Best to worst: We grade your club's 2014 draft and trade haul AFL.com.au
Nov 16, 2019 8:40AM
RICHMOND
2014 NAB AFL Draft: Corey Ellis (pick No.12), Connor Menadue (33), Nathan Drummond (52), Dan Butler (67), Reece McKenzie (77)
2015 AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Jayden Short (11), Jason Castagna (29), Kane Lambert (46), Matthew Arnot (61), Ivan Soldo (68)
Rookie upgrades: Anthony Miles
Trade and free agency: Taylor Hunt
Biggest hit: Kane Lambert
Verdict: It was a tale of two drafts for the Tigers, absolutely nailing the rookie portion but struggling with their national picks, none of whom are still at the club. Richmond was coming off an eighth-place finish, winning nine in a row before crashing out in an elimination final against Port Adelaide, and had a serious need for speed. Lambert has become a genuine star of Richmond's line-up, with Short, Castagna and Soldo all playing important roles across the Tigers' recent two flags. Butler was a 2017 premiership player but struggled to hold his spot in 2019, while Ellis and Menadue never really forced themselves into the side for long stretches. Drummond played five AFL games but tore his ACL twice and key forward McKenzie (mental health) was a promising speculative pick but chose to retire after 18 months.
What the club said: "The coach was really keen to add some midfield depth to enable some players to play some different roles, and we feel we've addressed that. They're all a little bit different in their own right. We're delighted with the combination. We're generally really pleased with the outcome and look forward to these boys coming to Tigerland."
– Francis Jackson, Richmond’s recruiting manager, after the national draftTrade and draft period rating: 7/10
Rank: 4th
- Sarah Blackhttps://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-11-16/boom-or-bust-we-grade-your-clubs-2014-draft-and-trade-haul
