Kangaroos Delist Three, Saints Coach Calls Signing 'Baffling' as AFL Draft Table Takes Shape

No scores to tally, no ladders to dissect. The past 24 hours in the AFL belonged to the back office, the press conference room, and the draft table.

Kangaroos Make Room

The Western Bulldogs' cross-town rivals in the broader Melbourne landscape aren't the story here—the Kangaroos are. The club delisted three players in a single move, and the mix is telling: a father-son selection, a former Western Bulldog, and a third name rounding out the trio. (AFL.com.au)

Three delistings in one swipe is a statement about list management, not a single player's failure. It clears contract space, resets the wage bill, and signals to the next intake that the Kangaroos are reshaping the roster before the draft room even opens. The father-son angle adds a layer of narrative weight—those picks carry community expectations that make an exit harder to swallow for local supporters. The former Blue in the mix suggests a player who was once a trade target or free-agent acquisition and has since fallen out of the long-term plan.

'Baffling'

Over in Adelaide, a former Saints coach went on the record calling a recent signing "baffling." The player in question is described in the reporting as a "controversial star"—the kind of name that splits a fanbase the moment the ink dries. (Nine.com.au)

The word choice matters. "Baffling" isn't "disappointing" or "risky." It's a coach who looked at the deal and genuinely could not follow the logic. That's a sharper critique than a shrug, and it lands harder coming from someone who wore the Saints coaching badge. The "controversial" tag on the player tells you the signing was never going to be a quiet, consensus addition. Expect this to be a recurring talking point at every Saints training session and media scrum through the pre-season.

The Draft Table Sets

Underneath both stories, the Herald Sun's Ultimate Draft Guide is out, mapping each club's pick order and the targets those picks are likely to chase. (Herald Sun)

That's the connective tissue. The Kangaroos' delistings free up list spots that will feed directly into draft strategy. The Saints' "baffling" signing may or may not affect their draft capital, but it frames the narrative the club walks into the draft with—defensive or aggressive. Every club's pick sheet is now a public document, and the targets those picks are "in their sights" for are being named before a single selection is made.

The Bigger Picture

This is the unglamorous, essential 24 hours. No 80-minute broadcast to lean on, no post-match presser to mine for a quotable. Just rosters shifting, a coach's public disagreement with a front office, and a draft guide that turns speculation into a working document.

The AFL season hasn't started. But the decisions being made right now—three delistings in Perth, one "baffling" contract in Adelaide, 18 clubs staring at pick sheets—will shape the first round before the first bounce.

Watch the Kangaroos' next list announcement. Watch whether the Saints' coach follows up "baffling" with a second hit. And watch the draft targets the Herald Sun's guide names, because those names are about to become the most contested property in the league.