Richmond priority pick 2026

[tiger_tough]

The key word in the first paragraph is "risk". What's happening now (and what seemed inevitable at the time of making those decisions, regardless of how Taranto and Hopper performed) were precisely why they were a risk.

As far as offers too good to refuse for established players, time will tell. If there's abundant talent already on the list and it just needs to be nurtured, well the original question that's been raised with this thread is moot.

Personally, I think draft picks in general are a bit overrated compared to established players... taking a given first round number and ranking the picks in that spot from the past 25 years, I think people would be surprised at how quickly the quality drops from superstars, to quality players, to fringe players/list cloggers, to outright busts. Or how frequently one of the top three picks doesn't pan out (I'd say most years).

Those two points that I'm making: you can't mortgage your future; and draft picks are a little overrated may seem to be in conflict. But I definitely believe in the draft... you just have to ensure that you're continually bringing in a few long-term players to your club every draft. And Richmond hasn't been able to do that consistently for a decade or more.

Yeah its all very easy to say now, in hindsight.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Yeah its all very easy to say now, in hindsight.

I'm saying even if the 2022 offseason plan had been a success and Richmond won a last dance flag in 2023, it always seemed highly likely that Richmond would be struggling by this part of the decade.

Granted, success breeds success and Richmond hasn't been helped by the initial lean years. Free agents flock to the top four clubs and teams on the rise: who wanted to go to Hawthorn and Gold Coast five years ago, or Brisbane 10 years ago?

But you need both (mature recruits and talent through the draft) and trying to cast my mind back to 2022/23 it was apparent that the Tigers hadn't drafted anywhere near the quality to take the torch from so many soon to be departed club legends.

 

[tiger_tough]

I'm saying even if the 2022 offseason plan had been a success and Richmond won a last dance flag in 2023, it always seemed highly likely that Richmond would be struggling by this part of the decade.

Granted, success breeds success and Richmond hasn't been helped by the initial lean years. Free agents flock to the top four clubs and teams on the rise: who wanted to go to Hawthorn and Gold Coast five years ago, or Brisbane 10 years ago?

But you need both (mature recruits and talent through the draft) and trying to cast my mind back to 2022/23 it was apparent that the Tigers hadn't drafted anywhere near the quality to take the torch from so many soon to be departed club legends.

That's how the system is meant to work. Every team that has won multiple flags in quick succession have dropped right off a few years after, bar Geelong. It is what it is.

 

[Scotland]

Richmond had 6 first round picks in 2024 and two in 2025.

Ignoring all the usual arguments that were directed at WC (they dug their hole by topping up and keeping senior players, they won a flag recently etc.) a lack of access to the pointy end of the draft is not the reason Richmond stink right now. A number of those 8 first round picks have done very little (some nothing at all) to this point. Taj Hotton has played 7 games. Josh Smillie 0. You can't play players who aren't available, just ask Luke Beveridge who went from 4-0 having beaten the premier and minor premier to not having his FF, CHF, ruck or CHB. Arguably his FB too as they are pretty light on down back. A full strength Richmond team isn't very good. And they aren't close to full strength.

If the AFL want to help Richmond out by giving them extra list spots (we only got an end of first round pick because it made the Allen/Starcevich moves and Annable bid smoother) great. It's better for the comp if the worst team wins 4 or 5 games and is competitive than risks going winless and has a percentage in the 50s. Why does anyone care if WC and Richmond have lists of 40 or 50? With fixed list sizes, mandatory rookie contracts and a salary cap that is +/-10% between the best and worst teams the AFL has created their own mess. It's also not like the 1980s where every state league team had seniors, reserves and U/19s or colts. Player development up to age 18 is down outside the AFL system and from then on inside it.

 

[THE_GUN]

Richmond had 6 first round picks in 2024 and two in 2025.

Ignoring all the usual arguments that were directed at WC (they dug their hole by topping up and keeping senior players, they won a flag recently etc.) a lack of access to the pointy end of the draft is not the reason Richmond stink right now. A number of those 8 first round picks have done very little (some nothing at all) to this point. Taj Hotton has played 7 games. Josh Smillie 0. You can't play players who aren't available, just ask Luke Beveridge who went from 4-0 having beaten the premier and minor premier to not having his FF, CHF, ruck or CHB. Arguably his FB too as they are pretty light on down back. A full strength Richmond team isn't very good. And they aren't close to full strength.

If the AFL want to help Richmond out by giving them extra list spots (we only got an end of first round pick because it made the Allen/Starcevich moves and Annable bid smoother) great. It's better for the comp if the worst team wins 4 or 5 games and is competitive than risks going winless and has a percentage in the 50s. Why does anyone care if WC and Richmond have lists of 40 or 50? With fixed list sizes, mandatory rookie contracts and a salary cap that is +/-10% between the best and worst teams the AFL has created their own mess. It's also not like the 1980s where every state league team had seniors, reserves and U/19s or colts. Player development up to age 18 is down outside the AFL system and from then on inside it.

We dont agree often but totally agree with your points
5% difference between min and max cap spend for teams on the rebuild with 25+ 18-20 year old kids and same list spots is just stupid. then you add PP into the conversation and just gets worse and compromises the draft even further

Give struggling teams that have been bottom 4 for 3-4 years extra 5 rookie spots to take players that have been passed up in the draft or players from state leagues to make them more competitive until the kids develop

Cant see why that is so difficult for the AFL to implement

 

[Footy Smarts]

We dont agree often but totally agree with your points
5% difference between min and max cap spend for teams on the rebuild with 25+ 18-20 year old kids and same list spots is just stupid. then you add PP into the conversation and just gets worse and compromises the draft even further

Give struggling teams that have been bottom 4 for 3-4 years extra 5 rookie spots to take players that have been passed up in the draft or players from state leagues to make them more competitive until the kids develop

Cant see why that is so difficult for the AFL to implement

The afl could just make list sizes flexible for all clubs between say 40 and 50. Then shit teams with money in the cap can automatically take a swing at a bunch of guys outside the league while good teams who are at max cap will be under pressure to trim their list size.

 

[Scotland]

We dont agree often but totally agree with your points

That's OK you are allowed to be right on this occasion.

5% difference between min and max cap spend for teams on the rebuild with 25+ 18-20 year old kids and same list spots is just stupid. then you add PP into the conversation and just gets worse and compromises the draft even further

Give struggling teams that have been bottom 4 for 3-4 years extra 5 rookie spots to take players that have been passed up in the draft or players from state leagues to make them more competitive until the kids develop

Cant see why that is so difficult for the AFL to implement

There are also very few opportunities to bring in top players other than via the draft. It's the only mechanism left that players have little say in and the AFL keeps eroding that year on year. I know nothing of Sam Lalor or who he supported as a kid but if given the choice would he go to the 18th placed side? No way Harley Reid chooses WC.

7 players moved last year via FA. I don't think any club would've chosen TDK/Allen who generated band 1 compo at $1m+ long term over 18 year old Duursma on a 3 year rookie deal if given a straight choice.

All Australians to be traded:

Ryan - 29 years old
Petracca - 29
Steele - 30
Oliver - 28
Curnow - 28

Players like this rarely decide they want to join a team at the bottom, and the rules don't Richmond to use cap space to take on Oliver with Melbourne saying "here just take him we'll give you pick 20". It's a players league. Same as Richmond can't trump a trade offer with a top 10 pick for a Bailey Smith going to Geelong because he doesn't want to go there.

Occasionally a Tom Mitchell or Luke Jackson type player comes up but you still need them to want to join your club and they aren't free. Butters, Rowell, King etc. may move as 26 year old free agents but if they do will be looking at home state and contending teams. There is no way in the AFL system a Ben King looks at Richmond who have won say 10 games in 3 years and decides that's where he wants to spend the 4-5 years he probably has in his prime.

 

[Scotland]

The afl could just make list sizes flexible for all clubs between say 40 and 50. Then shit teams with money in the cap can automatically take a swing at a bunch of guys outside the league while good teams who are at max cap will be under pressure to trim their list size.

I think there should be flexible list sizes and the ability to lower your TPP based on the number of first, second and third year players you have.

Richmond used 6 first round picks in one draft. That's 6 players on the list for 3 years getting paid $150k or whatever the AFL says they will be paid. A couple of teams only used two picks in the whole draft. Last year Port used 0. If you end up with 10, 15 players or more on your list earning rookie salaries it is ridiculous that the remainder of the list has to be paid more to make up for it so you have the same TPP as Brisbane or Geelong.

 

[THE_GUN]

I think there should be flexible list sizes and the ability to lower your TPP based on the number of first, second and third year players you have.

Richmond used 6 first round picks in one draft. That's 6 players on the list for 3 years getting paid $150k or whatever the AFL says they will be paid. A couple of teams only used two picks in the whole draft. Last year Port used 0. If you end up with 10, 15 players or more on your list earning rookie salaries it is ridiculous that the remainder of the list has to be paid more to make up for it so you have the same TPP as Brisbane or Geelong.

Also the bankable cap space should be increased to 10% for 4 years rather than the 5% for 3 years
just way too many limitations on rebuilding teams to improve quicker which then needs assistance from the AFL but more importantly compromising the draft even further

 

[Tandy]

There’s no way. They did this to themselves. Terrible list management. To go from such heights to just shizen so quickly. It’s worse than WCE dropping away after their flag. I think there needs to be a big clean out of staff.

 

[Former Decathlete]

People underestimate Brendan Gale.

He was the architect of the Tigers incredible success and his departure will result in the Tigers reverting to business as usual as a rabble.

 

[Former Decathlete]

There’s no way. They did this to themselves. Terrible list management. To go from such heights to just shizen so quickly. It’s worse than WCE dropping away after their flag. I think there needs to be a big clean out of staff.

They grossly over estimated "young talent".

It's clear the young talent coming through is nowhere near as good as people make out.

The young kids now can't even kick on both sides.

Most are molly coddled private school kids.

 

[LordLucifer]

With the Tigers 0-6 to start 2026 and at the foot of the table as well as odds-on to win the wooden spoon for the 2nd time in 3 years, talks about Richmond getting a priority pick to speed up their rebuild before Tasmania comes in

They won a flag not long ago in the COVID season the decline.

 

[LordLucifer]

Priority picks, and the random nature that they are handed out, has to go.

No more charity picks ....... ever !!

 

[GuyIncognito]

What a pathetic conveyance the Richmond football club is at the moment.

 

[tiger_tough]

They should just have a rule where if you finish bottom 4 3 seasons in a row you automatically get an extra few rookie list spots for the following year. Gives the terrible clubs a hand brining in some mature bodies and doesn't **** up the draft for everyone else.

 

[Dinkers]

Think the AFL is concerned that the Pies, Essendon Richmond and Carlton will be making up the bottom 4 soon enough. And have 'adjusted' the rules to accommodate this horrid situation.
I did LOL FYI & FWIW

 

[Daka]

I was against West Coast getting one. for good reason.
and I don't think we should get one but hey they got one so why not?

 

[Scotland]

They should just have a rule where if you finish bottom 4 3 seasons in a row you automatically get an extra few rookie list spots for the following year. Gives the terrible clubs a hand brining in some mature bodies and doesn't **** up the draft for everyone else.

Why make teams wait to get to the point of being that bad? Does it upset the competitive balance if one team has 40 listed players and another has 50?

Would not bother me one iota if say Broad and Prestia finished up and Richmond replaced them with three VFL players and two fourth round draft picks.

 

[Cam Payne]

Of course teams who've had success relatively recently should be given a hand up as soon as they have a short period without success. Some clubs are just more equal than others.

 

[Scotland]

Of course teams who've had success relatively recently should be given a hand up as soon as they have a short period without success. Some clubs are just more equal than others.

The team that has won the most games since the start of 2022 has been given a bigger leg up than the team that has won the fewest.

Let that sink in.

 

[tigersnag]

What a pathetic conveyance the Richmond football club is at the moment.

Yet closer to a flag than the Scats

 

[Timothy Luncheon]

I don't even care about a priority pick, I just want our current young players to not have their entire careers derailed by injury. I'm invested in the players we already have (as players and people), and they're being completely ****ed by injury. Genuinely devastating

 

[Rich01]

Probably entitled to the west coast package now

 

[windyhill]

3 recent flags, then decimating their own list, are you ****ing kidding !?!?
Watching Shai Bolton

10

Shai Bolton

Age

27

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

tearing it up for Freo is a joy to behold. What did richmond get for him ?