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11

Richmond Rant / Re: 2025 AFL Draft

« Last post by one-eyed on Yesterday at 11:10:05 PM »

Sullivan Robey - ‘Skyrocketed’: Inside unlikely rise of biggest AFL draft bolter in 10 years… who’s met with 18 clubs

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-news-whispers-2025-sullivan-robey-height-linked-to-melbourne-essendon-and-richmond-rowville-and-eastern-ranges-stats/news-story/c3fb27f79bf9291ede31d8cd82181521

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Richmond Rant / Re: Dustin Martin [merged]

« Last post by one-eyed on Yesterday at 11:07:06 PM »

Choco Williams lifts lid on his "special bond" with Dusty

By SEN
21 Oct 2025

Few in the AFL industry have more experience when it comes to handling superstars and pulling them into line from a behavioural point of view than Mark 'Choco' Williams.

The former Port Adelaide coach, who guided the club to the 2004 premiership, took Dustin Martin under his wing during his time as a development coach with Richmond, and was charged with keeping the superstar on the straight and narrow.

So how did he approach the role of mentoring a player who wanted things on his own terms?

And what advice would he have for those overseeing the immediate and long-term futures of Bailey Smith and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, both of whom polarise the media and supporter groups?

Speaking from the perspective of the work he did with Martin, Williams said it’s not something that just fixes in the click of the fingers.

Williams says the work he did with Dusty is evidenced by the contact received after he was let go by Melbourne recently.

And he sees similarities now that Ugle-Hagan has joined Martin's triple premiership coach Damien Hardwick at the Gold Coast Suns.

“The main thing people overlook is the personal contact,” Williams said on SEN Breakfast. “I was out of contract when (Simon) Goodwin got the flick, which was probably the writing on the wall for me.

“One of the first people to contact me was Dustin. It shows the relationship was not just about footy, we have a strong relationship even now.

“Dimma (Damien Hardwick) gave me the chance to look after Dusty. Dimma will be thinking similar things for Jamarra.

“We knew, if he (Dusty) can work within 80% of the rules, we give him some boundaries but make sure he could breathe.

“We kept him to them, and he flourished so well and I know Dimma will find someone up there that can help him with Jamarra.”

Asked how he established such a close bond with Dusty, Williams added: “A lot of it is to do with my entire family, my wife and kids.

“Dustin would come over once a week and I’d treat him just like my five kids. He would do the dishes, come bowling. We’d talk in the car, not be on the phone.

“Everyone is different. You have to spend time and build a trusting relationship. After that you have a better chance.

“I had a wonderful time with Kozzy (Pickett) at Melbourne. To see the journey and improvement he has been on.

“I see the best in people rather than the worst. If we can limit the indiscretion, the things other people will highlight; it’s about improving bit by bit rather than think they will be perfect tomorrow because they won’t.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2025/10/21/bailey-smith-jamarra-ugle-hagan-mark-williams-advice

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Richmond Rant / Re: 2025 AFL Draft

« Last post by Loui Tufga on Yesterday at 11:04:29 PM »

Loui Tufga the Tasmanian fisherman pumping out potential AFL players. Unreal

Haha, wouldn’t say pumping them out, but my youngest is giving it a fair crack. We’ll find out mid December I guess 

14

Richmond Rant / Re: Ben Miller [merged]

« Last post by Damo on Yesterday at 10:42:56 PM »

It’s simple HRT

If people don’t agree with his view, they are wrong and normally “laughable” or “deluded”

It’s a basic narcissistic trait

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Richmond Rant / Re: 2025 AFL Draft

« Last post by Hard Roar Tiger on Yesterday at 10:25:16 PM »

Agree with this crawski

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Richmond Rant / Re: Ben Miller [merged]

« Last post by Hard Roar Tiger on Yesterday at 10:24:05 PM »

He’s played 69 games of senior AFL football so yeah, that’s raw in terms of games played. In addition, less than half of those games have been as a key back so yeah, that’s raw in terms of afl experience.

I know that perhaps you expect every player to float down and have impact from day 1 but that is not going to be B Miller.
His 2025 was significantly better than 24 and that WAS better than his 23 year.
All parts of his game are improving and providing the curve continues to track up  - particularly spoils and intercept possessions which are tracking up nicely.
He kept a number of key forwards from scoring heavily - a huge result considering the lack of pressure on the opposition midfielders this year.

He’s travelling beautifully for a raw, developing key back.

I did second guess when you said “where did this crap come from”  as you are the king of said subject matter and therefore should be good at identifying it in a post. Maybe not.

Another outrageous wrong laughable post.

He was drafted in 2017 struggled for his first three years and could not crack a senior game at the end of those three years he hung on by the skin of his teeth being demoted to the rookie list. He would play one game the following year and would not be promoted to the senior list until 2023 yet some of us continued to back him in. Did you?.

He turns 27 next year he has been in our system for what will be 9 seasons. Yet your telling us all he is raw lol. Based on he has only managed 70 games in that time really thats great spin.
juniors 18 - 21 are raw and when they have 70 odd games they are no longer raw.  Its  freakin hilarious Ben Miller is raw at age 27 and after 9 seasons. a  physically mature 9th  year afl player turning 27 and hes freakin raw hhhhaaaaarrrrggggghhhh. Cut it out my sides are hurting.

None of what you have posted is relevant to what I have posted.
Who cares who backed him in 3 years ago? Why is that relevant?
You have a different criteria to me.
I am and have always said he is raw as a player in a key back position at AFL level on the basis of both games played and the games played as a key back.

If they are on a list, they are there to make it work until they are delisted which he is now doing which is sensational - particularly given we need a key back gorilla which he has the physical attributes

I don’t really get why you are getting so wound up.

17

Richmond Rant / Re: Keep, Trade, Retire or Delist?

« Last post by the claw on Yesterday at 09:38:49 PM »

My understanding is that although Miller was delisted in 2020 and then placed on the rookie list he was elevated back onto the senior list in 2023. And, to my knowledge, Seth Campbell is still on the rookie list. So your numbers are still correct. i.e. 34 on the senior list (including un-contracted Dow and Sonsie) plus four on the rookie A list (including Seth Campbell) and one on the rookie B list.

I think both Dow and Sonsie will be delisted leaving four senior list places and two rookie list places vacant. In the draft, use picks 3 & 4 on best available. If a bid comes in for Kellaway before 38 use it for him and if not, at pick 38 select best available (assuming it's not Kellaway). At this point trade pick 81 for last pick in the draft (just so we have something to match a bid on Kellaway post pick 38). If, subsequently, a bid comes in for Kellaway, use the late pick to match the bid but if no bids come for Kellaway use our last pick to elevate Seth Campbell making three places on our rookie list.

In the rookie draft, pick Kellaway at our first pick, find a VFL ruck (I think we are in loads of trouble if Nank goes down) and place Dow or Sonsie on the rookie list.

I agree and in just yr 2 of rebuild id say thats a minimum amount of player turner needed.

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Richmond Rant / Re: Jasper Alger [merged]

« Last post by the claw on Yesterday at 09:35:16 PM »

A natural forward with craft and nous who has attributes for a mid role. Dont think we can mention Dow and Algar in the same breath.
Sonsie as well.

Cracked it for some games this year and any sort of improvement should see him get well clear of the likes of Green Rioli, Sonsie, and Dow if we are talking about craft and nous as a forward.

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Richmond Rant / Re: Patrick Retschko

« Last post by the claw on Yesterday at 09:18:32 PM »

This trade makes so much sense its exactly what we should be doing more of when put into context of our premiership window.

We have a kid who was rated fairly well as a junior but missed in the nd because of its unusual depth. He did get drafted though as a rookie.
Geelong cant hang onto him because of senior players  so traded him thru no fault of his own to us. Given his role and superior attribtes for it  he is a perfect fit for us.

Fantastic year at vfl level for a first year player. Has fantastic athletic attributes and showed he can get the ball with it and does not avoid contact.. Our window demands we take  cheap long term options under 22 who tick most boxes for the level. He does.

This is exactly what we need to be doing a lot more of actually looking to move on from the Dows Ross's Sonsie's and in this case Ralphsmith's who have had an eternity to establish themselves weather this type of trade works out or not.

Serious question

He was a rookie at Geelong

Seeing we traded him in, has he come in as a rookie or does he go on the primary list?

We traded for him with a nd pick 99 he goes to the list proper.

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Richmond Rant / Re: Patrick Retschko

« Last post by WilliamPowell on Yesterday at 09:11:53 PM »

Serious question

He was a rookie at Geelong

Seeing we traded him in, has he come in as a rookie or does he go on the primary list?