Mitch Clark Retires

[Mailman the 2nd]

I'm pretty sure if they had the first two the AFL wouldn't bother giving them a 3rd. Don't really see how this changes the draft at all.

What i think is more likely to happen (if Frawley goes) is that Melbourne will trade its priority pick for another player like Dom Tyson

[Toga]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-concedes-melbourne-could-receive-priority-pick-and-if-loses-james-frawley-could-have-top-three-draft-selections/story-fni5f91a-1226879331080

Wow every year one club is getting a host of the top picks aren't they! :o

I'm pretty sure if they had the first two the AFL wouldn't bother giving them a 3rd. Don't really see how this changes the draft at all.

What i think is more likely to happen (if Frawley goes) is that Melbourne will trade its priority pick for another player like Dom Tyson

Yeah this is what should be done at least - trade on a pick for a proven & talented player.

[Big Mac]

To the guys complaining that Melbourne *might* get the top three draft picks, what else is the AFL supposed to do in that situation?

[Mailman the 2nd]

The AFL doesn't have to "concede" that Melbourne will get 3 draft picks because they're the ones who decide whether they get them or not.

Its pretty much a non-issue

[Big Mac]

The AFL doesn't have to "concede" that Melbourne will get 3 draft picks because they're the ones who decide whether they get them or not.

Its pretty much a non-issue

I think they're referring to the fact that Melbourne were denied a priority pick last year, because Hogan would be playing and Clark should be over his injuries, among other changes this year. And if we continue with our current form they feel as if there is no way they could deny us a priority pick again. Don't get me wrong though, I would love for the club to be in a situation where it didn't have to worry about which priority pick it would be getting.

[Mailman the 2nd]

The reason for not giving a priority pick last year wasn't because the AFL thought that Melbourne didn't need it, it was because they said the only reason they needed it was because of incompetency via the club itself.

I don't think that opinion will change after this year, especially if they have the first two picks in the draft

[ossie85]

The reason for not giving a priority pick last year wasn't because the AFL thought that Melbourne didn't need it, it was because they said the only reason they needed it was because of incompetency via the club itself.

I don't think that opinion will change after this year, especially if they have the first two picks in the draft

That was a terrible argument the AFL made IMO

The only way any team can get bad enough to deserve a priority pick is through incompetence, yet incompetence disqualifies you. *scratches head*

Ah! You must deliberately become terrible...

... but isn't that tanking?

hmmm...

[Mailman the 2nd]

While I agree that tanking and incompetence are more or less contradictory reasons, Melbourne have just made too many mistakes which could be seen as deliberate or just silly for them to get a priority pick.

This is a club that's already been given a priority pick within 4 years, has been accused of purposefully losing, had to be bailed out financially, has lost some 3 coaches and been unable to keep any of their key players over the past 5 years excluding Nathan Jones.

[ossie85]

Indeed

But most of those mistakes were done by people not at the club. Seems cruel and unusual to punish the current team,  kinda like going to jail for your father's crimes

[Mailman the 2nd]

For the record, I'd personally rather see Melbourne actually get the first 3 picks, I'm just quite pessimistic on the AFL wanting to give them one.

One pick doesn't really tamper or change a draft that much, plenty of 1st, 2nd and 3rd draft picks have flopped over the years

[Ziplock]

For the record, I'd personally rather see Melbourne actually get the first 3 picks, I'm just quite pessimistic on the AFL wanting to give them one.

One pick doesn't really tamper or change a draft that much, plenty of 1st, 2nd and 3rd draft picks have flopped over the years

mmmm...

relatively few.

almost no first draft picks have really been flops (giving the relatively recent ones time to develop). And the fail rate for top 3 picks is so much lower than other picks.

[Mailman the 2nd]

For the record, I'd personally rather see Melbourne actually get the first 3 picks, I'm just quite pessimistic on the AFL wanting to give them one.

One pick doesn't really tamper or change a draft that much, plenty of 1st, 2nd and 3rd draft picks have flopped over the years

mmmm...

relatively few.

almost no first draft picks have really been flops (giving the relatively recent ones time to develop). And the fail rate for top 3 picks is so much lower than other picks.

relative to the picks 5 - 20 taken in the same drafts I'd say there are