List Mgmt. Should The Eagles Request A Priority Assistance Package at The End of This Year?

[CursoryMercenary]

I don't see us winning another game this season, so it's a big fat YES for a priority pick, hopefully it follows our first round pick as well.

 

[mattyc75]

Maric did okay last year. I reckon Jai Culley has some potential too.

The AFL doesn't really seem concerned with developing young players or grass roots footy, which is where most decent players (ie not superstars or first round picks) come from. Otherwise they'd be keen to prioritise helping clubs build good development programs.

I think it was the Collingwood President who said a few weeks ago that they didn't really give a stuff about draft picks or developing younger players. Instead they were just gonna poach other sides good players for as long as they could. Its crazy that people think that way. No wonder the game is not in the best shape.

Yeah we've had the top pick in the rookie drafts for 2 years. Our use of the actual rookie list has been deplorable for years. Basically a waiting list to get delisted

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[Dylan82]

I think it was the Collingwood President who said a few weeks ago that they didn't really give a stuff about draft picks or developing younger players. Instead they were just gonna poach other sides good players for as long as they could. Its crazy that people think that way. No wonder the game is not in the best shape.

I can't recall that line being spoken, but the premise wouldn't surprise me.


The combination of free agency and the lop-sided nature of the competition with more than half of clubs based in one state, plays directly to the advantage of the largest clubs in that state.

Over the past 10 seasons, two-thirds of all free agency transfers have been to Victorian clubs, with the majority of those being of a predatory nature where a club positioned in a premiership window is able to top-up cheaply at the expense of those lower down. Just three players have moved to WA clubs by free agency over that period (R.Conca, J.Hunt and M.Flynn).

The threat of player free agency then has knock-on effects on player trading. Not everyone receives the same treatment that your club had last year - aside from Gold Coast the track record of pick compensation as calculated by the administration has been seemingly to a completely different set of rules when it comes to non-Victorian clubs.

Which leads to an unequal leverage in trade negotiations towards those Victorian clubs. Look at the difference in trade between West Coast gaining T.Kelly versus J.Redden or L.Jetta. Or Melbourne to gain J.Lever from Adelaide versus what they received from Fremantle for L.Jackson.

It leaves those clubs with more capital to build a squad with and be successful as a result.



Then of course you have travel. Make Geelong and Collingwood journey as much as interstate clubs and there is no chance they take the last two premierships with their aged squads. The Cats left Victoria just twice over their last 12 matches in 2022, the Magpies finished with 8 straight at home in 2023.

The lack of travel, particularly during the run-in to finals means those clubs can maintain veterans far longer and have a sustained period of success without the amount of turnover that would be necessary if they were travelling with greater regularity.

And associated to that is finals themselves. For any Victorian club, regardless of where you finish in the top 8, the Grand Final will be at home. It guarantees you won't have consecutive weeks of travel from Preliminary to Grand Final, which opens up the genuine prospect of qualification from 5-8th if you have a good few weeks. That isn't a possibility for those outside Victoria - if you don't finish top 4, you have zero chance, which narrows any window of opportunity significantly.


The reality is that under current circumstances, it is far easier to build a successful list as a large Victorian club than elsewhere, as free agency, trade and travel all combine to provide a considerable headstart compared to the rest of the competition.

 

[Keys]

I can't recall that line being spoken, but the premise wouldn't surprise me.


The combination of free agency and the lop-sided nature of the competition with more than half of clubs based in one state, plays directly to the advantage of the largest clubs in that state.

Over the past 10 seasons, two-thirds of all free agency transfers have been to Victorian clubs, with the majority of those being of a predatory nature where a club positioned in a premiership window is able to top-up cheaply at the expense of those lower down. Just three players have moved to WA clubs by free agency over that period (R.Conca, J.Hunt and M.Flynn).

The threat of player free agency then has knock-on effects on player trading. Not everyone receives the same treatment that your club had last year - aside from Gold Coast the track record of pick compensation as calculated by the administration has been seemingly to a completely different set of rules when it comes to non-Victorian clubs.

Which leads to an unequal leverage in trade negotiations towards those Victorian clubs. Look at the difference in trade between West Coast gaining T.Kelly versus J.Redden or L.Jetta. Or Melbourne to gain J.Lever from Adelaide versus what they received from Fremantle for L.Jackson.

It leaves those clubs with more capital to build a squad with and be successful as a result.



Then of course you have travel. Make Geelong and Collingwood journey as much as interstate clubs and there is no chance they take the last two premierships with their aged squads. The Cats left Victoria just twice over their last 12 matches in 2022, the Magpies finished with 8 straight at home in 2023.

The lack of travel, particularly during the run-in to finals means those clubs can maintain veterans far longer and have a sustained period of success without the amount of turnover that would be necessary if they were travelling with greater regularity.

And associated to that is finals themselves. For any Victorian club, regardless of where you finish in the top 8, the Grand Final will be at home. It guarantees you won't have consecutive weeks of travel from Preliminary to Grand Final, which opens up the genuine prospect of qualification from 5-8th if you have a good few weeks. That isn't a possibility for those outside Victoria - if you don't finish top 4, you have zero chance, which narrows any window of opportunity significantly.


The reality is that under current circumstances, it is far easier to build a successful list as a large Victorian club than elsewhere, as free agency, trade and travel all combine to provide a considerable headstart compared to the rest of the competition.

Agree with what you’ve written but will also add the large Victorian clubs also enjoy the benefit of multiple marquee games when it comes to attracting players

Players recruited to Collingwood in particular, but also Richmond, Essendon and Carlton refer to the attraction of playing in front of big crowds

Those big clubs also are the least often sent to Geelong, Tasmania or the NT because the AFL prioritise attendance when setting the fixture

 

[xInfected_Virus]

I can't recall that line being spoken, but the premise wouldn't surprise me.


The combination of free agency and the lop-sided nature of the competition with more than half of clubs based in one state, plays directly to the advantage of the largest clubs in that state.

Over the past 10 seasons, two-thirds of all free agency transfers have been to Victorian clubs, with the majority of those being of a predatory nature where a club positioned in a premiership window is able to top-up cheaply at the expense of those lower down. Just three players have moved to WA clubs by free agency over that period (R.Conca, J.Hunt and M.Flynn).

The threat of player free agency then has knock-on effects on player trading. Not everyone receives the same treatment that your club had last year - aside from Gold Coast the track record of pick compensation as calculated by the administration has been seemingly to a completely different set of rules when it comes to non-Victorian clubs.

Which leads to an unequal leverage in trade negotiations towards those Victorian clubs. Look at the difference in trade between West Coast gaining T.Kelly versus J.Redden or L.Jetta. Or Melbourne to gain J.Lever from Adelaide versus what they received from Fremantle for L.Jackson.

It leaves those clubs with more capital to build a squad with and be successful as a result.



Then of course you have travel. Make Geelong and Collingwood journey as much as interstate clubs and there is no chance they take the last two premierships with their aged squads. The Cats left Victoria just twice over their last 12 matches in 2022, the Magpies finished with 8 straight at home in 2023.

The lack of travel, particularly during the run-in to finals means those clubs can maintain veterans far longer and have a sustained period of success without the amount of turnover that would be necessary if they were travelling with greater regularity.

And associated to that is finals themselves. For any Victorian club, regardless of where you finish in the top 8, the Grand Final will be at home. It guarantees you won't have consecutive weeks of travel from Preliminary to Grand Final, which opens up the genuine prospect of qualification from 5-8th if you have a good few weeks. That isn't a possibility for those outside Victoria - if you don't finish top 4, you have zero chance, which narrows any window of opportunity significantly.


The reality is that under current circumstances, it is far easier to build a successful list as a large Victorian club than elsewhere, as free agency, trade and travel all combine to provide a considerable headstart compared to the rest of the competition.

Is there any way to fix it or at least address some solutions to help reduce the gap between Vic clubs and interstate clubs.

Obviously we need a PP for sure that's ideally two end of first rounders. My personal solution is that us and Freo should have rights to match academy bids, remove the soft cap for medical and strength and conditioning departments, increase the soft cap overall for interstate teams. Both us and Freo should request an extra home game with the gather round in 2025 and beyond and we should get the most extra interchanges out of all the interstate clubs due to how far we have to travel.

Since this is the priority assistance package thread, absolute yes to a PP since we can use that to help the rebuild more before TAS comes in and compromises the 2026-27 drafts. I honestly hope we don't pull a 2009 and win meaningless games which is likely so we have a better chance of the league saying yes to a PP and we hope Richmond and Norf finish above us so we can the number 1 pick which we could potentially split for a powerful draft hand to help accelerate the rebuild more.

 

[MrWoollie]

Then of course you have travel. Make Geelong and Collingwood journey as much as interstate clubs and there is no chance they take the last two premierships with their aged squads. The Cats left Victoria just twice over their last 12 matches in 2022, the Magpies finished with 8 straight at home in 2023.

The lack of travel, particularly during the run-in to finals means those clubs can maintain veterans far longer and have a sustained period of success without the amount of turnover that would be necessary if they were travelling with greater regularity.

Have a look over the years at WC ladder position and number of wins/losses after about round 14-16 and then look at what happens over the last roughly 1/3 of the season.
Time and time again we fall off the cliff.

It's not as if we are more unfit or something like that. We accumulate more injuries (travel doesn't help) and there is the general fatigue of week after week travel.

Travel has a lot to answer for and the vAFL loves playing ostrich on the issue.

 

[Cuzz09]

Think we'll get back to back spoons so PP is needed.

Tigers will beat Pies and GC
norf will beat us and Tiges
We will get belted every week

PP x 6 please

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[Byron_Clanger]

We SHOULD ask for assistance but we probably won't. The AFL would probably respond with a 'You guys like x amount of games by 100 last year and haven't lost by 100 once yet this year'..which is because we had 24 blokes on the injured list last year.

This list is the drizzling shits and needs a full on prune. It honestly disgusts me how many games we've had over the last few years where the game's been over by quarter time..that's not normal.

 

[Farang83150]

Hope Pyke asks for them, love to see the melts if we get something.

 

[Mick63]

Have a look over the years at WC ladder position and number of wins/losses after about round 14-16 and then look at what happens over the last roughly 1/3 of the season.
Time and time again we fall off the cliff.

It's not as if we are more unfit or something like that. We accumulate more injuries (travel doesn't help) and there is the general fatigue of week after week travel.

Travel has a lot to answer for and the vAFL loves playing ostrich on the issue.

Reminds me of the first three years under Woosha (02–04). We were flying at the halfway point each year before falling away and JUST scraping into finals, then getting pummelled in away elim. Still saddens me that Peter Matera's last game was the away 02 elim against Essendon, he deserved a Subi send off.

On topic: 110% for the priority pick(s). Get as many gun kids in as possible, the cupboard is so bare.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Id just go to the AFL with the wording of

"Look you can give us 2 picks or we will need to trade experienced players for those 2 picks, making us even worse in the short term"

AFL will not want us to get worse in the short term.... We are bad enough as it is. In AFLs mind if we traded Barass + Waterman + McGovern out then its going to be a horrible look for everyone

The 2 picks we ask for shouldnt be end of first round crap. Ask for 1 pick after our current 1st rounder + a end of first round pick. Aim high and accept low.

If the AFL view Norths concessions a dismal failure, asking them to repeat that failure isnt very logical for both us and AFL. Use the example of Rowell/Anderson in regards to how 2 top 5 picks from same draft is a big helper in becoming competitive right away.. If we put the effort in and stop trying to be soft then we can generally make a big move here

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

"Give us picks or we will blow the soft cap every single ****ing year hiring the absolute best development coaches and tacticians in the game, forcing the other big clubs to match or exceed our spending. Do you really want to open that can of worms?"

Then blow the cap anyway.

Pyke:

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

"Give us picks or we will blow the soft cap every single ****ing year hiring the absolute best development coaches and tacticians in the game, forcing the other big clubs to match or exceed our spending. Do you really want to open that can of worms?"

Pyke:

"Give us picks or we will fly all 22 players business class for the next 5 years"

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

"Give us picks or we will fly all 22 players business class for the next 5 years"

"Give us picks or we will buy Qantas and disable all the toilets except on the Concorde we dusted off for ourselves"

 

[Wedgetailed Westerner]

I've changed my tune on the priority pick issue.Farkin ask for whatever we can get.
We have been part funding the minnow clubs for so long that now that we need some help we should be asking.

 

[ziad]

Never let a chance go by, we have to be in it to win it.
But, probably won't get up as many say.

 

[Rooboy1708]

Never let a chance go by, we have to be in it to win it.
But, probably won't get up as many say.

I think that both Freo and WCE should have bigger list sizes and not through rookies to account for travel. In addition you should be given greater academy access for indigenous players that you have first access to and not have to use early draft pics.

 

[shooshka]

I've changed my tune on the priority pick issue.Farkin ask for whatever we can get.
We have been part funding the minnow clubs for so long that now that we need some help we should be asking.

I’m completely against the idea of PP’s as a mechanism for the AFL, but while they are available we should ask.

Reasoning:
Form (obviously we are terrible)
2x 1st round picks retired due to concussion (one at a young age)
2nd round picks being shuffled back significantly in 2x drafts in a row (more, but recent history is ‘why’ we are asking for assistance)

Ask for what we can, but if we got F2, F3 for trading I think that would be a help. Could be Baker + Dev/Carroll - get a couple of FA’s as well and we should be more competitive (as bad as this season has been, it is an improvement on last year, so something to build on)


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[oldgoat]

I don't like the pessimistic nature of the thread. Why not wait until midseason at least?

Midseason?...now is the winter of our discontent.

 

[Trouto]

Not too sure the AFL will give us any PP's due to the mess we find ourselves in is wholly our own fault.

trading away picks to top up a list that we thought was better than it actually was.

2018 - our top pick was pick 28
2019 - top pick was 49 (FFS!!!)
2020 - top pick was 52 (dont know why we even bothered)
2021 - top pick was 14, so we started to go back to normality

is it any wonder that the players we lack at the club are the 21 to 24 year olds who are just hitting their straps? 2018 to 2020 has killed us. 3 years of neglect will give us 6-8 years of pain.

 

[stallon]

Not too sure the AFL will give us any PP's due to the mess we find ourselves in is wholly our own fault.

Literally every club to ever get priority picks has ****ed it up themselves.

I dont know why that point keeps getting brought up, it's completely irrelevant.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Not too sure the AFL will give us any PP's due to the mess we find ourselves in is wholly our own fault.

As opposed to Norf who had the state of their list imposed on them by someone else?

 

[ziad]

Literally every club to ever get priority picks has ****ed it up themselves.

I dont know why that point keeps getting brought up, it's completely irrelevant.

Perhaps many think we fit your criteria

 

[Trouto]

Literally every club to ever get priority picks has ****ed it up themselves.

I dont know why that point keeps getting brought up, it's completely irrelevant.

you are right, i just wanted to vent how stupid the recruiting were for years. I was definitely thinking we were going to pay for it at the time, too.

 

[MrWoollie]

Reminds me of the first three years under Woosha (02–04). We were flying at the halfway point each year before falling away and JUST scraping into finals, then getting pummelled in away elim. Still saddens me that Peter Matera's last game was the away 02 elim against Essendon, he deserved a Subi send off.

On topic: 110% for the priority pick(s). Get as many gun kids in as possible, the cupboard is so bare.

A few season examples

1999 - top after 14 rounds. Won 1 game from that point on to finish 6 games behind minor premier Essendon. Played a home final against Carlton at the MCG to bow out.
2000 - mid season were 5th, 2 games off 2nd. Won 1 game from that point to finish 13th.
2002 - after 11 rounds ( 1/2 season) were 2 games off top. Staggered into the finals on percentage, 7 games behind Port.
2003 - after 13 rounds only 1/2 a game off top. Ended up 5 games off top.
2007 - mid season a game clear on top. Finished 3 games behind Geelong.
2010 - only 1 win after round 8.
2012 - top after 12 rounds. Finished 5th.

And on topic, we need it more than GC did 2018/19 and much more than Norf in [insert year here].

Not only are we fighting travel and concussion retirements and more injuries (see travel) but we are fighting to even draft the best available thanks to the vAFL looking the other way when Viv Metro Mummy's Boys inc. blatantly manipulate the draft to stay at home.
#needasmuchhelpaswecangetourgrubbylittlehandson