Oakleigh Chargers defender Ed Richards looms as AFL draft bolter after strong finish to TAC Cup season

DASHING Oakleigh Chargers defender Edward Richards is looming as a potential first-round bolter in this year’s AFL draft after an impressive finish to the TAC Cup season.

Oakleigh Chargers defender Ed Richards. Picture: Andy Brownbill

DASHING Oakleigh Chargers defender Edward Richards is looming as a potential first-round bolter in this year’s AFL draft after an impressive finish to the TAC Cup season.

Richards, the grandson of Collingwood premiership player Ron and great nephew of football icon Lou, caught the attention of scouts with his pace off halfback in the second half of the season to come into top-20 calculations.

A knee injury in Round 1 ruled the 18-year-old out of Vic Metro selection earlier this season, but he has since rebounded to emerge as one of Oakleigh’s best draft prospects.

“He is a really good decision maker at top speed, so his ability to cut games up would have to be of appeal to AFL teams,” Oakleigh Chargers coach Leigh Clarke said.

“Elite kicking skills, really backs his kick, so I’d like to think he is really pushing hard to go early.”

The Carey Grammar student, who will be one of five Oakleigh Chargers players to attend next month’s draft combine, possesses clean skills and can cut a game open out of defence.

In his final six TAC Cup outings, he averaged 17 disposals, seven handball receives and three tackles a game.

Richards (184cm tall, 77kg) came on to Oakleigh’s list after starring in an under-17 trial game at the end of last year.

“If you count where he has come from, he is a bolter regardless of where he goes in the draft,” Clarke said.

Oakleigh Chargers talent manager Craig Notman said Richards had firmed from a rookie pick to top-20 contention.

“Having conversations now with (Vic) Metro selectors and the coaching group, if he had have been fit and in that same form, he would have been a walk-up start in the Metro group,” Notman said.

“His footy over the course of the year, both at school and in the TAC Cup, has continued to improve to a point where now he is being considered as a top-20 draft pick.”