2025 List Management Thread

[jeemak]

Would have won a Gold medal for fumbling last night. Handy player if given time and space but wouldn't trust him with a contested footy in a tight final, thanks but no thanks.

I had a cursory glance at h is finals record. It's pretty handy.

[Mofra]

I guess things tighten pretty quickly when you offer up a few million to bring players in, which is what they have in mind.

Hill would have come in on relatively large coin and is very much a player in his twilight who you mightn't need hanging around if you're wanting to rebuild quickly. Interesting comparison with Davidson. When I look at those comparisons I tend to gravitate towards effective disposals as much as anything else. Hill is a clean running player who I think would bring us genuine class, he's been durable in his time at the Saints.

When the whips are cracking I want players in the side who can be relied upon to maintain and reach a standard. As much as I've been impressed with Davidson and others I don't feel we've got that proven standard just yet, and we need to strike while the iron is hot. Two years out of Hill might help us do that.

They had enough to keep Battle and chased Kemp last year, North aside I don't think there's a team in the competition with more cap space than St Kilda. They'll keep him even if they have to shell out over $2.7m pa next year for TdK & Bergman.

If we're really chasing twilight wings, Langdon is covering as much ground as he ever has which fits perfectly into the way we want to play. Melbourne may be on the verge of imploding. I still think a genuine small defender is a much more pressing concern though.

[Hotdog60]

I think we also need to look at a tall defender as Lobb and jones are on the tail end of their careers. The jury is out on Busslinger and Garner could fill a role nut is more break glass that leaves Croft who is playing more forward.
O'Donnell is improving and can have his moments, but we saw Larkey was all over him when matched up. I think we need 200 plus key defender who can take a contested mark and at least have reasonable disposal skills.
Who that is I have no idea but I think it's an area of weakness.

[Mantis]

I think we also need to look at a tall defender as Lobb and jones are on the tail end of their careers. The jury is out on Busslinger and Garner could fill a role nut is more break glass that leaves Croft who is playing more forward.
O'Donnell is improving and can have his moments, but we saw Larkey was all over him when matched up. I think we need 200 plus key defender who can take a contested mark and at least have reasonable disposal skills.
Who that is I have no idea but I think it's an area of weakness.

I can see Lobb playing for another 3-4 years... he is in the prime of his career right now.

[Mitcha]

I had a cursory glance at h is finals record. It's pretty handy.

Understand that but he hasn't played finals footy for a long time. He was much cleaner (and quicker) as a younger man.

[jazzadogs]

I think we also need to look at a tall defender as Lobb and jones are on the tail end of their careers. The jury is out on Busslinger and Garner could fill a role nut is more break glass that leaves Croft who is playing more forward.
O'Donnell is improving and can have his moments, but we saw Larkey was all over him when matched up. I think we need 200 plus key defender who can take a contested mark and at least have reasonable disposal skills.
Who that is I have no idea but I think it's an area of weakness.

Weitering is ideal in ability and age, but he re-signed for six years 12 months ago.

I like Silvagni. Cal Wilkie signed until 2027 - 29yo,, could be our Brian Lake for a few years.

Vlastuin isn't exactly the guy we need but I've always liked him.

[Virgin-Dog]

Adelaide are the ones to look at for KPDs. They've got a fairly young group of them, and Nick Murray is currently the one left out, though he signed until 2028 over the offseason.

Given how well Keane and Worrell are playing, I don't think it's out of the question to poach Jordon Butts. He's from country Victoria, and is a free agent next year

[doggies ftw]

Weitering is ideal in ability and age, but he re-signed for six years 12 months ago.

I like Silvagni. Cal Wilkie signed until 2027 - 29yo,, could be our Brian Lake for a few years.

Vlastuin isn't exactly the guy we need but I've always liked him.

Wilkie would be absolutely awesome alongside Lobb & JOD. He seems like a pretty locked in St Kilda man but if they finally bit the bullet and decided on a full rebuild instead of bouncing around as an avg side (which they probably won’t commit to under Ross…) and he wanted to win a flag it would be a great move for everyone

[Bornadog]

Story in HUN which I don't have access to:

Busslinger is frustrated by a lack of opportunities but the Dogs are adamant they won’t trade him under any circumstances. Especially in such a poor draft. Comes out of contract next year so would have more options then. JJ keen to play on.

[Axe Man]

The Western Bulldogs have made clear to first-round pick Jedd Busslinger they will not be trading him despite his frustration at being shut-out of the senior side.

Clubs will again ask the question of No.13 draft pick Busslinger at season’s end despite a contract for 2026 given his lack of game time this year.

He took on and beat Jesse Hogan in his only full game of the season in his AFL debut then got only 17 minutes of game time as the sub the following week and was dropped.

He would be legitimately concerned about the way forward given James O’Donnell is only 22 and Rory Lobb is in excellent form, with Buku Khamis and Ryan Gardner chosen ahead of him this season.

But the Dogs have been emphatic that they will not consider a trade for him under any circumstances, which means he will honour that deal.

In a terribly thin draft where some clubs are suggesting they might hardly take a selection and will instead upgrade rookies, the Dogs won’t be interested in later picks for Busslinger.

And given his lack of exposure with some clubs concerned he is a third tall, they won’t be giving up first-rounders for him.

So he will have to bide his time in the VFL and hope something changes next season before he comes out of contract with more freedom.

OVER 30s CLUB

Bulldog Jason Johannisen is channelling his great mate Tom Liberatore in pushing hard to get the best of himself into his 30s.

The 32-year-old Norm Smith Medallist is hoping he can extend his career in 2026, insisting his body is feeling good again after a few tough years with injury.

Johannisen has played just 37 games in the past four seasons after a wretched run, but he says Libba is the perfect example to follow as someone who has always strived to overcome adversity and keep getting better.

“We both walked through the (Whitten Oval) at the same time,” Johannisen said. “He has always been an inspiration for me because of his unconditional approach.

“You just always know what you are going to get from him. At different points he has had a lot of adversity, but you just know what this club means to him.”

Johannisen is out of contract at the end of the season and would love to play on if his body stands up – as he expects it to – and if the Bulldogs still want him.

He still forms part of the strong defensive bond in the backline and remains grateful to the club that first took him in a rookie draft in 2011.

Asked if he wanted to play next year, Johannisen said: “For sure, I still love the game, and I still love working with the boys.

“When you are my age, you take it one week at a time. But it means a lot to be a one-club player, especially in a football club that took a chance on me as a young kid.”

He said the 2025 Bulldogs have “more weapons” than the 2016 premiership side, but he knows there is plenty of work ahead.

“We are building nicely. We probably have more weapons than the 2016 team, with (Sam) Darcy and ‘Naughty’ (Aaron Naughton) and with the depth in our midfield.

“But we know we still have plenty of improvement left and hopefully we can stay healthy.”

Link

[azabob]

Is Busslinger competitive enough to be a key defender?

He is really giving off Lewis Young vibes.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I'm not convinced on Busslinger but in one of the worst defensive sides in the comp (from those trying to contend) he hasn't had much of a chance. And yet, in the past, we've gifted games to the likes of JOD and Gardner when form hasn't warranted.

If we were flying defensively I could understand it, but... We're not.

[FrediKanoute]

I like what I saw vs Giants. I was mystified why we gave Gardy game time.

I think he has a good base of skills. I would expect him o be next off the rank

[GVGjr]

Is Busslinger competitive enough to be a key defender?

He is really giving off Lewis Young vibes.

He's not adapting his game like he needs to. He's a distributor of the footy at the VFL level but he can't or wont take the game on and is way too safe.
Switching the footy left or right as he does might lift up his possession stats but he has to got the ball moving forward and lifting his metres gained
If he changes his game just a bit it could make a lot of difference.

[doggies ftw]

He's not adapting his game like he needs to. He's a distributor of the footy at the VFL level but he can't or wont take the game on and is way too safe.
Switching the footy left or right as he does might lift up his possession stats but he has to got the ball moving forward and lifting his metres gained
If he changes his game just a bit it could make a lot of difference.

I’d be very surprised if this was even a consideration in him missing tbh, he’s our deepest defender at VFL level and we’ve played Gardiner over him who is literally not even close to as damaging with the footy as Busslinger. Not to mention Coffield who is also a short & safe operator, Buss actually does pull the trigger on quite a few long direct kicks each week, as well as a number of short and sideways but this is how we play. Most of our disposal out of the backhalf is short and sideways at both levels until the balls in someone like Dale or Lobbs hands, and is the nature of him getting his touches at FB as the deepest defender. He gets 30 touches a week as a FB of course some are going to be fluff but he does a lot of good with the footy too that people don’t really acknowledge

I think it’d be purely down to we can’t trust him defensively as a key defender yet and he’s not strong enough aerially or athletically to play as an intercepting 3rd tall. Hes a full back IMO and probably can’t play anywhere else, he just doesn’t have the size to play the role well yet, I think that will start to change by next year.