2025 List Management Thread

[Testekill]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

I’m with you there. I’m not convinced he will make it as a small forward. The kid can run so releasing him to do that might be his best shot.

The biggest thing is that he struggles to get near it and then is playing in a position where even good players struggle to get near it at times. We've seen in the VFL that when he plays further up the ground he can be really damaging so HBF is probably best.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

I'd pull the trigger on moving Artie either to defence or to the wing.

I’m with you there. I’m not convinced he will make it as a small forward. The kid can run so releasing him to do that might be his best shot.

[Testekill]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

With the new guys, do we pull the trigger on moving either VDM or McNeil into a defensive role?

I'd pull the trigger on moving Artie either to defence or to the wing.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

Going to be extra competition on the (older guys and) fringe guys who are out of contract:

Liam Jones
Tom Liberatore
Taylor Duryea
JJ


Luke Cleary
Arthur Jones
Laitham Vandermeer
Oskar Baker (Rookie)
Anthony Scott
Caleb Poulter (Rookie)
Nick Coffield
Lachlan Smith

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

With the new guys, do we pull the trigger on moving either VDM or McNeil into a defensive role?

[Axe Man]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

Western Bulldogs to play Collingwood in their 100th year anniversary game as Sam Darcy moves closer to signing new deal

With three of their biggest stars coming out of contract next year, Western Bulldogs will need to move quickly. GLENN MCFARLANE has the latest on how talks are progressing.

Emerging star Sam Darcy shapes as being the likely first contract domino to fall for the Western Bulldogs as the club works on locking away three of its most important players beyond 2025.

The Herald Sun understands there have already been some early positive discussions surrounding a new deal for 21-year-old Darcy which could be finalised by Christmas.

His current deal runs out at the end of next year, and the forward-ruck could potentially become one of the competition’s best players during the course of his next contract.

He made it clear to this masthead he intends to recommit his future to the club where he is a third generation player, following on from his father Luke and his grandfather David.

“I leave that all to my manager, but I am really passionate about the club,” Darcy said.

“I can’t see there will be any problems with it (a new contract). I’m in no rush; we will see how it unfolds. But this club means so much to me. I’ve got a rich family history here.

“I grew up supporting this club and I’m very grateful to be living out my dreams playing here.”

Darcy is one of three key Bulldog contract priorities heading into next season, with six-time best and fairest winner and skipper Marcus Bontempelli and rising midfield star Ed Richards also about to enter the final year of their current deals.

All three are managed by Tom Petroro, which makes the collective negotiations smoother, with the Bulldogs extremely confident the trio will recommit long-term to the club.

After two injury-challenged seasons, Darcy came of age this year, playing 21 games and kicking 38 goals – just five goals fewer than club leading goalkicker Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains said the club had three playing contracts “of particular significance” to focus on, but stressed he was confident in the outcome of all.

“We’ve got Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards and Sam Darcy … we are confident all three will get done,” Bains said. “All three of them want to sign.”

“There is the lineage of Sam and his father and his grandfather. The club means a lot to him and he means a lot to us.”

The Bulldogs are open to different outcomes for a potential Darcy deal, either locking in a two-year contract or pushing it out over four years.

“There are a lot of different variables which can determine the length of a contract,” Bains said. “Sam obviously has a lot of talent. With a young key position player, it is hard to forecast exactly how good they will be (by the end of a deal).

“You could do a longer contract and build in protections, or do a shorter contract and reassess it.

“(List and recruiting manager) Sam Power is a very capable man and he will take care of all those three players, who have the same manager, which makes it easier.”

Darcy has returned from several weeks in Europe with some teammates and is looking forward to getting back into pre-season training next week.

“We strung together some good patches of form and hope we can carry that through to next year,” he said. “I just want to keep building on the foundations I set up last year and put in a big pre-season to hopefully set myself up for success in 2025.”

[whythelongface]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

So now we are up to the Delisted Free Agency period that runs from Nov 1 to Nov 8. What actually happens during this period? If there is a DFA that we want surely it doesn’t take a whole week for a club to negotiate terms and conditions. The whole trade / draft window nearly drags on as long as a US election (don’t get me started on this).

Wonder if we will pick up a DFA for 2025.

[Jasper]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

Chances are next off season will be a big one. Really need to get this Draft right and start pick up some good Free agents.

Chances are the following will retire:

Libba
Doc
L.Jones
JJ

The following are on the chopping block without a big uptick in performance:

Cleary
Scott - Not a bad player but 30 odd now with concussion history doesn?t bode well for him.
Baker

The others in danger are:

Coffield - Needs to get some consistency with the body. I hope he becomes a regular next year, but needs to build on this year.
Gardiner - would rather keep. Good insurance policy.
A.Jones - I like him, but the writing is on the wall if he doesn?t get played.
Poulter - As above

The sort of turnover we see next year will be a ireal test for the list management team. We don?t seem to have the advantages of picking up free agents or trading in proven footballers that other sides do.

You have nailed it Bigdog. We are very likely to have a clean out next years. There are a lot of players that should be duly incentivized.

[Virgin-Dog]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

Cleary another likely departure unless he improves dramatically next season.

I missed him, yes he'd be close to the first unless there's major improvement

Surely Scott, Jones, Jones, Baker, Poulter, Duryea, Coffield, JJ would have to do a lot right to stay on the list in 2026.

Coffield and Baker are the two I see as most likely to stick around another year, but it's far from a given

[azabob]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

I hope we don't cut too deep, can mean taking a huge hit to our depth.

We pretty much definitely will extend Treloar, Richards, O'Donnell, Bramble, VDM, Bont and Darcy. If they're interested in playing on, then Libba and LJones are chances of going on into 2026 but far from certainties.

JJ and Duryea likely retire. Leaves us with Scott, AJones, Poulter, Smith, Coffield and Baker.

Every season we see 1 or 2 trade outs or FA departures. So that could be as many as 12 changes if additional players leave, which feels like too deep of a cut at once.

Surely Scott, Jones, Jones, Baker, Poulter, Duryea, Coffield, JJ would have to do a lot right to stay on the list in 2026.

[Axe Man]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

I hope we don't cut too deep, can mean taking a huge hit to our depth.

We pretty much definitely will extend Treloar, Richards, O'Donnell, Bramble, VDM, Bont and Darcy. If they're interested in playing on, then Libba and LJones are chances of going on into 2026 but far from certainties.

JJ and Duryea likely retire. Leaves us with Scott, AJones, Poulter, Smith, Coffield and Baker.

Every season we see 1 or 2 trade outs or FA departures. So that could be as many as 12 changes if additional players leave, which feels like too deep of a cut at once.

Cleary another likely departure unless he improves dramatically next season.

[Virgin-Dog]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

Unless some of the more marginal players turn it around in 25 it seems like we are headed for a bigger clean out of players next year so getting the balance right now is the right thing to do. While we could have made the hard call on JJ, his form has been good enough and it's not like he's lost his run but it's more of a question about if he can stay fit enough next year.

I hope we don't cut too deep, can mean taking a huge hit to our depth.

We pretty much definitely will extend Treloar, Richards, O'Donnell, Bramble, VDM, Bont and Darcy. If they're interested in playing on, then Libba and LJones are chances of going on into 2026 but far from certainties.

JJ and Duryea likely retire. Leaves us with Scott, AJones, Poulter, Smith, Coffield and Baker.

Every season we see 1 or 2 trade outs or FA departures. So that could be as many as 12 changes if additional players leave, which feels like too deep of a cut at once.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

No I do not think the number of delistings is a testament to our overall list management over the past few years.

You need to also take into account contract status and realistically how many players do you want to turn over in one off season.

Through trade, retirements and delistings for mine we have hit the right amount. Maybe JJ could have been one more.

If you look at the players coming out of contract at then end of 2025 I think you will see more players who could have gone this year.

Unless some of the more marginal players turn it around in 25 it seems like we are headed for a bigger clean out of players next year so getting the balance right now is the right thing to do. While we could have made the hard call on JJ, his form has been good enough and it's not like he's lost his run but it's more of a question about if he can stay fit enough next year.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

No I do not think the number of delistings is a testament to our overall list management over the past few years.

You need to also take into account contract status and realistically how many players do you want to turn over in one off season.

Through trade, retirements and delistings for mine we have hit the right amount. Maybe JJ could have been one more.

If you look at the players coming out of contract at then end of 2025 I think you will see more players who could have gone this year.

Yep. Cyclical. 2025 will be a bigger number.

[azabob]

Re: 2025 List Management Thread

Looking at the AFL site list of who has left each club, we had the equal third lowest number of delistings. Ours was 3 (equal with Dees and Lions). GWS delisted 2 and the Tigers zero.

Of the 8 that left us, three were traded for good returns. The Tigers also had 3 of 8 and GWS the most with 4 of 7.

By contrast Geelong lost 9 with 7 delisted and no trades.

I know everyone thinks Geelong are list management geniuses, but I think our list must be in better shape because our cast-offs are worth something, even going back t0 Lipinski, Cordy, Hunter and Stringer. (You can't perhaps list Dunkley as a cast-off, I suppose)

Anyway, the Cats had 7 duds to our 2. Only GWS and Tigs. had less duds than us this year.

I wonder if this is testament to our recruiting, trading and list management over the past few years?

No I do not think the number of delistings is a testament to our overall list management over the past few years.

You need to also take into account contract status and realistically how many players do you want to turn over in one off season.

Through trade, retirements and delistings for mine we have hit the right amount. Maybe JJ could have been one more.

If you look at the players coming out of contract at then end of 2025 I think you will see more players who could have gone this year.