How Richmond could strategise its “draft from heaven”

There remains some intrigue surrounding Richmond’s remarkable 2024 draft hand.

The Tigers, as has been well publicised, hold eight picks in the first 24 in this year’s draft which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

But will they use all eight? Or trade some out for future first-round picks?

AFL Media’s draft guru Cal Twomey, who labelled it a “draft from heaven”, suggests that the 2024 wooden spooners might look to move out some of their selections in order to bolster themselves for the 2025 draft too.

He also speculated on some of the names that could be called out by Richmond on Wednesday night in the first round in particular.

“It’s a draft from heaven really, isn’t it,” Twomey said on SEN Breakfast.

“We know they’ve got 1, 6, 10, 11, 18, 20, 23 and 24 - eight in the first 24.

“Do they take all of them to the draft and use them all? I think they’re going to get significant offers for the last four picks - 18, 20, 23 and 24.

“I think they use the first four as it stands. The beauty of this year’s draft for them is that there is all sorts of different types of players in those different picks.

“Early we’ll see them go for midfielders. They’ve been linked strongly to Sam Lalor and Finn O’Sullivan at the top of the pool. Josh Smillie as well, Bo Allan is also in the mix.

“Then there are some talls that will come into it. Jack Whitlock, Jobe Shanahan, Xavier Lindsay as well. Then at the back end we might see some small forwards in that group like Jesse Dattoli who is a chance.

“Pick 24 is the first pick of the second night and traditionally over a two-night draft there’s been a huge rush for those selections.

“So they could well turn Pick 24, which will become 28 after bids on the night, into a future first-round pick.

“They really can’t lose, the Tigers.”

Twomey and Riley Beveridge later alluded on AFL Media’s Gettable Draft Countdown show that it was down to two players for Richmond’s first pick - Sam Lalor or Finn O’Sullivan.

The draft kicks off at 7pm AEDT this Wednesday night and continues on Thursday.