THE TIGERS AND THEIR WANTAWAY THREEThe Tigers hold most of the cards as the national draft nears, but which of their big three moves is set to cause a domino effect for the rest of the major movement?
As things presently stand, Richmond will take nine selections into proceedings in late November, and that’s before it orchestrates trades for the imminently departing Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton and Liam Baker.
The club is currently negotiating with Gold Coast, Fremantle and West Coast respectively, and as those talks progress, so will the rest of this player movement period.
A move for Rioli could be the first penny to drop, with it likely to centre on the Suns’ No. 6 choice and possibly also include a sweetener — say, their early-second-round Pick 29?
If not Rioli, a resolution to the Bolton situation could come first — but that might depend on a potential Fremantle-Melbourne pick exchange.
In all likelihood, the Dockers will need to surrender two of their three first-round picks for Bolton — it’s just a matter of which ones.
They currently have 10, 11 and 18, and the Tigers are said to be pushing for the former two, while the Dockers would prefer to maintain one of 10 and 11.
This is where the Dockers could get creative and force Richmond’s hand.
AFL Media journalist Cal Twomey recently reported Melbourne ‘has interest’ in swooping on one of those three Fremantle picks, with Demons list manager Tim Lamb declaring at Monday’s trade period opening his club “would love” another early pick in what shapes as “an outstanding draft”.
The Dees could offload their future first-rounder for Fremantle’s Pick 11 — which, in a separate point, helps the Dockers start accumulating for their 2025 pursuit of Chad Warner.
Then, if the Bolton exchange ultimately comprises Picks 10 and 18, from there, the avenues for a Baker trade between Richmond and West Coast open up substantially.
While most are predicting West Coast to use the pick it receives from Hawthorn — likely No. 14 — for Tom Barrass in its trade for Baker, the Eagles haven’t been shy about the possibility of splitting their No. 3 choice.
In fact, list boss Matthew Clarke said Pick 3 could “potentially” be included as part of the club’s Baker acquisition.
“We’re open to some other picks in this draft, so if that (Baker trade) can help unlock something like that, we’re open to it,” Clarke told AFL Trade Radio on Monday.
“Like a lot of other clubs, we want to get some talent in, but that (No. 3) could be involved, for sure.
“We’ve had a few clubs talk to (us) about it, and we’ve spoken to some clubs ourselves about what that (a trade) might look like, so that could ramp up.”
For example, Richmond could offer Liam Baker and Pick 10 (from Fremantle) for No. 3.
According to the draft value index, Baker — for the sake of this conversation, let’s say he is worth Pick 14 (1,161 points) — and No. 10 (1,395) combined (2,556) are worth more than No. 3 (2,234).
It gives the Eagles their hard-nosed utility as well as a top-end selection in a highly-touted count.
Completely alternatively, the Eagles could move to strike their agreement with the Hawks for Barrass before simply on-trading No. 14 to the Tigers.
Richmond has also been linked with Brisbane’s Pick 20 as the victorious Lions prepare to match father-son and Academy bids on Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall.
There is a world where the Tigers could hold Picks 1, 6 (from Gold Coast), 10 (from Fremantle), 14 (from West Coast), 18 (from Fremantle), 20 (from Brisbane) and 24 at the draft.
There is a raft of possibilities, and we’re hardly closer to knowing which mega move sets the wheels in motion.
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