Tall order for Tigers Jon Pierik
July 12, 2011 RICHMOND will inquire about Carlton's Shaun Hampson and Melbourne youngster Max Gawn to help ease its ruck woes but has all but ruled out trading for unwanted Cat Mark Blake or Lion Mitch Clark and is unlikely to chase Kangaroo Hamish McIntosh.
The Tigers' need for a quality ruckman has been reinforced in recent weeks after the likes of Sydney's Mark Seaby, Port Adelaide's Dean Brogan, Carlton's Robert Warnock and Matthew Kreuzer and Essendon pair David Hille and Paddy Ryder dominated at the stoppages during the team's form slump.
The Tigers need help as Andrew Browne, out injured, can only play on the ball, while Angus Graham continues to struggle. Ty Vickery is seen more as a key forward and back-up ruckman.
The Tigers sit near the foot of the ladder in terms of hitouts to advantage differential, scores from clearances differential and hitout differential against direct opponents.
League recruiters and player agents have told The Age the Tigers are after a ruckman in the 22-24 year-old-age group who can also play as a forward, is of the right character and is not yet chasing major dollars.
The young age group, at this stage, is important as it endorses the long-term plan of coach Damien Hardwick and the club.
Hampson, 23, fits this category. He has played nine matches this season, the last in round 13 when he hurt his knee, and is locked in a battle with Warnock, just ahead in the pecking order, to partner the mobile Kreuzer. Hampson's management is understood to be willing to accept offers from rival clubs. Gawn, however, is only 19 but still sits in the developing bracket. He has played three matches this year and is seen as a promising ruck-forward.
The Demons are keen to retain him because of his size - at 208 centimetres he is three centimetres shorter than Aaron Sandilands but has a more rounded game at this stage of his career than his Fremantle counterpart had.
It appears the Tigers have all but ruled out luring the out-of-contract Mitch Clark from Brisbane.
Industry sources suggest Clark wants upwards of $600,000 per season. While the Tigers could find room under the salary cap, his deal could make him the highest paid player at Punt Road and impact on team chemistry. And he has been linked with Greater Western Sydney.
The Tigers and rival clubs are uncertain whether Port Adelaide's highly rated bigman Jackson Trengove can be the No. 1 bigman or a genuine backman. Trengove is off contract and considering a return to Melbourne. But recruiters have questioned his pace and kicking.
Hardwick emphasised the need to retain the youth policy after a 39-point loss to Essendon on Saturday night. ''We've just got to keep playing these players to get us where we need to go,'' he said. ''The easy thing is to top up with talent that's not quite there.
''We've just to make sure these players play as much footy together as humanly possible.''
Blake, stuck on 99 matches, recovering from finger surgery and unlikely to play again for the Cats, does not figure in Richmond's plans as he can't play as a forward. While he would be valuable purely at stoppage, the Tigers know more is needed. Geelong coach Chris Scott last week said it was understandable if Blake began to look elsewhere.
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