Richmond's draft conundrum (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

RICHMOND'S DRAFT CONUNDRUM
Jon Ralph
Herald-Sun
July 20, 2011

Damien Hardwick is right.

Richmond's undoubted improvement this year has been camouflaged by the recent eight-week stretch of six losses plus a last-gasp win over lowly Brisbane.

Suggestions the Tigers might make the finals just 18 months into a monumental rebuild were clearly premature.

But it is how the club takes the next step in building a list which can compete in September which is likely to be causing furrowed brows at Punt Rd.

How does Richmond recruit a star ruckman, a key defender and bring more elite talent into the club in a draft ravaged by the influence of expansion sides?

The answer is they can't, which is exactly why the Tigers face an extraordinary test in this year's trading and draft period.

On current ladder position they will have selection 12 in the national draft and selection pick five in the pre-season draft.

Normally it would be crazy for them not to take a star kid given they need half a dozen more along those lines.

But they might need that top 12 pick if they truly hope to get a young ruckman who can hold up their centre square work.

So which master do they serve?

The conundrum intensifies because of the thin nature of the draft, and the huge allotment of GWS picks.

Normally it would have pick 29 as its second-round pick, but Brisbane has already activated its GC compensation pick at the end of the first round, so that pick becomes 30.

If Gold Coast and Port Adelaide win end-of-first-round priority picks, that selection becomes 32.

In a draft that this year quickly thins out, pick 32 is not going to get you very much.

Certainly not enough to feel like you can trade off your first-round pick and still come up with the goods with subsequent picks.

Two years back Richmond would have had picks 6 and 22 in this draft and could have done serious damage.

Now they will all their nous and a slice of luck to come away in the off-season with the assortment of picks and recycled players that will help push them up the ladder.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/why-tom-lonergan-risks-his-life-every-week/story-fn6cisdj-1226097926691

[Francois Jackson]

Well heres a thought maybe just maybe our recruiters can look outside their square and get some VFL talent like everyone else seems to be doing. FFS its not that hard.

Fremantle once a basket case has nabbed a fair few gems

Lower
Mzungu
Broughton

all from second grade plus some more i cant think of.

[Go Richo 12]

Well heres a thought maybe just maybe our recruiters can look outside their square and get some VFL talent like everyone else seems to be doing. FFS its not that hard.

Fremantle once a basket case has nabbed a fair few gems

Lower
Mzungu
Broughton

all from second grade plus some more i cant think of.

Barlow

[RollsRoyce]

Yesterday's Herald-Sun mentioned a key defender (I can't remember his name) from the Casey Scorpions, that I like the sound of.  22 yo 195cm 98kg, good closing speed. Can play on shorter and taller opponents. Hard at it, likes to take the game on, and provide run from defence. Short name, begins with "H" I think. Anyone know who I mean?

[Tiger Tragic]

Yesterday's Herald-Sun mentioned a key defender (I can't remember his name) from the Casey Scorpions, that I like the sound of.  22 yo 195cm 98kg, good closing speed. Can play on shorter and taller opponents. Hard at it, likes to take the game on, and provide run from defence. Short name, begins with "H" I think. Anyone know who I mean?

TIM MOHR
Casey Scorpions

Position: Key defender; AGE: 22; HEIGHT: 195cm; WEIGHT: 98kg
Similar to: Tom Williams

Mohr combines strength and size with a splash of speed. Can pinch-hit in the ruck and is renowned for demolishing opposition attacks and then taking the game on.

Coach Brad Gotch: “He can play on a medium-tall to a really tall. When he’s on, he marks the ball and then takes off and can pump it 60-70m.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ready-made-vfl-players-for-the-afl-draft/story-e6frf9jf-1226097161234

[Francois Jackson]

ooh yes barlow and then theres a guy called Sandilands, plus im sure theres more

I personally think our recruiters havent been doing enough with the talent on offer from the WAFL and VFL leagues.

The best they have come up with is Nason who was playing reserves over in adelaide. NFI

[RollsRoyce]

Thanks Tiger Tragic. I just went off to look him up, but you beat me to it. Anybody else like the sound of him?

[tony_montana]

Thanks Tiger Tragic. I just went off to look him up, but you beat me to it. Anybody else like the sound of him?

without seeing any footage he sounds like an upgarde on thursfield and mcguane 

[Francois Jackson]

Thanks Tiger Tragic. I just went off to look him up, but you beat me to it. Anybody else like the sound of him?

without seeing any footage he sounds like an upgarde on thursfield and mcguane 

wrong TM

Thursfield aint over 90kgs. Bruce Reid wouldve been an upgrade on our Will

[Go Richo 12]

ooh yes barlow and then theres a guy called Sandilands, plus im sure theres more

I personally think our recruiters havent been doing enough with the talent on offer from the WAFL and VFL leagues.

The best they have come up with is Nason who was playing reserves over in adelaide. NFI

What about Sylvester?
Seriously though, Nahas has been above everyone expectations and so has Jake King! They are maligned players but they have proven themselves to be capable of AFL. I'd call that a recruiting win.
We can talk about what Freo has done recruiting wise but they have not played in g/f yet and even though Pods has been a find for the cats, they haven't won a flag with him on their list either!
I do agree, however, that they have  certainly recruited some real finds!

[HKTiger]

Last two drafts

Tom Derickx
Ben Nason
Jeremy Webberley
Ben Jakobi

Prior to that
Robin Nahas
Jake King
Jarrod Sylvestor

We've obviously invested some time into non-TAC sources.

[WA Tiger]

Yesterday's Herald-Sun mentioned a key defender (I can't remember his name) from the Casey Scorpions, that I like the sound of.  22 yo 195cm 98kg, good closing speed. Can play on shorter and taller opponents. Hard at it, likes to take the game on, and provide run from defence. Short name, begins with "H" I think. Anyone know who I mean?

TIM MOHR
Casey Scorpions

Position: Key defender; AGE: 22; HEIGHT: 195cm; WEIGHT: 98kg
Similar to: Tom Williams

Mohr combines strength and size with a splash of speed. Can pinch-hit in the ruck and is renowned for demolishing opposition attacks and then taking the game on.

Coach Brad Gotch: “He can play on a medium-tall to a really tall. When he’s on, he marks the ball and then takes off and can pump it 60-70m.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ready-made-vfl-players-for-the-afl-draft/story-e6frf9jf-1226097161234

Certainly worth a shot, he is already 100 times the weight of Edwards.....

[Dice]

Similar to: Tom Williams

Useless and permanently injured ?

[MADTIGER2010]

If we have to trade our first pick for a quality young ruckman then it has to be done. A ruckman will be more valuable than a midfielder to us. We also have Derickx who can play as a back up sometime next year hopefully. Let's hope we can pick up a ruckman using our pick 2 and also trading one of our players. Would be nice to get a ruckman while still being able to use pick 1 on a midfielder. We still might finish below Adelaide

[Dice]

We also have Derickx

That's a long bow MT... I'll see your Derickxxx and raise you a Contin