Western Bulldogs youngster Ed Richards is the Round 10 AFL Rising Star nominee

ED Richards was summoned to an 11th-hour interview with Carlton coach Brendon Bolton and list boss Stephen Silvagni before last November’s draft. A bad impression meant he slipped to the Dogs. Now he is a Rising Star nominee.

ED Richards on Monday night revealed how a traffic jam caused him to arrive 40 minutes late to an 11th-hour interview with Carlton coach Brendon Bolton and list boss Stephen Silvagni before last November’s draft.

The Blues twice passed up the dashing defender with Richards’ punctuality helping them settle on Lochie O’Brien at pick No. 10 in a lineball call, allowing the Western Bulldogs to pounce at pick 16.

The Bulldogs received that selection from the Blues after trading Jake Stringer and Richards, 18, on Monday night pocketed the Round 10 Rising Star nomination after a promising start to his career.

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“I honestly don’t know what happened,” Richards said of his interview error.

“I was so focused on getting there on time, because I knew I had to get (from Glen Iris) to Carlton, but I didn’t realise that Alexander Parade would be like that at that time of the day.

“It was just terrible. Nothing worse, the feeling in my stomach the whole time in the car, I was a bit rattled when I got in as well.

Ed Richards is the Round 10 Rising Star nominee. Picture: AAP Images

“I was by myself just cursing the traffic like you would not believe. I probably took up a lot of their time, because they were waiting for me, and threw their days way out of whack.”

Departed Dogs recruiter Simon Dalrymple rated Richards No. 7 in last year’s draft pool and was “pessimistic” he would slip to pick 16.

“There were so many suitors between 10 and 15. He was our next ranked player after Aaron (Naughton),” Dalrymple said.

“We took the best player and he is also a good fit. He’ll work in well … after the retirements of Bob (Murphy) and (Matthew) Boydy.”

Richards, who recently signed a new deal to keep him at the Dogs until 2021, said he “learnt a lot” and he now travels from Glen Iris to Footscray’s Whitten Oval for training.

The halfback who plays with speed and composure boasts famous Collingwood lineage said he lined up against some of his “childhood heroes” against the Magpies on Friday night.

“I had a few abstract ones, too,” Richards said.

“I was a big Harry O’Brien, or Heritier Lumumba, fan growing up and Dale Thomas was on my bedroom wall, even though I hated the number 13.”

Richards grew nearly 30cm in two years and the Carey Grammar student bolted up draft boards in 2017.

Ed Richards was very impressive against the Magpies. Picture: Getty Images

“In under-15s I wasn’t even 160cm yet, so I did a fair bit of growing from 2015 to last year,” Richards said.

“I was also very light, as you could imagine. That was something that didn’t work in my favour, trying to play under-15s at Oakleigh and even play bottom-age under-17s at Oakleigh (Chargers).

“(The growth spurt) was definitely mum’s cooking — she’s an unreal cook, so I’ll give her that. I’m a pretty generous 185cm or 186cm now.”

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Originally published as Western Bulldogs youngster Ed Richards is the Round 10 AFL Rising Star nominee