Above: Bigoa Nyuon on his first day at the Richmond Football Club last week

Richmond’s fifth and final pick (No. 54 overall) in the 2019 AFL national draft, talented, tall utility, Bigoa ‘Biggie’ Nyuon, has drawn high praise from former Essendon star and premiership player Darren Bewick, who coached the talented, tall, teenage utility at the Rowville Sports Academy.

The Tigers put a bid in for Nyuon, who also had been part of St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy, and were delighted when the Saints declined to match it.

“He tested the fastest over the state and national combine for speed (20m in 2.85 sec), he’s got a great leap, he kicks the ball really well and I think we’ve just scratched the surface,” Bewick told the Herald Sun.

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Bigoa Nyuon's story

Richmond recruit Bigoa Nyuon speaks to Channel 7 about using his family's story of hardship as inspiration to fulfil his AFL dream.

“The Tigers have got a ripper kid and I hope they’re able to furnish his ability. If they can, they’re going to have a really, really good player.

“He’s taken on everything that’s been presented to him . . . Sometimes he’s needed a little bit of a push, like all boys, but he loves the game and loves the team aspect of it, and it’s only going to hold him in good stead.

“His journey has just begun and I think it can really turn into a really special one.”