One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on November 20, 2024, 08:25:53 PM
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Welcome to Tigerland, Taj :)
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what's going on here now
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Balances out the first 2 picks well
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TAJ HOTTON
Position: Midfielder/medium forward
Size: 180cm
Clubs: Sandringham Dragons/Hampton Rovers
AFL player comparison: Shai Bolton
If he’d played a full season, the sense is Hotton would’ve been taken even earlier than this, for he was arguably the hottest player of the draft pool at the start of the season before rupturing his ACL at training in May. Athletic, agile and versatile, Hotton had significantly improved his endurance earlier in the year, which allowed him to spend more time on the ball. It led to some monster Talent League games for the Dragons – most notably against the Chargers where he kicked 4.1 from 32 disposals, 10 marks, five inside 50s and five tackles – while he also played a game for the AFL academy, booting two goals from 18 disposals against Coburg. Considering the Eagles parted with Pick 3 during the trade period, getting Hotton – a possible top-five talent with a full 2024 campaign – at this selection would be a great result.
(https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/015473390e312598a3cd1ba86a2afe4a?width=768)
Source: Foxsports (https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/phantom-draft-afl-2024-fox-footy-afl-phantom-mock-draft-2024-predictions-live-trades-bids-formguide-date-time/news-story/be023112f1bf1fcc17d4189df93fa5ab)
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The old slider due to major injury in his draft year. A tale as old as time…..
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The old slider due to major injury in his draft year. A tale as old as time…..
Kinda like Sonsie huh.
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Taj said he wasn't expecting to go this early.
Hopes to be back running in a week (asap).
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VIDEO:
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JLJ1i-L36L8/maxresdefault.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLJ1i-L36L8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLJ1i-L36L8
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exciting prospect. Please dont start assigning whipping boys already
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Can play, huge ceiling. Rest is up for development and luck.
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Unlike the future Parkinson's candidate and potential lawsuit, this kid is worth the risk - top 5 talent. :clapping
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This kid looks like the x-factor player of the draft. Balanced, smooth mover, elusive, tackles, can jump and kick goals. Get him healthy and fit and I reckon he’ll be a cracker.
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Excited about this one.
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Highest ceiling in draft along with Tauru. Just comes down to development and some luck and we have an absolute star.
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Taj Hotton bound for the Swinburne Centre
(https://resources.richmondfc.com.au/photo-resources/2024/11/20/60c0b7e9-cfca-49d5-928c-b50955b68d89/Pick-12_Taj-Hotton_Article-Image.png?width=1064&height=600)
Richmond has selected dynamic forward/midfielder Taj Hotton with its third selection, No. 12 overall at tonight’s Telstra AFL Draft.
Hotton made a blistering start to this season’s Coates Talent League playing for Sandringham Dragons where he averaged 29 disposals, including a 32 touch and four goal game against Oakleigh Chargers.
The outstanding form saw Hotton selected for the AFL Academy side, however an ACL injury in May meant he was unable to play for Vic Metro in the National Championships.
Hotton was a standout at fitness testing in March with his 2.88 second 20m sprint, 21.1 yoyo, 7.8 agility test and 93cm running vertical leap placing him in the elite category.
Richmond Victorian Talent Manager, Rhy Gieschen said that Hotton had shown a high level of potential at the beginning of this year, playing for Sandringham and Haileybury.
“Taj’s athleticism allows him to play through the midfield, but also to be a really dangerous prospect as a forward, who can beat his opponent in the air and at ground level,” he said.
“He is recovering from his injury and progressing really well.
“Taj has been super diligent in his rehab and recovery, so we expect to see him return to full health in the second half of the 2025 season.
“We welcome Taj and his family to Richmond.”
The 182cm goalkicker is the son of former Collingwood and Carlton player Trent Hotton and younger brother of Olli Hotton who was drafted to St Kilda in 2022.
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1694849/taj-hotton-bound-for-the-swinburne-centre
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Taj the Tiger
Watch along as Richmond select Taj Hotton with Pick 12 in the 2024 AFL Draft.
VIDEO: https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/1695013/taj-the-tiger
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I know it's a risk taking a kid with a recent ACL but he looks seriously classy in his highlights.
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Agree Willy, Hotton’s Footy smarts frank best
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Richmond told Taj Hotton they were going to draft him within 24 hours of his ACL tear back in May. 🥰
https://x.com/1116sen/status/1859752403920158951
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I know it's a risk taking a kid with a recent ACL but he looks seriously classy in his highlights.
If he can play he can play. Didn’t Robbie gray and petracca start their years with acl injuries?
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I know it's a risk taking a kid with a recent ACL but he looks seriously classy in his highlights.
If he can play he can play. Didn’t Robbie gray and petracca start their years with acl injuries?
Petracca missed his entire 1st year IIRC. Dunno about Gray though.
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Taj Hotton is targeting a return by June next year, but Richmond will take a cautious approach with the highly rated teenager out of the Sandringham Dragons.
Hotton ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a training session at Haileybury College in May and underwent surgery a month later, wiping out most of his draft year.
The 18-year-old underwent minor follow-up surgery in October and is set to start running again in the pre-Christmas training block.
New Richmond high performance boss Ben Serpell, who was appointed to replace Luke Meehan in October after working as a strength and conditioning coach at Geelong, following high performance roles with the Wallabies and the New South Wales Waratahs, is working on a rehab plan for Hotton at Punt Road.
"Taj is super keen, but we will take the full 12 months to rehab him," Serpell told AFL.com.au on Friday.
"We are still getting our heads around where he's at. He met with his surgeon midweek and we'll get the details from him and start to build a plan for that and hopefully have him out there relatively soon.
"We'll probably take the full 12 months and look after the kid. He's got a long career ahead of him."
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1699899/got-a-long-career-ahead-tigers-cautious-approach-to-gun-draftees-return
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Surely won't play AFL next year given the other kids/healthy ones.
Return to VFL mid-year and maybe late in the season if he's doing well.
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Hopefully no more rushing blokes back - kids or otherwise - now the Magician has departed. :shh
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Hopefully no more rushing blokes back - kids or otherwise - now the Magician has departed. :shh
Our new man Serpell has already said we're going to be very conservative with his rehab....
No need for Taj or any other playercto be rushed backed ;D
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Remember Cotch’s first year? He had that achilles issue and they wrapped him up in cotton wool. Back the player, back the strength and conditioning team
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id be focused on gibcus not hotten for 24. Its time for the s&c team and him to deliver.
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Remember Cotch’s first year? He had that achilles issue and they wrapped him up in cotton wool. Back the player, back the strength and conditioning team
:clapping :clapping
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Every journey has its hurdles.
📹 Learn more about Taj Hotton's road to the draft in the first episode of Richmond’s pre-season series ‘Forging Forward’:
VIDEO: https://x.com/Richmond_FC/status/1868054106696552632
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How They're Travelling: Taj Hotton
RFC website
4 Feb 2025
Q: What is your mindset with the rehab?
I am sort of taking it step by step. I am not really too fussed about when I get back.
I just want to do it right. So, I will just listen to all the doctors and physios at the Club, because I know I am in really good hands, and it'd be stupid to waste such a good opportunity like this.
So, yeah, I am just listening to the people that tell me what to do and I know I will get there eventually.
Q: Have you had many chats with the coaches about what roles you might be playing this year, or has your focus just been on getting yourself right for now?
I have not had too many chats about what position. But I am training with the forwards at the moment, so listening into all of their meetings.
I think that obviously I will come through the VFL and sort of get to know the game plan a little bit more and get a feel of actually playing footy again, because it has been a little while.
We will just sort of see what happens and maybe I get a run in the midfield a bit later on. But as I said I am not really too focused on that at the moment. I just want to get my body right and get back out there.
Q: For the Richmond fans that might not have seen you play… Is that how you see yourself, as someone who is both a midfielder and a forward?
I think throughout my time playing I have always seen myself as a midfielder. It is only in the last couple of years I have sort of developed my game into a forward as well.
It is good to have multiple strings to my bows and the skills to become a player that can go wherever.
But to be honest, yeah, I see myself long-term as a midfielder, but I am grateful that I learned how to play forward so that I can fill a gap wherever the team needs me.
Q: You seemed to hit the scoreboard a lot when you played forward last year?
Yeah, and I think I can hit the scoreboard from the midfield as well, which is handy to have, but as I said, happy to play wherever the team needs me.
Q: Are you working closely with Chris Newman then?
Yeah, him and Sam Lonergan. As forward coaches they have been unreal. ‘Newy’ is a great bloke himself. He is nice and relaxed and that is sort of the type of coach that I like playing under.
It has been good to learn off him and sort of pick his brain about forward structures and all that. I am really getting my head around it now.
Q: Are there any players that you have leaned on as well in the same sort of way?
Rhyan Mansell and Seth Campbell. The small forwards have sort of taken me under their wing and I feel comfortable to ask them any questions if I don't understand anything. They are always really good at explaining and it has been really welcoming.
Seth had me over for dinner the other night and I met his girlfriend and saw his place. I am really lucky that I have got a good bunch of boys that I can go to work with every day.
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1712027/how-theyre-travelling-taj-hotton
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Im really excited to see this kid play. Out of all our draftees he definitely has the most X factor. I can see the comparisons to Bolton, but hopefully comes without the arrogance and with better discipline
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And the consistency Simo…