Recent Posts

91

Richmond Rant / Re: General preseason training discussion [merged]

« Last post by one-eyed on December 17, 2025, 05:58:13 PM »

The Tigers have been carefully managing Taj Hotton – another player from that bumper 2024 draft class – early in the pre-season after he spent the first half of this year recovering from a knee reconstruction, before playing the final seven games in Adem Yze's side.

Josh Gibcus was rewarded with a recall in the final game of the home and away season after a long road back from an anterior cruciate ligament tear and has carried that momentum into the summer.

The 2021 pick No.9 has ticked off session after session to start the pre-season and continues to regain confidence in his body after a nightmare injury run since his debut season.

Sam Cumming – Richmond's first pick in this year's draft – has managed a shoulder injury dating back to late in the SANFL season across the first block of pre-season, but showed no signs of concern in match simulation on Wednesday morning.

Like Lalor, the Sunraysia product will be let off the leash across January and will have the chance to press his claims to be picked for the season-opener.

While Nathan Broad, Toby Nankervis and Jacob Hopper were managed on Wednesday, Hugo Ralphsmith was restricted to the rehab group after straining his hamstring earlier in the pre-season.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1460650/richmond-tigers-young-gun-sam-lalor-clears-final-hurdle-after-hamstring-setbacks

92

Richmond Rant / Re: Josh Smillie [merged]

« Last post by one-eyed on December 17, 2025, 05:56:48 PM »

Second-year midfielder Josh Smillie is still recovering from quad surgery in November and not expected to be back in full training until February.

The 19-year-old endured a challenging first season at the Swinburne Centre after being selected at pick No.7 in the 2024 draft.

Smillie was restricted to just four VFL games due to repeat soft tissue injuries, but was expected to start pre-season with the first to fourth-year players before a scan last month revealed the lingering issue hadn't healed and required surgery.

Progress has been slow for the 197cm inside midfielder, who has grown a few centimetres since being drafted, but Smillie is aiming to be ready to play at either level by the round one clash against Carlton on March 12.
 
https://www.afl.com.au/news/1460650/richmond-tigers-young-gun-sam-lalor-clears-final-hurdle-after-hamstring-setbacks

93

Richmond Rant / Re: Sam Lalor [merged]

« Last post by one-eyed on December 17, 2025, 05:55:23 PM »

Tigers young gun clears final hurdle after hamstring setbacks

By Josh Gabelich
Afl.com.au
Dec 17, 2025, 1:52 pm

RICHMOND young gun Sam Lalor has returned to full training just ahead of the Christmas break and is ready to be let off the leash in January, after recovering from hamstring surgery in July.

The 2024 pick No.1 played 10 of the first 11 games of 2025 before straining his hamstring against Geelong in round 17 in his first game back from the same injury six weeks earlier.

After consulting specialists, Lalor then underwent surgery to repair his left hamstring, following three strains in under 12 months dating back to late in his draft year.

Lalor has gradually integrated back into the main group over the first block of the pre-season, before completing the majority of Richmond's final session of 2025 on Wednesday morning at Punt Road.

The Tigers plan to manage Lalor's training loads across the pre-season, but after taking the next step in December the 19-year-old is on track to feature in the practice match against Essendon or the AAMI Community Series fixture against Melbourne in February.

Lalor inherited Dustin Martin's iconic No.4 guernsey in November after Richmond opted to leave that number vacant this year following the retirement of the champion midfielder.
 
https://www.afl.com.au/news/1460650/richmond-tigers-young-gun-sam-lalor-clears-final-hurdle-after-hamstring-setbacks

94

Richmond Rant / Re: Marlion Pickett [merged]

« Last post by one-eyed on December 17, 2025, 05:39:02 PM »

‘Deal of the century’: Tigers Grand Final hero avoids jail ‘by a knife edge’ after meth relapse

Fox Footy from Fox Sports
December 17th, 2025 4:12 pm

Richmond Grand Final hero Marlion Pickett has avoided jail “by a knife edge” after he admitted to helping friends launder almost $300,000 of stolen money during a relapse into drug use.

Pickett initially faced 12 offences in relation to a series of commercial burglaries, including involving safes at currency exchange businesses.

But Judge Laurence Levy said the 33-year-old had negotiated “the deal of the century” with all charges dropped, allowing him to plead guilty to two new charges, dealing with money that was the proceeds of an offence and possessing money that was the proceeds of an offence.

Pickett was handed a two-year sentence suspended for 12 months.

After the initial charges he had been granted bail and allowed to continue his footy career before retiring after the 2024 season.

At Wednesday’s sentencing the court heard Pickett’s mental health had deteriorated following the 2022 season when he returned home to WA with wife Jessica and their four children.

“You were moving from house to house, staying with friends and family … your father was in poor health … it was affecting you very deeply,” Judge Levy said.

“You were suffering with depression and anxiety ... thoughts flooded back to you about your time in incarceration in 2012.”

A family friend and a former partner of a relative reached out during this period and the court heard this was the catalyst for a relapse into meth use.

They then allegedly carried out the burglaries with Pickett “deciding to go along with assisting them with their enterprises”.

He was paid almost $22,000 after using his Victorian driver’s licence and credit card to hire a campervan which the group used to drive to Adelaide and then Melbourne, exchanging foreign currencies for almost $300,000 Australian dollars.

References from high-profile figures including former Richmond CEO Brendon Gale helped Pickett avoid jail, as the two charges he pleaded guilty to both carried a maximum penalty of 20 years.

The court heard Pickett gave away almost all of his yearly AFL salary, which was close to $300,000, due to “loyalty and cultural obligations”.

“You were on a knife edge as whether you went into jail,” Judge Levy said.

“I don’t need to tell you what jail is all about ... (but) you demonstrated a commitment to rehabilitation.

“You are in that respect somebody that should be in a position to inspire others who might come from a similar background to you to achieve what you did.

“You still have a lot more to offer.”

Pickett famously made his AFL debut in the 2019 Grand Final, going on to play in two premierships at Punt Road, featuring 91 times across six seasons.

He said outside court he wanted to be “a person that people can look up to and do the best for them”.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/richmond-tigers/deal-of-the-century-tigers-grand-final-hero-avoids-jail-by-a-knife-edge-after-meth-relapse/news-story/cc6b0b685665164cc10363f64ae72599

95

Richmond Rant / Re: Forward line

« Last post by the claw on December 17, 2025, 02:54:59 PM »

where do you think we will be ranked. We have just two experienced forwards on the entire list.

the other problems we have is winning enough ball 2nd last for disposals and actually getting the ball inside 50 we were last for that metric.
Delivery inside 50 was also a big problem. It wont be until the kids are actually played and improve enough until this improves.

The senior and mid core were the problem and we only have kids with little experience who will take time hence all the talk about fast tracking the kids we have.

We may not come 18th but it will be a problem for some while yet.

96

Richmond Rant / Re: Richmond AFLW team [merged]

« Last post by WilliamPowell on December 17, 2025, 01:14:19 PM »

We've got 8 outs & 6 ins. Are we going to get 2 more players, if so what are our options?

We had a number of players on the inactive list due to long term injuries (ACLs) in 2025

We need the list spots to move them back to the primary list in 2026

97

Richmond Rant / Re: Favourite player game

« Last post by sabartooth on December 17, 2025, 01:06:10 PM »

Brown      7
Campbell  5
Gray        8
Hopper    4
Miller       5
Ross        3-
Smillie     5
Vlastuin   8+

98

Richmond Rant / Re: Forward line

« Last post by Hard Roar Tiger on December 17, 2025, 12:27:39 PM »

I am tipping we won’t be ranked 18th this time next year. Particularly on those metrics

99

Richmond Rant / Re: Richmond AFLW team [merged]

« Last post by Andyy on December 17, 2025, 11:14:26 AM »

List changes:

IN:

Georgia Stubs (traded from North Melbourne)
Dana East (traded from Fremantle)
Ana Mulholland (Ireland)
Olivia Wolmarans (national draft, pick 1)
Fina Dethlefsen (national draft, pick 38)
Baia Pugh (national draft, pick 54)

OUT:

Jodie Hicks (retired)
Tessa Lavey (retired)
Charley Ryan (not offered a contract)
Lauren Brazzale (not offered a contract)
Lulu Beatty (not offered a contract)
Grace Egan (traded to Adelaide)
Katelyn Cox (not offered a contract)
Shelby Knoll (not offered a contract)

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1941097/ins-and-outs-richmonds-2026-aflw-list-changes

We've got 8 outs & 6 ins. Are we going to get 2 more players, if so what are our options?

below

Cant believe we didnt draft any pure mids

Dow and Sonsie might get a gig

On a serious note, I have no idea, but I suspect there would be a deliberate plan given the recent review/overhaul of the program.

100

Richmond Rant / Re: Iconic misses in draft history (AFLFA)

« Last post by Hart4Jack on December 17, 2025, 09:51:54 AM »

I love a good coulda woulda shoulda

Yep, 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I'll take those draft misses along with the 3  
I had quite honestly almost given up on us winning 1 let alone 3