mitch morton

[Ramps]

Morton at 35 is good but McMahon at 19 seems a reach.

[mightytiges]

Agree Ramps. Morton for 35 is a decent result. Although we could have picked up Morton in the PSD, if we had then Carlton would get a free hit at the best uncontracted player.

[tigersalive]

Now an official done deal for pick 35.


But now we only have 2 picks in the top 50. 


This smells of a top up, because of Wallace and Miller trying to save face to be honest to try and get to get a reasonable spot short term next year to save their arse.  Might not be but it's starting to damn well look like it. 

[Ramps]

Im still hoping we can land a Brent Prismall really cheap- good ball user, if not trade schulz or meyer if we can and go home.

[one-eyed]

The Tigers are delighted to have secured the services of Morton, who played 12 games for West Coast after making his AFL debut in 2005.

“It’s rare that you get the opportunity to trade for a 20-year-old, who was rated so highly in his draft year (and ultimately was taken under the AFL’s father-son rule),” Miller said.

“We think Mitch is exactly the right age to grow with our group.  He was most impressive in the interviews we had with him and in giving his reasons for wanting to be at Richmond.

“He made no excuses for so far not fulfilling his considerable potential, saying that it took him a while to adjust to AFL football.

“But clearly now he’s aware of how hard he needs to work in order to make the full use of his talent.

“And, I can assure you that Mitch Morton really wants to play for Richmond Football Club.  While he did have overtures from other clubs late in the piece, he is very focused on being a Tiger.

“We’re adding class to our list with him because he’s a beautiful kick with either foot and he’s a goalkicker.

“We think he can play forward, back, and, in time, through the midfield . . .”

Morton was traded in exchange for Richmond’s pick No. 35 in the National Draft.

http://richmondfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsId=52431

[one-eyed]

Morton can earn his stripes with Tiger mates
Courtney Walsh | October 13, 2007 | The Australian

MITCH MORTON could not fill a trifecta with the number of Richmond team-mates he knows personally, but it is a safe bet he will be embraced when he arrives in a fortnight for his first pre-season session with the club.

The welcome will not be due entirely to the talent the former West Coast player will bring to Richmond's forward line from next season.

Morton, a cousin of champion jockey Damien Oliver, can expect more than just a slap on the back given he will start his career at Punt Road right in the middle of Melbourne's spring carnival and could spark several friendships with some choice tips.

The star hoop, a fanatical West Coast fan, has already called the former Eagle to pass on his congratulations despite his cousin's defection.

Morton said yesterday he would love to attend the carnival at some stage.

But the focus will be on making an immediate impression, with the 20-year-old planning to seek out an old AIS team-mate for some early advice on his arrival in Melbourne.

"I don't really know many of the players, so that will be interesting, but I know Brett Deledio," Morton said in Perth yesterday.

"I was in the AIS with him when I was 17, and I got on pretty well with him. I will give him a call to say 'g'day' and hopefully go and do a bit of training or something before the season starts."

While Morton may be linked to horse racing through Oliver, it was the constant uncertainty surrounding his spot in the West Coast side that prompted the move to the Tigers.

The 185cm forward has always shown promise but was unable to find a regular slot in the West Coast attack, with eight games this year taking his tally to 12 in three seasons at Subiaco Oval.

Morton, who settled down to a battle with Mark LeCras and Steve Armstrong for the forward pocket spot the Eagles have struggled to fill since the retirement of Phil Matera, started well when given his chance in round eight, kicking three goals against Melbourne.

But Morton's fate at West Coast was sealed when he was replaced by Chris Judd for this year's qualifying final against Port Adelaide despite kicking three goals a week earlier against Essendon in what turned out to be his last match for the club.

"At the end of the day, I just felt like the opportunities weren't really here for me at West Coast," he said.

"I felt as if I was rolling the dice a bit, I guess, on whether I would get a game, so I am just seeking new opportunities really.

"The last three years I have played some good footy, and a lot of other young guys have as well, and they haven't got opportunities, so I certainly don't hold that against anyone at West Coast.

"I guess in that game I made way for Juddy, so you can't whinge when you've got Chris Judd coming back into the team."

A dinner meeting in Perth with Richmond coach Terry Wallace and conversations with football manager Greg Miller convinced Morton that his future lay in Melbourne, with relationships closer to home also likely to make it easier for him to settle in at Punt Road.

Morton, who grew up in Lake Grace, about 350km south-west of Perth, spent some time this season roaming Richmond's Bridge Street shopping precinct and Victoria Street eateries while visiting his younger brother Jarryd, who lives in the area after being drafted by Hawthorn last year.

There is also a strong chance his youngest brother, Cale, who starred with Claremont's junior team this year, could end up at the Tigers given the expectation he will be selected by Richmond at pick two in next month's draft.

Morton yesterday welcomed that prospect, albeit with a caveat.

"It would be nice, but he would probably take my spot," Morton joked.

"I think as a family we are not expecting Cale to go to Richmond. He will just be hoping to get drafted, to be honest.

"Anywhere he goes, he will be stoked to get that opportunity."

Nor does Morton believe he has sacrificed his chance at playing in a premiership despite moving to a team that has not made the finals since 2001.

"(Playing in a premiership) was a factor in my decision, but when I looked at the Richmond list and talked to Richmond, I certainly think that their list, or our list I should say now, isn't far away at all," he said.

"We have obviously just recruited Jordan McMahon as well, who is a fantastic asset to have at the club as well.

"So, to be honest, I don't think we are that far away at all."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22577479-5012432,00.html

[one-eyed]

New cub catches that Tiger spirit
Karen Lyon | November 11, 2007 | The Age

MITCH Morton is hoping people will forget he played for West Coast. It is not a swipe against the besieged club, but a statement about just how desperately he wants to succeed at Richmond.

"As a kid I really wanted to be a one-club player. When everybody is drafted, they want to be a champion player for one club and be remembered for that. I don't think that was going to happen for me at West Coast.

"(Hopefully), if I am still playing footy at 28 or 29, people will only remember me for my time at Richmond."

At present living out of a suitcase, having shifted to Melbourne only a fortnight ago, the 20-year-old is upbeat about his "fresh start". He didn't need much at the moment, he said, "just my training gear, that's all I am pretty much doing at the moment, eating, sleeping and training".

Morton looks far too young to be talking about rejuvenation but the former Eagle is resolute that the challenge of establishing himself at a new club could be the making of his career.

After only 12 games in three injury-riddled years with the Eagles, the departures of Ben Cousins and Chris Judd might have opened more doors at Subiaco Oval, but once the decision was made, Morton said there was no going back.

"I just wanted a new group of coaches and a new group of players, and that initial stage where you are trying to win everybody's respect and you definitely get the best out of yourself, and it makes you push yourself that little bit harder.

"I guess I needed that to make my career take off. I don't know if it will but at the moment, I feel as if I am working hard and getting the best out of myself."

Morton says the Eagles' off-field dramas played no role in his decision to leave the west and he believes the club is strong enough to ride out the growing storm.

"They have got some very good leaders at the club and some very good coaches and people in high positions that I don't think will ever let the club fall apart," he said. "The way the club is run over there, I don't think it is possible to let them slide, so I think they will be fine."

While leaving the perennial finalist for wooden spooner Richmond might defy football logic, Morton believes success will come to Tigerland. "Part of the reason why I chose Richmond is I think the list is very talented and having been there for a couple of weeks I realise how hard everybody works.

"And to be honest, we don't think that we are as far away as everybody else does from a premiership. It might not be next year and we certainly think we are building an empire of young kids that are going to grow into very good footballers.

"There certainly are a lot of kids around the joint and that is pretty exciting."

Morton's AFL career started at the 2004 draft, when the Eagles used their third-round pick to select him as their father-son choice, but his road to football started much younger. Scratch matches in the backyard with his younger brothers Jarryd and Cale would often start early in the morning before school and continue until the sun went down.

Those matches would have been an AFL recruiters' dream. Jarryd was drafted by Hawthorn last year and is the baby of the family, Cale is considered along with Matthew Kreuzer and Trent Cotchin to be the pick of the coming draft.

Mitch hopes his younger brother will join the siblings in Melbourne but knows there are no guarantees. Should the tipsters be right, Cale is headed for Subiaco as the No. 3 pick and a career with the Eagles, the team that Mitch just left.

"Cale has got a pretty good head on his shoulders so he realises that one of his strengths is his work rate and his application to his footy," Mitch said. "The family is just crossing its fingers hoping that he gets drafted anywhere. It would obviously be a massive bonus if he is drafted here."

Morton' s own personal goal is to be part of the Tigers team to take on St Kilda in the opening round of the pre-season cup.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/new-cub-catches-that-tiger-spirit/2007/11/10/1194329570215.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

[Nugget_12]

Mitch will be a great player for us! i also think him and Daniel Connors will get along very nicely on the footy field because they are similar players.

Mitch seems by just reading that article to be alot more dedicated now and looking to really earn a spot in our best side.
I hope all goes well for him and its great to see a young player really see what sort of a list we have!

With all our young players its great to see Mitch realises that and know that those young players will take our side to periods of success and im glad he wants to be apart of that because he will certainly be a great player if he keeps up the enthusiasm and dedication to play for the RFC.

[Ramps]

Morton was a good get, we just shouldnt have gone after McMahon. We should have kept that pick.

[one-eyed]

I post the whole article from Inside Football later on but Plough told Morton that he'd play across half-back and in the midfield, whereas West Coast picked him to play closer to goal.

[blaisee]

best thing about article is nthat morton ran a 14.12 beep last year

shows he has elite endurance

has elite kicking skills

a bargain at pick 35

very accomplished footballer

[bluey_21]

best thing about article is nthat morton ran a 14.12 beep last year

shows he has elite endurance

has elite kicking skills

a bargain at pick 35

very accomplished footballer

  was hoping he'd play as a HFF/mid like Petts

also, 14.12 is very very impressive but wouldn't call it elite, i mean last time i did a beat i got 14.5  

[Mopsy]

best thing about article is nthat morton ran a 14.12 beep last year

shows he has elite endurance

has elite kicking skills

a bargain at pick 35

very accomplished footballer

  was hoping he'd play as a HFF/mid like Petts

also, 14.12 is very very impressive but wouldn't call it elite, i mean last time i did a beat i got 14.5  

I scored that in my last RBT

[bluey_21]

best thing about article is nthat morton ran a 14.12 beep last year

shows he has elite endurance

has elite kicking skills

a bargain at pick 35

very accomplished footballer

  was hoping he'd play as a HFF/mid like Petts

also, 14.12 is very very impressive but wouldn't call it elite, i mean last time i did a beat i got 14.5  

I scored that in my last RBT

 

[one-eyed]

EAGLE FLIES EAST
Inside Football
19th December 2007

Sometimes a player just knows it’s time to move on, writes Craig O’Donoghue

Mitch Morton cut a lonely figure after West Coast's semi-final loss to Collingwood. Just three weeks earlier, he had kicked three goals and had 15 possessions for the Eagles against Essendon, but he hadn't been selected to wear the blue and gold jumper again.

Standing in the viewing area of West Coast's warm-up room as his beaten team-mates came to terms with their extra time loss to Collingwood, Morton looked like a man who knew it was time for a change.   

The 20-year-old had been considered a top 10 draft-pick when the Eagles selected him under the father-son rule in 2004, but he’d played just 12 games and was overlooked for second gamer, Jamie McNamara for the crucial final.

Two weeks earlier, Morton had watched as Chris Judd, Andrew Embley and Adam Selwood returned to the team. It was widely tipped that Morton would lose his place with so many big names ready to play but when Judd, Ben Cousins and Beau Waters couldn't be selected for the clash with the Magpies, most people expected Morton to earn a recall.

After all, he had been rested from the WAFL finals, which were played the previous Sunday so he’d be fresh for the Friday night game.

Morton denied that missing selection for that final made his place on the list untenable but said continual disappointment told him that he had to move clubs.

"Sometimes you feel like you're banging your head against a brick wall but at the end of the day you're becoming a lot stronger as a person and a player for going through that. I’m sure that sort of competition goes on at every club in the AFL," he said.   .
   
"I felt like if I stayed, I would have been rolling the dice as to whether I’d play or whether I wouldn't.

"I wasn't prepared to roll the dice on my footy career. There's no better development for a young player than being thrown in at the deep end."

Morton met with Richmond coach Terry Wallace and director of football Greg Miller shortly after the Eagles were eliminated from the finals and quickly decided he wanted to wear the yellow and black jumper in 2008.

Wallace told Morton that he’d play across half back and in the midfield, whereas West Coast picked him to play closer to goal.

Even with Chris Judd leaving the Eagles, Morton would still have to compete with Daniel Kerr, Tyson Stenglein, Chad Fletcher, Michael Braun, Matt Priddis, Andrew Embley and Matt Rosa for places in the midfield.

West Coast experimented with Morton across half back during the pre-season after he ran a 14.12 beep test during pre-season training. The match committee pitted him against Cousins to see whether the youngster could turn summer running into match day running and were pleased with his effort, until a knee injury cost him two months on the sidelines.

Morton said half back suited the way he liked to play.

"I enjoyed playing on half back. I love the idea of having a man and that one-on-one competition where you just have to beat the man standing next to you," Morton explained.

"It stands out as something I want to improve in my footy and I think it's an opportunity for a young kid stepping into the AFL to have that goal in each game, just to beat the bloke standing next to you. You certainly get that opportunity at half back.

"There's a lot of areas I've got to focus on before I'll get anywhere near being the player that I want to be.

"These days in the AFL you've got to be such a good runner. It doesn't matter which position you play on the ground, you've got to run well. I worked very hard over last year's break to get myself in the, top one or two brackets for fitness at West Coast.

"I ran my personal best beep test but I had a 10-week knee injury and that took away all the hard work I’d done.

"I know that if I put in the hard work over the next three or four months, I should be able to have the capacity to have that elite fitness. It's something I'm striving for."

Richmond and West Coast's onfield results have been dramatically different since Morton entered the AFL. The Eagles have won 54 games and a premiership while the Tigers have managed 24 wins and a wooden spoon.   

Morton hopes the experience he gained just being part of West Coast's squad during its success will be beneficial at Richmond.

"One of the advantages of being part of a club that goes deep into September every year is you do get to see what it takes to go that far with your footy," Morton said.

"I lived last year with Beau Waters who was obviously a massive player in a premiership team. I know what Beau sacrificed and what he went through to achieve that. That's something that sticks very clearly in my mind. Some of the things he sacrificed, I sacrificed as well. They're the things that you have to sacrifice to become a premiership player. I suppose I've got that advantage."

The three Morton brothers are now at different Melbourne clubs.

Hawthorn snapped up the middle brother Jarryd last year and youngest Cale went at No.4 in the 2007 draft to Melbourne, having been named the best
division one player at the under-l8 national titles.

"It's pretty exciting for the family, but the three of us have got our own things going on," Morton said. .
   
"We're all trying to do the best we can and get the best out of ourselves. Jarryd's at Hawthorn, I'm at Richmond and Cale’s at Melbourne. But we'll all be trying to crack a game.'"