Miller defends Tiger recruiting policy
22 July 2007 Sunday Herald Sun
RICHMOND football director Greg Miller yesterday hit back at critics of the Tigers recruiting and said the club was not necessarily after tall targets in this year's national draft.
With the Tigers languishing at the bottom of the ladder, the blowtorch has been focused on their recruiting and decision to overlook key position players including Hawthorn's Lance Franklin.
Dominant Northern Knights ruckman Matthew Kreuzer is expected to be the draft's first selection, but if Carlton does not win another game it will receive a priority pick.
While rivals are building key-position stocks, Miller said the Tigers were also on the right track with their list management.
"People have talked about us being too short and too small. A lot of that is media talk and people thinking they know what we need. We have got our own opinion about what we need," he said.
"We would like to have more depth in the midfield. We probably need some more tall backs, but we think we have got quite a lot of tall forwards at the moment with Cleve Hughes, Jack Riewoldt, Jay Schulz and those guys.
"We certainly will be looking to improve our list as all clubs do, but to say we have targeted a tall defender is not quite right. We are looking for the best players to add to our list."
Miller said that while the Tigers would be on the lookout for uncontracted players in the pre-season draft, they were unlikely to have a war-chest to attract a star recruit.
Richmond hopes to make a $500,000 profit this year, but its priority is to employ a full-time list manager to bolster its recruiting department and several more part-time spotters. "We need extra staff in certain areas," Miller said.
"I wouldn't think we would have a big splash, but if Matthew Pavlich wanted to sign with us we would would talk to him," Miller said.
Meanwhile, the club has been buoyed by the condition of Nathan Brown's leg since his return in Round 12.
Brown has kicked eight goals in four games and, crucially, is pain-free and putting in extra sessions to lift his fitness levels.
"If he can finish this year really strongly, it gives him a good platform to work into the off-season," Tigers elite performance manager Matt Hornsby said.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22111500%255E19742,00.html
