West Coast coach John Worsfold said he and his players did everything in their power to get over the line in a narrow Western Derby loss to Fremantle on Saturday.
Speaking after the five-point defeat, Worsfold's choice of words were clearly aimed at Terry Wallace's comments during the week, regarding AFL teams 'tanking' for higher draft choices.
Although he later said he was misrepresented, the Herald Sun quoted Wallace saying he didn't make any last-quarter moves two years ago during the Round 22 clash between St Kilda and Richmond, as the Saints came from behind to win.
In that case, the loss ensured the Tigers finished bottom of the ladder that year with less than four wins, earning Richmond selection No.2 and a priority selection that occurred after the draft's first round.
Fast forward to 2009, and the stakes for Melbourne and West Coast are much higher as teams that win four or fewer matches in two consecutive years are entitled to a priority selection that occurs before the first round of the draft.
But, having already won four matches, the Eagles would have forfeited the priority pick had they beaten their cross-town rival on Saturday afternoon.
Worsfold, though, adamantly declared the endeavour his players showed in the error-riddled but dramatic contest should be enough to dispel any suggestions his side was 'tanking'.
"We threw everything into it," stated Worsfold.
"We made every move possible to win it down to the last 20 seconds of the game and there's absolutely nothing else we could have done."
"There's probably not much separating the two teams and that showed in the scoreboard. It probably came down to the team that stuffed it up least that was in front at the end."
"Smothered handballs and kicks today must have been an all-time record. Players were just not making really good decisions under pressure and that's what happens with a lot of young players out there, they rush disposals and get picked off."
"It's frustrating but that's the reality where we're at," he said.
Having watched both sides throw everything into the contest, Fremantle coach Mark Harvey spoke for both teams, saying 'tanking' allegations should be forgotten.
"That word, 'tanking', when you go and play like that it should be thrown straight out the window," Harvey said.
"You only have to come to games like this to see ... what both clubs are trying to do, they're trying to make sure that their team's leading into the future, has the winning mentality and gaining experience and getting better as each game goes on and that's what we're all trying to do."
The victory ends a nine-game losing streak for the Dockers and is just their fourth win this season, ensuring Fremantle retains a priority selection after the first round of this year's draft, if they fail to win another match for the rest of the year.