West Coast Eagles Priority Pick (2024)

[tombomb]

They are in a draft like last year where there were clear tiers

Reid-McKercher-Dursmaa were that far ahead, and that doesn't include the GC academy one which wasn't available. The drop after those to the next tier was significant, the drop to 11 (which was 15 plus) was even more. Last years draft was very weird but it was like that. Look at our pick, and I like the pick but clubs were taking swings at that range let alone after that.

yeah yeah. Every year we hear the same thing about how the draft is no good after the first 10 picks. Then we look back in a few years and see there are good players all through the draft.

 

[JackOutback]

I don't know if you have noticed but your list is an utter catastrophe. That, and Reid being a potential flight risk, is why so many were recommending West Coast trade pick 1.

Unless you want to be as bad as North for the next 10 years, you need to do something drastic. And moving that one selection, would have created the opportunity for that.

And first round selections aren't a 'bunch of middling' picks.

Not all first round selections are equal. Pick 6 that pushes out to 8 or 9 and pick 11 that pushes out to 15 simply aren't worth even close to pick 1. Have a look at the average career of picks 1 vs 15 for evidence.

Also, the bolded is just Eastern States media speculation and drivel.

 

[bzparkes]

One important factor in the AFL exercising its discretion is at what point it’s equitable to disrupt the draft to assist a team. Norf received substantial assistance after not playing finals since what 2015/2016 and at a point when they looked diabolical onfield. Effectively the competition had accepted Norf as a basket case that required assistance.

WCE still have a little way to go before they should get assistance. As I said, end of next year at the earliest. More likely 2026.

So, 2 more years worse than North before asking for assistance?

Yeah, don't really think that'll fly...

 

[Taylor]

We're already getting thumped. Imagine how much worse we'd be without McGovern & Yeo, for starters.

Nobody needs to imagine it, there would have been plenty of games with those two missing over the last season or so.

West Coast won a flag five flags ago, played finals 2020 and finished 9th in 2021. They've been bad for 22+23+3 games.

 

[JackOutback]

I understand how the draft works with picks being pushed back.

They passed up a golden opportunity to overhaul this list with one trade.

Your second sentence negates your first.

 

[amazingjoshy]

Guaranteed had we traded pick 1 the calls right now would be "how could they pass up Reid and now expect priority picks. It's their own stupid fault"

100%

 

[ep2018]

Dont really have an opinion on PPs other than pick 1 should never be given as one ever again.

I suspect we'll go to the AFL later in the year and outline our post season draft/trade plans and see if we can get potentially a second and/or third rounder to help us out.

Under Nisbett I suspect we were too proud to ask for help but now under Pyke we'll 100% ask for help.

 

[Elixuh]

So, 2 more years worse than North before asking for assistance?

Yeah, don't really think that'll fly...

What’s even more yikes for you is that after your first pick this year your next pick is pick 30. So you’re not even rebuilding properly. How you can be three years in and not have multiple first round picks or early 20s picks is insane.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I understand how the draft works with picks being pushed back.

They passed up a golden opportunity to overhaul this list with one trade.

No they didn't. You still haven't given ONE idea where they can trade it and it's a good deal. Every deal was bad to horrible. More picks doesn't equal good, just means more list fodder you have to delist. The best you have come up with is Melbourne, it's a terrible deal for WC, pick 6 (8) they miss out on all those top talents, would have to reach for Curtin probably, pick 11 which became pick 15 plus to draft what? Look at who was drafted in that range. The pick 15 plus this year (which will become closer to 20 with the FS and what not) is rubbish

 

[chaddy22]

If they don't give us a compo then maybe the following.
Our second pick which is likely pick 19 needs to be pick 19 and not blown out to pick 30 by academies and father and sons like last year.
Secondly access to academy player Malakai Champion if he is not picked by pick 20. West Coast should be able to match.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

yeah yeah. Every year we hear the same thing about how the draft is no good after the first 10 picks. Then we look back in a few years and see there are good players all through the draft.

There are, but it's easier to find them with prime picks. WCE were never trading 1 for any deal that didn't include a top 4 pick. Weirdly the Hawks deal was the best one but only as they have gone like busted this year and you can't rely on that.

 

[amazingjoshy]

If they don't give us a compo then maybe the following.
Our second pick which is likely pick 19 needs to be pick 19 and not blown out to pick 30 by academies and father and sons like last year.
Secondly access to academy player Malakai Champion if he is not picked by pick 20. West Coast should be able to match.

I expect IF WC get anything it will something along these lines, certainly not worth oppo supporters getting their knickers in a knot over

Its essentially access to what is completely fair and what we should have access to if the comp wasn't so comprised already

And then they get to call it "assistance"

 

[bzparkes]

Nobody needs to imagine it, there would have been plenty of games with those two missing over the last season or so.

West Coast won a flag five flags ago, played finals 2020 and finished 9th in 2021. They've been bad for 22+23+3 games.

North were 2 games out of finals in 2019, so the timeline of just missing out on finals for assistance appears on track for WCE to receive a 2nd and 3rd to trade out, if we're going off your criteria, as we'd be 2 years behind North.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

If they don't give us a compo then maybe the following.
Our second pick which is likely pick 19 needs to be pick 19 and not blown out to pick 30 by academies and father and sons like last year.
Secondly access to academy player Malakai Champion if he is not picked by pick 20. West Coast should be able to match.

We didn't get any special access to Riley Sanders so it shouldn't be any different for you unless the AFL change the rules for everyone.

Future 2nd and future 3rd plus a couple of extra list spots is what you should get.

 

[big_e]

Does any other global sporting organisation have a similar concept of priority picks for sustained underperformance that we do in the AFL?

Does it matter?

Different codes have different rules for different reasons. Major League Baseball gives extra picks to clubs in the smallest markets and with the smallest revenue. The NFL gives extra picks to clubs to help clubs develop minority candidates for coaching and GM positions.

Priority picks were introduced in the AFL as a way of propping up Sydney and Brisbane in the early 90s. The whole point of the draft is to give the best talent to the worst teams. So if a club is really bad, giving them an extra pick is perfectly in line with that philosophy.

I think the father-son and academy stuff distorts the draft far more than priority picks but a lot of people love the romance of the F/S and the AFL has good reasons for academies, so, despite the protestations of Eagles fans, they ain't going anywhere.

That the Eagles won a flag five years ago is interesting but not relevant. In 2024, they suck. And they look like sucking in 2025, too, and probably 2026. It's a drain on the competition to have clubs down the bottom for a long time (and it's not much fun as a supporter of those clubs, either). You can sack everyone in sight but the reality of the AFL is that the only way to get better is to get better players on the list.

It's time for the Eagles to put their big boy pants on and just ask for help.

 

[bzparkes]

What’s even more yikes for you is that after your first pick this year your next pick is pick 30. So you’re not even rebuilding properly. How you can be three years in and not have multiple first round picks or early 20s picks is insane.

Well, why don't you ask the AFL that question, eh?

FMD. The whole reason our second pick was at 30 was due to academies and father sons pushing pick 19 out to 30.

You can't be this dense, right?

 

[bzparkes]

If they don't give us a compo then maybe the following.
Our second pick which is likely pick 19 needs to be pick 19 and not blown out to pick 30 by academies and father and sons like last year.
Secondly access to academy player Malakai Champion if he is not picked by pick 20. West Coast should be able to match.

Would be more than happy with that.

Keep our actual first pick of the 2nd round at it's rightful place isn't disadvantaging any other team and being able to match an NGA outside of 20 is more than fair.

 

[tombomb]

Trade pick 1 for what?

Answer that first and we can go from there.

I would have told Melbourne to get pick 10 off Adelaide for Petty. The only thing I have seen about that deal was Melbourne weren't willing to move him. Nothing about Adelaide being unwilling to deal pick 10.

I then would have offered 1 and 23 for 6 + 10 + 11+ f1st. Then, I would have tried to move 10 back into the twenties and get a f1st off someone.

Then in the 2024 draft, I would try and do the same thing. Splitting selections, and moving back, to get multiple picks.

Then by the end of the 2025 draft, they would have something like 15 young players on their list, all who were taken in the first thirty selections. All because they were willing to move one selection in 2023.

If they tried to do that, then fine. I don't think West Coast did.

 

[bzparkes]

We didn't get any special access to Riley Sanders so it shouldn't be any different for you unless the AFL change the rules for everyone.

Future 2nd and future 3rd plus a couple of extra list spots is what you should get.

Sanders didn't go outside of 20, for starters.

He didn't even want to go to North either, so even if you were given access it sounds like he probably wouldn't have nominated.

 

[tombomb]

Not all first round selections are equal. Pick 6 that pushes out to 8 or 9 and pick 11 that pushes out to 15 simply aren't worth even close to pick 1. Have a look at the average career of picks 1 vs 15 for evidence.

Also, the bolded is just Eastern States media speculation and drivel.

I am not suggesting West Coast should have traded pick 1 for two selections.

 

[Taylor]

North were 2 games out of finals in 2019, so the timeline of just missing out on finals for assistance appears on track for WCE to receive a 2nd and 3rd to trade out, if we're going off your criteria, as we'd be 2 years behind North.

You're right about that, WC last won a final in 2019 (let's pretend a premiership the previous year doesn't matter). North last won a final in 2015.

So you are four years behind them. See you in 2026.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Sanders didn't go outside of 20, for starters.

He didn't even want to go to North either, so even if you were given access it sounds like he probably wouldn't have nominated.

Once again, future 2nd rnd and 3rd rnd pick that have to be traded plus a few extra list spots. That's what we got. That's what you should get.

 

[bzparkes]

I would have told Melbourne to get pick 10 off Adelaide for Petty. The only thing I have seen about that deal was Melbourne weren't willing to move him. Nothing about Adelaide being unwilling to deal pick 10.

And who would you have drafted with pick 10(which was actually pushed out to what, 14?)

I then would have offered 1 and 23 for 6 + 10 + 11+ f1st. Then, I would have tried to move 10 back into the twenties and get a f1st off someone.

So, 1 pick at the end of the top 10. You're also assuming a lot of this being possible to begin with.

Are you aware that WCE tried to trade this year's 1st to both GWS and Adelaide and both clubs refused?

Then in the 2024 draft, I would try and do the same thing. Splitting selections, and moving back, to get multiple picks.

We split our first rounder in the previous 2 drafts. Are you saying we should not give ourselves a chance at the absolute elite talent and keep splitting our first pick?

I mean, wouldn't surprise me if we did it this year but at some point, you need to pick the cream of the crop.

Splitting last year's first wouldn't make us any more competitive this year or next. In fact, it'd probably have made WCE less so.

Then by the end of the 2025 draft, they would have something like 15 young players on their list, all who were taken in the first thirty selections. All because they were willing to move one selection in 2023.

If they tried to do that, then fine. I don't think West Coast did.

Young doesn't = good.

The draft is generally a crapshoot outside the first 15 or so.

 

[bzparkes]

You're right about that, WC last won a final in 2019 (let's pretend a premiership the previous year doesn't matter). North last won a final in 2015.

So you are four years behind them. See you in 2026.

Winning finals doesn't mean much if the clubs have spent the same amount of time out of them before asking for assistance.

 

[bzparkes]

Once again, future 2nd rnd and 3rd rnd pick that have to be traded plus a few extra list spots. That's what we got. That's what you should get.

Yeah, if we go off the same timeline in regards to what North got then I agree.