I would rather we win games and forget all this tripe tbh.

Again we r talking draft picks at rd 3 it's pathetic and I am sick of looking forward to the end if the season at rd 2/3.

I wish they would just scrap the PP and be done with it.

Yay more picks. Bloody hell after 3 weeks the talk of draft picks is coming around again. We need to win a couple of games in a row to remove the idea of gaining false hope through more draft picks.

Why wont the whole team just have a go Go in hard be aggressive play some simple footy MIght surpriseDraft picks wont help a team not playing like a team

We have absolutely no control over the system of draft assistance and the AFL seems to be constantly changing ground over the subject anyway.

The greatest danger however, is to get too wrapped up in the concept at this early stage of the year. If we can get over our current injury cycle to our big men and Paul Roos' game plan begins to sink in, we can still show sufficient improvement as to not warrant talking about such things.

If we did finish last and Frawley left, I'm not asking for special assistance, I just want the AFL to follow their own rules and not change them in order to disadvantage Melbourne. Journalists like Mark Stevens tweeting that pick 2 for Fraley would be 'overs' simply don't get it. If he meets the criteria for a pick after our first pick, which he will, then it must be given to us. As for the priority pick, the AFL need to stop fluffing about and make a clear decision. If we do finish bottom, then either give us pick 3 as warranted or scrap the system.

Fair point Doctor, if however Dawes remains on the park and Jesse returns prior to mid season, which is entirely possible, we may well look a different and more competitive unit.

Yeah I hope so.

I have read that some people are paying out on supporters wanting picks 'to fix the problem, to get a fresh lot of kids in'.

If we are given a comp pick for frawley leaving, a priority pick and the standard pick, the club will trade a portion of our picks to bring in proven talent.

of course some 18 year olds arnt going to dig us out of this.

If we are given a priority pick, it should be on the condition that we use it in a trade of some sort, e.g. for a developed player.

Exactly if we can use that pick/s to get a trade done for someone like Dangerfield, Sloane, Fyfe etc or even trade down for some of the GWS/GC yound mids like Shiel/Treloar/O'Rourke whoever like we did last year with Tyson. People might laugh at Dangerfield etc wanting to come to us but we will have a TONNE of money in the cap this year with Clark gone and IF Frawley leaves. If we can convince the player with the $$$'s which is the hard part we will have the currency to trade with the clubs instead of them just closing the door on us.

In the spirit of bargaining, I say we ask for last year's priority pick they denied us as well and go for picks 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Now you are talking.

I love the way Round Robbo writes "MELBOURNE could achieve the unthinkable and claim the first three picks in this year’s national draft" and then goes on to write the AFL say it's not going to happen. Hack. Beat up merchant.

To be fair though they can't really come out and say, "Yeah Melbourne will end up with the top 3 picks if they go crap and Frawley leaves" because then we'll have a microscope on us again all year for tanking. I'm not saying they will give us one anyway but these comments this early in the season are just hypotheticals really. It does also say that Melbourne will argue strongly for a before round 1 pick if things continue.

Exactly if we can use that pick/s to get a trade done for someone like Dangerfield, Sloane, Fyfe etc or even trade down for some of the GWS/GC yound mids like Shiel/Treloar/O'Rourke whoever like we did last year with Tyson. People might laugh at Dangerfield etc wanting to come to us but we will have a TONNE of money in the cap this year with Clark gone and IF Frawley leaves. If we can convince the player with the $$$'s which is the hard part we will have the currency to trade with the clubs instead of them just closing the door on us.

If we did get picks 1,2,3.. We could trade 2 of these picks for Dangerfield, Sidebottom, or something along those lines. That is exactly what it will take to make up competitive.

If the AFL continue to be reactive to the protests of opposition clubs, then we will continue to dwindle at the bottom.

It is unfortunate, but we simply do not have the talent. We have a competitive core, but beyond that, our depth would struggle in the VFL - actually it does struggle in the VFL.

Of course we'd all "rather" when some games and finish higher but unless we do it's academic. My argument for a PP is premised on IF we go as poorly as everyone believes we will.

And to those who say we don't need it - pfft, which team have you been watching the last couple of years. Yeah we need to change the culture within but we also need to get in as many talented players as possible to try and turnover the list. I don't understand the thinking that because we've stuffed up some picks in the past that we don't need them in the future.

For the record for all the bleating from everyone else about how we've been given numerous picks, we've had TWO priority picks in recent years - 2008 pick 17 (Blease) and 2009 pick 1 (Scully). That's it, not quite the treasure chest everyone's made out. We've clearly deteriorated since then and have now lost our most talented player and possibly will lose our best defender at the end of the year. Our results over the last couple of years bear witness to the fact that we need a priority pick to assist us get out of the horrid position we are in.

This is so right

I reckon PJ should go to the AFL with an emergency rebuild plan, this list is going nowhere, we agree to change over via, trade or delist 30 players at the end of the year, and we get draft concessions that we would most likely get anyway, picks 1,2,3,19, we get a mini draft incentive, and some extra late first round and early second round picks on the condition we trade 70% of them, this incentive and a good recruiting team should have us a significantly better side in 2015 which is in the best interests of everyone.

Why are people opening the Pp thread to tell people not to think about PP. If you dont want to discuss it then dont click on the thread.

Only a fool would not understand that on a PP thread people can have views against being given a PP. Stop acting like the internet police and listen to alternative views occasionally.

Probably abit off topic but one of those facebook rumour pages is saying Fyfe is open to moving and we and GWS are throwing the kitchen sink at them, if this is true surely they'd demand hogan or something stupid in return

Have you watched us play yet?!

Yes. I have seen some change and improvement in our game since last year. As injured players come back in, we will start winning some games. It's too early to slash wrists and seek PP charity.

I'm amazed that the hairy-chested don't want as much help as we can get. Sure it would be better to win games, but if the AFL wants a more even competition then we need help. Obviously we must not carry on as if that alone will be our saviour.

I don't recall GWS saying "No don't give us all those prime picks, we want to build a winning culture based on picks 60 and beyond."

Probably abit off topic but one of those facebook rumour pages is saying Fyfe is open to moving and we and GWS are throwing the kitchen sink at them, if this is true surely they'd demand hogan or something stupid in return

How about we offer them the PSD?

I'm amazed that the hairy-chested don't want as much help as we can get. Sure it would be better to win games, but if the AFL wants a more even competition then we need help. Obviously we must not carry on as if that alone will be our saviour.

I don't recall GWS saying "No don't give us all those prime picks, we want to build a winning culture based on picks 60 and beyond."

That's not true Sue. I do not have a hairy chest.

And no one has said we will build a winning culture based upon picks 60 and beyond. GWS are a start up franchise, with no list to begin with. The AFL have been very generous to us with cash, personnel and have given PPs in the past which, of course, we've stuffed up. After reading this thread, anyone would think we are hinging our future upon being gifted picks 1, 2, 3 and maybe even 4.

Too early.

That's not true Sue. I do not have a hairy chest.

And no one has said we will build a winning culture based upon picks 60 and beyond. GWS are a start up franchise, with no list to begin with. The AFL have been very generous to us with cash, personnel and have given PPs in the past which, of course, we've stuffed up. After reading this thread, anyone would think we are hinging our future upon being gifted picks 1, 2, 3 and maybe even 4.

Too early.

Your lack of entitlement here Moonie is astounding.

Where will you get in life if you want to stand on your own two feet .

We need to be compensated for being wasteful, hopeless, lazy and indolent-it's the Australian way.

That's not true Sue. I do not have a hairy chest.

And no one has said we will build a winning culture based upon picks 60 and beyond. GWS are a start up franchise, with no list to begin with. The AFL have been very generous to us with cash, personnel and have given PPs in the past which, of course, we've stuffed up. After reading this thread, anyone would think we are hinging our future upon being gifted picks 1, 2, 3 and maybe even 4.

Too early.

We only got two priority picks. The first one we selected Blease (stuff up) and the second we selected Scully (who left for one of the expansion clubs for a bucket full of the AFL's cash). Our recent picks have been heavily diluted by the compromised drafts.

The AFL is now more uneven than the EPL and promoting the game as 'Anything's Possible' should be investigated by the ACCC for misleading and deceptive advertising.

Seriously, thinking about this stuff is folly. We (as supporters), have no control over the giving out of PP's or CP's. Here's a thought......................just look to next week, then the week after that. Trade and draft time will inevitably come around, and there will no doubt be tonnes of talk about the whole thing then, but not in April, c'mon!

Personally, I think any "Priority Pick", based on poor performance, should require the side to trade that pick. The whole idea of "awarding" a club a PP is to assist with their improvement. Generally speaking, if a club is to use that pick on a 17/18 year old, you are looking at 3 years until that pick has a reasonable chance of improving that list.

Trading that pick - which regardless of it being a number 1 pick (ie $cully), an "after first round" pick, a mid-first round pick, and end of first round pick, the pick will be in the range of 1-19. Under trade conditions, a pick of that calibre will improve the list in the following year without doubt.

That's my view on how/why the AFL should award Priority Picks - to improve the club's list the following year, not "hope" that picking an 18 year old juniors star will improve the club in 3 years time.

We have also got to get a positive winning attitude into the list we have already assembled..Some will go but not all..

I know it has been said but we have to stop thinking about high draft picks as the answer...I would prefer to recruit hardened players (3-4 years in the system) for at least the next 2-3 years..

We need to recruit leaders rather than kids..and they can be well down the list

Once Bitten Twice Shy....i would rather win than improve our draft picks....4-5 years ago i was swayed from that way of thinking by posters on here, their arguments made sense at the time.

But Culture is a stronger fabric...Strive to win and then take what comes.

The Kruezer Cup comes to mind...one of the most offensive games i have paid money to watch.

The Prize has been mediocre at best.

I want the MFC to be hungry & not submissive.

We have also got to get a positive winning attitude into the list we have already assembled..Some will go but not all..

I know it has been said but we have to stop thinking about high draft picks as the answer...I would prefer to recruit hardened players (3-4 years in the system) for at least the next 2-3 years..

We need to recruit leaders rather than kids..and they can be well down the list

Once Bitten Twice Shy....i would rather win than improve our draft picks....4-5 years ago i was swayed from that way of thinking by posters on here, their arguments made sense at the time.

But Culture is a stronger fabric...Strive to win and then take what comes.

The Kruezer Cup comes to mind...one of the most offensive games i have paid money to watch.

The Prize has been mediocre at best.

I want the MFC to be hungry & not submissive.

Sums it up perfectly WYL.

Personally, I think any "Priority Pick", based on poor performance, should require the side to trade that pick. The whole idea of "awarding" a club a PP is to assist with their improvement. Generally speaking, if a club is to use that pick on a 17/18 year old, you are looking at 3 years until that pick has a reasonable chance of improving that list.

Trading that pick - which regardless of it being a number 1 pick (ie $cully), an "after first round" pick, a mid-first round pick, and end of first round pick, the pick will be in the range of 1-19. Under trade conditions, a pick of that calibre will improve the list in the following year without doubt.

That's my view on how/why the AFL should award Priority Picks - to improve the club's list the following year, not "hope" that picking an 18 year old juniors star will improve the club in 3 years time.

that makes a lot of sense.