2025 List Management Thread

[Axe Man]

Depends on when/if Tassie do come in, but there are plenty of others around the league with Tas connections.

If I was looking at their recruiting I would be in the ear of a few older guys as well.

Alex Pearce at Freo and Jack Buckley at GWS have good family ties.

Pearce is 30 and injury prone, doubt he will still be playing and on his last legs if he is.

Buckley has a family connection and would be a great get for them, but may have no desire to move somewhere he has never lived before.

Of course they will go after any suitable players regardless of Tassie connections that may be swayed by bucket loads of cash. However I would be surprised if Sanders and McKercher aren't near the top of their list.

[lemmon]

I think they will throw massive money at Sanders that we can't and shouldn't come close to matching. Possibly up to $1.5 million per season to be the main man in their midfield.

He will likely extend for 1 year or to whenever Tassie come in if it's pushed back with the stadium issues. I will be surprised if he is at the club after that.

That's my read on it too. He seems like a great young man, and I get the Launnie v Hobart thing, but I think there's every chance they offer both Sanders and McKercher well over 1 million each and the chance to be co-captains.

I just don't see how anyone says no to that.

[Uninformed]

That's my read on it too. He seems like a great young man, and I get the Launnie v Hobart thing, but I think there's every chance they offer both Sanders and McKercher well over 1 million each and the chance to be co-captains.

I just don't see how anyone says no to that.

The amount will be a big factor. I don't think he is inclined to leave now, but a massive offer at the time could sway him. Ablett loved the Geelong lifestyle, had the father son connection to the club, was revered down there, had success and every indication of more success at Geelong, but still couldn't resist the Gold Coast money.

I think our best defence is some real success and the bonding a couple of premierships makes. (as well as the long term financial incentives of that success)

[Countrydog5]

I think I read somewhere else the idea that we could potentially explore getting on the front foot with Sanders and his management.

Offer him an extension/ restructure 1 year past tassie entering the comp, with a modest but handy little pay rise and the promise he has our blessing and understanding to consider the tassie offer when it inevitably comes.

Win win for both of us. He gets a pay bump and flexibiltity and we get trade leverage when tassie is looking to poach players. Saves us from the free agent loophole they have proposed.

[Bornadog]

Dogs, Bont ready to start contract talks in earnest

MARCUS Bontempelli expects negotiations to go smoothly as talks finally ramp up on his next contract with the Western Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs captain, one of the greatest players in the club's history, said on Friday morning that talks will start in earnest next week.

The delay in that process inevitably has led to speculation about the 29-year-old's future, but Bontempelli is giving no signs he is looking elsewhere.

Coach Luke Beveridge noted this week that the star midfielder has had a lot on his plate this year - a pre-season calf injury, a marriage to plan and part-ownership of a Melbourne cafe.

"It's going well - obviously it's getting to the point now where things will start to open up," Bontempelli said.

"There was a lot going on in my life early on in the season and hence why - probably no different to other years - I took my time a little bit with it.

"But those conversations are definitely starting to take place, pretty much as of next week, so the ball can well-and-truly get rolling with that.

"I see it going quite smoothly."

Likewise, he is pleased that troubled teammate Jamarra Ugle-Hagan returned to the club this week and is back training.

"Ultimately, I want him to just enjoy being back in the environment - hopefully getting to the stage in the not-too-distant future where he can look at playing again."

[Axe Man]

Analysis of every AFL club’s veterans over 30 years old

There are currently 111 AFL players in their 30s — and some are ageing like a fine wine. But for others, it might be time to hang up the boots. Mick McGuane has his say on the league’s veterans.

Many footballers are defying their birth certificates and playing significant roles at AFL level well into their 30s these days.

As professional athletes who dedicate time and effort to their jobs – with the support of high performance and sports science staff – age is just a number for some.

Just look at how the likes of Scott Pendlebury (37), Dayne Zorko (36), Patrick Dangerfield (35) and Steele Sidebottom (34) have performed this year.

Of the 808 players on AFL lists, 111 are 30 or older as of today.

We got AFL analyst Mick McGuane to take a look at all of them and give his verdicts as to who still has fuel in the tank for 2026 and who should be waving goodbye to AFL football at the end of the season.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Competition rank: 3rd

➡️ Average age of 2025 list: 25.3

➡️ Players 30 or above: Liam Jones, Taylor Duryea, Tom Liberatore, Jason Johannisen, Rory Lobb, Adam Treloar, Anthony Scott

At least three ageing Bulldogs should get a tap on the shoulder at the end of the year.
Jones might have already had his papers stamped, given he has been left out of the side since round 6 as the likes of Lobb, James O’Donnell and Buku Khamis fill key roles down back.
Younger defenders Luke Cleary and Jedd Busslinger have also been given opportunities and have shown promise.
Duryea has offered great leadership since crossing from Hawthorn, but has spent most of this year toiling away in the VFL as his AFL career winds up, while other players have jumped ahead of Scott.
I suspect there will be a strong discussion around Johannisen at the end of the year.
He’s still got his speed and has averaged 17.1 disposals from seven games, but has been very injury prone over the past four years.
Treloar is still in the Bulldogs’ best 22 when he’s fit, but three calf injuries this year at age 32 is not a good a good sign, so he is no certainty to earn a contract extension.

[Warrnambulldog]

Does anyone hold concerns about how we’re going to manage to pay all our stars in the next couple of years.

Bont, Richards, Freijah, Darcy, Naughton will all be big $ come 27’. Not to mention others rightly on good money, English, Weightman etc.

it’d be pretty hard to justify keeping Jamarra next year if we’re trying to get a Bergman or Butters. I’m sure Sam Power has it under control, the great man

[Bornadog]

Does anyone hold concerns about how we’re going to manage to pay all our stars in the next couple of years.

Bont, Richards, Freijah, Darcy, Naughton will all be big $ come 27’. Not to mention others rightly on good money, English, Weightman etc.

it’d be pretty hard to justify keeping Jamarra next year if we’re trying to get a Bergman or Butters. I’m sure Sam Power has it under control, the great man

We have space in our cap after Smith, Macrae and Daniel left

[Axe Man]

Does anyone hold concerns about how we’re going to manage to pay all our stars in the next couple of years.

Bont, Richards, Freijah, Darcy, Naughton will all be big $ come 27’. Not to mention others rightly on good money, English, Weightman etc.

it’d be pretty hard to justify keeping Jamarra next year if we’re trying to get a Bergman or Butters. I’m sure Sam Power has it under control, the great man

The only concern with any of those names and their impact on the salary cap is Freijah who may force us to spend more than we may have expected given his rapid rise this season.

The rest are all on long term deals other than Bont who will sign soon on what is not likely to be significantly more than he's already being paid.

[Virgin-Dog]

The only concern with any of those names and their impact on the salary cap is Freijah who may force us to spend more than we may have expected given his rapid rise this season.

The rest are all on long term deals other than Bont who will sign soon on what is not likely to be significantly more than he's already being paid.

Freijah will justifiably be getting offered $1mil/year level contracts in the immediate future. We'll likely be paying him double what we initially expected over the next few years. If Marra leaves it's not remotely an issue though

[Rusty12]

Just get them all jobs at Mission Foods, it works down the highway.

[GVGjr]

Does anyone hold concerns about how we’re going to manage to pay all our stars in the next couple of years.

Bont, Richards, Freijah, Darcy, Naughton will all be big $ come 27’. Not to mention others rightly on good money, English, Weightman etc.

it’d be pretty hard to justify keeping Jamarra next year if we’re trying to get a Bergman or Butters. I’m sure Sam Power has it under control, the great man

It's a challenge for nearly every club so no I'm not that concerned. With an increasing salary cap I'd be more concerned with how the club might generate more income top hep keep the club profitable.
As others have said, with Smith, Macrae and Daniel going I think it provides us a lot of flexibility in the next 2 too 3 years.

[jeemak]

Two words - Hurley money.

[Happy Days]

Two words - Hurley money.

I’d add in the Crameri Equity but I understand that functions more as a trade exception.

[Warrnambulldog]

Thanks for the replies everyone, definitely think we’re fine in the long term but hope we can capitalise in the short term while we probably have some guys on ‘unders’ of their market value. Theres probably a limit of guys you can have on around mill a year before it puts pressure on and I can see in a couple of years we’ll have guys in high demand