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

[Binmans PA 26,296]

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

This is a competitive business, mate. I care only about the MFC. I'd prefer the Bulldogs not bumping our picks up. Heartless? No. If I was the AFL, I'd be giving the Bulldogs a priority pick at the end of the first round. They'll have been rubbish for two years. If they are rubbish again next year, they should be awarded a PP in the top 5. We are a completely different fish though. We've been rubbish for far longer and will finish below the Bulldogs. If the Bulldogs receive a PP, ours should be a lot earlier.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

If the AFL are serious about their new guidelines for PP's then they won't see a better candidate than the MFC. However I really don't want one. I think the wish for one on the part of the board is a continuation of the thinking that led to the whole tanking saga. High picks are nice but by no means essential and I think it would be better for the club to minimise the handouts we take from the AFL right now. We are trying to improve the culture of the place. Take what any other team would be getting and make the most of it. Develop the players properly. That's what will see us improve.

[Binmans PA 26,296]

If the AFL are serious about their new guidelines for PP's then they won't see a better candidate than the MFC. However I really don't want one. I think the wish for one on the part of the board is a continuation of the thinking that led to the whole tanking saga. High picks are nice but by no means essential and I think it would be better for the club to minimise the handouts we take from the AFL right now. We are trying to improve the culture of the place. Take what any other team would be getting and make the most of it. Develop the players properly. That's what will see us improve.

The AFL will be looking for a quicker fix here though, RM. Hip pocket involved and all. They'll be looking to see improvement next year. I think we'll get a PP, but the AFL will be wondering how they can help us acquire some experienced talent for the midfield. I subscribe (like many of us here) to the line of thinking that says if our midfield was injected with experienced talent and underpinned by good coaching, we'd be seriously competitive very quickly. The AFL will see that and I believe that is why they have already signed off on a plan to get us there. We will wait and see though.

[Little Goffy 12,727]

I am ok with us getting draft assistance up to a point, but I don't think it should be anything like a bonus pick 1.

Respect matters. And frankly, if we haven't learnt by now that a high draft pick is NOT the answer, then we might as well throw it in as a club.

We are already getting -

Multi-million dollar additional AFL funding to help us through a financial crisis of our own making.

Hundred's of thousands of dollar's worth of management intervention to guide us through a governance and leadership crisis of our own making.

An AFL mandated clampdown on 'influential members' rights' which is tragically necessary to put a hold on a culture of white-anting which is of our own making.

AFL-underwritten guarantees to allow us to headhunt the elite people we desperately need, to bypass the poisoned chalice status which is of our own making.

Does anyone think that without the AFL's deep and authoritarian intervention in our club there would be any of Roos, Williams or Eade even considering us as a senior coaching destination?

I'd rather we were given an extra half-dozen rookie list positions outside the salary cap. That way we might find some substance players to fill holes during development, and if we're lucky we'll grab a gun in that mix. But at least we won't be jumping the queue ahead of every other club, and at least we wont be implicitly humiliated every time our 'compensation player for being a crap club with a derelict culture' has a good game.

How would you feel as a Dog's supporter if you watched GWS and Melbourne grab Hodge, Ball and Judd, and you were left with a choice of Graham Polak, Xavier Clarke or Ashley Sampi?

[double dee 27]

Has the option of a mini draft player been raised? Similar to how we got hogan we have have a mini draft pick which must be traded. Gives the new coach an option on what the club is trading for and possibly go for an experienced mid from somewhere under salary cap pressure. In a sense the AFL would be giving us a bargaining chip over a player. Be happy with the WB getting one too

[Demon_Tingles 211]

I raised that earlier however no one replied haha

[Demon Disciple 11,072]

I like the idea of drafting a mini-draft type kid, however if the afl wants to see results from such a pick sooner rather than later, then why not a pick we must trade?

[Rogue 585]

I don't understand the logic of saying that because our previous early picks haven't worked out, and our team is now bereft of promising young stars, we should not get any more early picks.

...perhaps because there's no logic.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,539]

If we keep getting handouts from the AFL, any flag we win in the future .

Sorry, stopped reading there

[Tony Tea 2,792]

If Melbourne does not deserve a priority pick this year, no one will ever deserve a priority pick.

[beelzebub 22,268]

A lot of folk may be getttng excited about another pick and why wouldnt you . I do think however this will be extremely hard for the AFL to sell if its a round 1 bonus.

The powers that be are testing the waters to see how this idea might float and at present its been shot out of the water by numerous others.

I have the notion that Gil & co will be forced to find an alternative solution. Thats fine by me. I, as it happens, dont think we need a PP. We just need a FD and coach that can develop what we have already and whats coming/going to come through. We arent bereft of talent we just havent much of a clue as to haw to get the best advantage of it yet.

If we get one ( PP) then well, thanks. Take it as not but I cant see this being the likely outcome. I think Empire Vlad will need a plan B here.

[Mickey 4,187]

Hang on... People talking about us needing the respect of the other clubs, and that we don't red an extra leg up.

Do you think Gold Coast and GWS fans are going to complain about their draft concessions and AFL appointed positions when the win their flags in the next few years?

Obviously we need help. And while I would rather the club not be in this position, I will take AFL support over being irrelevant and uncompetative for the next decade

[snomed 54]

It seems pretty clear to me...

1. The priority pick is for teams who have performed very badly

2. According to almost every commentator and 1/2 this board the current team is the worst team in the history of the game

If this does not warrant (not deserve - you have to earn something to deserve it!) a priority pick then just scrap them altogether.

[Gorgoroth 12,334]

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.

That's my stance. They should scrap this, no team should ever get a PP ever again.

And syd and GWS should not get extra money in their salary cap.

[Pipefitter 2,027]

Looking at this season in isolation we should be eligible for one, but we all know we don't deserve one, and I'm quite happy to develop what we have.

Watts, trengove, toumpas, Hogan already at the club as top 4 picks.

This year we will have pick 1 or 2. Next year we will have another top 3 pick.

Id take a end of first round draft pick as they are usually good bargaining for a trade. Dawes, and wellingham went round there last year.

[TRIGON 4,719]

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.

Spot on Redleg.

As for the "Deserving" argument...we had Barry Prendegast as out head recruiter, and no supporter base deserves that!

[The heart beats true 16,450]

Read between the lines folks. 4 days after needing a coach the AFL starts to talk about the priority pick. We will get one as long as the incoming coach is named Eade, Roos or Williams and they ask for it.

It's a marketing tool to entice a coach, and to start selling hope. It not only proves that the AFL is essentially running the club now, but also that they want us to succeed. If you don't think we warrant the pick then you haven't been sitting in the cold the last 12 weeks watching us play pitiful football.

We should be lobbying for 3 priority picks. Who cares what the other clubs think. It's not called 'show friends' it's called 'show BUSINESS'.

[Rogue 585]

Looking at this season in isolation we should be eligible for one, but we all know we don't deserve one, and I'm quite happy to develop what we have.

As Redleg has said, it's not about desert.

We should be eligible and not just based on 'this season in isolation':

2013 - 17th //above one win-less expansion Club (but with a worse percentage)

2012 - 16th //above expansion clubs

2011 - 13th

2010 - 12th

2009 - 16th //bottom

2008 - 16th //bottom

The AFL has a discretionary PP to give out when circumstances arise, and it's hard to fathom there'll be a team worse-placed than us.

[beelzebub 22,268]

thbt... I can see it as a ruse for sure but some things the afl will still need tacit approval for. They arent an absolute law unto themselves (just nearly )

If we hadnt been pinged for (insert whatever it was we were done for ) then it would be an easy sell.

It is i all reality a ludicrous situation and hypocritical proposition.

In the end , another kid doesnt help us tomorrow.Thats the path/solution/gift we need Somehow getting another ready made.

Probaly only one aveneue and thats a mini draft. Efectively somehow the afl needs to find a way that we can snare another good-to-go midfielder.

everyone knows thats what we are lacking and thats what any new coach will rub their hands at.

[sue 8,463]

I'm surprised that there are still some supporters who feel guilty in some way about accepting whatever the AFL gives us. Supporters of other clubs with 'specials' from the AFL have never expressed embarrassment to me.

The significant thing in all this is that the AFL appears to be trying to SAVE the club. I could easily imagine that they might have decided to let us go down the gurgler, followed for example by the Dogs and then arrange a merger.

[beelzebub 22,268]

Im not fussed nor would feel guilty about anything given. Im looking at the perception of others and how that might well colour and form the decision of the League.

This is purely footy politics.

[P-man 13,239]

I won't feel guilty about it, hell if it is the difference between us being competitive and another 7 years like the last 7, bring it on. There is no debating the fact we are shizen irrespective of how or why we got here.

I'm just annoyed we're in this position and can similarly understand the annoyance of other fans at additional handouts being given, particularly Dogs fans.

[rpfc 27,591]

That's my stance. They should scrap this, no team should ever get a PP ever again.

And syd and GWS should not get extra money in their salary cap.

Then how do you even up the league when a team consistently picks the wrong teenagers.

Which, at the heart of it, is why we are at, where we are at.

This is a socialised league in which teams down the bottom are given priority on OOC players and the best teenagers through the draft and now that there is a team that has been perineally terrible and we are abandoned because we have picked the wrong teenagers?

That's a nonsense argument that laughs in the face of reason.

We will get draft assistance.

[ignition. 1,413]

Priority Pick = More excitement for the fans = Increased Crowds = Increased Revenue = Decreased Debt & Therefore decreased loan = 1 cheap and easy solution for the AFL.

Of course this is a short term solution that can be built on the back of P.Jackson's long term plan. Other short term measures must be made in order to increase the MFC supporter attendance at games for 2014 so that the club can at least break even.

[Gorgoroth 12,334]

If we can't pick the right talent with a group of dedicated scouts and recruiters then can't develop them correctly we should suffer.

It is our fault we are where we are. If we had done what I just wrote above we would not be in this position.

Getting money off the AFL die to their fixture which rapes the smaller clubs is fair.

We need to stop looking for priority picks and draft and develop our players so they become bloody good footballers and take us up.

You seem to be saying its the AFL's duty to compensate our incompetence. That thinking got us to tank and let me know how that's turned out for us.