Should Essendon Tank?

[Big Blow Hard]

Should Essendon, for want of a better word, Tank for draft picks? Or should we endevour to finish the year of strong and give fans something to look forward to?

I believe the latter. No draft pick or Player is worth the Pride and Credibility of the Essendon Football Club. I would be sick to the stomach if I had an incling we were not trying to win every game.

 

[Bombers42]

I dont like tanking at all, but these days, its very hard to get back up to one of the best sides with out doing it, take a look at how long it took the tigers after a string of 8-12 on the ladder. I think their definatly is a fair case their, although in what ever desicion we make we have to stick behind Knights because sacking him like other clubs have done to coach's would be pointless.

 

[cAsEy_18]

Dud players can come from the top 10, guns can also come from picks in the 40's (Have a look at Reimers and Houli hopefully). Not worth it. We may regret it if our pick 5 turns out badly, and pick 3 Rich or someone is a gun, but it's all a raffle at this stage, go for the wins, we are not a club that cheats, we are a bloody proud club.

 

[Spikey]

Tanking is for teams with no pride (IE Carlton). We have pride. Therefore, We shall not tank.

 

[Murphinator]

Tanking isn't possible in a game with 22 players - Try and throw a match when the blokes on the field want to win.

good kids come from any part of the draft - many from the rookie draft. Draft/recruiting managers need to look carefully at the prospects and pick their best options. Look at Hird, great example, pick 79. Cross, pick 40+. Kerr to a lesser extent, at 17ish.
Rookie list: Sewell, Carrazzo(ball-magnet)... the list goes on

How can you say a team has no pride..? absolutely rediculous Spikey.

 

[Spikey]

How can you say a team has no pride..? absolutely rediculous Spikey.

Note the . Was having a joke around. Though I think it would be fair to say some clubs have players with no pride for the club.

 

[rines]

you know with all the talk about tanking starting up again this year i was just about to post a similiar thread/poll.

i think tanking is seen as the way to the top.. so i understand it in principle.. however I would never want to develop a losing culture or for players not to give 100%.. finish strong, develop the confidence and get the game plan working. i don't see much difference between pick 3 and pick 6 if it means we get to know who is going to make it or not and get a real sense of direction..

i think carlton would still be struggling despite their tanking.. I think their biggest pick ups have been judd and stevens.. both those back this year to strengthen the side and provide leadership.. in both their big wins in the last fortnight judd has just stepped up in the last quarter..

 

[Jesse Custer]

Tanking isn't possible in a game with 22 players - Try and throw a match when the blokes on the field want to win.


Its possible because your club is an expert at it. By mysteriously sending players for operations, or 'resting' them sounds like tanking to me. Whatever you do, dont try and justify your clubs tanking history. It didnt look like your pathetic overrated piece of shite of a club was trying to win a quarter let alone a game in the last couple of years. Non carltank supporters arent blind.

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Lets please try to keep this about Essendon, not Carlton. Cheers.

 

[The Donners]

Dud players can come from the top 10, guns can also come from picks in the 40's (Have a look at Reimers and Houli hopefully). Not worth it. We may regret it if our pick 5 turns out badly, and pick 3 Rich or someone is a gun, but it's all a raffle at this stage, go for the wins, we are not a club that cheats, we are a bloody proud club.

Houli and Reimers are no Judd, Murphy, Pavlich, Franklin, Hodge, Bartel, Pendlebury, Cooney etc. How many of those types have come from picks in the 40s? None. No a-grade or elite player after 2001 (Dane Swan '01)) have come from a pick in the 40s or lower. You would have to go back over 10 years to find elite players from that bracket other than F/S, Goodes ('97) other than the beforementioned. The liklihood of finding a diamond in the rough is significantly less each draft.

Houli and Reimers are handy players and you would believe they would be in our best 22 in a successful side however I believe success will only come with at least 2-3 elite players, particularly midfielders. If we continue to win we will miss out on the best midfield and key position prospects, Rich, Swift, Suban, Hurley or whomever tickles your fancy. Drafting a potential star is much more encouragement for Essendon supporters than winning 6-8 games and missing out on the best young midfielder or key backman available in the national draft imo.

 

[cAsEy_18]

My point wasn't to say that we will get a Rich, like a Judd, in the pick 40's, because we will have a pick in the 40's either way, but what i was trying to say was dud picks come from the top 10, and good players can come from the 40's, you are not guranteed a superstar just because you have a high pick. Bad example this because they are different types of players, there are plenty more examples but this was just the first one that came to mind, Laycock was a pick 10, Houli and Reimers went at 42 and 47. Who would you rather?

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Hmm, it's a tough question all clubs have to seriously consider imo...
I wouldn't want to tank and get absolutely demolished, but tanking and being competitive at the same time (*Cough* Freo *Cough*) is an option which is very tempting...

Losing every week from here on in will eventually take its toll on the players though, whether it is losing a lot of confidence in their ability or possibly looking elsewhere into the near future to possibly go to the new arriving teams to find success...

Either way could be a win-win, but creating a winning culture is not something you can draft, so I think I have to go with winning as many games as possible...

 

[retroparty]

No.

High draft picks are overrated.

I'd hate it if my club tanked a season. Its cheating. I hate it.

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Houli and Reimers are no Judd, Murphy, Pavlich, Franklin, Hodge, Bartel, Pendlebury, Cooney etc. How many of those types have come from picks in the 40s? None. No a-grade or elite player after 2001 (Dane Swan '01)) have come from a pick in the 40s or lower. You would have to go back over 10 years to find elite players from that bracket other than F/S, Goodes ('97) other than the beforementioned. The liklihood of finding a diamond in the rough is significantly less each draft.

Houli and Reimers are handy players and you would believe they would be in our best 22 in a successful side however I believe success will only come with at least 2-3 elite players, particularly midfielders. If we continue to win we will miss out on the best midfield and key position prospects, Rich, Swift, Suban, Hurley or whomever tickles your fancy. Drafting a potential star is much more encouragement for Essendon supporters than winning 6-8 games and missing out on the best young midfielder or key backman available in the national draft imo.

These players were all drafted outside the top 3. In a strong draft like this years top 10 supposedly is, picking between 3 - 8 is just as likely to garner a great player. You listed four potential draftees, and including Nantui, they all can't be drafted in the top 2. If we have a dip and finish fourth last, we will still get a quality player.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

These players were all drafted outside the top 3. In a strong draft like this years top 10 supposedly is, picking between 3 - 8 is just as likely to garner a great player. You listed four potential draftees, and including Nantui, they all can't be drafted in the top 2. If we have a dip and finish fourth last, we will still get a quality player.

Agree with that post, the 3-8 draft pick bracket still has some real top quality in it, and could realistically turn out better than Rich & Big Nait. Hurley, Suban, Hartlett, Cornelius, Walters & DeBoer could figure around that mark, and there's no doubting their quality as young players...

 

[andrew4443]

No way, getting a pick 1-3 doesn't necessary mean getting a gun player. Not good for the clubs culture, financial position and supporter base if we resort to tanking

 

[Windas_Magic]

No, i would prefer to win as many games as possible. I would only be pissed off if we finished with 5 wins or 4 wins and a draw because we would just miss out on the PP. I wouldn't be upset at all with 4 wins mind you
Rich is gone anyway so with pick 3-5 we could easily find another quality youngster

 

[sikmoe]

we are not CARLTON........ we are ESSENDON, we dont tank.

 

[bossco]

We've been playing the kids since round 1. We've said farewell to veterans that do not serve our future needs at round 5. We've only won 3 games to this point. Please explain to me what we are going to do any different from now on to actually start "tanking"

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Simple, not WIN the winnable games, and don't show show any grit against the tough teams. A tanking side, would have still lost against WC on the weekend. Having a red hot Dip this weekend against the Blues will be an indicator. We have all been saying that injuries have robbed us of a good start to the season. The injury list is steadily improving, We have Scotty back. Prove to the fans, and the record membership, that our faith is not misplaced. If we don't finish with at least two-three more wins, I will have considered us as having tanked.

 

[Kaan]

No.

A win felt so good last friday night.

Losing games for draft picks is just ridiculous.

 

[Jesse Custer]

No.

A win felt so good last friday night.

Losing games for draft picks is just ridiculous.

I agree, unfortunately thats the way it is. You get rewarded for tanking year after year.

 

[The Donners]

My point wasn't to say that we will get a Rich, like a Judd, in the pick 40's, because we will have a pick in the 40's either way, but what i was trying to say was dud picks come from the top 10, and good players can come from the 40's, you are not guranteed a superstar just because you have a high pick. Bad example this because they are different types of players, there are plenty more examples but this was just the first one that came to mind, Laycock was a pick 10, Houli and Reimers went at 42 and 47. Who would you rather?

I see your point and duly noted. I agree. However...

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=438426&page=44

 

[The Donners]

Hmm, it's a tough question all clubs have to seriously consider imo...
I wouldn't want to tank and get absolutely demolished, but tanking and being competitive at the same time (*Cough* Freo *Cough*) is an option which is very tempting...

Losing every week from here on in will eventually take its toll on the players though, whether it is losing a lot of confidence in their ability or possibly looking elsewhere into the near future to possibly go to the new arriving teams to find success...

Either way could be a win-win, but creating a winning culture is not something you can draft, so I think I have to go with winning as many games as possible...

Hawthorn only won 4 games in Clarkson's first year, got a little lucky with trading but still bagged Roughead, Franklin and Lewis. Now they are a premiership contender.

The players will either lose confidence by losing or they will strive harder and have a greater hunger for success. I want our players to have a strong hunger for a premiership but to do so we'll have to recruit exceptionally well and imo opinion that includes a top 3 draft pick and a priority pick to use as a potential trade for a budding young star from another club such as a Ryan Griffen (only using Griffen as an example).

 

[rines]

the big change is the priority pick.. hawthorn got the two picks because at that stage if you had one bad year you got the PP before the first round.. now it doesn't matter so much cause you have to be crap for two years running.. i don't see us not being able to win more than 5 games next year so the PP is out of the picture.. with that in mind; if you look the state of the ladder.. the worst we will do by winning is jumping over maybe freo and richmond.. so we will get 5/6 rather than 3/4.. which is NOT worth losing for or risking a winning culture and a "win at all costs" attitude..

no i want us to beat carlton, then brisbane, freo and richmond or actually.. maybe I just want to win every game