Tigers in line for extraordinary draft bounty
The Tigers will shape the trade period with deals for outgoing stars.
Herald Sun - Jay Clark & Jon Ralph
Richmond will believe it is perfectly placed to head to the national draft with a phenomenal six selections in the first 21 draft picks as the club’s trades for three outgoing stars take shape.
The AFL’s free agency period kicks off on Friday, with compensation for St Kilda over Josh Battle’s departure the most intriguing question mark given a six-year Hawks offer of just under $900,000 a season. ST KILDA and Greater Western Sydney are among the clubs breathing a sigh of relief, after the AFL informed teams that 'Band 2' compensation picks will fall before North Melbourne's pair of end-of-first round selections.
Sydney and Gold Coast, who own the pair of Kangaroos picks, now face the prospect of falling further down the draft order should any of this year's free agency departures be deemed worthy of 'Band 2' or end-of-first round compensation.
But Richmond’s monumental decision to allow contracted players Shai Bolton (Fremantle) and Daniel Rioli (Gold Coast) to leave will shape the trade period, which runs from October 7-16.
Uncontracted vice-captain Liam Baker is also on the move with a move to the Eagles everything but confirmed.
Some of those players made clear as they departed that coach Adem Yze needed to take more control of a young group with more discipline and a defined game plan as well as working on his existing strong relationships.
Liam Baker is Western Australia bound. Picture: Getty Images
There was a level of frustration that some players old and younger were allowed too many liberties around their professionalism and adherence to game plan.
The club is aware of the player feedback, even though senior players were also frustrated at Bolton playing on instinct and diverting from the game plan at times.
Departing chief executive Brendon Gale made clear in a recent podcast that Yze was prepared to “take a lot more responsibility” and “start to really put his fingerprints on this team” in 2025.
While Richmond is yet to lock in trades with rival clubs the centrepiece of those trades will allow Richmond to secure one of footy’s best draft hauls in recent memory, excluding expansion sides.
Richmond has asked Gold Coast for their No. 6 pick and another early selection for Rioli and while that seems a ridiculous ambit claim the Suns are prepared to hand over their No. 6 pick as part of a deal.
Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton are likely on the move. Picture: Getty Images
Fremantle is prepared to offer one of picks 9 or 10 for Bolton (contracted to 2028) and the Dockers’ No. 16 pick but not both of picks 9 and 10.
The Dockers would have used picks 9 or 10 to secure the 26-year-old if Baker chose them.
But with Baker choosing West Coast, the Tigers are likely to secure Hawthorn’s No. 13 draft pick after the Eagles secure it in a trade for Tom Barrass.
So while all of those deals could yet have many other elements — including Richmond even handing back later picks — the Tigers will believe they can secure four picks within 16 for that trio.
With their own picks currently 1, 21, 29, 39, 41, 47, 57, 66, 72, it will give Richmond six picks within 21.
Early bids on Brisbane’s Levi Ashcroft and Gold Coast’s Leo Lombard will push out some of Richmond’s draft selections.
But on draft night if the Tigers keep those picks they could hope to have two of the first seven picks, four of the top 15 picks and seven of the top 35 picks given they also retain pick 29.
If the Tigers can use picks like 29, 39, 41 and 47 and trade them to a club like the Suns or Gold Coast for an earlier to use for academy players they can again strengthen their draft hand.
Adem Yze has a big task ahead of him at Richmond. Picture: Getty Images
Gale told a club podcast in August he was confident Yze would put his imprint on the club next year as it quickly bounced back up the ladder.
“We have had a coach come in. And we believe he’s extremely capable and he’s carried himself extremely well but it’s fair to say he comes into the program which has been successful,” he said.
“He is following a coach of historical standing (Damien Hardwick) and he has premiership players everywhere, and I reckon he’s just sat back a bit, coupled with an incredibly unprecedented run of injury. And what you will see of Adam next year is a coach that takes a lot more responsibility.
“This is his team and he will intervene and poke and prod and start to really put his fingerprints on the team which will create its own energy and momentum.
“At this stage there is an opportunity to turn this club around in a couple of years. We have a really strong platform, a strong organisation, a culture and shared understanding of what it takes and our own supporters understand what it takes. It’s not reacting, it’s making evidence-based decisions and we will be back in no time.”
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