruder]

In my opinion trading for Mccreery & silvagni would put us in flag contention

If they can stay on the park agree.

[Hotdog60]

After we win the grand final we can retire

Adam Treloar
Liam Jones
Jason Johannisen
Taylor Duryea

Delist

Nick Coffield
Anthony Scott

There's 5 spots off the primary list and reduce the list by 1.

[Bulldog Joe]

I'm not sure if moving JOD over from his cat B status would count but regardless we shouldn't have any problems with clearing and filling 3 spots.
Getting ready for the impacts of the Tasmania inclusion means we need to be as active as we can.

Upgrading any rookie can be done to utilise the 3 spots to fill, but doesn't remove the need to have 3 spots available.

In essence we need to remove from the main list (via trade or delisting) a net 3. This will also need to cover anyone brought in via trade or free agency.

So if we traded in Butters and added Silvagni via free agency we would need to remove 5 players from the primary list.

Due to the mid-season rookie additions we also need to reduce that list by one.

[GVGjr]

We do need to have a minimum of 3 primary list spots.

Duryea as a rookie can't be one of those, but we also have an excess rookie because of the 2 mid season draftees covering the empty spot plus Cody Weightman.

So unless we trade out a contracted player we need at least one more from your list to go, although we retain the right to put anyone back on through the rookie draft if they are not taken by another team.

I'm not sure if moving JOD over from his cat B status would count but regardless we shouldn't have any problems with clearing and filling 3 spots.
Getting ready for the impacts of the Tasmania inclusion means we need to be as active as we can.

[Kingbiggs]

In my opinion trading for Mccreery & silvagni would put us in flag contention

[Bulldog Joe]

Out of contract this year:

So is Baker player for his career?
He has been serviceable over the last couple of weeks and he doesn't shirk the contest is it his primary goal is to keep it simple.
I think the rule is 3 have to go here's my 3:
Liam Jones retire
Anthony Scott delist
Taylor Duryea retire

Adam Treloar see if he want's to go around 1 more time but he may call it quits and may move to coaching Men/Womens
Arthur Jones 1 year
Oskar Baker see above he is either on the block or gets another year
Caleb Poulter same as Baker
Nick Coffield 1 year as backup
Tom Liberatore If think he is getting/got another year
Jason Johannisen I think falls in the Baker camp has shown signs over the last few weeks and he may retire but depends on how he finishes the year
Michael Sellwood has shown something in the two's and I think is worth extending.

We do need to have a minimum of 3 primary list spots.

Duryea as a rookie can't be one of those, but we also have an excess rookie because of the 2 mid season draftees covering the empty spot plus Cody Weightman.

So unless we trade out a contracted player we need at least one more from your list to go, although we retain the right to put anyone back on through the rookie draft if they are not taken by another team.

[Hotdog60]

Out of contract this year:

So is Baker player for his career?
He has been serviceable over the last couple of weeks and he doesn't shirk the contest is it his primary goal is to keep it simple.
I think the rule is 3 have to go here's my 3:
Liam Jones retire
Anthony Scott delist
Taylor Duryea retire

Adam Treloar see if he want's to go around 1 more time but he may call it quits and may move to coaching Men/Womens
Arthur Jones 1 year
Oskar Baker see above he is either on the block or gets another year
Caleb Poulter same as Baker
Nick Coffield 1 year as backup
Tom Liberatore If think he is getting/got another year
Jason Johannisen I think falls in the Baker camp has shown signs over the last few weeks and he may retire but depends on how he finishes the year
Michael Sellwood has shown something in the two's and I think is worth extending.

[GVGjr]

He kind of is Ben King but 10cm shorter. Mark and kick player who doesn't get involved enough at ground level and is a bit of a witches hat when the opposition defenders are rebounding the footy.

All power to him if he wants to explore a move and can get better terms elsewhere, but I just don't think what he does as a forward is in particularly high demand anymore. It's not great when Caleb Poulter is being picked ahead of you as a third tall forward - I imagine that's because of Poulter's running capacity and ability to get up to the wings.

I think Buku's best chance at playing each week is as a key back where he can intercept and use his spring a bit more. I just think he's too limited as a forward to play 200 games anywhere in the league.

I get why Khamis wants to play regular senior football and it's a credit to him that after training as a defender over the summer and the early part of the season he switched forward and provided some relief in the ruck.
His goal kicking accuracy has been impressive.
There are a few problems that have become very noticeable during the season.
He falls over all too frequently when he misses a marking contest, there are some questions about his endurance and most importantly he is nowhere near as competitive as others are when the ball is on the ground.
I like him as a player but he has to accept that he is more of a role player for us filling in as required.
The club appears to do some extra work with him focusing on ground ball contests so hopefully he's got some more improvement ahead of him.