Is it time to tank?

[chipa 2]

I know a majority of you will say this is nonsense and we need to try our best to win games for team morale, etc.

But let's face the facts:

Our list simply isn't good enough at the moment, we have too many battlers and/or players who are unwilling to give it their all for whatever reason.

Whatever your opinion, if we have to take Jack Viney with a top 3 pick this year, it would be a disaster, no matter what his worth. We need to inject as much young talent this year and by tanking it means we will have at least picks 1 & 2 and will be able to pick up Viney in the second round. This means that we would be acquiring at least 3 players that will walk into our starting line up next year, without even considering what we might do with free agency.

I know this will sound a bit extreme, but to be honest, we can't get any worse at the moment and drastic, unprecedented changes need to occur at seasons end.

I suggest trading/getting rid of Moloney (clearly doesn't care anymore and from an outsiders perspective, is not a good role model for our young players), Sylvia (sure - he COULD be a great player, but his attitude stinks and is something we cannot afford to have around the club if we are going to rebuild into a super team) and then of course the usual suspects such as Dunn, Bate to ensure the list is completely cleaned out.

Since 2006 we have gone half hearted in rebuilding, but now is the time to make a stand and clean out all the junk. No compromising, no risks, just do it!

[deeflog 679]

this is a ridiculous topic

we don't need to tank to loose games of footy, you need to be able to win first to tank to loose

[Guest José Mourinho]

this is a ridiculous topic

we don't need to tank to loose games of footy, you need to be able to win first to tank to lose

This.

But we're making a case for the AFL to hand us a priority pick to boot.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

I have a somewhat perverted fantasy that we aren't actually this bad, we have just been tanking this season to set ourselves up for a dominant 10 year period.

It helps me sleep at night anyways. That and scotch. Lots and lots of scotch. Wwahhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Nascent 7,200]

Tanking implies that we are capable of winning multiple games. I'm sick of losing and our faith in high draft picks that was supposed to be our saviour and signal the rise of the mighty Demons hasn't exactly worked out as planned. Win at all costs and instil that into the playing groups mind. I remember when Peter Walsh crossed over to Port Adelaide and stated that "Port Adelaide has a win at all costs mantra that he never experienced at Melbourne" or words to that effect. That rang enormous alarm bells to me at the end of the 04 season.

[deejammin' 2,060]

LMFAO!!!!! Tanking is underperforming in order to lose games.... we are currently performing our best "seeing improvement every week" and can't get to within 100 points of an injury depleted team that was just flogged by Richmond. I don't think we could tank if we tried! What score nothing in the first quarter instead of 4 points? The only tanking recently has been the Eagles and the Blues, we were really that bad, people like Bailey and the supporters just can't accept it!

[chipa 2]

this was mainly in regards to the GWS and Gold Coast games, which one would think we have to be some chance to win.

[deejammin' 2,060]

I thought there was a chance, but on recent form, no chance

[Bad Demon Pun 15]

pfft. As if our culture could be any worse without even suggesting tanking. If we threw the game plan out the window I almost feel like we'd be more likely to snatch the occasional hap hazard win. Clearly this list needs a clear out so playing the kids instead of broken down dispirited old nags wouldn't be tanking. The only option would be to play everyone clearly out of position and let's be honest besides Frawley can we clearly say any other Melbourne player truly owns a position? That being said do you remember Mathew Whelan playing in the forward pocket (in his farewelll match mind you) that sad day we coached ourselves to a loss against the tigers. The excuse from Bailey being that he was experimenting with players in different positions. It was embarrassing for the supporters but most of all for the players. Every player who set foot on the MCG that day knew at the end of the day they were coached to lose.

[Sir Why You Little 34,405]

Tanking is what got us into this position in the first place IMO. For what gain?

$cully walked. Trengove is clearly not the Second best footballer of 2009 & Jack Watts is a lost soul thus far.

This club must fight for every win we can. Then players will respect our Jumper the same way the supporters do.

Edited May 20, 2012 by why you little

[deejammin' 2,060]

A little ironic to talk about supporters "respecting the jumper" in the same thread as someone is suggesting tanking and on the same board as someone suggesting boycotting games?

[Guest Jackie]

The supporters are more likely to "tank" than the club at the moment.

[Sir Why You Little 34,405]

A little ironic to talk about supporters "respecting the jumper" in the same thread as someone is suggesting tanking and on the same board as someone suggesting boycotting games?

Not at all. If the players respected the jumper and club they are employed by, we would not be in this disgraceful predicament.

Mention the word Melbourne on the street & people laugh. Happened to me this morning.

And people think tanking will help our cause.

[Guest José Mourinho]

Tanking is what got us into this position in the first place IMO. For what gain?

$cully walked. Trengove is clearly not the Second best footballer of 2009 & Jack Watts is a lost soul thus far.

This club must fight for every win we can. Then players will respect our Jumper the same way the supporters do.

Had nothing to do with it.

We were crap, and strategic positioning for one game made a negligible difference.

Still, supporters continue to focus on the minutiae.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Had nothing to do with it.

We were crap, and strategic positioning for one game made a negligible difference.

Still, supporters continue to focus on the minutiae.

Agree and the irrelevant.

Honestly we dont have to tank atm.

[Striker475 696]

We're not tanking, and we should never tank again.

[Sloth 8]

I was at the SCG yesterday. If sydney can make Lewis Roberts-Thomson look like an important cog in their machine, there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to do that with some of our group of muppets.

[Real Talk 6]

That's some Real Talk Rookie Demon.

We're miles off and desperately need an injection of talent.

Recruiting the top two kids in the country, Jack Viney (possibly worthy of a top 5) and the best available at pick 13 is really going to help turn our club around.

IMO, it's likely the Dees will only win 2 games this season - our home games against GWS and GC.

GC should win at least two of their home games - I'd pencil in wins over GWS and Port. Their stronger percentage should mean we finish below them.

GWS, who are on 1 win, have two winnable home games against Port and....... the Dees in Rd 21.

Mark the GWS/Dees clash down as the Stringer & Whitfield Cup.

[wisedog 326]

If 2009 taught me anything, it's that the structures and culture of a club is far more important than priority picks. Look at Adelaide and Sydney; their lists have changed even more than ours since 2007, and yet they're rising up the ladder again after brief stints outside the finals.

It can't just be bad luck that none of our first round picks have met their potential (Frawley and Jones being the exception), nor is it just good luck that Sydney continue to turn discards from other clubs into very useful players.

With the recuitment of Neeld, Craig and Mission, I believe we've taken the first step. I only hope that these are the right people to rebuild this club and see us through a period of long term success.

[Sir Why You Little 34,405]

Had nothing to do with it.

We were crap, and strategic positioning for one game made a negligible difference.

Still, supporters continue to focus on the minutiae.

That is your opinin, not mine.

[Carrot Top 947]

1/ We ain't good enough that it matters.

2/ One kid is not going to fix the rot that is the MFC

3/ I'll walk if we do that crap again. I'm still highly [censored] off we went down that path to begin with. Do it again and I'm finding something else to do during the winter.

[Moonshadow 16,099]

Personally, I've had a gutfull of high draft picks that struggle to develop.

Give me consistant, real effort and a handful of wins any day over ensuring another 'bumper' crop of draft picks.

It is incredibly sad when the highlight of our year is draft week, year after year...

Edited May 20, 2012 by Moonshadow

[Binmans PA 25,879]

I got tanked last night after that shithouse performance. We don't need to tank. We play with little intensity or care.

[Deemanding 15]

Tanking or the thought of tanking is the cause of the current mediocrity. Players subconsciously believing loosing is acceptable. Coaching staff foolishly stating they are teaching and accordingly devising game plans that for all intent and purposes puts us behind successful teams with a culture of winning is everything. Lets be honest 21 of the 22 players who played yesterday, if they were not drafted by the MFC would be on the list of another AFL club. The mix of draft chooses maybe questionable, however, individually the players are of elite quality. Let stop thinking about the what may be and start working with cattle we got. Tanking is a cop out and shouldn't be mentioned again on this forum. Tanking is for losers

[Dr. Gonzo 22,384]

The only thing we can possibly get out of this season is to finish last, get picks 1, 2, 12 & Viney and possibly trade out pick 2 for someone like Dangerfield.

Winning meaningless games against GWS or GC (not saying we will beat them but chances are we would) to finish 2nd or 3rd last would be utterly stupid.

In saying this I don't want to see us "tank" a la the Richmond game with Grimes in the ruck and Frawley at FF. What I want is to see Moloney, Sylvia, Green, Jamar etc dropped to Casey and Taggert, Tynan, Strauss, Cook etc given senior games.

To win rubbish games that will mean nothing next year just to cost us a number 1 and/or 2 pick would be ridiculous.