"There's a strong argument," Gil McLachlan on a Priority Pick.

[Jarka 767]

Essentially, if you don't think the MFC should get any draft assistance - you don't believe anyone should get any draft assistance ever again.

This post needs more love, effectively if we don't get one then they should scrap them forever

[angrydee 842]

We are in exactly the situation that the AFL decided to keep the PP for - otherwise, why keep them going.

Our pathetic recruiting in the past has nothing to do with deserving a pick.

[Ted Lasso 19,356]

I'm sure the development and recruiting will have been addressed by Jackson by the time the draft comes so I certainly won't be complaining about any priority picks.

[Redleg 40,858]

I'd be more comfortable if the bulldogs got one as well.

Have they been a bottom side for 7 years? Didn't they play in a Preliminary a few years ago. If they beat us twice they could be on a minimum 5 games and we possibly on 1-2. I know which side is worse.

[Earl Hood 6,082]

I don't understand that argument. We also have pi$$ed away money in recent years, so on that argument we don't deserve financial help. What do we 'deserve'? Deserve is not the right word. If the AFL wants us to not go down the gurgler and be competitive then they should help us in whichever ways achieve that goal most efficiently. If that involves a PP, so be it. To those Demon supporters who say 'we don't deserve it', I say get a hairshirt and do some old fashioned self-whipping if it makes you feel more pure. :>) To other people who say it, I'd just repeat what I said above.

Spot on its not about deserve, it is about how we get competitive ASAP for us as well as everyone else in the AFL. The TV rights in the future and the selling price depend on content and 9 hard fought games worth watching every week. So every time on radio they ask if MFC deserves a priority pick most commentators say no we do not deserve it based on the fact that we have failed. And this seems to based on a mix of tanking allegations and poor drafting. It is all of our own making.

No ones denying we have failed but we did not set out to pick the wrong first round picks did we. We did not deliberately go past a Dangerfield or a Darling like numerous other clubs did. In respect to our top 10 picks in recent years we have played it conservatively and got what was available at the time. Morton, Watts, Scully, Trengrove, Toumpas, Hogan, they are our top 10 picks, is it our fault that we could not pick a Roughead,, Buddy, Cyril, Hodge who were around in earlier drafts. my point is I don't think we deliberately wanted to fail but yes we did not pick the absolute best available at the time. The crystal ball was wrong. For that we must be punished it seems.

[dees64 104]

No issue with getting help from the AFL as its clear our board has failed poorly & we neeed it.

My post wast to highlight that a PP alone will not fix our list......& this was the pathway which resulted in tanking & destoyed the culture.

[mrtwister 652]

St Kilda - Luke Dunstan (SA –Mid/Fwd) Height: 185cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 29/01/1995Recruited from: Woodville-West TorrensStyle: Dustin Martin (Better leader)Player comparison:Range: 3-7Profile: Dunstan is a dominant inside midfielder with a strong body. Has future captain potential having captained SA through the u18 championships and is highly regarded for his leadership abilities. Really damaging player who will not only win his own footy every time he goes in for it but then will do big damage with it. Dunstan has very damaging footskills and is a really natural finisher anywhere near goal. Has very clean hands and is also an excellent inside extractor who will win those clearances consistently. Not only is Dunstan an exceptional inside player but he can also swing forward, take a mark and hit the scoreboard when given the opportunity and I expect he will continue to be a very damaging player at the next level. Ready to play from season one.

I'm not big on these 'seem to have all the time in the world' types because that may well be the case in the competition they play in now, but what happens when they do get closed in on? How do they handle pressure if they always seem to be in space. I guarantee that they won't have all the time in the world when they get to play AFL so how do you know they won't turn to water when under the pump? After all, they've never been under the pump because they have 'all the time in the world'. I think I'd rather a guy that has to work hard for what he gets because that will never change.

[T-34 409]

No issue with getting help from the AFL as its clear our board has failed poorly & we neeed it.

My post wast to highlight that a PP alone will not fix our list......& this was the pathway which resulted in tanking & destoyed the culture.

The culture has been absent from this club for a lot longer than that, and tanking has hardly had an adverse effect on clubs such as Carlton,Collingwood and Hawthorn.

This idea that we don't need a priority pick is based on the fact we have not used our picks well in the past, this does not matter, if MFC do not get a priority pick then no one ever will, our current situation is the reason why they have kept the option open and no one will ever convince me otherwise.

[Demon_Tingles 211]

In my opinion I believe that if we get a pp it should have to be used on a 17 ala the mini draft, That way we have to develop them for a year. Therefore we gain no unfair advantage by being able to use the player straight away and we also get a look at how our new development team is working. If we blow it again then we have absolutely no reason to ask for any more picks.

[P-man 13,366]

I don't understand that argument. We also have pi$$ed away money in recent years, so on that argument we don't deserve financial help. What do we 'deserve'? Deserve is not the right word. If the AFL wants us to not go down the gurgler and be competitive then they should help us in whichever ways achieve that goal most efficiently. If that involves a PP, so be it. To those Demon supporters who say 'we don't deserve it', I say get a hairshirt and do some old fashioned self-whipping if it makes you feel more pure. :>) To other people who say it, I'd just repeat what I said above.

Fair enough. Perhaps "deserve" does not apply, unless you enter into a discussion about a club previously acquiring picks through tanking, and then putting its hand out for more, but let's not open that one up again because I know there are some on here who still believe we didn't tank.

The club's situation is entirely of its own making. Perhaps not relevant when talking about our eligibility or how "deserving" we are, but the focus should well and truly be on a poor history of player development and ensuring THAT is remedied.

Personally I think the rewards of when this club finally lifts itself out of the mire will feel all the sweeter if it is able to be done, to the best of its ability, off its own bat.

Financial assistance is a necessity, a PP is a nice to have.

[jimcor 212]

I don't understand that argument. We also have pi$$ed away money in recent years, so on that argument we don't deserve financial help. What do we 'deserve'? Deserve is not the right word. If the AFL wants us to not go down the gurgler and be competitive then they should help us in whichever ways achieve that goal most efficiently. If that involves a PP, so be it. To those Demon supporters who say 'we don't deserve it', I say get a hairshirt and do some old fashioned self-whipping if it makes you feel more pure. :>) To other people who say it, I'd just repeat what I said above.

Could not agree more, if only for the supporters and for all of the players who have had to put up with incompetent boards and executives for too long. We deserve some success and if priority picks help bring it, fantastic! It's been a long time coming. Frankly, I don't care about any other club and I expect they don't really care about us. I cannot wait for some success and for the rest of the competition to whine about how we were 'special'. I look forward to thanking them for their contributions.

[Gippsland Dee 367]

there are many who say we don't deserve a pp. I don't think it has anything to do with us deserving it or not, we need the extra assistance and that will partly come with another pp

Edited June 23, 2013 by young dee enthusiast

[P-man 13,366]

I guess it's less about how deserving we are and more a case of it being so bloody shameful that we're in need of this level of assistance when you look at the numbers of first round picks we've squandered.

[Scoop Junior 3,435]

I'm staggered at the number of commentators that use the word 'deserved' in the context of the priority pick.

Perhaps it's just a reflection of a complete lack of understanding and common sense.

The priority pick is there to help a team that has consistently performed poorly. And guess what contributed to poor performance - that's right - insufficient talent, poor coaching, poor list management, poor recruiting, poor development, etc.

So the comment that Melbourne doesn't deserve a priority pick because of past drafting mistakes is bordering on insanity. Past drafting mistakes would be one of the key factors that would result in poor performance which in turn leads to a priority pick. That is what the system is designed for!

Agree that a PP won't solve all our problems, but I'd happily take it if we could get it. Draft well and you have yourself a 200 game star for your club.

Lastly for those concerned about help from the AFL, don't worry about it! That's the system we are operating in. What about the leg up Collingwood gets from playing in prime time, 18 games in Melbourne and regular blockbusters. Does that not help sponsorship and membership which in turn generates dollars to be used on FD spending?

The fact is we play in a compromised competition anyway, so if it's our turn to get a bit of a handout from the AFL, I won't feel any guilt whatsoever.

[Redleg 40,858]

People need to understand, that getting a PP or other draft help, is not about deserving, previous drafting or anything else, other than recent performance. If you are crap you get help, no matter the reason.

The AFL needs all teams to be at the least, competitive. Otherwise it costs the AFL and the clubs money.

[rjay 24,893]

This sums up the very sad state of our supporters & the idiots who ran our club over the last 5yrs & created a poor culture

Looking for a quick fix!

Melbourne dont need a PP.......

We need strong culture, strong structures, strong development.

I keep on saying look @ Swans & Geelong development & culture who continue to bring on late picks!

Essentially, if you don't think the MFC should get any draft assistance - you don't believe anyone should get any draft assistance ever again.

I think 'rpfc' answers the your post well 'dees64', if what you say is right then the AFL should abolish the whole idea of a priority pick.

As for the Swans, it's a nice notion of how they operate but it is far from true...the AFL has helped them out in the past and continues to with salary cap concessions.

Geelong had a big kick along with the father and son provisions that have since been changed. Yes both of these clubs are well managed and coached but they have had a leg up in the past and there is no logical reason why we shouldn't get one now.

[rhaz 342]

If we keep getting handouts from the AFL, any flag we win in the future will be seen as tainted by other clubs. I dont want more reward for poor performance.

[Ted Lasso 19,356]

i think dunstan would be my priority then either billings, aish or couch, any reason for the lack of billings love on here?

[rjay 24,893]

i think dunstan would be my priority then either billings, aish or couch, any reason for the lack of billings love on here?

I think the 4 of them are good players. lets have a look at the championships and see how they play. Billings gets compared to Del Santo a bit but that is more to do with his skills, from what I've seen of him which I admit is limited I think he is a harder ball winner than Del.

[biggestred 5,028]

i had a listen to the rub on MMM this arvo and they pretty much thought that because we have picked badly in the past we dont deserve another.

WE HAVE BEEN GARBAGE FOR 7 YEARS.

essentially the theory is that we are SO BAD we dont deserve help to get better on field, even though the entire competition wants us to be better on field.

go figure.

[biggestred 5,028]

its like the kid who cant read. well, you dont get extra reading sessions to help you, because you didnt concentrate a few years ago.

[Go the Biff 3,414]

If the OP is quoting from the interview on 7's Gameday this morning, prior to answering, McLachlan turned the question back on Leigh Matthews and asked "do YOU think they deserve one ?". Matthews thought briefly & replied Yes.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Give us a 3rd rounder we seem to do better with later picks.

we don't deserve a 1st round pp we have wasted so many top 20 picks and stuffed our club up ourselves with bad management. I would be filthy if I was one of the other 17 clubs if the afl handed us a pp In the first round . We need to succeed on smart management and operations we have proven it won't come via handouts

I couldn't give a flying fire truck about what the other 17 clubs think.

[Bay Riffin 1,473]

I find it very difficult to argue with people who say we don't deserve a PP. The number of high draft picks we've pi$$ed away in recent years is staggering.

If the assistance we are receiving doesn't include a PP, I won't be complaining.

Hawthorn got a first round priority pick twice then on the 2nd time got buddy.

Did they DESERVE it ?

Edited June 23, 2013 by Bay Riffin

[Adam The God 30,142]

Give us a 3rd rounder we seem to do better with later picks.

we don't deserve a 1st round pp we have wasted so many top 20 picks and stuffed our club up ourselves with bad management. I would be filthy if I was one of the other 17 clubs if the afl handed us a pp In the first round . We need to succeed on smart management and operations we have proven it won't come via handouts

That is not intelligent reasoning, BM. If you are a horrible football side who remains anchored to the bottom of the table, you "deserve" a PP. That was the entire purpose of the system. The AFL want a healthy and competitive league. Past drafting failures don't/shouldn't even come into it.