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Full Noise by SN
No.1 pick: Garry Lyon’s plan to incentivise bottom clubs
SEN • March 26th, 2026 11:45 am
Garry Lyon believes clubs down the bottom should be incentivised late in an AFL season.
Given the introduction of the Wildcard Finals Round which incentivises the middle of the ladder to push for ninth or 10th, Lyon reckons the bottom six teams should play off for the No.1 draft pick.
He has devised a scheme which would see the bottom block of clubs play late-season games to land the prized pick so there is something to play for when all hope is lost.
“The Wildcard Round has been introduced to maintain interest in the competition for clubs and supporters for as long as we possibly can,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.
“So instead of with six games to go these sides can’t make the top eight therefore the interest diminishes and the crowds drop off.
“This is a long, long, long year and you want to maintain an interest for as long as you can. We have got teams that will be (playing for little) like Essendon, or maybe Richmond now given some senior blokes are out, and maybe West Coast win only a couple.
“We’ve just got to keep the interest in those supporters for as long as we can. There’s every chance at some stage that by Round 15 they could be thinking ‘there’s nothing going on here’.
“Incentivise those clubs to push through right until the end of the year by having them play for the No.1 pick.
“I don’t know how you determine it - the bottom four, the bottom five, bottom six.
“Instead of the first pick going to the team that finishes 18th, you make a decision and say ‘Well, the first pick is going to the team that finishes 14th’.
“So it incentivises these teams to play through until the end of the year. What are you playing for in the last six weeks if you’ve won two games? Let’s just pack them away, give them some surgery, and the supporters go ‘I’m not really going to go’, the loyal ones will.
“But if Richmond are playing Melbourne in Round 21 and if Melbourne beats Richmond then they’re going to finish 14th and they might get first pick.
“Incentivise the bottom six. We’re incentivising the top 10 to play wildcard footy to ensure the interest of the game remains.
“I know there’s all sorts of problems with it (the compromised draft). But we started on March 7 and we will finish in early September. By hell it’s a long year if you’re not playing for something.”
