WESTERN Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has weighed into the tanking debate, calling on the League to abolish the priority pick.

Eade said the League should shelve the priority selection for clubs that have struggled for consecutive years, to eliminate the perception lowly-ranked teams don't try to win games towards the end of the year.
 
However, he rejected calls for the draft to feature an NBA-style lottery citing the Bulldogs' finish in 2007, where they finished fourth with nine and a half wins as evidence that they didn't deserve first pick in the draft.

"I think there would have to be some sort of qualification if you're going to go the lottery system," Eade said concerned that the lottery may continue tanking speculation.

"If it is the bottom four and you're fifth last, then do you tank to finish fourth last with a chance of getting first pick?

"I think if you finish last, you get the first pick and that's it. Take the priority away."

Eade said the current system was able to be manipulated owing to the big carrot on offer when it came to a priority draft selection.

He said removing the pick would help to alleviate the perception tanking was rife within the competition, adding that all the speculation was damaging the game.

"I don't think any coach or player goes out to lose a game. We all try and win, Eade said.

"You might try different things at different stages to experiment, and I've done that when we've not been able to make the finals. List management – you're going to get players operated on early as well.

"I don't know if the constant talk about it is healthy for the game, and the talk is not going to go away."

Eade also said clubs had to become more accountable for their list management to eradicate the need for a priority pick in the first place.

"If they decide to top up with older players and go for a premiership and then they've got five years of heart ache, well, that's their issue," he said.

"Generally, the way the system is, it's fairly even with the draft. You've got to manage your list, and I think teams have been able to do that pretty well to be able to be competitive for a consistent amount of time.

"If teams don't manage their lists properly, it's bad luck for them. I don't think we should help them."