The son of a champion Brownlow Medallist has signed to play with Richmond’s VFL team in season 2016.
Tom Couch, whose father Paul won the 1989 Brownlow while playing (and starring in the centre) for Geelong, is one of several players recruited to play VFL football for the Tigers next season.
After being passed up by the Cats as a father-son selection in 2006, Couch became a football journeyman. He had stints with Geelong’s VFL team, local Geelong teams St Joseph’s and Bell Park, and SANFL clubs Woodville-West Torrens and Geelong, Bell Park, before joining Collingwood’s VFL team.
His strong performances through the midfield with the VFL Magpies led to him being rookie listed by Melbourne.
He subsequently earned a promotion to the Melbourne’s primary playing list, and made his senior league debut in 2012. That year, he also finished runner-up in the VFL’s Liston Trophy.
Couch played three senior games all-up for the Demons, before being delisted at the end of the 2013 season.
He then rejoined Collingwood’s VFL team, and further enhanced his reputation as one of the competition’s best midfielders.
Richmond’s new VFL coach Craig McRae, who spent five years as the Magpies’ development manager, played a pivotal role in securing Couch’s services.
Couch, who thrives on winning the contested ball, will add important grunt and leadership to the young Tigers’ VFL midfield.
Other Richmond VFL signings for 2016 include:
- Jacob Ballard, a 21-year-old midfielder, who has spent the past two years on Fremantle’s rookie list. He played one senior league game with the Dockers, in the final home-and-away round of the 2015 season, and he also won the best and fairest at his WAFL club Peel Thunder this year. Averaged 26 disposals per game for Peel Thunder in 2015.
- Sam Darley, a 22-year-old utility, who was a 17-year-old listed player at Greater Western Sydney back in 2011. He played 13 senior league games with the Giants in 2012-13, before transferring to the Western Bulldogs, where he made seven appearances at AFL level up until the end of the 2015 season. Averaged 24 disposals per game in the VFL with the Bulldogs throughout the year.
- Tom Langford, a 28-year-old half-back from standalone VFL club Port Melbourne. Previously played in the SANFL with Norwood and North Adelaide. Has more than 100 games experience at VFL and SANFL level.
- Kelvin Williams, an athletic, highly-skilled, 22-year-old Indigenous utility player originally from Darwin. Was a member of St Kevin’s 2015 premiership side in the VAFA. Represented Victoria in this year’s amateur football carnival and was named in the All-Australian under-23 team.
Those players continuing with Richmond’s VFL squad in 2016 include Nick Mellington, Ryan Gale, Tyson Kruse, Anthony Scott, Pat Contin, Jake Aarts, Gerard Gleeson, Luke Conca, Ryan Bathie and Andrew McQualter.
There are currently 43 players in the pre-season squad, with a list of 24 to be finalised in March.
Also among those players now training with the VFL Tigers is former Melbourne and Carlton tough, inside midfielder Brock McLean, a 29-year-old veteran of 157 AFL games from 2004-14.
