As Richmond prepares to welcome its first top-10 pick in the AFL national draft for nine years, Tony Greenberg reflects on the Tigers’ history of such selections.
Richmond has a mixed record with top-10 national draft picks – decidedly ordinary early on, but significantly better in more recent times.
The Tigers have had a total of 17 of them since the draft system started in 1986, with 10 going on to play more than 100 games for the Club.
If you take it from 1997 (11 top-10 picks during that time-frame), nine have passed the 100-game milestone.
Three of the Club’s past five top-10 selections – Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Nick Vlastuin – are now triple premiership players at Tigerland.
And there is a combined tally of seven Jack Dyer Medals among the Tiger top-10s – three to Cotchin, two for Martin and two to Brett Deledio.
Here is the full list of Richmond’s top-10 national draft selections, along with their number of games 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, 268 games.
2008: Ty Vickery, Sandringham Dragons, TAC Cup, No. 8 pick, 119 games.
2009: Dustin Martin, Bendigo Pioneers, TAC Cup, No. 3 pick, 260 games.
2010: Reece Conca, Perth, WAFL, No. 6 pick, 104 games.
2012: Nick Vlastuin, Northern Knights, TAC Cup, No. 9 pick, 173 games.
