Draft steals launch Tigers’ next flag assaultHeraldSun
26 November 2021Richmond considered trading up the order to secure its targets — but it didn’t need to. The Tigers recruiting boss has his say on the Tigers’ talented haul.
Richmond believes it has stockpiled the elite talent to launch its next generation of premiership success after nailing its best national draft hand since 2004.
The Tigers’ attempt to defy gravity and the AFL’s punishing equalisation measures got off to a perfect start after a second straight night where the picks fell Richmond’s way.
Richmond recruiting manager Matthew Clarke said the Tigers considered trading up in the draft order to secure both Trent Cotchin clone Tyler Sonsie and Tasmanian medium defender Sam Banks but instead secured them with late 20s picks.
Lightning quick midfielder Sonie went at pick 28, with Banks (pick 29) joining Jack Riewoldt in debuting for Tasmania’s Clarence football club at the age of 15, before battling a wrist injury this year that pushed him down draft boards.
East Ringwood’s Judson Clarke (pick 30) is a lethal left-footed small forward coming off an ACL tear who Richmond believes could follow in the footsteps of high half forward Kane Lambert.
It came after Richmond selected intercept defender Josh Gibcus as a draft bargain at pick nine as well as clever Murray Bushrangers defender Tom Brown (pick 17) in the first round of the draft.
Not since the Tigers had five picks within the first 20 selections in the 2004 national draft have Richmond had a chance to dominate the early parts of the draft.
Clarke told the Herald Sun the Tigers had found the right blend of needs and elite talent as the club’s triple premiership stars eventually left the club.
“There are a couple of guys in Sonsie and Banks in particular who we were thinking about making enquiries about moving up the draft and the way things unfolded we got them both,” he said.
“Sonsie has had some injury issues and Covid hasn’t been good for him in terms of the structure in his fotoy and he slipped through. When he came out of the Under-16s he was potentially in the top five in the country, so he’s really talented and he’s a mad Richmond boy, so he’s super stoked.
“We addressed our needs with Gibcus and we don’t just see him as a back, we believe he and Noah Balta can be swingmen and Brown and Banks have genuine running power with aerial ability. We are really excited to fill some needs early and then get some good players in the 20s.”
Richmond and Hawthorn both launched concerted bids to secure brilliant young Subiaco midfielder Matthew Johnson at pick 21 after he was the slider of night one of the national draft.
But the Dockers eventually secured him after considering their offers to nail a trio of local talents in the wake of Adam Cerra’s departure back to Melbourne.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/draft/afl-draft-2021-all-the-reaction-and-interviews-from-draftees/news-story/bd6b500dbd35af40bdcc763bd28c4d03
