Jack Riewoldt says the next Marlion Pickett is within reach if AFL clubs are prepared to take a risk

AFL club will be desperate to uncover the next Marlion Pickett or Sydney Stack after Richmond’s draft success this year. Tigers star Jack Riewoldt says there are many similar stories waiting to happen in suburban leagues across Australia.

Marlion Pickett made a dream debut in the AFL grand final after being overlooked in several drafts. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Recruiters need to get to work — because there are plenty more Marlion Picketts running around in local leagues, according to Jack Riewoldt.

The Richmond superstar urged clubs to take punts on players in the hope of unearthing gems, as the Tigers have done with Sydney Stack and Pickett in 2019.

“I’ll tell you what it says — there’s some bloody good players out there in local leagues playing footy that deserve their opportunity at AFL level,” Riewoldt said.

“You just need a club that’s willing to take, not a risk, but believes in someone, and we did that with Marlion.

Marlion Pickett bursts through a tackle for South Fremantle as Tim Kelly watches on.

“He’s been here for 12 weeks and he’s a bloody smart footballer and he’s a fantastic person.

“It was a brave decision to pick him (for the Grand Final), people outside the club probably questioned it, I know Kevin Sheedy questioned it, but for us you just pick your best players.

“He’s a Richmond man and he’s proven that.”

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While coach Damien Hardwick was nervous that the big stage would be too much for Pickett on debut, Riewoldt said the No. 50 was built for it.

Marlion Pickett is embraced by his teammates after being called to receive his premiership medal. Picture: Ryan Pierse/AFL Media/via Getty Images.

“He’s 27 played over 100 WAFL games, played a VFL premiership and a WAFL premiership. Pretty good CV if you ask me,” Riewoldt said.

Pickett’s blind turn in the second quarter that set up a Jason Castagna set-shot will live forever as an iconic moment and the first-gamer polled four Norm Smith Medal votes, placing third.

Pickett’s 22 disposals and one goal in the Grand Final earned him 96 SuperCoach points, while he averaged 101 from 20 WAFL games last year and 110 from two WAFL games back in 2013.

And the first order of business for the new Fremantle coach is to sack the entire recruiting team! #pickett #kelly #AFLGF

— Paul Hasleby (@PaulHasleby) September 28, 2019

It came as Fremantle great Paul Hasleby says the Dockers’ recruiters should lose their jobs for overlooking mature-age WAFL jets Tim Kelly and Marlion Pickett.

Hasleby took a massive swipe at his former club as it closes in on highly-rated Collingwood defensive specialist Justin Longmuir as its new coach.

Hasleby, who played 208 games for Fremantle, said the club should act on the failure to recruit Pickett, 27, and Kelly, 25, from South Fremantle in the WAFL.

“The first order of business for the new Fremantle coach is to sack the entire recruiting team #Pickett #Kelly”,” Hasleby said on Twitter.

Originally published as Jack Riewoldt says the next Marlion Pickett is within reach if AFL clubs are prepared to take a risk