Richmond lodges paperwork for possible father-son recruit Patrick Naish
RICHMOND could secure its first father-son recruit in 14 years after officially nominating Patrick Naish ahead of this month’s draft. But will the Tigers take him?
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RICHMOND could secure its first father-son recruit in 14 years after officially nominating Patrick Naish ahead of this month’s draft.
The Tigers have lodged the paperwork required to match any rival bid for Naish at the national draft in Sydney on Friday, November 24 in Sydney.
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It doesn’t guarantee Naish will join the club where his father Chris played 143 games in the 1990s. But that is the likely outcome with the Tigers holding picks 17, 20 and 25 after the trade period.
Under the AFL’s complicated bidding system, if another club nominates Naish before Richmond, the Tigers can use draft points from later picks to move up the order and trump the nomination to secure the pacy midfielder.
Industry experts expect a bid to come around the Tigers’ first selections to ensure he doesn’t slip through to the second round. The Western Bulldogs, who hold picks 9 and 16, have reportedly shown interest.
Naish, 18, will take some time to build his frame for AFL footy but impressed this year as a long-kicking wingman and small forward in the TAC Cup, averaging 22 disposals and 89 SuperCoach points for Vic Metro in the under-18 national championships.
He is a passionate Richmond supporter and told the Herald Sun last month he was close to tears when Dustin Martin kicked the sealing goal in the Grand Final.
“I’m not going to lie — I’d love to go to Richmond,” Naish said.
“But at the same time I see myself as a professional bloke and a loyal person, so I’d take any opportunity with both hands. They (Richmond) have kept their cards close to their chest.”
Naish is the third father-son nomination for this year’s draft, joining Tyler Brown (Collingwood) and Jackson Edwards (Adelaide).
Richmond has not selected a father-son draftee since Tom Roach in 2003 and has taken only six since 1988.
RICHMOND FATHER-SON RECRUITS
1988: Sean Bowden (6 games)
1992: Matthew Richardson (282 games)
1994: David Bourke (85 games)
1995: Joel Bowden (265 games)
1995: Nick Jewell (1 game)
2003: Tom Roach (11 games)
Originally published as Richmond lodges paperwork for possible father-son recruit Patrick Naish
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