The Priority Pick is dead! Long live the financial assistance package!

[Young Dee 1,303]

So just to get things straight - this money package they are talking about is not an additional package but the one we received a while ago?

[1858 219]

For the first time ever the PP has been decided on a club's propensity to improve (without it) and nothing else.

Such a massive precedent to set if not for the fact that the AFL are compromised to the eyeballs and make everything up on the fly.

The conjecture when the Saints put their hands up for one will be fun. Of course the media and other club supporters will use the "if Melbourne didn't get one why are they" line to argue against it as if we were somehow hard done by - but that is down the track of course.

Such is life. Move on.

[Jara 1,149]

Move on? Well, sure, not much choice, is there?

But personally I'm furious. This decision is one more blow to any possibility of a level playing field.

Hawthorn, West Coast, Pies, etc ...none of them minded PPs when the opportunity arose. None of them seemed to think accepting a PP was infra dig. All went on to win flags with their priority picks.

Never seen a Melbourne premiership. Never expect to see one (nor one from Dogs, North, etc) It will be just one big revolving door: Hawks one year, Pies the next, Eagles, Swans, etc. GWS before too long. All the Super-Franchises.

EPL here we come

[DeeSpencer 23,256]

For the first time ever the PP has been decided on a club's propensity to improve (without it) and nothing else.

Such a massive precedent to set if not for the fact that the AFL are compromised to the eyeballs and make everything up on the fly.

The conjecture when the Saints put their hands up for one will be fun. Of course the media and other club supporters will use the "if Melbourne didn't get one why are they" line to argue against it as if we were somehow hard done by - but that is down the track of course.

Such is life. Move on.

So if we kept Neeld apparently we would've got one because we didn't make a coaching change?

The AFL commission has rolled to the opinion of the clubs, which is the entire point of having an independent commission in the first place!

[Demoneyes 562]

After this announcement the AFL should just scrap the potentail for priority picks in the future effectively immediately! There is no way any club in the future would be more deserving than the period of ineptitude we have endured! We do need to move on from this and put faith in the leadership of the MFC including PJ and PR to make the right decisions moving forward! And if the AFL is truly serious about equalisation I look forward to my beloved Dees playing between 6-10 Friday?Saturday night games next year!

[jnrmac 19,142]

While I am not unhappy it does give me the shiiizz that the articles keep mentioning Jesse Hogan.

FFS we trade for Hogan LAST YEAR - that was our good or bad decision - time will tell. They are treating like we have a special draft pick this year.

Annoys the crap out of me,,

[sue 8,463]

It's pleasing to see how many posters who despaired during the year about how crappy we were have suddenly become so positive and bought into the AFL's 'potential' argument. So unusual to see so many positive posts. Let's hope they are right.

If not, I wonder what the AFL will say when we are half-way through 2014 without a win and being thumped every week?

Even if you are supporter of the 'harden-up, we can do better without any help' school, I can't see how you can think anyone else will ever merit a PP.

[Demoneyes 562]

While I am not unhappy it does give me the shiiizz that the articles keep mentioning Jesse Hogan.

FFS we trade for Hogan LAST YEAR - that was our good or bad decision - time will tell. They are treating like we have a special draft pick this year.

Annoys the crap out of me,,

Yes! He isn't a gun yet, just a potentially good player! Good players in the VFL are many inc. Magner, Couch, Sellar, Pedersen etc etc. It should have no bearing on whether a PP is handed out! As I said PP should be scrapped for all time!

[Demoneyes 562]

While I am not unhappy it does give me the shiiizz that the articles keep mentioning Jesse Hogan.

FFS we trade for Hogan LAST YEAR - that was our good or bad decision - time will tell. They are treating like we have a special draft pick this year.

Annoys the crap out of me,,

''I'm not saying let's go kill all the stupid people … I'm just saying let's remove all the warning labels and let the problem sort itself out."

By the way, love that quote at the bottom. Sums up life in general!

[What 18,810]

the AFL got us Peter Jackson

thats more than enough for me

Onwards and upwards

[rpfc 27,585]

People are allowed to react Pman and BH.

And Jackson's reaction is the exact reaction I would have expected, or that I would have given.

There is nowhere to appeal, nothing sinister to claim, just bad decisions that won't help us get better, quicker.

Of course, we move on, there are coaching appointments to criticize - but it is naive to think that Roos will deliver us from our malaise so quickly. We are going to be terrible again next year.

Edited September 23, 2013 by rpfc

[Real Demon 232]

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day........

It's about time we learnt how to fish!

[Dee Fan 3,247]

For the first time ever the PP has been decided on a club's propensity to improve (without it) and nothing else.

Such a massive precedent to set if not for the fact that the AFL are compromised to the eyeballs and make everything up on the fly.

The conjecture when the Saints put their hands up for one will be fun. Of course the media and other club supporters will use the "if Melbourne didn't get one why are they" line to argue against it as if we were somehow hard done by - but that is down the track of course.

Such is life. Move on.

If we had asked for one at the end of 2012 they would have said no because we had a list that was capable of improving quickly; we all know how that turned out don't we.

[Redleg 37,891]

To be honest I am thrilled that we now have a great midfield. Who are they, I don't know, but we must have, because the AFL told us today that we will be fine.

I don't know how I got that so wrong.

Maybe winning 2 games, 1 by a point and the other against the new guys, who we incidentally were the only team they could beat, should have tipped me off. Those thrashings early on when we were described as pathetic and a disgrace, should also have tipped me off to how really good we actually are.

Anyway, decision made, move on.

What do we do now, anything within the rules to improve.

I would try and convince a very good player to come to us via the PSD. Pay him overs if you have to.

Trade pick 2 for a top mid if we can and try and get a pick back that we could also trade for another not as good mid.

I would start talking about FAIRNESS in the AFL and let it be known that fixturing cannot continue to be so compromised, if all clubs are to have a chance at success. You can't succeed on the field without succeeding off it and we are being given no chance to succeed off it with the current arrangements. This can be done subtly by using the media.

We do what Daniher said some years ago, get RUTHLESS.

[Jara 1,149]

It's pleasing to see how many posters who despaired during the year about how crappy we were have suddenly become so positive and bought into the AFL's 'potential' argument. So unusual to see so many positive posts. Let's hope they are right.

If not, I wonder what the AFL will say when we are half-way through 2014 without a win and being thumped every week?

Even if you are supporter of the 'harden-up, we can do better without any help' school, I can't see how you can think anyone else will ever merit a PP.

The supposedly independent AFL will doubtless decide to reinstate PPs when one of their beloved Super Franchises (Hawks, etc) accidentally find themselves down in the nether parts of the ladder. The Druggies will probably be getting one in a year or two.

As for us, I expect we'll have a bit of a resurgence over the next few years, get about as high as 13th, and then sink back down where we belong.

Fifty friggin years! And to make matters worse, the only other team I care much for, for family reasons, is The Bulldogs.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day........

It's about time we learnt how to fish!

Wouldn't mind a rod, to help.

[Redleg 37,891]

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day........

It's about time we learnt how to fish!

Thats fine as long as we are allowed to fish in the same water as the other clubs and not made to fish in a toilet.

The fixturing is designed to keep clubs like us at the bottom while the excuse is the TV want the big clubs. You can't become a big club unless you are given the same conditions to improve, not continually handicapped without a fishing rod and expected to do it with a piece of cotton.

[TheoX 1,218]

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day........

It's about time we learnt how to fish!

We haven't had a fishing rod for the best part of a decade.

[daisycutter 28,630]

The team would be moved to Tassie in 24 hours dc.

Look how quickly Fitzroy end up north of the Tweed.

That would be classic bullet in the toes.

they'd never make tassie viable od and you know it

they're going to have a mess with essendope too

what a politically corrupt organisation that brings the game into disrepute they are

suggesting the list is so promising we don't need a pp - hah

[Redleg 37,891]

they'd never make tassie viable od and you know it

they're going to have a mess with essendope too

what a politically corrupt organisation that brings the game into disrepute they are

suggesting the list is so promising we don't need a pp - hah

Politically corrupt the AFL-nah.

Doc Reid wouldn't agree.

[Bitter but optimistic 21,369]

they'd never make tassie viable od and you know it

they're going to have a mess with essendope too

what a politically corrupt organisation that brings the game into disrepute they are

suggesting the list is so promising we don't need a pp - hah

Perhaps a move north - say Romsey!

[Strapping Young Lad 227]

The news is not good to hear but atleast we now know where we stand and we can make our plans accordingly.

The club needs to steel itself now and come out harder next season.. No more pathetic attemps and "We did not see that coming" Melbourne need to stand up and start making an impact in the league. I look forward to hopefully seeing it happen.

[Carrot Top 947]

When we continually pick duds like Morton,Gysberts,Cook,Strauss we don't deserve the PP.

The quicker we get off the Methodone and stand on our own 2 feet the better.

Prendergast picked Morton because he won the Larke Medal and had that to fall back on when Dangerfield was still available and had an amazing year at the Falcons.

When your recruiting fails,you can't stick your hand out for a PP!!!

Ahh, OK. So we can only ask for help when we are getting it all right? Freo have been doing well at the draft table recently. I guess they should have a PP or two?

[old dee 22,946]

The news is not good to hear but atleast we now know where we stand and we can make our plans accordingly.

The club needs to steel itself now and come out harder next season.. No more pathetic attemps and "We did not see that coming" Melbourne need to stand up and start making an impact in the league. I look forward to hopefully seeing it happen.

Me too SYL but don't expect a big change in 2014.

The hole we are in will take a little while to escape.

But I think at last we have stopped digging

[DemonOX 8,541]

I'm not unhappy that we didn't get one, but it is going to be bloody difficult to hand one out to any club anytime soon

No it wont the AFL flip flop on every decision it makes it just depends on which club is involved.

That's the AFL way.