As an Eagles member I did not think I would ever say this but did their win in Round 9 do more harm than good?
Normally winning a game is good as it sets up confidence for the team and young players but this year looks to be different. If you are about to rebuild your team and do what Hawthorn and Carlton have done by rebuilding via draft picks, 2008 is the year to do it. Due to the new teams coming into the AFL in 2011 and 2012 it means that starting from next year the teams that finish 13th to 16th will not get the best of the younger generation.
What makes 2008 even more the year of tanking is that apart from the Bulldogs and Collingwood no other team will be able to match and challenge Geelong and Hawthorn. St Kilda’s coach has already stated that he will rebuild and its obvious that Essendon, Freo, Melbourne and the Eagles are also in the same state of rebuilding.
So should your team tank to ensure they get the best pick of this years draft? I would think so especially if you think of these players you could pick up.
This years top pick will most likely be Nicholas Naitanui from Swan Districts, he is something that any team will tank for. Last year he grabbed the ruck spot from last year’s top draft pick Mathew Kreuzer in the under 18 All Australian side.
Daniel Rich is another top draft pick which will slot straight into any team next year, both he and Nicholas are playing and starring at senior level this year and will turn 18 this year.
These two will most likely go one and two and the current bottom two teams are Melbourne and Fremantle. Nicholas would fit into the number two ruck spot quite easily for the Demons and with Jeff White getting on, it would be a perfect fit for them as White could even play forward. Fremantle would be rapt to get Daniel Rich as he alongside Palmer and Ibbotson would ensure that Fremantle have a midfield that would be the envy of clubs.
So if you were Melbourne, Fremantle, Essendon and the Eagles would you really want to win again this year? Even with other teams like Port Adelaide who are currently 12th (round 9) is it really worth wining again?
What do you think? Do you think 2008 will become the year of tanking? Are there any other younger players in the other leagues that will ensure that teams will want to tank for?
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