THE AFL Commission has denied Melbourne's request for a priority selection after its sixth bottom-four finish in eight seasons.
The Demons had their request knocked back on Tuesday with the AFL ruling Melbourne's poor on-field record did not itself constitute exceptional circumstances for a priority pick.
Melbourne released a statement on Tuesday evening accepting the AFL's decision.
In a written response to the Demons, the League detailed a number of reasons why the club should not receive a priority selection, including:
- Its 2014 season was an improvement on 2013, winning two more games and improving its percentage from 54.1 per cent to 68.4;
- After round 15 in 2014, Melbourne was 15th on the ladder with four wins and a percentage of 78.1, before a poor ending to the season;
- Melbourne beat two finalists in 2014 (Essendon and Richmond) and it lost three games by less than nine points;
- The Demons have a high level of young talent including Jesse Hogan, Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Viney, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Christian Salem and Dom Tyson;
- Melbourne may be able to trade Mitch Clark for another player or a draft pick and will receive a compensation pick if they lose any players to free agency.
Melbourne lost its final 10 games in 2014, winning just four in total, and lodged its request for special assistance after being toppled by Greater Western Sydney in round 21 at the MCG.
Under the priority pick rules introduced in 2012, the AFL Commission has the power to award priority picks on a discretionary basis and determine where that selection occurs.
The Demons are still in line for a compensation pick should James Frawley leave the club as expected as a free agent.
Former Melbourne star David Schwarz said the AFL had made the right call and the League couldn't reward the Demons for running the club "like a basket case".
"Melbourne have won 10 games in three years and the AFL have knocked back their application. I think rightfully so," Schwarz told SEN.
"The priority pick should be there for extreme circumstances … not for poor recruiting, not for poor management, not for running your club like a basket case.
"You've got to learn by your mistakes and you can't expect handouts.
"I'm glad and it should set a standard now that no club, if you're having a bad trot of three, four or five years, can expect to put up your hand and say 'All right, give us some handouts, give us some priority picks'.
"It doesn't work that way."
Melbourne's winning record in the past three seasons is 15 per cent, and just 21 per cent from 2007 onwards.
It has not won in 19 attempts at Etihad Stadium since round 19, 2007, and has not won in either round one or two since 2005.
The club's has previously used two priority picks on midfielders Sam Blease (pick No.17 in 2008) and Tom Scully (pick No.1 in 2009), with both no longer at the club.
Since 2007 it has used first-round picks on Cale Morton (No.4, 2007), Jack Watts (No.1, 2008), Jack Trengove (No.2, 2009), Lucas Cook (No.12, 2010), Jimmy Toumpas (No.4, 2012) and Christian Salem (No.9, 2013).
