Skilful, speedy Richmond small defender Jayden Short will add another key achievement to his impressive AFL football CV when he attains the 100-game milestone in Friday night’s big clash with Geelong at the MCG.
Short, taken by the Tigers with their first pick (No. 11 overall) in the 2015 AFL rookie draft, already is a dual premiership player (2019, 2020) and a Jack Dyer Medallist (2020).
He is one of only three rookie-list players to have gone on and become a Best and Fairest winner at their club in a premiership year (Sydney’s Brett Kirk and Hawthorn’s Josh Gibson are the other two).
After making his senior debut for Richmond in Round 2, 2016 v Collingwood at the MCG, and kicking three goals playing as a small forward, Short has become an integral part of the team’s backline.
His capacity to cover the ground with hard, quick running, and then turn defence into attack through long, accurate, penetrating kicks, makes him such a valuable asset for the Tigers.
Richmond great Matthew Richardson is a big fan of the way Short goes about his on-field business.
“Jayden is elite in one of the most vital statistical categories in the congested AFL game these days – metres gained,” Richardson said.
“He’s an excellent ball user by foot, with his accurate long kicks consistently bypassing opposition defenders and setting up opportunities for the Tiger forwards.
“He also defends well and is rarely outmarked.”
Across his AFL career so far, Short is averaging 18.0 disposals, 4.4 marks, 4.3 rebound-50s, 4.0 intercepts and 452.1 metres gained per match.
Coming off his breakout 2020 Best and Fairest year, and after seven rounds of the 2021 season, the 25-year-old’s statistical numbers are even better.
He is averaging 23.9 disposals, 5.3 marks, 8.3 rebound-50s, 5.3 intercepts and 604.9 metres gained per game.
Another major Richmond rookie success story, Liam Baker, plays his 50th game on Friday night.
Baker, also a dual premiership Tiger and important member of the team’s defence, is averaging 19.7 disposals, 3.3 marks, 3.0 tackles, 6.6 intercepts and 246.9 metres gained per match so far this season.
