Opinion Should the team ask for a Priority Pick 2025 edition.

[xInfected_Virus]

The team has been performing poorly since the second half of 2021 where it has only won 12 games since then. The club's successful period meant that they couldn't draft top talent in the 2010s. The only 2016-2020 draftees (not including players the club traded) that are still good are Ryan, Waterman and Allen (if he's in form).

I remember WCE_Phil saying last year that apparently the club may get priority picks IF both are true which the second half wasn't.

Discussions were had with the AFL 9-10 weeks ago. Back and forth discussions.

There were 2 conditions that were key to the answer.
1. Not with the same coach
2. Not if you win 5 games for the year

Now if someone, hopefully anyone at AFL house watched the first half of our game yesterday the club might get something. I think speculating about it however is unlikely and yes the club does have to formally apply, however most of the discussions are done before any formal application.

I do believe the club is in need of a priority pick to help it's rebuild especially that Tassie's coming to compromise the draft and if things don't improve then there's a good chance we'll get it provided the club applies for them. I honestly do not see the team winning many games apart from when they play well and a weaker team plays god awful that the team can upset them. In my opinion, helping the team rebuild faster is more important than pride of not needing handouts, it's like refusing help from getting off the deserted island even though it maybe our fault we got stuck in the first place.

I do think that priority picks should eventually be banned in the future and that includes if our club or another team has another low point where priority picks should be given. But until that day comes we or another long time bottom club have to make the most of it.

 

[Jandamarra]

We would be foolish not to take any advantage that we can. Annoyed we didn’t get one last year.

 

[Matele]

While academy picks and other nonsense compromise the draft, I’m not going to feel bad if we ask for a PP.

 

[FKASC]

I voted Jack Watts

 

[Monsterdarlz]

Would rather a couple extra rookie spots and soft cap relief

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

If you just take a step back and look at west coast's results over the past three years, and look at the limited amount of talent coming through, you can mount a serious argument that no team in the history of the AFL has been this bad for this long and so poorly placed to rebuild.

People talk about our juniors coming through like we just need time for them to develop, but whilst there are some positives, there's not really any indication our current crop of kids is special. In fact in terms of what they have shown I worry its actually fairly similar to what most other clubs not in full rebuild mode have got cooking away in the 2s, rather than what you would expect a team this bad to have gotten from multiple years with good access to the draft- Some will come good, some will wash out, but the state of our list is so dire and there is so little talent in the middle of our list age bracket that there's a good chance the kids coming through will just maintain rather than actually improve the state of our list. Eg if Brock turns out to be an amazing, AA calibre defender that doesn't mean we are better, it just means we won't get even worse when Gov retires. The critical mass we need, of four or five top tier midfield prospects coming through, simply isn't there. If you look at what we have in the pipeline compared to say North or Richmond, we're gambling with a losing hand.

So yeah, we need assistance.

Don't get me wrong, it sucks. it sucks that the history of west coast as a power club has been effectively washed away by a combination of bad luck and incompetence. It sucks that we are now so bad that the rest of the competition isn't even laughing at us anymore, they're genuinely concerned what we mean for the integrity of the league. And it sucks that the club has ****ed the situation so badly that there's effectively no pathway out of it on our own, but that is where it is at. Trading picks for Baker last year was an exercise in delusional thinking about the state of the list, and failing to ask for priority picks or any other assistance from the AFL would be even more delusional.

The team should be begging for whatever sort of draft pick or list assistance it can get.

 

[Monocle]

Absolutely I would be asking for a PP, as has been mentioned before with the Northern Academy, NGA and Compensation Picks now part of the Draft landscape, it’s become farcical.

Take two years ago when we finished last and first pick of the second round became a pick in the mid twenties.

Cal Twomey has already predicted that this years first round will have something like 30-32 pick in it.

So if we finish last then our second pick would be pick 33….. that’s farked.

Therefore I have no compunction asking for a PP.

Now - Do I think those Viccentric Kent’s at AFL House will give us one…. That’s a whole other dialogue.

 

[Knifey Spoony]

Probably an unpopular opinion but I think the AFL should reinstate priorities picks with a clear criteria.

Right now we have a complex draft that benefits random teams and a system of essentially begging for PP.

I would say if the draft is going to be so convoluted it might as well at least favour struggling teams. If you win less than 5 games in a season you get an extra end of 1st round pick.

I don't think teams would tank for a pick in the mid 20s but it is extra currency that might help trade a senior player in or bundle up for a higher pick.

 

[WCE_phil]

2 Extra rookie spots who can be prelisted from senior competitions
Mid first round pick (11)
End of first round pick (must be traded)

Watching at the game yesterday we are worse than Fitzroy at the end. Unless yeo can come in fully fit and dominate I think we'll lose to Richmond.

Need to look at the weakest teams in the contest and centre square to try and look at winnable games.

Skills are beyond atrocious and our setups at stoppage are just as bad.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Probably an unpopular opinion but I think the AFL should reinstate priorities picks with a clear criteria.

Right now we have a complex draft that benefits random teams and a system of essentially begging for PP.

I would say if the draft is going to be so convoluted it might as well at least favour struggling teams. If you win less than 5 games in a season you get an extra end of 1st round pick.

I don't think teams would tank for a pick in the mid 20s but it is extra currency that might help trade a senior player in or bundle up for a higher pick.

From what you wrote a pick in the 20's can still be pretty beneficial. Hell, we even got Darling from a PP in the 20's. If a team has an extra pick dangled in front of them with the choice of "harmlessly" tanking some "pointless games" at the end of the season, teams will at least be tempted.

Most importantly teams should not be receiving a PP after potentially only one season at the bottom of the ladder. Imagine if a team wins the flag and qualifies for a PP the next season. Teams should only be considered for a PP after a minimum of 4 seasons at the bottom of the ladder.

That means we should be right in the frame for some PP's using that criteria, but perhaps the only thing I would change if requiring the club to request it. Thankfully Nisbett is no longer in charge, and Pyke doesn't seem hesitant to ask for them.

 

[braddalzielleoursaviour]

2 Extra rookie spots who can be prelisted from senior competitions
Mid first round pick (11)
End of first round pick (must be traded)

Watching at the game yesterday we are worse than Fitzroy at the end. Unless yeo can come in fully fit and dominate I think we'll lose to Richmond.

Need to look at the weakest teams in the contest and centre square to try and look at winnable games.

Skills are beyond atrocious and our setups at stoppage are just as bad.

Thoughts on realistic % we actually get this much assistance?

 

[WCE_phil]

Thoughts on realistic % we actually get this much assistance?

If the club wins 2 games and finishes last I think it's 100% on the table.

 

[WCE_phil]

People however need to temper expectations as the AFL hate the WAFC as much as the WAFL clubs and umps hate the Beagles.

The AFL wants control of all competitions and football in all states and has been ****ing over WA football for years because the WAFC still has control here.

 

[braddalzielleoursaviour]

If the club wins 2 games and finishes last I think it's 100% on the table.

From memory mate didn’t North receive a bag of chips being like two second rounders which needed to be traded. Why would we expect any different?

 

[CursoryMercenary]

As I mentioned in a previous post. If we get a priority Pick we will have:

Pick 1, Pick 4 (for Allen) Pick 18 (From Hawthorn) Pick 19 (Priority Pick) & Pick 20 (Round two start)

That would be a fantastic start to the draft in 2025. If Reid wants to leave we could add maybe 2 first rounders to this list as well with another one or two in 2026.

I don't trust our list management but surely they aren't stupid enough to trade picks around like last season.

 

[Priddis Is Done]

Reinstate the priority pick.

Win 5 games pr under, pick after the club's 1st pick.

I.e. eagles win 2 games, Richmond 3, north 5, Melbourne 7
Eagles pick 1
Richmond pick 2
North pick 3
Eagles pick 4
Richmond 5
North pick 6
Melbourne pick 7

Win 10 games or under over a 2 year period
Same as above plus 2 extra picks at the start of the second round.


Clubs tank. It can rorted. Whatever. No club is tanking or purposely wanting to be anchored at the bottom of the ladder for 5 years.

None of this special herbs and spices priority picks based on how someone feels like handing them out.

 

[bzparkes]

I voted Jack Watts

Votes for Jack can't be counted, sorry.

 

[Mattman93]

2 Extra rookie spots who can be prelisted from senior competitions
Mid first round pick (11)
End of first round pick (must be traded)

Watching at the game yesterday we are worse than Fitzroy at the end. Unless yeo can come in fully fit and dominate I think we'll lose to Richmond.

Need to look at the weakest teams in the contest and centre square to try and look at winnable games.

Skills are beyond atrocious and our setups at stoppage are just as bad.

Do you think the club has had its head in the sand a little bit over a few years with off field strategy? (ie, basically no high end picks and serial avoidance of natural midfielders)? If so, have things finally hit home?

What changes in approach, if any, are anticipated from the recent departures and additions to the recruiting team?

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Reinstate the priority pick.

Win 5 games pr under, pick after the club's 1st pick.

I.e. eagles win 2 games, Richmond 3, north 5, Melbourne 7
Eagles pick 1
Richmond pick 2
North pick 3
Eagles pick 4
Richmond 5
North pick 6
Melbourne pick 7

Win 10 games or under over a 2 year period
Same as above plus 2 extra picks at the start of the second round.


Clubs tank. It can rorted. Whatever. No club is tanking or purposely wanting to be anchored at the bottom of the ladder for 5 years.

None of this special herbs and spices priority picks based on how someone feels like handing them out.

Priority picks should absolutely not start being handed out unless you've been at the bottom of the leader for a number of years (let alone top 5 picks). How would you feel if a team won the flag and qualified for a PP the season after and received 2 top 5 picks.

 

[Priddis Is Done]

Priority picks should absolutely not start being handed out unless you've been at the bottom of the leader for a number of years (let alone top 5 picks). How would you feel if a team won the flag and qualified for a PP the season after and received 2 top 5 picks.

I'm okay with it. It means something dramatically went wrong. No onecis doing that on purpose.

Make it an average of 2 or 3 years then.

But this malarkey of special herbs and spices based on the whim of handing one out when they feel like it, needs to stop.

There's the detractors that say we won a flag 7 years ago and it's too recent. Or st kilds hasn't wong a flag for 50 years. So how many years is it? 7, 10, 15? What's the formula?

And getting a priority end of this year is way too late. We don't see the fruits of that for years. So it means we get another one the year after. It's should have come 2 years ago.

How it occurs now is a disgrace.

 

[No Hassle Hough]

I’m not too proud to ask for whatever assistance we can get. I’ll tell you why:

I work with a Sydney supporter and a Carlton supporter. The Sydney supporter was complaining to the Carlton supporter about West Coast getting assistance / PPs. He actually said Carlton didn’t receive any PPs and the Carlton supporter agreed.

My takeaway from all that, if supporters of teams that previously received PPs don’t even remember they got them, ( not to mention getting Heeney and Mills for a bag of chips), we should take whatever we can get.

 

[bzparkes]

Do you think the club has had its head in the sand a little bit over a few years with off field strategy?

Seems like it. Nisbett was completely asleep at the wheel after 2018.

 

[Jumpoff Joey]

We should be screaming behind closed doors give us the Gold Coast deal.

Priority Picks
The provision of draft picks for the next 3 years (reviewable annually), including the first pick in the 2025 AFL Draft. + additional x2 rookie list spots.

Pick #1 and first pick of the second round (currently pick #32) in the 2025 NAB AFL Draft. That means, without Oscar or Harley leaving, we go to the draft, Pick 1, 2, 18, 19,20, 21, 36, 54.

Mid-first round pick (currently pick #11) in the 2026 NAB AFL Draft.

First pick of the second round (currently pick #19) in the 2027 NAB AFL Draft.

And we should have been asking for the last two years now.

 

[Obeanie1]

Probably an unpopular opinion but I think the AFL should reinstate priorities picks with a clear criteria.

Right now we have a complex draft that benefits random teams and a system of essentially begging for PP.

I would say if the draft is going to be so convoluted it might as well at least favour struggling teams. If you win less than 5 games in a season you get an extra end of 1st round pick.

I don't think teams would tank for a pick in the mid 20s but it is extra currency that might help trade a senior player in or bundle up for a higher pick.

Easy solution.

You finish last your 2nd becomes and end of 1st.

Not drop another 10 spots.

 

[Farmer Lister]

Yes. We should have asked for them last year.