Tigers draft delight
12:38:12 PM Sat 26 November, 2005
Angus Morgan
Sportal for afl.com.au
Richmond recruiting manager Greg Miller has said the Tigers are delighted with their three selections at the 2005 NAB AFL Draft, headed by 17 year-old midfielder, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls from East Perth.
Oakley-Nicholls (188.1cm, 75.2kg) was the club's first round choice, No.8 overall, and will be joined in the yellow and black next season by key forward Cleve Hughes, pick No.24 from Norwood, and another Western Australian, Travis Casserley, pick No.40 from Swan Districts.
Oakley-Nicholls played senior football for East Perth last season and was a key member of the Western Australian team at the 2005 Under-18 Nationals.
But it was his performances at the NAB AFL Draft Camp where he was No.1 for agility and second overall for speed, which really caught the Tigers' attention.
"We think he's just a sensational young man with all the qualities that the club is looking for in terms of speed and running carry of the footy," Miller said.
Miller said the club had Hughes (193cm 85kg), who is expected to play on the full-forward line for the Tigers, penciled in as a first round selection, and the club was surprised and delighted to find him still available at pick 24.
"We are absolutely rapt in that. He's a magnificent kick on both sides of his body, good pair of hands… a good footballer."
The Tigers' third round selection, Casserley (184cm, 76kg), had been the club's preferred second round pick. But with Hughes available, the Tigers were compelled to take him in the hope that Casserley would still be available with pick 40.
"Travis is an outstanding kick, beautiful balance. He played seniors with Swan Districts in the last part of the season, also played in the Under-18 Nationals with Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls and we were most surprised to get him in the third round.
"We've got three players that can all kick, we've got three players that can all run and we are just rapt, like all clubs are at this minute, we're just rapt to have them."
Miller conceded that the Tigers fancied a couple of key position types - presumably Josh Kennedy (Carlton - pick No.4), Beau Dowler (Hawthorn - pick No.6) or Patrick Ryder (Essendon pick No.7) - hoping that they would slip through to pick eight.
"We had a couple of talls in mind that went before out choice, but when then had the speed and he was the top of our tree with the speed, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls," Miller said.
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