Tigers fear the worst as Pair of Tigers depart training track early

The duo was said to have sustained ailments.

A burgeoning Richmond duo reportedly left the training track early on Friday after picking up suspected ailments.

Half-back-flanker Sam Banks and livewire forward Judson Clarke were each forced to depart Punt Road Oval early during Friday’s pre-season session.

According to a Herald Sun report on Friday, Clarke left early after sustaining an apparent shoulder issue in a collision but ‘appeared to be fine’, while Banks ‘limped’ off the field following a lower leg injury.

The burgeoning Banks, who hails from the Apple Isle, played six impressive senior games this season after failing to appear during his 2022 maiden campaign, while Clarke appeared 13 times for the Tigers at the senior level in 2023.

In positive news for the Richmond faithful, embattled youngster Josh Gibcus registered a strong running session on Friday.

The key-defending Gibcus, a top-ten draft selection by Richmond in 2021, recently visited a specialist in Qatar in hopes of resolving a burdensome hamstring complaint that kept him out of the entirety of the 2023 season.

2023 draftees Kane McAuliffe and Liam Fawcett, both South Australians, also appeared at Friday’s session after flying in from their home state on Thursday evening.

Tigers ‘strongly placed’ after bolstering 2024 draft hand

Richmond’s National Recruiting Manager Matthew Clarke believes the Tigers are “really strongly placed” after bolstering their 2024 draft hand last night.

Richmond’s National Recruiting Manager Matthew Clarke believes the Tigers are “really strongly placed” after bolstering their 2024 draft hand on night two of the AFL Draft.

After starting the night with pick No. 35, Richmond’s opening selection of the draft, the Tigers opted to trade that pick to Fremantle in exchange for No.38 and a future third-round pick.

When No. 38 came around, they again traded back, gaining West Coast’s pick No. 40 in addition to a future third-round selection.

The Club also acquired a future fourth round selection from Essendon later on.

As well as all of the Club’s allocated selections, Richmond currently has an additional second round (tied to Fremantle), two third round (tied to Fremantle and West Coast) and two fourth round (tied to Port Adelaide and Collingwood) picks in the 2024 AFL Draft.

“We had to strengthen our Draft hand for next year. We had a pool of players there that we liked, and with a bit of work and intel about who might still be there as picks rolled through, we decided to move some of our picks into next year’s draft, and strengthen our draft hand there,” Clarke said.

“We know that Clubs will come next year to match players for points with Father-Sons and Academy players and things like that.

“So, the ability to pick pretty much what we thought was going to be the same player and move back in the draft and get something for next year was really valuable.

“To have our guys ranked in a certain way that allowed us to move back in the draft but come up with relatively the same type of ranked player.

“To get those picks into next year’s draft is going to put us in a great spot… And hopefully that will give us the opportunity to get right up in the front half of the draft.”

Clarke said the Club was “really excited to have another big-bodied midfielder” in Kane McAuliffe, Richmond’s first selection of the night at pick No. 40.

“He’s a contested ball player, a natural competitor, and physical,” Clarke said.

“He’s got real power and speed. He tests really well, runs sub-three seconds for the 20 metre sprint and great vertical, really strong competitor and a great person.”

The work-rate of key forward Liam Fawcett, taken at pick No. 43, was what stood out to Richmond’s recruiters the most.

“His ability to keep working, he gets up the ground and works really hard,” Clarke said.

“He’s a conduit key forward, he can get it up on the wing or at half-back and work hard up to goal. He’s got really nice hands and he’s kicked some goals as well.

“He’s going to be a great size, he’s got a bit of work to do physically to develop us body, as most young keys do… We’re really excited to have developing key forward in the mix.”

2024 draft picks (as of Nov 22, 2023)

Round two pick
Round two pick (tied to Fremantle, received from Port Adelaide)
Round three pick
Round three pick (tied to Fremantle)
Round three pick (tied to West Coast)
Round four pick
Round four pick (tied to Port Adelaide)
Round four pick (tied to Collingwood, received from Essendon, originally received from Hawthorn)