List Mgmt. 2023 GWS Giants List Management - Academy, Free Agent, Trade, Draft

[Giant Strides]

Trade Period, October 6–18

• Restricted & Unrestricted Free Agency Period: Friday, October 6, 9am – Friday October 13, 5pm (bid matching ends Monday October 16, 5pm)
• Trade Period (1), picks & players: Monday, October 9, 9am – Wednesday October 18, 7.30pm

Quiet Period, October 19–November 20

• Trade Period (2), picks only: Monday, October 23, 9am – Friday November 10, 5pm
• List Lodgement 1*: Tuesday, October 31, 2pm
• Delisted Free Agency Period (1): Wednesday, November 1, 9am – Wednesday November 8, 5pm
• Delisted Free Agency Period (2): Friday, November 10, 9am–5pm
• List Lodgement 2*: Tuesday, November 14, 2pm

Here's the list of GWS players who are out of contract in 2023 (I'll progressively cross them out as they re-sign):

• Lachie ASH
• Callan WARD (Free Agent)
• Brayden PREUSS
• Tom GREEN
• Finn CALLAGHAN
• Lachlan KEEFFE (Free Agent)
• Jake RICCARDI
• Harry HIMMELBERG (Free Agent)
• Cam FLEETON - delisted (25/9/23)
• Matt FLYNN (Free Agent) - signed by West Coast as an Unrestricted Free Agent
• Xavier O'HALLORAN
• Jack BUCKLEY
• Callum BROWN

Rookie lists:

• Phil DAVIS (Free Agent) - retiring at end of 2023 season
• Jacob WEHR (Free agent)
• Dan LLOYD (Free Agent) - retiring at end of 2023 season
• Cooper HAMILTON
• Wade DERKSEN
• Nick MADDEN (Cat B) - assumed re-signed due to 2 sources of info
• Jason GILBEE (Cat B) - delisted (25/9/23)

Current list sizes (for when we get to list/draft/trade speculation):

• main list = 36 minus 3 (Fleeton, Flynn + Kennedy delisted with a view to be re-selected in the rookie draft)
• rookie A = 6 minus 2 (Davis, Lloyd)
• rookie B = 2 minus 1 (Gilbee)
• total = 44 minus 5

This is the future pick spreadsheet that comes into play only at trade time, as future picks are used in end of season (2023) trading:


Here's the 2023 AFL Academy Squad, so these (roughly) represent the best players for next year as they stand now:

2023 NAB AFL ACADEMY​

NAME	SURNAME	STATE	STATE LEAGUE CLUB	COMMUNITY CLUB
Lachlan	Cabor	NSW/ACT	Sydney Swans Academy	Shellharbour
Nate	Caddy	VIC M	Northern Knights	Yarrambat
Jack	Callinan	TAS	Tasmania Devils	Clarence
Caiden	Cleary	NSW/ACT	Sydney Swans Academy	Sydney University
Daniel	Curtin	WA	Claremont	West Coast
Jack	Delean	SA	South Adelaide	Reynella
Zane	Duursma	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Foster
Mitchell	Edwards	WA	Peel Thunder	South Mandurah
William	Green	VIC M	Northern Knights	Northcote
Riley	Hardeman	WA	Swan Districts	Caversham
William	Lorenz	VIC M	Oakleigh Chargers	Boroondara Hawks
Kane	McAuliffe	SA	North Adelaide	Central Augusta
Colby	McKercher	TAS	Tasmania Devils	Launceston
Ashton	Moir	SA	Glenelg	Plympton
Connor	O'Sullivan	NSW/ACT	Murray Bushrangers	Albury
William	Patton	SA	West Adelaide	Mitcham
Nathan	Philactides	VIC M	Oakleigh Chargers	Blackburn
Ethan	Read	QLD	Gold Coast Suns Academy	Palm Beach Currumbin
Archer	Reid	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Inverloch-Kongwak
Harley	Reid	VIC C	Bendigo Pioneers	Tongala
Archie	Roberts	VIC M	Sandringham Dragons	Hampton Rovers
Jake	Rogers	QLD	Gold Coast Suns Academy	Broadbeach
Ryley	Sanders	TAS	Sandringham Dragons	North Launceston
Cooper	Simpson	VIC C	Dandenong Stingrays	Mount Martha
George	Stevens	VIC C	GWV Rebels	South Warrnambool
Koltyn	Tholstrup	WA	Subiaco	Newtown-Condingup
Orlando	Turner	NT	West Adelaide	South Alice Springs
Jed	Walter	QLD	Gold Coast Suns Academy	Palm Beach Currumbin
Nick	Watson	VIC M	Eastern Ranges	East Ringwood
Darcy	Wilson	VIC C	Murray Bushrangers	Wangaratta Rovers

Happy speculating for 2023!

EDIT: 11/12/22 - Added Free Agent status to OOC player list
EDIT: 24/2/23 - Crossed out Tom Green

12

Tom Green

Age

23

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

3star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

5star

from OOC player list! (Woo Hoo!!) & Added 2023 Coates Talent League Fixture Link
EDIT: 27/2/23 - Crossed out Finn Callaghan from OOC player list! (Woo Hoo Hoo!!!)
EDIT: 27/4/23 - Crossed out Jacob Wehr from OOC player list
EDIT: 10/5/23 - Crossed out Jack Buckley from OOC player list
EDIT: 9/7/23 - Crossed out Callum Brown from OOC player list
EDIT: 18/7/23 - Crossed out Lachie Ash from OOC player list
EDIT: 20/7/23 - Crossed out Xavier O'Halloran from OOC player list
EDIT: 3/8/23 - Crossed out Harry Himmelberg from OOC player list
EDIT: 9/8/23 - Crossed out Wade Derksen from OOC player list
EDIT: 17/8/23 - Noted Dan Lloyd retiring at end of season
EDIT: 19/8/23 - Crossed out Jake Riccardi from OOC player list
EDIT: 28/8/23 - Noted Phil Davis

1

Phil Davis

Age

34

Ht

197cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.0

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.7

4star

MG

55.5

1star

D

8.5

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

4.1

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.3

2star

MG

55.5

1star

D

14.0

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

5.8

5star

T

1.4

4star

retiring at end of season
EDIT: 25/9/23 - Noted Cam Fleeton & Jason Gilbee delisted
EDIT: 4/10/23 - Noted Flynn, Preuss & Keeffe situations
EDIT: 9/10/23 - Updated Flynn to WCE, removed Preuss from OOC player list
EDIT: 12/10/23 - Updated Madden with 2 sources of information
EDIT: 19/10/23 - Updated Keeffe & Hamilton re-signed
EDIT: 31/10/23 - adjusted main list numbers with Adam Kennedy

40

Adam Kennedy

Age

32

Ht

183cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.9

4star

K

8.4

3star

HB

6.5

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

MG

245.6

4star

D

1.0

1star

K

1.0

1star

HB

0.0

1star

M

0.0

1star

T

0.0

1star

MG

10.0

1star

D

18.6

5star

K

9.8

4star

HB

8.8

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.4

4star

delisting (with a view to be re-selected in rookie draft)

 

[Andre the Giant]

Ash it is, been playing well, good lad

 

[BarryAglett]

2 more years for Ash.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Excellent news! Ash is one of only 4 Giants players who has played all 17 games this year

 

[JC100]

Fantastic news. Very important signature. Has been playing very good football of late and will only get better under and become more important under kingsley’s game plan

 

[MelbourneGWS]

That still leaves 14 players (from the original 20) whose contracts expire this year. We have signed Green, Callaghan, Buckley, Brown, Wehr and now Ash - so great work so far.

Of the remaining 14 players out of contract:

• presume our key priorities are Himmelberg and Riccardi?
• O’Halloran, Flynn, Ward, Fleeton and Hamilton will get extended?
• Davis will retire
• Preuss depends on Flynn?
• Madden and Gilbee will get an extension as rookies
• Lloyd and Keefe?
• I hope we also extend Wade Derkson, but not sure if our club thinks he’s AFL standard

 

[Maximus 2011]

That still leaves 14 players (from the original 20) whose contracts expire this year. We have signed Green, Callaghan, Buckley, Brown, Wehr and now Ash - so great work so far.

Of the remaining 14 players out of contract:

• presume our key priorities are Himmelberg and Riccardi?
• O’Halloran, Flynn, Ward, Fleeton and Hamilton will get extended?
• Davis will retire
• Preuss depends on Flynn?
• Madden and Gilbee will get an extension as rookies
• Lloyd and Keefe?
• I hope we also extend Wade Derkson, but not sure if our club thinks he’s AFL standard

solid analysis, Would love to see Riccardi, XO, Fleeton, Hamilton, Madden, Gilbee, Lloyd, Derkson all put pen to paper. Think Himmelberg is as good as gone and good on him if he is going to get the pay packet of a lifetime.

 

[GWS Goose]

Excluding potential retirements
Probably our choice on everyone excluding Himmelberg and Riccardi, with the only other one perhaps being snaffled that we.want being XOH. I would really like us to keep him.
I'd like to see us keep Hamilton, he has shown enough.
One of Preuss or Flynn, not fussed in which. Probably whoever would like to be here more and cost dependant.
Fleeton I'm happy either way.
Id like us to keep Lloyd. We need experienced role players, finally getting a crew in the middle of our stars and talented kids, always our weakness.
Hope Ward plays on, can't see Davis playing on, Keefe . happy either way.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Don’t be too comfortable yet in Ash’s signature - he can’t just sign any contract, he has to sign his own - and if you look at the photo the club posted to Twitter - and then enlarge & rotate the contract he is poised to sign, you’ll notice it’s not his name on the deed.

 

[PaythePerryman]

Excluding potential retirements
Probably our choice on everyone excluding Himmelberg and Riccardi, with the only other one perhaps being snaffled that we.want being XOH. I would really like us to keep him.
I'd like to see us keep Hamilton, he has shown enough.
One of Preuss or Flynn, not fussed in which. Probably whoever would like to be here more and cost dependant.
Fleeton I'm happy either way.
Id like us to keep Lloyd. We need experienced role players, finally getting a crew in the middle of our stars and talented kids, always our weakness.
Hope Ward plays on, can't see Davis playing on, Keefe . happy either way.

Ward will play on. XO has found his spot in our system and I think his sig can't be far off.
Fleeton would be really unlucky. He's been good in the twos. But we are stacked in the backline.
Preuss' medical would take some interesting reading. If he can get fit he'd be a great back up and Flynn might want a real shot at it somewhere else.

 

[Colonial]

Ward is signed for next year already isn’t he?

 

[Colonial]

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Ward is signed for next year already isn’t he?

His current contract expires at the end of this year, but he should be given at least a year’s extension. He won’t be going anywhere, so it would be upto our club to decide how long we want him?

 

[sydney_gws]

Better but not perfect. There's also a degree of independence of the recruiting/list management team and the coach - though I would always hope they communicate well!

My point is simply that while we fans may have a view of what/who we'd like with our picks, the recruiting/management team has their own view, which is clearly much better placed to understand all of the intricacies of list management. (However, when they pick someone that fans scratch their heads over, who later proves to be a failure there's a fair degree of frustration. Jackson Hately is the poster boy for that, in both talent and "go-home" factor.)

Hopefully Kingsley is more involved in this space. He seems a cut above some of the others in the football department.

 

[sydney_gws]

No way.

No way Grundy comes here with Briggs here.
Swans or Port is my guess. Who knows, maybe Gawns gets injured again and Grundy stays next year. Maybe Grundy can reinvent himself as a forward.

 

[Giant Strides]

Grundy - from all rumours - doesn't want to leave Melbourne, so I'd guess Carlton or Geelong.

I'd hate to bring him here - even with other clubs throwing in some $ - when we've just worked out that a local lad can be a top line ruck for us. I think that would be self-defeating.

And he essentially rejected us twice, so not keen to reward a "last roll of the dice" decision.

 

[captainMyCaptain]

We defiantly shouldn't target Grundy who will be 30 next year and realistic is closer to the end then the beginning. Especially when we have finally found our number one in Briggs who is only 23 and his best footy is in front of him.

But if we do plan to bring in guys from other clubs then the model should be Bedford who was a guy who wasn't getting games, still young, wouldn't cost much, and had a clear opening for him in our best 22.

 

[BarryAglett]

Think Himmelberg is as good as gone and good on him if he is going to get the pay packet of a lifetime.

It's the way I am leaning, too.
Over the last few weeks I've been trying to read into his body language and interactions with the other boys.
He appears as committed and invested as anyone. The other guys all respond very well to him also.
It's clear there is mutual love and respect. The delay in signing may mean it's more of a farewell tour than cause for optimism.

 

[GWS Goose]

His current contract expires at the end of this year, but he should be given at least a year’s extension. He won’t be going anywhere, so it would be upto our club to decide how long we want him?

unless he wants to retire.
I think we'll take him him as long as he wants to play, and I assume for him, if he plays it will be with us.

 

[GWS Goose]

Grundy - from all rumours - doesn't want to leave Melbourne, so I'd guess Carlton or Geelong.

I'd hate to bring him here - even with other clubs throwing in some $ - when we've just worked out that a local lad can be a top line ruck for us. I think that would be self-defeating.

And he essentially rejected us twice, so not keen to reward a "last roll of the dice" decision.

He should go to Port, a match made in heaven.

A mobile ruck that wins the taps would be the last missing piece for them.

Tapping to a good midfield for grundy has to help him, also that fast style suits Grundy. Most genuine tap rucks would struggle to run with him in fast Port style game. Those who can are probably going to get dusted in the ruck contest.

Geelong could do with a ruck and if Carlton loose De Koning they will too.

 

[captainMyCaptain]

A couple of draft power rankings from Cal, Code and Fox afl

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' July ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey delivers his first Phantom Form Guide ahead of the 2023 National Draft

www.afl.com.au

CODE Sports

CODE Sports

www.codesports.com.au

AFL Draft 2023 Rankings: Gap between Reid and the rest closes as father-son guns boost prospects

Gap between best and rest closes; father-son guns surge: Top 30 draft rankings revealed

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[captainMyCaptain]

 

[GWS Goose]

I dont like how often this is starting to happen. It may end up benefitting us, but still, not a fan of it.

 

[captainMyCaptain]

Need to lock Briggs away long-term

 

[Andre the Giant]

My understanding is it extends beyond West Coast, wants to stay in VIC.

Probably puts Melbourne in the box seat to trade up for him and put something together to WC. Maybe WC ask for picks and Van Rooyen?

This is far from ideal and again shows how advantaged the VIC clubs are…60% draftable talent, father/son, history, commercial opportunities, and then they get these next gen gifts as well (finally adjusted and they are bitching about that too).

Equalisation is a farce.

 

[Giant YoYo]

This is far from ideal and again shows how advantaged the VIC clubs are…60% draftable talent, father/son, history, commercial opportunities, and then they get these next gen gifts as well (finally adjusted and they are bitching about that too).

Equalisation is a farce.

Would rather more local talent come through that may have a greater likelihood of wanting to join/ stay whilst we're still in expansion phase which would have the upside of increasing interest/the fanbase and thus attendance due to local connections and being known in their respective communities.

Hopefully we're not too far off seeing/hearing local talent picking up. Southern NSW regions are probably fine in this regard and are on a good trajectory from what I've seen but our Western region/WS zone could probably do with a nice uptick.