MELBOURNE chief executive Peter Jackson has reiterated that the club has asked for “special assistance” from the AFL and “not the priority pick”.

Jackson said it needed to be clear that Melbourne was not seeking the first pick in the draft, but consideration from the AFL needed to be made to assist the club.

“We haven’t necessarily asked for pick No.1, because we know that’s not reasonable,” he said.

“The AFL has moved towards uncompromised drafts and every club having the benefit of its first round pick.

“We understand that, so we’ll let them work out what is reasonable.”

But Jackson said it was critical Melbourne was thriving for the rest of the AFL.

“The whole competition requires Melbourne to be stronger and I’ve said this before that the other clubs – when they play at the MCG as their home game –they want to see 45,000 and now 25,000. So does Goughy (MCC chief executive Stephen Gough),” he said.

“I know this club can be accused of causing its own problems in the past, but the reality is over the last 18 months, this footy club’s moved forward a long way, in terms of its governance, processes, its decision-making and the people it’s got at the club.

“I think the AFL could look forward to the fact that we might use some of these decisions that we might make responsibly. We’re hopeful, but we’re not expectant.”

Jackson said the appointment of Simon Goodwin as Paul Roos’ successor completes the club’s off-field restructure.

“He must see a fantastic opportunity at this footy club – two years from now,” he said about the Adelaide great.

“Otherwise he wouldn’t have done it, so I just hope all our members and supporters understand that.”

Meanwhile, president Glen Bartlett said the club felt Goodwin was “the very best candidate for the role”.