One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: JVT on November 21, 2012, 04:15:34 PM
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On the AFL website.
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Getting in early
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Adelaide's decision to withdraw from the draft an admission of guilt
Jon Ralph
From: Herald Sun
November 21, 2012 4:10PM
FIRST things first.
Adelaide's decision to hand back its first two selections in Thursday's national draft is a significant admission of guilt from the Crows over the Kurt Tippett affair.
For weeks the club has urged restraint despite the raging torrent of headlines, peddling the line that it just couldn’t wait for its meeting with the AFL.
But you don't hand back draft picks if you aren't absolutely, 100 per cent, rock-solid certain they will be stripped from you at some stage anyway.
So finally we know that Adelaide is guilty, because it believes it is too.
The industry estimate of Adelaide's potential penalties has been that they would likely lose at least their first two picks from two consecutive drafts.
So in one way this is a masterstroke from Adelaide, especially given AFL football operations boss Adrian Anderson has already confirmed he will recommend the club's actions are taken into account at the Commission next week.
Why a masterstroke?
Because Adelaide had only two live picks in this draft, and its best pick was a modest 20.
Crows can still buy their way out of trouble
It can still spruik the arrival of star midfielder Brad Crouch, taken last year in the GWS mini-draft but only able to play for the Crows this year.
And as the Herald Sun proposed today, its list is in excellent shape to strive for a premiership even when it does inevitably lose Kurt Tippett to a NSW-based club.
Better to lose the two picks from this draft, and next year's picks, than be nobbled in a subsequent draft when you desperately need to stock up with a raft of juniors.
The jungle drums beating early in the week were that the Adelaide's recruiting team would have been thrilled if the penalties started this year, given the lack of quality picks they planned to take.
Yet footballer manager Phil Harper's determination to spend more time on his defence saw him and the Crows ask for and win another week before they fronted the commission.
This is a ploy to have it both ways - get the extra time from the AFL, yet still start the draft sanctions in the 2012 draft.
It is high stakes brinkmanship, because the Commission could still suspend them from the 2013 and 2014 drafts.
Then the Crows truly are in strife, because no club can afford to lose high picks from three consecutive drafts.
This is a dark day for the Adelaide football club, because it has effectively conceded its involvement a salary cap scandal which will leave a dark stain on its reputation.
But if you are going to get smashed by the AFL, you might as well try to receive that smashing on your terms.
Only at next Friday's AFL Commission meeting will we see if the ploy has paid off or dramatically backfired.
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SuperFooty (AFL) @superfooty twitter:
"RT @Robbo_heraldsun Crows' goodwill gesture .... looks like a husband buying flowers for the wife after being caught having an affair"
:yep
Hopefully the AFL don't fall for this. Adelaide are only giving up two so-so draft picks (20 & 54) here. Hardly heavy punishment compared to say what Carlton copped.
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Whole things becomes more laughable each passing day
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Whole thingsa becomes more laughable each passing day
So true WP.
The AFL has allowed the Crows to remain in the draft btw. It's just that their first pick now is their promoted rookie (pick 63) and then they have two later live picks.
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Must be ALOT more to come out beyond what is speculated for Adelaide to proactively offer up their first 2 picks. Something stinks really really bad.....
They wouldn't have banned themselves if they didn't think it would be advantageous.
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the book should be thrown at them, wait till all
the facts come out. :thumbsup
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Crows could face more pain despite shock draft surrender.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/151451/default.aspx
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I think the Crows sharted their dacks
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So does our pick 2 move up the order now?
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Must be ALOT more to come out beyond what is speculated for Adelaide to proactively offer up their first 2 picks. Something stinks really really bad.....
They wouldn't have banned themselves if they didn't think it would be advantageous.
Silly little Adrian A reckons that this sign of goodwill should be taken into consideration when the Commission hands down the penalties
Give me a break. I reckon little AA should shut up. "Sign of goodwill" trying to worry they way to a lesser penalty
Pathetic
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U reckon melbourne could have done the same as well.. clearly there's no guilt there
Go u tigers
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SuperFooty (AFL) @superfooty twitter:
"RT @Robbo_heraldsun Crows' goodwill gesture .... looks like a husband buying flowers for the wife after being caught having an affair"
:yep
Hopefully the AFL don't fall for this. Adelaide are only giving up two so-so draft picks (20 & 54) here. Hardly heavy punishment compared to say what Carlton copped.
Great tweet.