I don't think you can make a player tank but you can make an administration and a coach tank. If we rested Lids (TT would love this idea), Tuck, Simmonds, Gus, Moore etc and replaced them with youth - ie Gilligan, Vickery, Post, Putt, Browne, Hislop, Thomson, Silvester etc then we will more than likely lose. You won't even have to play them all at once just a few in important positions ie ruck, FB, midfield and FF.
Gaining high draft picks isn't a garrantee to obtaining great players but it sure helps! You get first, second etc pick of all the players but more importantly, you gain more early choices and better choices all the way throught he draft. Therefore you have a number of players that have the potential to develop rather than just a few.
The winning culture argument doesn't cut it with me. Players will always try to win. If they become disheartened for a season they don't reamin so for the rest of their careers especially with a new coach. If we do tank play the youth, then I would expect them to still try and win but I would also expect us to try and secure early picks in the last compromised draft in the next umpteen years.
Last chance to top up and give us a few addition quality players to give us the edge.
Stripes