AFL great Kevin Sheedy has come up with a radical way to end the tanking debate for good - a goalkicking shootout between the bottom four sides.
The topic of tanking has been all the talk in AFL circles this week as the Dockers and Bombers prepare to lock horns in Saturday night's clash at Domain Stadium.
The loser of the match will be in the box seat to collect the wooden spoon and, in turn, receive the prized No.1 draft pick that goes with it.
Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert has already floated the idea of putting the bottom-four sides into a draft lottery in a bid to end the incentive to tank.
But Sheedy thinks he has an even better idea.
The former Bombers' coach says the AFL could award the No.1 draft pick to whatever side in the bottom four kicks the most goals in the final four rounds of the season.
That way, attacking football would be heavily promoted, instead of struggling teams trying to limit the damage by flooding their defences.
"It's not radical. It's common sense," Sheedy said on Friday.
"Common sense sometimes is missed.
"Why is it radical to have a very attacking, crash-hot go to find out how good your team is and go for it?
"I think the commission should sit down and listen to an array of (ideas).
"Not necessarily do it this year but, for the good of the game, over the next five years."
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon labelled the tanking debate as garbage earlier this week, claiming it would ruin the club's culture if they purposely tried to lose games.
Essendon coach John Worsfold was just as adamant the practice didn't exist within his club.
"From a personal point of view, it doesn't exist in my language," Worsfold said.
"I would never ask a player to not try his best and, therefore, would never ask a group of players to not do their absolute best.
"If I ever did that, it would be time not to be involved."
Share
