List Mgmt. Contract, Trade and Draft Discussions - 2024 Edition

[Keys]

Quick links:
Player contract status
Draft prospect video highlights (thanks to noobermensch)
AFL retirements and delistings

---

Latest news and rumours:

• Tom Barrass officially requests trade to Hawthorn
  • Duffield: Eagles want two first round picks - "It may have to be in this year’s draft rather than a future pick."
  • Morris: Josh Battle is set to join Barrass at Hawthorn in 2025 - Ralph: Unclear if Hawks will pay enough for Band 1

• Kysaiah Pickett interested in a trade
  • "Club and management are confident they can work through his concerns"
  • Daniels: Pickett’s preference is Fremantle. Fremantle are keen, but Bolton the priority. Getting both “not impossible”. West Coast “an option if things get complicated.”

• Jai Culley, Coen Livingstone, Loch Rawlinson in line for one-year deals (The West)
  
  
• Liam Baker and Shai Bolton
  29

  Shai Bolton

  Age

  25

  Ht

  176cm

  Wt

  77kg

  Pos.

  M/F

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  12.3

  3star

  K

  6.9

  3star

  HB

  5.4

  4star

  M

  2.8

  3star

  T

  2.9

  4star

  CL

  1.4

  4star

  D

  12.7

  3star

  K

  9.2

  4star

  HB

  3.5

  2star

  M

  3.0

  3star

  T

  2.7

  4star

  CL

  1.8

  4star

  D

  9.2

  3star

  K

  4.6

  2star

  HB

  4.6

  4star

  M

  2.0

  3star

  T

  2.6

  4star

  CL

  0.0

  1star

  officially request trades to WA
  • Daniels: Bolton is Fremantle’s priority

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

Harry O'Farrell another KPD to keep an eye on this year from Calder Cannons, part of the AFL academy and rarely mentioned.

 

[Wild Kelly]

Not sure the second point helps TT or Geelong.

And no other club has older lists with good on field leadership?

Someone mentioned the Saints. Ross Lyons I could see pulling him into line. The softly, softly approach hasn't worked.

Board him with GA Snr. Someone he can aspire to be like.

 

[Grahame]

Yes there are other ways, not just restricted to d+t.

RFA and FA are a good place to start. Plenty of mature agers around the country have proved to me astute pick ups for little currency. So that's another option too.

It's also much easier to find a good HBF than good Ruck/Forward.

You and I obviously rate BW ceiling differently and that's okay but I'd still want someone more proven than RH for a direct trade. (Value by position)

I'm at work now and don't have time but I would have thought someone like Kiddy Coleman would be closer to correct weight. (Provided full injury recovery)

You don't trade out young KP talent for an untried albeit decent looking talent in RH.

Pyke specifically said we’d be using all three avenues (draft, trade and FA) to target players. And if I’m not mistaken he may have said we’d be ‘aggressive’.
So I’m expecting (hoping) we’ll be very proactive. Yes please!

 

[eaglevision]

My comment was in reference to trading BW specifically.

Yes there are other ways, not just restricted to d+t.

RFA and FA are a good place to start. Plenty of mature agers around the country have proved to me astute pick ups for little currency. So that's another option too.

It's also much easier to find a good HBF than good Ruck/Forward.

You and I obviously rate BW ceiling differently and that's okay but I'd still want someone more proven than RH for a direct trade. (Value by position)

I'm at work now and don't have time but I would have thought someone like Kiddy Coleman would be closer to correct weight. (Provided full injury recovery)

You don't trade out young KP talent for an untried albeit decent looking talent in RH.

Agree on ceiling and perfectly fine to have different views on it. 100% agree with you on Coleman if we could somehow get him or Whitfield that’s exactly who we need along with you know who.

Absolutely fair point on untried talent, the best way to look at it is probably where he was drafted. Would I trade Bailey Williams for pick 23 if we had Flynn and English? Absolutely, and if it were up to me I would have taken Hardeman or DeMattia with that pick.

 

[PremiershipNo4]

Kaleb Smith out of contract i think.

Would be a very good pick up

 

[mat11]

I don't think BBW is KPF or even forward for that matter but the way he's rising as a ruck he'd absolutely be worth a first round pic(sub18 imo). The club gets a developed ruckman moving into his prime, clearance king, tenacity and would take minor salary cap space as a 2nd ruckman. His only flaw would be his tap work which I don't think has been developed well at west coast as he's spent most preseasons working as a forward.

I'd hate to see him leave and prefer to lose Barnett if we bought in english but he'd have serious trade capital and clubs would be lining up for him

 

[noobermensch]

After spending last season playing forward flank and wing for the Knights, this year Zak Johnson is Northern's prime mover in the midfield. A silky smooth operator with plenty of class with ball in hand, it wouldnt be surprising to see Johnson pushing into top 10 calculations as the season progresses.

 

[ArdentEagle]

Agree on ceiling and perfectly fine to have different views on it. 100% agree with you on Coleman if we could somehow get him or Whitfield that’s exactly who we need along with you know who.

Absolutely fair point on untried talent, the best way to look at it is probably where he was drafted. Would I trade Bailey Williams for pick 23 if we had Flynn and English? Absolutely, and if it were up to me I would have taken Hardeman or DeMattia with that pick.

I'd want more for him than that but fair enough

 

[eaglevision]

I'd want more for him than that but fair enough

What would you rate him as? Certainly a range of opinions… top 18 all the way down to 4th rounder and even nothing according to Briztoon but that’s big footy. Any chance of trading Coleman to us a part of your rebuild briztoon? Need a ruck/forward?

 

[MaxHunt]

What would you rate him as? Certainly a range of opinions… top 18 all the way down to 4th rounder and even nothing according to Briztoon but that’s big footy. Any chance of trading Coleman to us a part of your rebuild briztoon? Need a ruck/forward?

I remember reading something about Brisbane rating BBW.

 

[eaglevision]

I remember reading something about Brisbane rating BBW.

BBW and pick 57 for Coleman and ZZ top. Done.

 

[briztoon]

Disagree re splitting the 1st, I'd say it's more likely they do split.

It seems a pretty even top end at this point with a lot of VM, and WC haven't taken many Metro players recently....Could be a good year to split like 2022 imo

Not knowing yet what teams will have to offer for pick 1, my initial thought is that WC are unlikely to receive an attractive enough offer for pick 1.

Think of the offers you did recieve for pick 1 last year, and you are more than likely going to receive lesser offers this year.

 

[ROO DOGG]

Saints are probably one of the worst clubs who could be in the hunt for Thomas.

You just need to look at the number of broken players in Ross Lyon’s wake.

St Kilda strike me as a rather weak playing group with weak on and off field leadership.

Not to mention Ross's interaction with women.

 

[Elite Pete]

 

[Elite Pete]

View attachment 1955010

I reckon Hewett will add to that list this time next year and hopefully another in the 19yo range

 

[briztoon]

Benefits of being able to sell their high pick to the highest bidder every year without missing out on elite talent.

Except that actually isn't true.

It's happened once. Last year.

Previously they've had first round priority picks. A top 10 pick for May requesting a trade. A top 5 compensation for Lynch walking out on them. A top 5 pick for Rankine after he requested a trade.

But selling their first pick for points and getting a top rated academy kid has happened once.

Completely broken system.
Itd be good if they started drafting a few more WA guys so when they inevitably get moved on after 2 years because theyre not a top 10 pick we could snag a few decent players for cheap, same as Freo got with Sharp

 

[briztoon]

What would you rate him as? Certainly a range of opinions… top 18 all the way down to 4th rounder and even nothing according to Briztoon but that’s big footy. Any chance of trading Coleman to us a part of your rebuild briztoon? Need a ruck/forward?

Mate, I'm still 4 pages back. Who don't/didn't I rate?

We have an excess of rucks and ruck forwards.

Almost a nailed on certainty that we let Kalin Lane walk at the end of the season.

 

[eaglevision]

Mate, I'm still 4 pages back. Who don't/didn't I rate?

We have an excess of rucks and ruck forwards.

Almost a nailed on certainty that we let Kalin Lane walk at the end of the season.

Bailey Williams. Rated on this board anywhere from top 18 pick to 4th rounder. From memory you said he was steak knives or words to that effect.

 

[briztoon]

Bailey Williams. Rated on this board anywhere from top 18 pick to 4th rounder. From memory you said he was steak knives or words to that effect.

Sounds like something I said early last season.

Question is, where would he play in a top 8 side?


Let's say West Coast sign Tim English as a free agent, and he becomes your first choice ruck. And for some unknown reason Jed Walter requests a trade to West Coast and you trade pick 1/2 straight up for him, so you have Walter and Allen as your starting key forwards.

Who are you playing as your third tall forward, Bailey Williams or Jake Waterman (or Maric)?

In a fully healthy team, BBBW is depth. Is he your number 1 reserve ruck? or is he a reserve ruck forward? so more likely your second reserve ruck. And possibly not even your first choice reserve key forward.

Might be worth a third rounder for a team really shallow on ruck depth, looking for a reserve ruck.

 

[ROO DOGG]

Pyke specifically said we’d be using all three avenues (draft, trade and FA) to target players. And if I’m not mistaken he may have said we’d be ‘aggressive’.
So I’m expecting (hoping) we’ll be very proactive. Yes please!

Just need to keep our first round pick though.

 

[DanWCE]

View attachment 1955010

Premiership fancy with 4 players in that list. Big, big sound might become deafening

 

[Cuzz09]

Premiership fancy with 4 players in that list. Big, big sound might become deafening

big big sound tends to fade late in September in Victoria.

Their best chance is a GF v non Vic side

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[stallon]

Sounds like something I said early last season.

Question is, where would he play in a top 8 side?

As a ruck/fwd

Let's say West Coast sign Tim English as a free agent, and he becomes your first choice ruck. And for some unknown reason Jed Walter requests a trade to West Coast and you trade pick 1/2 straight up for him, so you have Walter and Allen as your starting key forwards.

In your fantasy scenario that we got Walter and English, BBW would be the 3rd tall/chop out ruckman. He only becomes depth in a few years IF A.Reid comes on as a better second ruck option.

Who are you playing as your third tall forward, Bailey Williams or Jake Waterman (or Maric)?

BBW comfortably ahead, the other guys cant ruck

In a fully healthy team, BBBW is depth. Is he your number 1 reserve ruck? or is he a reserve ruck forward? so more likely your second reserve ruck. And possibly not even your first choice reserve key forward.

Hes easily in our best 22, as a ruck/fwd. The only threat to his role is A.Reid, who is a first year player coming along and taking that role off him(years away)

Might be worth a third rounder for a team really shallow on ruck depth, looking for a reserve ruck.

He would fill a position of need as a ruck/fwd immediately at: Melbourne, Geelong, Saints, Pies, Bombers, Tigers, Hawks, and North.

He would be an easy upgrade to teams best 22 as a ruck/fwd at Carlton, GWS, Port, and the Lions if they want a second stay at home tall forward.

I know he hasnt played a lot as a forward recently, but hes very athletic and isnt afraid of some crash and bash. Hard to see him not being at the very least competent as a forward crashing packs and making a contest, while giving an edge against the opponents second ruck.

Lobb got 2x2nd rounders, as a 30 year old. Even Chol who wasnt even best 22 at gold coast got a 2nd rounder.
BBW is 24 in a weeks time. Easily worth a decent first rounder

 

[Keys]

Not knowing yet what teams will have to offer for pick 1, my initial thought is that WC are unlikely to receive an attractive enough offer for pick 1.

Think of the offers you did recieve for pick 1 last year, and you are more than likely going to receive lesser offers this year.

Broadly speaking, this year’s draft is resembling the 2022 draft in that it’s shaping as being a bit more even unlike last year when there was a clear no.1 pick

We received picks 8 and 12 for pick 2 in 2022

The best we got offered for pick 1 was either from Hawthorn with pick 4, their F1 and Brockman or picks 2,15 and 17 from North. Melbourne were offering 6,11 and 42

For the same reasons we might consider a pick split (two picks in an even draft being better than one) clubs aren’t going to give up two high end picks for just one. Obviously the finishing position of clubs with either academy or F/S prospects will have a bearing in any pick swap

Pick 1 might get another pick in the top 5 but it probably only gets another low teen pick if our R2 goes back

All that assumes one or two players from this cohort don’t jump clear of the pack during the year

 

[stallon]

If Freo cant get their targets with their first rounders they might be a trade partner for our first pick, Gold Coast is another.
Only issue is that Freo has Port and Collingwoods first rounders, while GC has the Dogs and Norths end of 1st, to go with their own. Theyre unlikely to be top 5-6 picks at this stage.

Would need another team to jump up the draft order to have somebody to trade with, or some good target player to pair with a first round pick if we want to split it.