List Mgmt. Hawk's List Management for 2025

[Strapping Young Lad]

and off we go….

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

We know what we need to be found on the list or added.

• Key defender
• Key forward
• Outside class

If you want to know who's in the draft class this year, go here.

If you want to discuss a possible trade target or need, go here.

If you want to lambast the output or outcome of a game, we have Autopsy threads every week.

I'll re-open when the season has a bit more water under the bridge and we've got a better understanding of where the real list holes are.

Edit: we’re open.

 

[Hawker399]

Gunston, Breust and Wingard?

Reckon all 3 have a case to continue playing next season.
However, all of them could be retired out.
I don't know their contract situations so that matters.
Personally I would say goodbye to all 3.

Others thoughts?

 

[wahawk]

I’d Like All To Stay

 

[A Diakos]

interesting list management call

I don't think 3 of them will stay and at least 1/2 of them will go

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Tough one.

I'd say probably only one out of those three will get another year (maybe two at a pinch).

Personally I would give Gunners another year, Bruest no and Chad no.

I'm giving Gunners a other year as he is the most versatile of the three and he can still kick the odd bag of goals which is useful.

Will be interesting to see how Sam handles these decisions with them all being ex teammates and in Gunners and Bruest's cases some absolute champions of the club.

 

[Nick the Pig]

I would think only one on the list next season. Breust looks to be physically struggling and Gunston also seems a week to week proposition. Another season might be one too far for both, if this season isn't already.

Being a year or so younger might see Chad retained. I would hope so. Losing the experience of all three at once would not be ideal

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Hopefully we can give all 3 a farewell game as callous as that sounds

They are not the future and we should be out of nappies enough to not have to have them taking valuable list spots for next season.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

If we finish the season on the verge of finals or just within them - and if Scaife gets a shot at the seniors and proves capable, I don’t see a spot for any of them next year. If we recruit well this off season we won’t have many list spots to go around and I’d rather retain younger players who could still have upside.

 

[cryptor]

Gunston has had the best games of the three this season, but is also in the running for some of the worst.

Breust now seems to struggle to have impact outside of the sub role, but there's not enough data on his ability to impact a full game since what should be a complete recovery from his groin issues. The Geelong game was not great but many teammates weren't either.

Wingard has looked really good for the most part at VFL. If he can recapture any of the form before his achilles injury then he's worth at least another year. However the soft tissue troubles hitting him again now is a bad sign.

Based purely on their on field performance it's hard to make a solid case for any of them. But their true value is really about the off field stuff - leadership, experience, culture. Whether or not the club thinks we need all three for that next year, or whether it's necessarily worth a playing list spot when it could just as easily be a coaching role or similar.

It'd be really nice for all three to play on. Breust to reach 300. Gunston and Breust to retire together. Wingard to get one last good run at it after what he's done to get back.

 

[SammyC]

I think Lewis going down means gunston gets one more if he wants it.

Then i think it’s one of chad and bruest only. I love bruest like almost no other but he’d need to show he can contribute for 4 quarters. It doesn’t look likely unfortunately.

 

[lethalselbow]

Breust might be struggling?

Wingard probably. See what happens when he gets his chance over next few weeks.

Gunston? Possibly.

 

[Billyc]

Only Gunston I think.

 

[marklar]

Gunston has shown his value this year, the others haven't (yet). Footy list management is tough, and we need to prepare ourselves for the next few years.

Chad just can't get on the ground and Luke is struggling even when he comes on as the sub later in the game.

 

[Walshawk]

Bruest and Chad both cooked. The energy has gone. Gunston has played about four really good games, but also four really, really poor ones. We have to delist at least five, so I can’t see us retaining any of them. Maybe delist then rookie list Gunner. Stephens is gone, but there are no other obvious delistings. Philips probably next in line.

 

[MasterSamurai]

I am torn.

 

[eldorado]

I am torn.

I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel

 

[Sizzlesilk]

Gunston has shown his value this year, the others haven't (yet). Footy list management is tough, and we need to prepare ourselves for the next few years.

Chad just can't get on the ground and Luke is struggling even when he comes on as the sub later in the game.

What do you mean “Chad just can’t get on the ground”.
As in he isn’t playing… cos… well that’s just not accurate at all. Has now played 7 VFL matches with increases in match time and amount of time spent on ball.

Or are you just writing him off as he just hasn’t been selected at senior level
yet?

 

[Hawks_Footy]

I'm probably in the minority here but i'd keep both Gunston and Breust around next year.. on the rookie list.. Gunston has proven he's still capable of playing some good footy and Lewis going down almost makes a certainty of him being good depth, while Breust is still a solid sub option.. sitting on the bench coaching/ encouraging for the first 3qtrs..

But the biggest reason i'm keeping them on the list is for soft cap relief.. they're every bit 2 playing coaches with the time they're investing into Dear, Watson, Ginnivan, MacDonald, Ramsden, Bennetts, etc.. don't underestimate how valuable this will be for these young guys long term..

They also need to be prepared to spend the year at Box Hill if the younger guys go past them

 

[HedgeFund]

Not many….

….if any.

 

[BobHawk]

I know I keep going back to the Geelong game last week but it exposed both Gunners and Breust poor defensive game and inability to chase which is a big problem. I don't see how Wingard gets called up ahead of a number of the youngsters at BH. What sort of message does this send? I think at this stage of the list's development maybe one of the three only can go next year. If Breust is struggling with a nagging injury this year (as some have suggested) then he might get the chance to get himself physically right and could be the one to get another year.

 

[SammyC]

Gunston stays with Lewis out. Otherwise our key fwd stocks are journeyman Chol and the very green Dear, Scaife and Ramsden. Need some coverage and experience.

Sad to say but Bruest looks done. Its hard to believe given how good his 2023 was but you'd need to see the ability to impact over 4 quarters before the end of year and it just looks like he doesn't have it in him anymore. I don't see any value in keeping someone purely as a sub option.

Chad will get a chance on the run home and think he will surprise a few with his impact in a better functioning fwd line. I think in the past, he has tried to do it all rather than play a role. His future is body dependent but I think with the quality and class he brings, he is worth a spot on the list next year.

 

[Sirlemsip]

I love Gunner and Breust as much as any Hawks fan... but honestly I think it is time for both of these absolute champions to gracefully retire.

That being said, Gunston deserves a role at the club as a forward line coach, and it may be that keeping him on the playing list (even as a rookie) would allow us to avoid having his payments counted in the soft cap.

Wingard potentially has some left in the tank, but I would want to see him get a run of 4-5 games in the seniors without any soft-tissue injuries to be confident in offering him another year. I don't think he has it in him, but would love to be proven wrong.

 

[ahhhhhh]

Gunston stays with Lewis out. Otherwise our key fwd stocks are journeyman Chol and the very green Dear, Scaife and Ramsden. Need some coverage and experience.

Sad to say but Bruest looks done. Its hard to believe given how good his 2023 was but you'd need to see the ability to impact over 4 quarters before the end of year and it just looks like he doesn't have it in him anymore. I don't see any value in keeping someone purely as a sub option.

Chad will get a chance on the run home and think he will surprise a few with his impact in a better functioning fwd line. I think in the past, he has tried to do it all rather than play a role. His future is body dependent but I think with the quality and class he brings, he is worth a spot on the list next year.

Can people give Chol some respect.

He's been our most reliable key forward forward since Roughead.

 

[SammyC]

Can people give Chol some respect.

He's been our most reliable key forward forward since Roughead.

I don't mean disrespect. But the Chol and Dear combo has worked best when Gunston is out there to distract Harris Andrews etc. I like what Mabior brings but he has struggled at times when he is the main man.

Can't get away from the fact that Dear, Ramsden and Scaife are all <10 games into their career. What if Chol goes down injured next year.

Jack is approaching the end but Lewis getting injured means he has to stay in 2025.