Consider this!

[JimMckay]

Think about it though, through the tough pre season with the loss of the king Jim Stynes, the loss of $cully, and also losing those sponsors which will result in us losing $3M, The new coaching and game plan learning, it will be tough, i didn't expect big results straight away. Sure i expected better results in this but I can't blame them, I wouldn't know what it's like with all that building up on your shoulders with thousands of supporters dissing the club and being currently the laughing stock of the AFL.. BUT if we are to lose and have yet another disappointing year, think about it, we could get the #1 draft pick yet again. We get Jack Viney, the #1 pick, and plus whoever and whatever else we do, hopefully finally a proper sponsorship deal. It would make us a better club going forth rather then our team going forth now.. Theres a positive in a disappointing play this season, even though i'd much rather be winning or at least putting in at least some amount of competition, I am as much shattered as all you people on this too, trust me i can't stand watching my team with lack of effort and skill.. And that we have been waiting so long and I think it's gone long enough, but instead of making 9th, 10th whatever at most this season, I'd rather have one last season at last, finish off the rebuilding stage, get that roster bulked up and get this teams skills developed with a structured game plan finally learnt. Just a thought, what do you guys think?

 

[Ando727]

I think we've been seduced by that line of thinking too many times in the past. We need to learn how to win, regardless of who's on our list or whether we can win a flag with that list. Lists become more complete once you start achieving things and work out what else you need to go all the way. There haven't been any premiership teams that were built purely from high draft picks and sitting at the bottom of the ladder for years.

 

[Capt_Concussion]

I don't give a stuff about a top 10 pick, let alone the #1 pick. The way the club is at the moment we would just 1) pick the wrong player or 2) stuff up their development and waste the picks.

It's easy to see in our past history arnd present events that there is something seriously wrong within the football department. We haven't been able to develop an elite consistant star in my life time. Sure Nietz was good, Woewodin won a brownlow and we've had AA representatives here and there but would you compare any of them to a Gablett, Pendlebury or Franklin? This is despite us having more than our fair share of premium draft picks. I feel sorry for any kid who gets drafted to us at the moment.

Then you look at the heart with which we're playing, or lack of. It isn't just this year either. My memory of the Dees is one similar to a rollercoaster, even during the Danniher years, we'd be up one year and down then next, up one week then down the next 5.

We've changed presidents, coaches, ceo's and players yet no improvement is seen. Obviously the new individuals learn the bad habits from the old and the circle of fail continues. Perhaps Scully noticed this and took his chance to get out. It's going to take an extremely strong willed and hard headed group who will not be influenced by the current group of the club to break this circle.

I think Neeld is one of those people but at the moment he is such a shock to the MFC system that we're seeing a backlash. Until the bad eggs are weeded out and those who can be saved are changed, we're going to continue to see a disjointed team run around in the red and blue.

 

[demonfan9]

Stuff the draft picks, they aren't going to fix our short term problems.

I'll get excited when I see improved performances on field, not the drafting of a 60kg teenager.

 

[Syrus]

Only losers want to finish last.

 

[Bluelegs]

I think it is far more important for players to learn how to win.

 

[Samsara]

This only highlights the loser culture this club has

 

[Turbocat]

I don't give a stuff about a top 10 pick, let alone the #1 pick. The way the club is at the moment we would just 1) pick the wrong player or 2) stuff up their development and waste the picks.

Excuse the intrusion. I have soft spot for the Dee's being a son of avid follower who watched them thru their greatest era , winning 5 in 6 years. Will that ever be equalled.

Anyway I think Capt_C has hit upon the 2 keys. Correct pick and develop that pick.
I contributed to a "Tank" thread on the main board. The gist was Tanking is OK , all clubs have the right to try to do the best for itself but the Tank by itself does nothing, and their is a cost. Extra pressure to get it right.

Plenty of clubs have had early "Picks" that have developed into a Franklin or a Pendleberry ie Judd , Hodge etc but there have been just as many that have not become the stars that were hoped the picks would deliver. The pick in itself gives you nothing. And if your post pick development is not as good as Collingwoods or Hawthorns , you have a higher chance of a perceived miss. Put it this way. Tambling was a P4 and Varcoe P15 , to me they are similar but the clubs , and the development their were drafted into was different. Have no doubt Tambling at Geelong would have been a different player.

One thing I will say is Melb has been unlucky in the years its has had their early picks. Not all drafts are the same quality and to have early picks /multiple picks in a strong draft like 01 is huge advantage and 2012 is supposed to be one of the best ever.

 

[Jordie_tackles]

We do not want another spoon EVER.......

ATM we will be heading for a bottom 4-5 finish but really we need to develop a winning culture.

If we win, players expect to win, Neelds plan was never going to work straight up, but what we have seen is hard to endure.

 

[rhaz]

Getting the #1 pick will do more damage to this club than good. If you're telling me you would be at all happy to finish below GWS then, well... i dont know what to say

 

[deeman87]

some1 lock this shit up. Unacceptable to think about tanking away a season when its round 2. Look how well that went for Bailey. Losing breeds a losing culture and i think we already have that down pat. How about trying to win a game against Richmond and see what we can do from there.

 

[Sprout]

Cause seeking out high draft picks has done us so much good thus far. I'm amazed any supporter that has sat through the last 10 years could still think this is the answer. The work on extinguishing the club's losing culture started the moment Neeld walked through the door.

The one positive from a recruiting side is that we finally seem to be on the right track with the likes of Magner, Couch and Clark looking the goods. Not yet indoctrinated I guess. Hopefully they can continue showing ticker to give the others a wake up call, particularly our joke of a senior group.

 

[Billy Demon]

Good to see people rejecting the notion that another bad year in 2012 and high draft picks will set us up with a list that will bring a flag in 5 years - that seems to have been the theme for the past 2-3 years and look at where we are today. You are saying we shouldn't be talking about draft picks in round 2 and I agree 100%. Agree with the posts that say we need to work on winning games, build a winning culture. Some good mature player pickups this year and we need more of the same at the end of the year - some hard strong men who can bring some aggression to the team - the draft has given us enough 17-18 year old 75kg boys who are supposed to bring us a flag down the track.

So, all the coaching panel can do is its best in 2012 with the current list at its disposal - and although we love them with passion, guys like Green, Davey probably need to make way. Jack Watts needs to put on some more weight and maybe he could be tried at CHB. Otherwise, if we see him as a future CHF, play him there and leave him there. Don't worry he will make it. Give guys like Morton and Bate a chance, play them in a few different positions, and then make some tough calls at the end of the year - if they aren't permanent 1st 18 players by the end of the year they also need to move on like for example M Warnock .

 

[guitarded]

**** the priority picks. **** 3 years down the track. We need to beat Richmond in 6 days.

 

[Enforcer25]

I think we've been seduced by that line of thinking too many times in the past. We need to learn how to win, regardless of who's on our list or whether we can win a flag with that list. Lists become more complete once you start achieving things and work out what else you need to go all the way. There haven't been any premiership teams that were built purely from high draft picks and sitting at the bottom of the ladder for years.

I don't condone tanking this season, but Carlton is not too far off it.

 

[Ando727]

I don't condone tanking this season, but Carlton is not too far off it.

Even then, was it purely from draft picks? They did recruit Judd after all - he has set the standard at the club and probably half the reason the draft picks are as good as they are. It seems like we've been collecting even more draft picks than Carlton. Carlton can't be considered a success story until they win a flag through this approach though.

 

[Enforcer25]

Judd was a byproduct of having picks 3 and 20 to trade for him, plus Josh Kennedy a priority pick 4 - as a result of "tanking" (or being crap and at the bottom of the ladder).

Also, they could afford to lose those and maintain the status quo, because previous years had netted them more top end talent to spare, because they had these picks on top of their normal picks.
Their existing picks didn't get moved to the front - an extra pick was added.

They did develop some very good players along the way, but Judd is the main driver behind their success, and he was bought with draft picks from floundering at the bottom (in conjunction with suspect money from Visy).

 

[Ando727]

Judd was a byproduct of having picks 3 and 20 to trade for him, plus Josh Kennedy a priority pick 4 - as a result of "tanking" (or being crap and at the bottom of the ladder).

Also, they could afford to lose those and maintain the status quo, because previous years had netted them more top end talent to spare, because they had these picks on top of their normal picks.
Their existing picks didn't get moved to the front - an extra pick was added.

They did develop some very good players along the way, but Judd is the main driver behind their success, and he was bought with draft picks from floundering at the bottom (in conjunction with suspect money from Visy).

I think we are pretty much in agreement there. So the question is, should be start trading these picks for some hard-working star players? I think we probably should. Without that, our young picks will probably never amount to anything (until they are picked up by rival clubs a few years later and rehabilitated.) Of course, it's easier said than done to get your hands on a Judd. I can't help but imagine how different Melbourne would be if Judd had come to us instead of Carlton.

 

[AFL is Number One]

**** the priority picks. **** 3 years down the track. We need to beat Richmond in 6 days.

Never truer words spoken. Spot on. A win against the tigers this week is a must . Nothing else matters at this point in time. That's how important this game is for us as a club.

 

[00Stinger]

I was one of the few on here that was against tanking for picks, i even copped slack over it.


Those who wanted us to tank, are you happy now?

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

I was one of the few on here that was against tanking for picks, i even copped slack over it.

Well said mate, and yeah, I certainly was too. Was royally pissed off especially after that loss to Richmond in 2009.

 

[Enforcer25]

I was one of the few on here that was against tanking for picks, i even copped slack over it.


Those who wanted us to tank, are you happy now?

No, but we're still better off for losing that Richmond game.

 

[Bluelegs]

No, but we're still better off for losing that Richmond game.

Are we? How do you think it impacted our culture?

 

[Enforcer25]

Losing 1 more game?
Not in the slightest.

Our culture was already cactus and that game made it neither any better or worse.

We have an opportunity now to change the culture, with the resources and structures in place, so we should take it.
Tanking is not an option.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Are we? How do you think it impacted our culture?

Our culture hasn't been that flash for a while mate, not sure tanking had too much to do with it.