Essendon and Fremantle have no incentive to win with No.1 draft pick the likely prize, writes Mark Robinson

THERE’S no incentive for Essendon or Fremantle to win Saturday night’s game with the No.1 draft pick the likely prize for the loser, writes Mark Robinson.

The Dockers remain winless after their loss to St Kilda. Picture: Getty Images

THERE’S no incentive for Essendon or Fremantle to win Saturday night’s game.

It’s why it’s a red-flag game for the AFL.

Coaches John Worsfold and Ross Lyon will feel insulted by the insinuation this could be a tank game. But they shouldn’t.

They are two honourable human beings with a high and proud level of competitiveness.

But it’s a worry for the competition when the incentive to lose outweighs the incentive to win.

The fact is, if the Bombers win, Fremantle go two games “clear” of Essendon at the bottom of the table and will be a raging favourite to secure the No.1 pick at national draft in November.

And perhaps use it to entice Jesse Hogan home.

If the Dockers win, it means Essendon will descend to the bottom rung — on the same points but with a lower percentage than Fremantle and Brisbane — and will be the new raging favourite for the No.1 draft pick.

The stakes are high.

As yet, there isn’t a stand-out footballer for the No.1 spot, so the sexiness of yesteryear when we had, say, the Kreuzer Cup, isn’t yet apparent.

First pick, though, beckons for the weekend loser.

Please, which team wouldn’t want No.1?

Essendon players after their loss to Richmond on Saturday night. Picture: AAP

It’s why the AFL’s integrity department should be proactive and not reactive in games such as this, as much for the interests of the coaches as the competition.

Lyon and Worsfold won’t toss this game. The perception is they could, however, to deliver their club the best possible chance at the draft.

Regardless of what the coaches will say this week and have said in recent weeks, the further perception is, regardless of the result on Saturday night, there will be two delighted coaches: One who wins the game, the other who wins favouritism for the No.1 draft selection.

There’s no question about what the supporters of each team wants this weekend. They want the No.1 pick.

The AFL should head-off perception with rigorous action.

To avoid any potential finger pointing at Worsfold and Lyon, the integrity department should employ a group of former footballers/coaches to analyse the game strategies.

The AFL can’t do anything about selection, for both teams are eyeing the future and playing kids already.

Unless, of course, there’s a staggering amount of players being rested for the match, such as Zaharakis, Goddard and Merrett for Essendon and Neale, Walters and Hill for Fremantle.

No, that won’t be happening.

It’s the in-game play which the AFL needs to be mindful of.

Things such as odd match-ups, interchange anomalies, how long a player sits on the pine and how long a player stays on the ground.

Ross Lyon has been accused of coaching not to win by AFL great Wayne Carey. Picture: AAP

When Melbourne was accused of tanking, games were revisited almost three years later and match-ups and moves scrutinised.

What amateur sleuthing that was.

If the AFL monitored this weekend’s game — and not the media — the AFL would be able to tick off the game within days and any suggestion of tanking would end before it began.

To call it a red-flag day is not being melodramatic because we’ve had them before.

Remember 2009 and Melbourne’s Round 17 and 18 games against Sydney and Richmond when the Demons dropped players and played players in different positions?

The Kreuzer Cup between Carlton and Melbourne in 2007, when Travis Johnstone had 42 off a back flank?

And anyone still believe everything was above board when Collingwood snaffled Pendlebury and Thomas in the 2005 season?

Good football men were involved in those games, too.

Tanking talk already abounds. AFL great Wayne Carey last week accused Lyon of coaching not to win.

Lyon responded with: “I’m working within the confines of the direction of the club — take care of the present, and plan for the future at the same time.”

It used to be called tanking and derided. Now, it’s called list management and it’s smart planning.

There’s no question about what the supporters of each team wants this weekend.

They want the No.1 pick.

So does Essendon and so does Fremantle.