Tue 17 May 2005 - Tipping and the draft
I’m at home today, having a day off to get some errands done. Like picking up my new computer. And tidying the desk so it can be set up.
Only 4 in the tipping over the weekend. Perhaps my problem is that my tipping method (with which I won one competition, and came equal first in another, last year) relies on past team performance. And with the annual draft shuffling all the teams around, past team performance doesn’t count for a lot in the first few rounds of the season.
I wouldn’t claim to be an AFL expert, but from what I can see, the draft is a Good Thing. It means that the poorest of teams get a boost at the end of the season, to stay competitive. It keeps the game interesting and stops strong clubs dominating for years on end.
Essendon, for instance, seemed unbeatable in the late 90s (though it didn’t necessarily translate into winning the Premiership), but are languishing down near the bottom of the ladder now. Whereas I distinctly remember only a few years ago, St Kilda fans bemoaning their continual losses, and taking consolation that they’d get the best draft picks at the end of the year.
It’s good for the game. But it’s bad for my tipping.