The Fremantle Dockers won’t change their approach to Saturday’s game with Essendon based on the promise of future draft picks, according to senior coach Ross Lyon.
The priority draft pick reform of 2012 provided less incentive to “tank” as the picks that were previously based on ladder position only became available at discretion of the AFL Commission.
Lyon said the change had been beneficial and that football clubs have a responsibility to their fans first and foremost.
“It’s fair to say that if the incentive (for priority picks) isn’t there it lessens the risk (of tanking),” Lyon said.
“AFL clubs represent their members, fans, the people that pay and work really hard to buy their seat and take their children.
“They want to see our players compete.”
Talking points: Rd 11 v Essendon
Lyon said Freo’s winning attitude and mindset couldn’t simply be switched off due to their current position on the ladder, and that to do so would be detrimental to the growth of the team.
His passionate message to the players at quarter time against St Kilda last week was evident to see, adding that his approach wouldn’t change on a week-to-week basis.
“Anyone that saw quarter time (against the Saints), I don’t see how this game (against Essendon) is any less important to us going forward,” he said.
“Last week or this week, the same attitude applies, I don’t see how my attitude or the club’s attitude would change in the space of seven days.
“We want to establish our habits for success in adversity.
“You don’t just drift through a year, establish bad habits, and then next year practice great habits. It doesn’t work like that.”
While the issue of the AFL adopting a “draft lottery” system – similar to that used in the NBA – has been in the news over the past few days, Lyon said he’d be shocked if any drastic changes were made to the current format.
Mixing youth and experience key
“Clearly, the rules about the draft and the order were established and put in place before the season started,” he said.
“I would be shocked if they changed now.”
“I think our expectation is that it would remain and wouldn’t be ‘policy on the run’ and I certainly think (AFL CEO) Gillon McLachlan isn’t one for policy on the run.”
Lyon likened the proposed change to the draft to that of recent rule changes, in which reforms came off the back of deliberation and trial before implementation.
“It’s a bit like the rule changes (to) the guarding of the mark and deliberate out of bounds, there was noise last year but they considered it and in the fullness of time they implement it.”
