As Richmond prepares for an exceptional three top 10 picks in the November Telstra AFL Draft., Tony Greenberg reflects on the Tigers’ history of selections at the pointy end of the draft.
Richmond has a mixed record with top 10 AFL national draft picks – decidedly ordinary early on, but considerably better in more recent times.
The Tigers have had a total of 18 of them since the competition’s draft system started in 1986, with 10 going on to play more than 100 games for the Club.
If you take it from 1997 (12 top 10 picks during that time frame), nine have passed the 100-game milestone, with Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin going on to become two of only seven 300-game players in Richmond’s history.
Three of the Club’s past six top 10 selections – Cotchin, Martin and Nick Vlastuin – are triple premiership players at Tigerland.
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, with Cotchin and Martin also each winning a Brownlow Medal.
Richmond has the opportunity in the upcoming national draft to significantly improve its top 10 selection record.
The Tigers have three top 10 picks for the first time in their drafting history. Their previous best top 10 result was two in 2004 – Brett Deledio at No. 1 and Richard Tambling at No. 4.
Here is the full list of Richmond’s all-time top 10 national draft selections, along with the number of games they’ve played with 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.
