In 2007 I wrote a Ramble about tanking and the priority pick, refuting the belief that clubs were tanking to gain priority picks and hasten the rebuilding process. I briefly highlighted Carlton and their interim coach, Brett Ratten, and mentioned Melbourne and their interim coach, Mark Riley.
Consider those clubs.
In 2007, Carlton finished 15th, winning four games, which ensured a priority pick. Richmond won three games and finished last, picking up a priority pick. Melbourne, with five wins, finished 14th. Their priority picks would begin the following year.
The Ramble defended the priority picks in 2007. The Blues used theirs to select Matthew Kreuzer, while Richmond picked Alex Rance.
Four years later, Carlton is fourth with four rounds to play. Richmond is still hopeless, winning just five games. One club has improved after gaining a priority pick, the other has not.
A few weeks ago, Melbourne sacked coach Dean Bailey. During Bailey’s farewell press conference, he admitted to experimental coaching for the benefit of the club, proof, some say, he tanked to gain priority picks.
The AFL disagrees. All it took was a phone call to prove tanking is a myth was a simple phone call to Bailey, who assured the AFL he was developing players in different positions.
It sounds fanciful, but the priority pick, as history will show, doesn’t guarantee success. With Carlton and Richmond and Melbourne as a guide, read the 2007 Ramble and ask yourself if the AFL should get rid of the priority pick.
But some of us still need this team. Now you listen to me! This is my last shot at a winner and for some of the younger guys it could be their only shot. I don’t know what happened to you. But if you ever, ever tank another play like you did today, I’m gonna cut your nuts off and stuff em down your fuckin throat!
Jake Taylor – Major League
One cannot blame the media for the latest furore assaulting AFL sensibilities. As long as the AFL retains the priority pick for underachieving teams the allegation can always be made that clubs deliberately lose games to build for the next season.
Last year, in the face of growing criticism the draft was too rewarding for poorly performed clubs, the AFL changed the rules, preventing those clubs getting two picks at the best talent before the draft started.
Under the old rules, clubs winning five or less games had access to a priority pick, then, based on ladder position, first or second pick when the national draft started.
Some clubs bayed loudly for a change, notably those who’d never received a priority. The new rules mean teams have to play bad football across two seasons to get a priority pick, winning less than eight games from forty-four.
Given the yo-yo nature of the competition, that’s increasingly unlikely, and a fair rule, tougher than previous legislation.
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou defended the priority picks today at a luncheon heralding 150 years of footy. ‘Please go back through the records and tell me if anyone who’s got a priority pick has won a flag in the last few years.’
The AFL has said the rules will be reviewed when the last players who entered their clubs prior to the draft have retired.
Currently there are ten players on AFL lists who circumvented the draft. Three have switched clubs, thus entering the draft process. Four of them were pre-draft selections, with three going to Fremantle, one to Adelaide.
Robert Harvey debuted in 1988 under the old zoning rules, recruited from Seaford to St Kilda. Glenn Archer was picked in 1992, zoned from Noble Park to North Melbourne.
The last two players taken before the draft were Shaun McManus and Shane Parker from Fremantle in 1995.
The others are Peter Everitt, Peter Bell, Nathan Buckley, David Neitz, Scott West and Mark Riccuito, all old hands who’ll finish in the next few seasons.
Anthony Koutafides was on the list but he retired last week.
Kouta’s club Carlton is destined for a priority pick this year if they don’t win another match, which is highly likely.
On Saturday they were accused of tanking a tight contest against Collingwood to ensure they’d still receive the priority. The issue has stretched beyond the weekend, played out, as football always is, in the media. Coaches had their say, notably interim Blues coach Brett Ratten, who dismissed the suggestion that he took star forward Brendan Fevola off deep in the last quarter to tank the match.
Carlton was two goals down. The Magpies would win by four goals. Ratten, by all accounts, desperately wants to win so he can keep his job.
Lions coach Leigh Matthews described the suggestion of tanking as naïve.
Carlton has been belted this year. That they won four games is testament to the ability of their former coach Denis Pagan.
They’re pride has taken a vengeful hammering. It hasn’t been pretty. Up to eight players will be missing, retired, traded or sacked before next season starts.
Losing threatens the players livelihood and undermines their ability. Questions will be asked of their desire to play AFL footy. They’ll be challenged to prove they’ve got the passion to succeed.
Being an AFL footballer is a grand appointment, whether it’s one game or three hundred. Getting there is a desperate fight, a constant battle against injury, willpower, mental doubts and shattered souls.
Being there is all encompassing, delivering riches, fame, respect or notoriety. To be an AFL footballer is to be known, to be seen doing something.
More than twenty-million people live in Australia. Less than 700 represent AFL clubs each year. There’s an annual turnover of about 150.
It’s a desperate fight to stay on an AFL list.
Carlton has already sacked Pagan. It’s been suggested Lance Whitnall, Brendan Fevola and Matthew Lappin will be moved on at season’s end.
That trio would be desperate to win, to show they can still play, because if they get the axe they might be valuable elsewhere, on their last chance.
Players like David Teague, Cain Ackland and Dylan McLaren mightn’t get another chance.
It’s fanciful to think they’ll give up the contest, enhance their chances of getting de-listed just so the team can get an extra pick next year.
Ratten, as caretaker coach is favoured to be appointed as the permanent coach at season’s end. He can’t seriously believe six straight losses will make his ability seem more attractive.
Neither will Mark Riley at Melbourne, another caretaker coach.
Those men should be desperate to win for their status and pride, to do justice to their ability because talent is a terrible thing to waste on losing.
To suggest clubs are deliberately tanking is more than naïve. It’s difficult to conceive, an affront to the integrity of the competition.
The wooden spoon isn’t won. It gets allocated, just like the priority pick. It rewards mediocrity. Clubs don’t want the spoon, no matter the draft picks.
But they’ll accept the AFL’s grand offering with vigour, proof the victor doesn’t always get, or deserve the spoils.
stkilda
hawthorn
carlton
essendon
gold coast
west coast
sydney coast
geelong coast
