Richmond trading pick No.6 for Dion Prestia would be a mistake, says Kane CornesJay Clark
Herald Sun
September 1, 2016RICHMOND would be making a mistake trading pick No.6 for Dion Prestia in an attempt to bounce back quickly into the finals mix next season, according to Port Adelaide’s Kane Cornes.
The Tigers may part with their top selection for the 23-year-old Gold Coast midfielder, who nominated the Tigers as his preferred destination.
Cornes said Richmond clearly overrated its list and should follow St Kilda’s plan to rebuild through the draft.
“I worry with the language coming out of the club all year that they (Tigers) overestimate their list,” Cornes told the Herald Sun.
“And they seem to think they are a Dion Prestia away from a final series, but I don’t see that at all.
”I think they are a fair way back, and it can turn quickly, if you look at St Kilda and the way they have gone about it. That’s the way I would have gone.”
Richmond has already moved its second-round draft pick on to Gold Coast, meaning its first selection, after trading on pick No.6 for Prestia, would be in the third-round.
Cornes said the pressure on coach Damien Hardwick to perform next season was at odds with the state of the Tigers’ list.
Richmond they probably need to realise where their list is at and when you are that far behind, the best strategy is to go to the draft.
“It is just the wrong play for me because the thing you have to remember is clearly Hardwick is under pressure, so he needs improvement (straight away),” he said.
“So there’s two issues, there’s the coaching issue and the club as a whole.
“I think the best long-term strategy for the club is the one I’m suggesting, to go through the draft, but if you are Damien Hardwick, you probably can’t knock him for the way he is going because he needs improvement.”
Richmond has also been linked to veteran Collingwood spearhead Travis Cloke.
Cornes said Richmond needed as many early draft picks as possible to help rebuild back into a genuine premiership contender.
“Richmond they probably need to realise where their list is at and when you are that far behind, the best strategy is to go to the draft and there are a number of midfielders are available this year,” he said.
“To give up so much to get a 23-year-old (Prestia) who only played 22 games in the past two years and had some injury concerns when he was a kid, is risky.
“They should get as many first-round draft picks as you can, and trade out a (Ty) Vickery and (Reece) Conca and get those picks in return, because I don’t think the first-round picks that they have had in the past five years - I can’t see apart from (Dustin) Martin - the next star.”
Cornes said the Saints had shown teams can regenerate through the draft, while keeping some core senior players.
“They kept some of their older stars like (Nick) Riewoldt, (Leigh) Montagna and clearly Richmond has a whole of quality in that same department, so you keep on to (Alex) Rance and (Jack) Riewoldt and Dustin Martin,” he said.
“But if you look at those three and I think who is the next Dustin Martin at Richmond? There is no one coming through that I think is the next star of that football club.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-trading-pick-no6-for-dion-prestia-would-be-a-mistake-says-kane-cornes/news-story/5cdb40ec176ddae425a6e89c3f9931a0
