Tony Greenberg considers the Tigers’ past selections at the sharp end as Richmond gets ready for an unprecedented three top 10 picks in the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft.
By Tony Greenberg, Richmond Media
Tony Greenberg considers the Tigers’ history of selections at the pointy end of the draft as Richmond gets ready for an unprecedented three top 10 picks in the November Telstra AFL Draft.
Richmond has a mixed record when it comes to the top 10 AFL national draft selections; it was distinctly average in the beginning but much better in more recent years.
Since the competition’s draft system began in 1986, the Tigers have had a total of 18 of them, 10 of them have gone on to play more than 100 games for the Club.
Nine of the 12 top 10 picks from 1997 have reached the 100-game mark, and Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin are two of just seven players in Richmond’s history to reach the 300-game mark.
At Tigerland, Cotchin, Martin, and Nick Vlastuin—three of the Club’s last six top-10 picks—are triple premiership players.
The Tiger top-10 players have won a total of seven Jack Dyer Medals: three for Cotchin, two for Martin, and two for Brett Deledio. Cotchin and Martin have also each received a Brownlow Medal.
Richmond can greatly enhance its top 10 selection record in the forthcoming national draft.
For the first time in their draughting history, the Tigers have three picks in the top 10. In 2004, they achieved their best-ever top-10 finish with Richard Tambling at number four and Brett Deledio at number one.
Here is a complete list of Richmond’s top 10 national draft picks ever, along with how many games each player has played for the Tigers..
1986: Richard Anderson, Norwood, SANFL, No. 4 pick overall, 0 games.
1987: Richard Lounder, Central District, SANFL, No. 1 pick, 4 games.
1988: Chris Naish, Wangaratta, No. 5 pick, 143 games.
1989: Anthony Banik, Won Wron Woodside, No. 1 pick, 49 games.
1992: Wayne Hernaman, South Fremantle, WAFL, No. 7 pick, 20 games.
1993: Justin Murphy, Central Dragons, TAC Cup, No. 3 pick, 12 games.
1997: Brad Ottens, Glenelg, SANFL, No. 2 pick, 129 games.
1999: Aaron Fiora, Port Adelaide, SANFL, No. 3 pick, 78 games.
2000: Kayne Pettifer, Murray Bushrangers, TAC Cup, No. 9 pick, 113 games.
2004: Brett Deledio, Murray Bushrangers, TAC Cup, No. 1 pick, 243 games.
2004: Richard Tambling, Southern Districts (NT), No. 4 pick, 108 games.
2005: Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, East Perth, WAFL, No. 8 pick, 13 games.
2007: Trent Cotchin, Northern Knights, TAC Cup, No. 2 pick, 306 games.
2008: Ty Vickery, Sandringham Dragons, TAC Cup, No. 8 pick, 119 games.
2009: Dustin Martin, Bendigo Pioneers, TAC Cup, No. 3 pick, 302 games.
2010: Reece Conca, Perth, WAFL, No. 6 pick, 104 games.
2012: Nick Vlastuin, Northern Knights, TAC Cup, No. 9 pick, 233 games.
2021: Josh Gibcus, GWV Rebels, NAB League, No. 9 pick, 20 games.
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