I agree with Yeti to look at our drafting alone doesn't come close to addressing the issue, I would assume that our opportunities to draft in stars would be lowered, as Morgan rightly points out the system is designed that way.
We have tried to follow the Hawthorn/Geelong model and get in free agents for whatever reason this has failed, you could fill a thread on this alone. There are signs that even the mighty Hawthorn are finally starting to feel the effects of access to higher picks. Players like Hartung Ceglar etc may not be good enough to take up the mantle. I am not convinced that Geelong are genuinely in a position to win the premiership (I could be proven wrong).
It's true our highest picks have been a disaster, but our development of players seems to be ordinary as well, when was the last time we had a player come onto the scene and tear it up GWS have umpteen top 10 picks but still find space for Taranto. We have spent years rotating the same players in and out of the team Mzungu, Suban, Deboer, Silvagni, Crozier even Taberner while apparently other players offer little more and seem to be gifted games Sheridan, Sutcliffe, Dawson, D Pearce. I don't mean to assassinate these guys, only to point out that occasionally dropping different players when out of form may have more integrity.
Our game plan looks old and out of touch other teams have worked out how to counter it and treat it with scant regard. We have a playing list that does not look to be enjoying their football and play with no natural flair or adventure. They seem to be turning up to a seven year old job.
I don't propose sacking the coach (yet) we don't want to be Richmond, but during this year we need to look at how to bring our football team up to speed with what's happening now. Whether this be addition of some innovative creditable assistants I'm not sure. I think we may have had a couple in Scott and Kirk that could have contributed a lot previously.
Our ability to get players on the park is poor and cover for them when they are injured non existent. 2013 Pav and Sandi missed the first half of the season from memory. Natanui hasn't played much footy for two years and the Eagles continue to play well.
I have my suspicions that something has gone badly wrong and there may be multiple fractures behind the scene that the club is doing well to keep under wraps.
