Trade HQ: How much does Ellis want to stay?Brendon Goddard,
Herald Sun
9 July 2019This year will go down as an absolute rollercoaster for Richmond.
And that comes after doing everything right in the off-season.
By adding Tom Lynch to their forward line, they secured the best player on the market and dropped him into a side that had won 18 games the year before.
But no one could have predicted that almost every key Tiger would miss extended time with injuries throughout the year.
It makes judging their list a tricky process. While some areas of need have clearly been shown up, it’s unlikely their depth will be tested so severely two years in a row.
Plus, it is certainly impressive that even with everything that has gone wrong, they are still in the top four mix. If they can stay healthy for the rest of the year, I’m confident they can go on another finals run.
One area of concern that I don’t think is going away is the second ruck slot.
With Shaun Grigg retiring, his partnership with Toby Nankervis is over. Ivan Soldo has been tried in the ruck and while he might get to that level eventually, I think he is a little bit undersized when it comes to going up against the monsters of the competition.
At 25, Nankervis is still in his prime so it isn’t like Richmond should be going out and trying to secure a star like Todd Goldstein.
I think it is more a case of being shrewd. Try to get a quality back-up at a good price, who can step up and play the No. 1 ruck role if called upon.
After their big Lynch signing, it is unlikely they would be a major player during the trade period again. However, I’ll be interested to see what happens with Brandon Ellis.
Two months ago I would have said he was more than likely gone after looking down on confidence.
But he and Damien Hardwick appear to be back on the same page and I think he is an important player for the Tigers to try and keep. While he isn’t a superstar, this year has proved, you can never have too much depth.
JON RALPH BREAKS DOWN RICHMOND’S BIGGEST TRADE QUESTIONSTHREE TIGERS RIVAL RECRUITERS ARE WATCHING
Brandon EllisEllis put off contract talks early in the year and will likely assess rival offers from clubs needing pace. He has used the ball well this year and despite being dropped last year, has enough traits that rivals will be able to offer more opportunity that the Tigers. Then it comes down to how much he wants to stay.
Callum MoorePlayed six games in 2018 as a tall leading forward but has battled an ankle injury this year. With Jack Riewoldt still likely to play on for some time and Tom Lynch on a long-term deal, would a rival try to poach him for a later pick?
Shai BoltonIs just becoming the player Richmond hoped and signed on last year despite rival interest because he “loved the club”. No reason to think he won’t get opportunities but would Adelaide come hard at him given Eddie Betts is closer to the end of his career?
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