I think everyone at North wanted to lose that game. Problem is that tanking as match fixing has really only happened that once, when it was Bailey at Melbourne. It is so obvious that it can't be pulled off without facing the risk of lengthy suspension, reputational damage and possibly even the loss of the pick. Terry Wallace has talked a lot about how awkward that day was. I'll bet they were praying GC would turn up because you can't control the outcome once the ball is bounced. That's match fixing and it could well end up beyond the control of the AFL. Their prayers weren't answered and I put it down to karma.
West Coasting checked out 3 years ago and has just been plodding along. It doesn't deserve anything, really, but it hasn't engaged a systematic campaign to blow up any semblance of competitiveness and then screwed up its list management strategy, seemingly oblivious to its status in the game. This is what West Coast does. It's like the whole club checks out for the period it takes to get interested again and then, all of the sudden, they're playing prelims. They ebb and flow like no other club. North is still a first round pick short of where it would be if it was realistic about its capacity to retain JHF. If they've learned any self-awareness they're probably relieved they missed Reid. While I think it less likely that even that calibre of young gun moves intrastate, he's still faced with VFL sized crowds off Broadway for a large part of his career. If he supports any one of Collingwood, Richmond, Essendon, Carlton or Hawthorn there is a pretty good chance he'll end up there (it's not a certainty but a good chance). If it was Geelong, he'd already be buying property in Torquay.
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