How Richmond traded up for the No.1 AFLW draft pick
Oliver Caffrey |
Richmond’s bold move to trade up for the No.1 AFLW draft pick was a month in the planning.
The Tigers, who recently axed coach Ryan Ferguson and head of football Kate Sheahan, have an eye to make rangy utility Scarlett Johnson the prized top selection in Monday night’s draft.
Having originally held the No.4 pick after finishing 16th this season, Richmond took No.1 off Gold Coast’s hands.
The Suns needed to get creative with their picks to cater for a bumper crop of academy prospects – such as Sunny Lappin, Georja Davies, Ava Usher, Dekota Baron, Alannah Welsh – who are tied to the Suns.
“We worked on it for a month or so, working with Thomas (Waldron) at Gold Coast,” Richmond list manager Trent Moseby said after the trade period on Wednesday.
“He’s been awesome and great to deal with, obviously traded a lot of picks in, and that enabled him to get those deals done, and allowed us an opportunity to get pick one.
“We saw it as a really unique opportunity and the player we have there (at No.1) we rate really highly.
“We really clearly feel there are three standout players in this draft, and we just really wanted access to them.
“We were at (pick) three, before the AFL gave the Giants a compensation pick.
“So once that came in, we knew we really had to get to work to get up to (pick) one to make sure we were able to secure that talent.”
Johnson, who stands at 175cm, has played everywhere during her underage career for the Northern Knights and Victoria Metro.
Only turning 18 in November, Johnson has been a contested marking forward, played on a wing, and gone back to be used as a defender.
Chloe Bown and key forward Olivia Wolmarans are also likely to be taken high.
Moseby insisted Ferguson and Sheahan played a massive role in going for the No.1 pick, before they were moved on earlier this month following a review of the Tigers’ AFLW program.
Richmond, Sydney and Melbourne are the clubs still searching for an AFLW coach.
But there will also be intrigue later in the draft, with Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner – the No.1 pick in 2023 – nominating herself as she attempts a move to North Melbourne.
The Kangaroos failed to land Weston-Turner during last week’s trade period, the Western Bulldogs failing to accept the reigning premiers offers for the key forward.
Weston-Turner’s manager Michael Oakes warned rival clubs to avoid picking his client in the draft before North, whose first pick is 37.
“I have a beer deal with Keegan (Hawthorn AFLW boss Keegan Brooksby not to draft her), and she chose not to go to Brisbane because she didn’t want to move interstate, so I hope they respect that,” Oakes said last Wednesday.
AAP
