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Richmond father-son pick Patrick Naish is unlikely to make his AFL debut from some time
RICHMOND fans couldn’t have been happier last year when the Tigers picked up gun father-son prospect Patrick Naish in the AFL Draft. But when are they actually going to see him play?
RICHMOND fans are unlikely to see Patrick Naish make his AFL debut for some time as the father-son selection continues to work on his defensive traits.
Naish was taken with pick No.34 in last year’s draft and has been developing at half-back in Richmond’s VFL program, playing every game in the state league this year. Richmond VFL coach Craig McRae said Naish was “a bit back in the queue” for senior selection. INSIDER: CHAMPION DATA SUPERCOACH FORMGUIDE JACKPOT: TOP PERFECT 9 PICKS FOR ROUND 9 ROOKIE BIBLE: WHO TO TRADE, WHO TO KEEP “I think there’s a few in front of him, Connor Menadue is playing some really good football at half-back and so is Brandon Ellis and Oleg Markov,” McRae said. “It’s not a pecking order, but certainly there’s a few in front of him.” Naish, the son of former Richmond forward Chris, came through the TAC Cup and AFL Academy last year as a dynamic outside midfielder. But the Tigers are keen to develop the 19-year-old’s defensive skills. “He’s got huge offensive weapons and we just want to make sure there is a balance between offence and defence,” McRae said. “We’re playing him down back to teach him those habits. Perfect 9 promo 650x90 “There’s been a big shift in his ability to understand our team defence, but also the want and the desire to be involved in that part of the game. We’re confident he’s on the right path.” LIVE stream every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season on FOX SPORTS. Get your free 2-week trial & start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >
Originally published as Richmond father-son pick Patrick Naish is unlikely to make his AFL debut from some time