The year Richmond got it right

The Tigers have a history of bad calls on draft day, but recent successes are paying off in spades, writes CHRIS CAVANAGH

DRAFTING disasters have been a common thread in Richmond’s success-starved recent history.

Who could forget the Tigers picking Richard Tambling at No.4 in the 2004 draft, ahead of Sydney superstar Lance Franklin?

What about Jarrad Oakley Nicholls, who played just 13 games after being selected with pick 8 in 2005?

Or even Ty Vickery, another pick 8 in 2008 who never reached his potential at Punt Rd and is now playing VFL at Box Hill?

Just a few of the busts, those three players have become poster-boys for Richmond fans frustrated by their team’s poor recruiting in recent times.

But the tide might be turning — just take a look at 2014, from where a lot of the Tigers’ improvement this year began.

During compromised drafts in 2012 and 2013, Richmond brought in a string of recycled players from other clubs including Chris Knights, Aaron Edwards, Ricky Petterd, Addam Maric, Todd Banfield, Matt Thomas and Shaun Hampson.

In 2014, the Tigers changed tack. A second elimination final exit in as many years indicated the list they had was not going to be able to take the next step.

So the club went back to youth, with a clear focus on speed and running ability.

“The way footy is going, you just need that running capacity to get up and down the ground,” then-Richmond recruiting manager Francis Jackson told the AFL website at the time.

“So when we draft these kids, they’re going to be playing in three to four years’ time and those attributes will allow them to be the best players they can.”

Richmond used five picks in the 2014 national draft — Corey Ellis (pick 12), Connor Menadue (33), Nathan Drummond (52), Dan Butler (67) and Reece McKenzie (77).

Only key forward McKenzie — who retired because of mental health issues last year — is no longer at Punt Rd.

Classy midfielder Ellis has been hampered by hip, foot and groin injuries during his first three seasons but has shown good signs in his 22 AFL games, and two knee reconstructions have restricted Drummond to five games.

But onballer Menadue (28 games) continues to grow and Butler has been a find so far down the order, averaging 12 disposals and almost five score involvements while kicking 20 goals from 17 games as a small forward this season.

It was the next rookie draft where the Tigers really hit the jackpot, though. Richmond made four new selections there — Jayden Short (pick 11), Jason Castagna (29) Kane Lambert (46) and Ivan Soldo (67), while also redrafting Matthew Arnot whom they had delisted.

Between them Short, Castagna and Lambert have played 53 of a possible 57 games this season. Lambert is averaging 84 SuperCoach ranking points through the midfield; Short has averaged 366m gained from 15 disposals a game; and Castagna has kicked 23 goals and is averaging five score involvements as a small forward. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Then there is Soldo. The 204cm 21-year-old has six AFL games to his name, during which he has averaged more than 20 hitouts and almost two clearances. While still raw, the Tigers expect Soldo’s extraordinary rise to continue on its steep upwards trajectory.

He could be the cherry on top of what is now appearing to be the year the Tigers finally nailed it at the draft table.