Do We Tank???

[GoWoodsmen]

How pathetic and sad that our great game has reached a point where "supporters" (and I use that term very very loosely) are even thinking about the concept of tanking six months out from the start of the season.

Anyone who thinks we should tank should be ashamed of themselves. Bloody disgraceful.

[Domesticated_Ape]

Anyone who thinks we should talk about tanking now has no idea how good tanking works and should probably take a job in Melbourne's footy department.

We'll have 20+ young kids to develop in 2015 and we intend to develop them into winning players.

[Damien]

Anyone who thinks we should talk about tanking now has no idea how good tanking works and should probably take a job in Melbourne's footy department.

We'll have 20+ young kids to develop in 2015 and we intend to develop them into winning players.

They also have no idea about the capabilities of our group in both the short and long term.

[thompsoc]

no. we do not need any more high draft picks.

Quote of the year!
You must be kidding!

[thompsoc]

I remember in 2005 hoping in the last few matches
to lose so we could get the extra high pick.
We did lose and we picked up Pendles.
probably won the flag in 2010 because of us tanking!

[Pies4shaw]

no. we do not need any more high draft picks.

Quote of the year!
You must be kidding!

No, he's really, really not.

I've said it elsewhere but, for avoidance of doubt, by the end of this trade period, the Club will have recruited 4 of the total of 20 top-10 picks from the last 2 drafts. From the draft before that, it took picks 18-20. That's seven top-20 picks over the last 3 years. Add them to Pendlebury (5), Sidebottom (11), Reid (8 ), Brown (10), Adams (13), etc and the team plainly has a lot of high-end draft talent - way more than it has had at any team I can recall. The issue in the short-term will be how to maximise their development/retention, not how to get more high picks.

[thompsoc]

Well pies4shaw it really is about making sure
that quality players going out is less than quality of players
coming in.
You pointed out the good draft picks coming in
but christ the quality going out including retirements
has been a flood including a great number of
A grade players.

[Pies4shaw]

^^^ I accept your point about the retirements. Maxwell, Ball, Jolly, Didak, Krakouer and Johnson were all fine players. There may be others I've missed.

However, the guys that have gone were not, for the most part, A-graders. Apart from Beams, I'm not sure who else could possibly be said to have been an A-grader when they left. Thomas was possibly the best player in the AFL when Ross Lyon said so in 2011 but he has barely played a decent game since. He was a very fine player at his peak but he had a short peak (about a season and a half in 2010 and the first part of 2011, really) and may never again scale those heights. Is there someone else you had in mind?

[thompsoc]

Thanks for being reasonable pies4shaw in your response.
I suppose I believe we are really lacking A grade players.
You need up to 8 of these to have a fair
crack at a flag.
Getting in B graders such as Varcoe , Greenwood
etc... may help with the win loss ratio in the next couple of years
but won't get us to the top of the dune hill.
I believe with pick 5 and 3 picks in the 20's would be better at achieving
the ultimate goal.
Only an opinion.

[jackcass]

Thanks for being reasonable pies4shaw in your response.
I suppose I believe we are really lacking A grade players.
You need up to 8 of these to have a fair
crack at a flag.
Getting in B graders such as Varcoe , Greenwood
etc... may help with the win loss ratio in the next couple of years
but won't get us to the top of the dune hill.
I believe with pick 5 and 3 picks in the 20's would be better at achieving
the ultimate goal.
Only an opinion.

Agree with you on all bar Greenwood. He was 2nd in the Roos B&F so can't be a mug. Is he elite? Probably not. Was 2014 his breakout season or just an aberation? Don't know but he probably deserves the benefit of the doubt, he should be hitting his prime. If he can maintain that then he'll be a more than handy acquisition.

[thompsoc]

I suppose with greenwood is that at 25 he has had only one excellent
season.
If he was a big guy I would be more excited as big guys take
longer than smalls to develop.
He maybe great, may end up an A grader.
But on probability he won't be more than
a good B grader.
It really is about mathematics and insight.

[Jezza]

I'd rather attempt to win every single match and finish dead last rather than tank it for the whole season just so we can obtain the first pick of the National Draft. Just ask Melbourne and Carlton if it's worth it?