In 2010, the Tigers targeted Shaun Grigg (Carlton) and Bachar Houli (Essendon) as two players they felt were in the right age/experience bracket and would be a good fit for their side.
They subsequently secured the services of Grigg in the trade period at the end of the season and Houli in the pre-season draft.
The pair responded in fine style to the available opportunities at their new football home, with Grigg finishing 10th in the 2011 Jack Dyer Medal and Houli fourth.
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Then, in the 2011 trade period, Richmond snared ruckman Ivan Maric from Adelaide and negotiated a deal to claim strong, running defender Steven Morris from SANFL club West Adelaide, via a trade with fledgling AFL club Greater Western Sydney, who had pre-listed him.
Maric and Morris have had an instant impact with the Tigers in season 2012, both already earning cult status among the Yellow and Black faithful.
The 200cm, 100kg, 26-year-old Maric is enjoying his best season of AFL football. He averages 16 disposals per game, is ranked fifth in total hit-outs for the entire competition, and has given the team’s talented group of midfielders a massive lift with his sheer size and ruck skills.
Morris, who is averaging nearly 15 disposals per game, has won rave reviews for his fanatical attack on the football, fierce desire and running ability.
Meanwhile, Grigg, 24, and Houli, 24, continue to provide the team with top value.
Grigg is averaging just over 27 disposals per game and is currently second for total disposals at the Club, second for total marks, fourth for inside-50 entries, and has kicked a more than handy nine goals as well.
Houli is averaging 22 disposals per game and is second at the Club for rebound-50s.
Not surprisingly, Tiger coach Damien Hardwick is delighted with the impact these mature-age player pick-ups have had at Punt Road . . .
“Craig Cameron, Blair Hartley and Francis Jackson have worked incredibly hard to bring in draft players to improve our footy club, but also those guys who weren’t getting an opportunity at other clubs,” Hardwick said on 3AW.
“We were really pleased to bring in those four. They’ve added to the quality of our group.
“One, they can all play the game. But, secondly, and most importantly, they just bring a leadership and character element to our foot club that we think is very, very important also.
“There’s no doubt that those four players have been enormous for us.”
