A 23-year-old instructor from Wangaratta is the shock choice within the AFL draft, 5 years after not a single membership confirmed any curiosity in him.
Impressive type within the Victorian nation Murray and Ovens League has earned midfielder Joe Richards a berth at Collingwood.
The Wangaratta Rovers star was the bolter of the draft, as father-son twins Alwyn Jnr and Jayden Davey discovered their method to Essendon as cut price picks.
Likewise, North Melbourne recruited father-son prospect Cooper Harvey with the fourth-last choose of the draft, which featured 59 choices.
Sydney have been the movers and shakers once more throughout Tuesday evening’s second and third rounds, the evening after they annoyed cross-town rivals GWS with their bid on Harry Rowston.
They recruited Hawthorn academy prospect Cooper Vickery at choose 27 – a variety that they had gained on Monday evening in a commerce with the Hawks.
But the highest story of Tuesday evening’s second and third rounds was Richards, who didn’t communicate to any golf equipment when he reached draft age at 18, 5 years in the past.
Port Adelaide and Geelong have been additionally fascinated by him after his spectacular type for Rovers, who received this yr’s premiership.
Veteran Collingwood recruiter Derek Hine stated they see him enjoying off half-back, which might let younger gun Nick Daicos go into the midfield.
“He’s a mature-age player, he plays the way that we play … he really deserves an opportunity,” Hine stated.
Former Collingwood participant Ben Reid coached Richards at Rovers this season and lobbied Hine recurrently.
“He’s probably on the phone now. He was driving me mad,” Hine stated.
Reid texted Hine after Richards starred of their grand closing win – and once more a few hours later within the night because the Rovers celebrated their flag.
“It was something like Chinese, seriously – clearly, he had had a big night,” Hine remembered with a chuckle.
“I said ‘are you trying to help Joey, or not?'”
Bombers recuiting boss Adrian Dodoro was additionally delighted after they recruited Alwyn Davey Jnr at choose 45 after which Jayden at 54.
Given their apparent expertise, the sons of Bombers speedster Alwyn Snr got here to them cheaply.
Davey performed 100 video games for Essendon between 2007-13, with Essendon intentionally giving him his final match so his two sons would doubtlessly be eligible for father-son standing within the draft.
Even again then, Dodoro stated the twins clearly had expertise.
“It’s fantastic … it’s huge for our football club. They’re bona fide talent,” he stated.
“They’re very, very exciting players.”
Alwyn is on monitor to make his AFL debut subsequent season, however Jayden is recovering from a knee harm and shall be given loads of time.
“Many people had him (Alwyn Jnr) in the first round … we’re pretty lucky, we’ve got a bit of a steal,” Dodoro stated.
Also on Tuesday evening, former Melbourne and North Melbourne participant Corey Wagner was the one choose with earlier AFL expertise.
Fremantle recruited him with the No.57 choice after he performed 19 senior video games between 2016-19.
