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

What should we do with our 1st round draft pick?

  • Finn O’Sullivan

    Votes: 57 19.0%

  • Sid Draper

    Votes: 86 28.7%

  • Josh Smillie

    Votes: 22 7.3%

  • Jagga Smith

    Votes: 34 11.3%

  • Split for best mid and Tobie Travaglia

    Votes: 46 15.3%

  • Split for best mid and Liam Baker

    Votes: 20 6.7%

  • Split for best mid and best KPD

    Votes: 4 1.3%

  • Split for best two mids

    Votes: 9 3.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 13 4.3%

  • Sam Lalor

    Votes: 9 3.0%
  • Total voters
    300
  • Poll closed .

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BBBW is the kind of person we should be spending time keeping. At 24 in April he’s coming right into the age where Rucks start to mature and he showed us last year he has the ability to compete at AFL level. Think if we lost him now we would have done all the hard work getting him here only to see another club reap the benefits.

He’s on a path similar to Darcy Cameron, IMO, who only now at 28 has entrenched himself at Collingwood as a FWD/Ruck.

Think he might take some time to adjust to his new role. But he took so many leaps forwards in areas other than just the ruck- I only see Flynn complementing BBBW, not hindering.
 
Expect there’ll be a bit of a shakeup of our ruck/KPP stocks at the end of the year. Especially if we do chase English

Rucks:
Flynn (26) - 2026
B Williams (23) - 2024
Jamieson (23) - 2025
Barnett (19) - 2024

KPF:
Darling (31) - 2025
Allen (24) - 2025
J Williams (20) - 2024
Livingstone (18) - 2024
Reid (18) - 2025

KPD:
McGovern (31) - 2025
Barrass (28) - 2027
Edwards (23) - 2024
Bazzo (20) - 2025

Need to see how Bailey adapts to a forward/ruck role supporting Flynn but he’s also our only real viable option if Flynn goes down or doesn’t perform. (Unless Jamieson makes a quantum leap from what he’s shown so far)

On that basis, I only see Williams leaving if we do sign English or a rival club chases him with more money so I’d be surprised if we don’t recontract him before mid year

Think it’s more likely we payout Jamieson his last year than move Williams on

Pressure will be on Harry Edwards who’s been at the club for 5 years without nailing down a spot. If some on this board get their wish of securing Busslinger then it’d be very hard for Harry to retain his spot

The recruitment of Barnett, Reid and Livingstone over the last 2 years will put some pressure on Jack Williams who I hope we persist with
 
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Dark Sharks said:
Yes, we can still add talent, but as i said it should be under the strict conditions of being done CHEAPLY.

Targetting Chad Warner in his prime is absurd given what we'd have to pony up for him. Likewise Mcdonald.

Not sure what Busslinger's value is at the trade table, hopefully he spuds it up this year, but if we can get him cheaply that's something i could totally endorse.

Yeo was taken at pick 30, showed a lot in his 2 seasons at the Lions and we only paid pick 28 for him. Good trade.

Flynn as a FA, good pickup. Brockman i feel we overpaid somewhat, but still got him on the 'cheap'. Sam Taylor would cost an absolute bucketload of salary, so that's touch and go, but at least we'd retain our draft picks.

That kind of stuff i don't mind, but targetting a big fish and enticing them to our club at the expense of our draft hand at this point is just silly. I mean gee wiz we won 3 games last year and our club is literally at the pits, it's never been worse. The build back is going to take a long time, there's no quick fixes by paying a premium in draft capital for established players.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree on that we shouldn't be giving up draft position before we know what the missing pieces are for a flag (we've barely taken the puzzle out of the box thus far).

Think with salary though it is something we should be leveraging at the moment - Reid, Ginbey etc are still a few years off big contracts so for now I'd love to be front-loading a contract to someone like Taylor, or moneyballing a Bowes style trade where we're essentially trading salary cap to move up the draft. Still not throwing our entire cap away, sure, (and definitely avoiding anyone older) but being proactive in using it to build the talent on our list.
 
Kegs15 said:
Absolutely agree on that we shouldn't be giving up draft position before we know what the missing pieces are for a flag (we've barely taken the puzzle out of the box thus far).

Think with salary though it is something we should be leveraging at the moment - Reid, Ginbey etc are still a few years off big contracts so for now I'd love to be front-loading a contract to someone like Taylor, or moneyballing a Bowes style trade where we're essentially trading salary cap to move up the draft. Still not throwing our entire cap away, sure, (and definitely avoiding anyone older) but being proactive in using it to build the talent on our list.
Click to expand...

IMO there are more pieces of our next premiership side currently here than are missing.

Look at just how many guns each premiership side actually have. We are talking 2 or 3 stars and 2 or 3 guns then a gun role player and then solid foot soldiers.

We add another star draftee, then one gun free agent and then another gun trade things looks very different 2 to 3 years from now.

It's when then opportunity is there that's the driving factor.
 
Obeanie1 said:
IMO there are more pieces of our next premiership side currently here than are missing.

Look at just how many guns each premiership side actually have. We are talking 2 or 3 stars and 2 or 3 guns then a gun role player and then solid foot soldiers.

We add another star draftee, then one gun free agent and then another gun trade things looks very different 2 to 3 years from now.

It's when then opportunity is there that's the driving factor.
Click to expand...

Everything you're saying is true generally, you're not wrong, but I think it's more that we're not 100% certain who those couple guns, gun role players and good foot soldiers will specifically be. You can bank on Reid etc, but there's so many questions around things like: will BWilliams be our permanent ruck/2nd forward, will Brockman come on, will Petrucelle/Chesser get consistent and if so in what role, where do Jones/Hough/Long play their best footy etc etc.

IMO it's super important we keep the talent ticking over through the draft while these questions are still being answered, I'd be wanting to leverage salary position but not draft position when bringing in players for the next few years. Think the Redden trade was the perfect example where we did give up draft position for a player of need, because we were in contention and relatively secure on the tools we had, so he could play to the strengths of that side.

With so many unknowns right now, if we bring in players at the cost of draft capital, worst case they end up limiting both talent intake and the positional development of someone we already have - as you say we probably have lots of the pieces but while we're not sure how they fit together I'd be cautious on the gun trades for the time being.
 
thewest.com.au

Eagles look to lock away breakout ruckman

West Coast are looking to lock away out-of-contract ruckman Bailey Williams, with the two parties working on a new deal.
thewest.com.au thewest.com.au

Looks like stickdick has been patrolling BF again. Either that or our debate has sprung the eagles into action. List manager position available if interested Carbine Chaos?

Assuming BWilliams is retained and further to Keys list above if our tall stocks at the start of 2026 looked like this I’d be very happy with the direction of the club:

Start 2026

Rucks:
Flynn (28)
B Williams (25)
Barnett (21)

KPF:
Allen (26)
J Williams (22)
Livingstone (20)
A Reid (20)

KPD:
Barrass (30)
Taylor (26)
Bazzo (22)
Busslinger (21)

SURELY we don’t chase English on big money if we re-sign BWilliams.
 
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Kegs15 said:
Everything you're saying is true generally, you're not wrong, but I think it's more that we're not 100% certain who those couple guns, gun role players and good foot soldiers will specifically be. You can bank on Reid etc, but there's so many questions around things like: will BWilliams be our permanent ruck/2nd forward, will Brockman come on, will Petrucelle/Chesser get consistent and if so in what role, where do Jones/Hough/Long play their best footy etc etc.

IMO it's super important we keep the talent ticking over through the draft while these questions are still being answered, I'd be wanting to leverage salary position but not draft position when bringing in players for the next few years. Think the Redden trade was the perfect example where we did give up draft position for a player of need, because we were in contention and relatively secure on the tools we had, so he could play to the strengths of that side.

With so many unknowns right now, if we bring in players at the cost of draft capital, worst case they end up limiting both talent intake and the positional development of someone we already have - as you say we probably have lots of the pieces but while we're not sure how they fit together I'd be cautious on the gun trades for the time being.
Click to expand...

Sorry but there is so much wrong with this statement.

As long as we do not pay massive overs if a quality player is interested in joining us we have a look at what can be done.

At least we know the quality of any trades and if they are able to play at AFL level. Plenty of draftees fail to do that so ignoring proven quality to take a punt in the draft is increasing risk not decreasing it.

The club knows exactly where the holes are in the list going forward. A Busslinger trade for a late 1st early 2nd would be a very astute trade. As would finding a big key forward to partner Oscar.

And when Warner is OOC at the end of 2025 we will chase him.

Key components of that gun 6 or 7 players needed. At least one star KP forward and defender, at least two gun mids and two gun flankers. And one more star.

We currently have Allen, Kelly, Ginbey, Hewett and Ried who are capable to reach the very top level. Barrass is up there but 28.

So we need another gun forward, a defender and one or two more gun top shelf mids. So how do we get 3 more top shelf guns?

The balance of the side after finding the 7 top guns are role players. And who knows maybe we have a star under our noses already in a Long or Brockman.
 
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Obeanie1 said:
And if he wants to move I can see us having a red hot crack.

We won't pay overs but we won't just shrug and say.......nah not interested Freo can have him.

If Bailey does decide to move and the Swans swoop on yet another Eagles developing ruck then we'd be crazy not to ask about McDonald.
Click to expand...
Certainly, we would have a conversation. It's just not something I see happening. More likely we bring a Corey Warner or Sheldrick back IMO.
 
eaglevision said:
thewest.com.au

Eagles look to lock away breakout ruckman

West Coast are looking to lock away out-of-contract ruckman Bailey Williams, with the two parties working on a new deal.
thewest.com.au thewest.com.au

Looks like stickdick has been patrolling BF again. Either that or our debate has sprung the eagles into action. List manager position available if interested Carbine Chaos?

Assuming BWilliams is retained and further to Keys list above if our tall stocks at the start of 2026 looked like this I’d be very happy with the direction of the club:

Start 2026

Rucks:
Flynn (28)
B Williams (25)
Barnett (21)

KPF:
Allen (26)
J Williams (22)
Livingstone (20)
A Reid (20)

KPD:
Barrass (30)
Taylor (26)
Bazzo (22)
Busslinger (21)

SURELY we don’t chase English on big money if we re-sign BWilliams.
Click to expand...

Full article

West Coast are looking to lock away out-of-contract ruckman Bailey Williams, with the two parties working on a new deal.
The West Australian understands the Eagles are negotiating to re-sign Williams for at least a further two years that will tie him to the club until the end of 2026.
It comes after a breakout season for Williams, who led the Eagles’ ruck load in 2023 when star Nic Naitanui went down in the pre-season in what would be a career-ending Achilles injury.
The 23-year-old was one of only four Eagles alongside Oscar Allen, Jayden Hunt and Andrew Gaff to play all 23 games for the Eagles, averaging 13 touches, four clearances and 28 hit-outs.
Williams finished sixth in the Eagles’ fairest and best count to become a vital part of their rebuild.

The addition of Matt Flynn as a free agent from Greater Western Sydney is set to see Williams play more as a forward-ruck in 2024, a challenge he said he’s excited for.
“I played a lot of ruck last year obviously, which I loved, but with Matt Flynn coming in and helping to boost our ruck stocks, it could see me play a little bit of a different role, meaning more forward time and playing second in the ruck,” the 201cm Eagle said.
“That will change my game a little bit and I’m excited for that, it’s probably where I’ve seen myself play, even from when I first got drafted.
“I’ve always been sort of a ruck who can play forward or a forward who can play in the ruck, I’m excited to get into it and hopefully I can have a big impact for the team.”
West Coast are reportedly interested in bringing out-of-contract Western Bulldogs ruckman Tim English home as a free agent.

But if Williams puts pen to paper it leaves the Eagles with three ruckman already locked in for 2025 with Flynn (2026) and Callum Jamieson (2025) locked away, while Harry Barnett’s initial draft contract ends this year.
The news comes just weeks after The West Australian revealed forward Liam Ryan was on the verge of re-signing until the end of 2026.
Two-time John Worsfold medallist Elliot Yeo looms as the big re-signing for the Eagles in 2024, with the premiership star out-of-contract after playing only 37 games in the past four seasons.
Yeo, 30, has resumed training after injury interrupted his pre-season prior to Christmas, starting in the midfield in match simulation in recent weeks where he is working back to his best.
Click to expand...
 

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But if Williams puts pen to paper it leaves the Eagles with three ruckman already locked in for 2025 with Flynn (2026) and Callum Jamieson (2025) locked away, while Harry Barnett’s initial draft contract
Click to expand...
Did we ever figure out why they re-signed Jamieson that long? Bush league.

Expect him to be paid out at the end of this season.
 
Obeanie1 said:
And if he wants to move I can see us having a red hot crack.

We won't pay overs but we won't just shrug and say.......nah not interested Freo can have him.

If Bailey does decide to move and the Swans swoop on yet another Eagles developing ruck then we'd be crazy not to ask about McDonald.
Click to expand...
McDonald isn't going to come back here to WA and WCE in particular anytime soon. He's pretty happy where he is.
 
eaglevision said:
SURELY we don’t chase English on big money if we re-sign BWilliams.
Click to expand...

It would be interesting to see who the club locks in early and for a decent period, and who we throw big money at...

Not sure of the contract status of the players but Long, Bazzo, Hewitt, Ginbey should be getting a decent extension and Reid x2 depending how they're going in the next 24 months and how much each of them are worth?

If Daicos is anything to go by and if HReid turns it on as we expect, we will need every dollar!!

Externally Taylor, Mcdonald, Busslinger and Curtin should be targets and I hope we are consistently sliding in their DM's. The list manager will have his hands full to lock in the core in the next three/four years.
 
Jumpoff Joey said:
It would be interesting to see who the club locks in early and for a decent period, and who we throw big money at...

Not sure of the contract status of the players but Long, Bazzo, Hewitt, Ginbey should be getting a decent extension and Reid x2 depending how they're going in the next 24 months and how much each of them are worth?

If Daicos is anything to go by and if HReid turns it on as we expect, we will need every dollar!!

Externally Taylor, Mcdonald, Busslinger and Curtin should be targets and I hope we are consistently sliding in their DM's. The list manager will have his hands full to lock in the core in the next three/four years.
Click to expand...
Absolutely agree with your targets. If McDonald is one and we finish last we HAVE to use the PSD as leverage. Offer F1 (2025 pick) in a straight swap. If Buzz wants to come home I don’t think that will be complicated, Taylor will be FA 2025 and Curtin is 3 years away so ball is in Crows court there. Would love to get some reliable mail as to what any of these 4 players are thinking.

The only player coming OOC this year possibly getting another contract as it stands is Jones. We’ve got space for a couple of big front ended contracts for someone like Sam Taylor so we’ve got cash in 2027 and beyond to extend the likes of the players you mentioned on good money. List manager has some huge decisions to make, bloody exciting time at the club, don’t remember looking forward to a season as much as this one.
 
Obeanie1 said:
Sorry but there is so much wrong with this statement.

As long as we do not pay massive overs if a quality player is interested in joining us we have a look at what can be done.

At least we know the quality of any trades and if they are able to play at AFL level. Plenty of draftees fail to do that so ignoring proven quality to take a punt in the draft is increasing risk not decreasing it.

The club knows exactly where the holes are in the list going forward. A Busslinger trade for a late 1st early 2nd would be a very astute trade. As would finding a big key forward to partner Oscar.

And when Warner is OOC at the end of 2025 we will chase him.

Key components of that gun 6 or 7 players needed. At least one star KP forward and defender, at least two gun mids and two gun flankers. And one more star.

We currently have Allen, Kelly, Ginbey, Hewett and Ried who are capable to reach the very top level. Barrass is up there but 28.

So we need another gun forward, a defender and one or two more gun top shelf mids. So how do we get 3 more top shelf guns?

The balance of the side after finding the 7 top guns are role players. And who knows maybe we have a star under our noses already in a Long or Brockman.
Click to expand...
I'm with Kegs15 on this....He's still open to trading but without paying a huge amount/overs.
Haven't Freo loaded up on 3 first rounders to have a crack at him, if that's the case, they can have him. He's going to be a very solid AFL tall but I don't think Superstar.

We're building a nice team with what looks like from the outside, a really good culture and vibe. Sure, always be on the lookout for trades, and continue with astute moves but don't pay mega pick/bucks unless it's someone AMAZING imo.

Look at what we've done through the draft already in the last few years. The talent is pouring in.
 
eaglevision - I totally get why you're enamoured with Sam Taylor BUT what would you expect he'd cost us both in trade currency and financially?
 
ArdentEagle said:
eaglevision - I totally get why you're enamoured with Sam Taylor BUT what would you expect he'd cost us both in trade currency and financially?
Click to expand...
Free agent end of next year so zero trade currency. Financially I’d expect a Ben McKay situation but the difference being our man can actually play footy. I don’t know the exact state of our books but sounds like we have cash to burn over the next 2 years. 5 year contract. $1.4m in 2025 and 2026 then smoothed back to 700k a year for the last 3 years so we can pay our young guys who by then will be after their paydays. I don’t foresee us needing to spend huge amounts on other players other than Oscar before 2026.
 
eaglevision said:
Free agent end of next year so zero trade currency. Financially I’d expect a Ben McKay situation but the difference being our man can actually play footy. I don’t know the exact state of our books but sounds like we have cash to burn over the next 2 years. 5 year contract. $1.4m in 2025 and 2026 then smoothed back to 700k a year for the last 3 years so we can pay our young guys who by then will be after their paydays. I don’t foresee us needing to spend huge amounts on other players other than Oscar before 2026.
Click to expand...
My worry with this is causing a fracture amongst the current playing group. On top of that, it doesn't give us that much flexibility with the cap if we need it. (RG/HR/EH/OA/NL/CH might all need sizeable contracts)

I also thing the GWS would have planned for this and we'll need to offer him even more over the same period.
(he also comes across as a very loyal type too - It'll need to XX special)
 
Dark Sharks said:
Let's pump the breaks.

We're rebuilding the list from the ground up, it's going to get even younger in the next offseason or two.

There's absolutely no reason we should be targetting anybody, or looking to bring any player into the club right now, unless they're a cheap moneyball acquisition, or a free swing.

Hitting the draft for a couple years is what's most important. No need to target specific players to round off our list when we're nowhere near contending for finals, let alone contending for a flag.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I think we stick to our current trade/FA strategy to bring in role players/depth/young players with upside. Hunt, Flynn, Witherden and Brockman have all been good examples of this, where we've laid little but have added to our depth.

I think next year is when we can start trading for needs to round out the list. Adelaide did this brilliantly and have formed a good quad despite some top end draft misses.
 
ArdentEagle said:
My worry with this is causing a fracture amongst the current playing group. On top of that, it doesn't give us that much flexibility with the cap if we need it. (RG/HR/EH/OA/NL/CH might all need sizeable contracts)

I also thing the GWS would have planned for this and we'll need to offer him even more over the same period.
(he also comes across as a very loyal type too - It'll need to XX special)
Click to expand...
Valid concern. I think paying 950k odd a year for any of Taylor, Weitering or Moore would be a good investment by the club but do not want to go past $1m a year in a bidding war. Other option would be to re-sign Oscar long term and beef up his 2025 contract as high as we can afford and smooth the years after. Would also be very happy with that.
 
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