Rivals pick off Tigers
RICHMOND’S Callum Coleman-Jones will play for North Melbourne next year to fulfil his desire to play in the ruck.
And Mabior Chol is headed to the Gold Coast Suns in a double blow for the Tigers.
Coleman-Jones, 22, made up his mind to leave Punt Rd in recent days and will nominate the Kangaroos as his next home.
He will join a group of young talls that includes Nick Larkey, Cameron Zurhaar, No.1 mid-season draft pick Jacob Edwards and Charlie Comben, a 199cm marking forward who made his debut in round 22.
The Roos say they will play Coleman-Jones in tandem with Todd Goldstein.
Goldstein, 33, has thrived as the sole ruckman but is adept at pushing forward as a marking target.
Richmond could not promise Coleman-Jones ruck time given that Ivan Soldo is expected to return next season after an anterior cruciate ligament repair to play alongside triple premiership big man Toby Nankervis.
The Tigers were also unwilling to offer him more than two years. The proposed contract with North Melbourne is believed to be four or five years.
Chol agreed deal with Wednesday.
The Tigers, though, will have their work cut out to strike a deal with North Melbourne for Coleman-Jones, who was recruited with pick 20 in the 2017 national draft. The Kangaroos are likely to be unwilling to give up their secondround draft pick – No.20 – given he managed only eight games this year.
Also on Wednesday, North Melbourne extended the contract of No.42 draft pick Phoenix Spicer to 2023, and resigned rookies Pat Walker and Matt McGuinness.
The Roos may bid for rival clubs’ father-son prospects Sam Darcy or Nick Daicos at the national draft but are expected to secure explosive SANFL midfielder Jason Horne-Francis with their first pick.
They will hope to guard their No.20 pick to take another elite young player, and would have the threat of the pre-season draft to secure Coleman-Jones if the Tigers played hardball.
The Roos’ next pick is 38, but with Richmond having picks 7, 15, 26, 28 and 40 there are ample ways for the Tigers to secure compensation by improving their draft hand.
The loss of Coleman-Jones will be a setback to the Tigers, who were keener to retain the South Australian than Chol, who has struggled for consistency. The Tigers could not match the security the Suns offered Chol.
Chol, 24, has played 31 games in six seasons at Tigerland.
His family lives in Acacia Ridge, about 70km from Metricon Stadium, a key factor in his decision. The Suns beat two Melbourne-based clubs to Chol’s signature.