Richmond’s last mega draft: Greg Miller reveals inside story of Tigers’ 2004 national draft

It is two decades since Richmond went to the draft armed with five of the first 20 picks. Recruiter Greg Miller details what happened and how the Tigers missed out on Jarryd Roughead.

Picks nos 1 & 4 in the AFL Draft Brett Deledio (right) and Richard Tambling (left). AFL DRAFT 2004.

This week Richmond will enter the AFL national draft with an unprecedented eight selections in the top 30, reviving memories of the Tigers 20 years ago when they went in with five in the top 20.

Storeyed recruiter Greg Miller, someone who famously whisked a pair of southern New South Wales teenagers in Wayne Carey and John Longmire out of Sydney’s clutches, relived that draft and others this week.

JA: Take us back to that 2004 draft day?

GM: There was no money at Richmond back then. We actually had a good recruiter in Greg Beck who they thought couldn’t be afforded. Fortunately the club later appointed Francis Jackson who has been outstanding.

JA: History shows 2004 wasn’t a deep draft and not the right one to have five picks in the top 20.

GM: Recruiting is 50 per cent of the story, with the development and culture of the club being a huge part in making the player. Many people, and journalists in particular, only look at the end success of each choice and don’t take other factors into account.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace speaks to Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling at the 2004 draft.

Brett Deledio, Terry Wallace, Richard Tambling (front) and Danny Meyer.

JA: You ended up taking Deledio (1), Tambling (4), Danny Meyer (12), Adam Pattison (16) and Dean Polo (20).

GM: Deledio was a standout. My next choice was Jarryd Roughead who to me was clearly ahead of “Buddy” Franklin, but Hawthorn took him at two so I took Richard Tambling at four. When you take an Indigenous boy from the Northern Territory your club structure has to be right as well. Meyer (26 games) and Polo (77) were two players who could have done better with the right structures.

Terry Wallace walks past draftees Brett Deledio, Richard Tambling, Adam Pattison, Danny Meyer and Dean Limbach.

JA: Meaning you lacked leaders?

GM: We had Greg Stafford who had the right type of leadership, whereas there were too many others who didn’t have it. There was a lot of player influence around Richmond who exerted pressure on coaches. The most important appointment the club made in my time was Francis Jackson in recruiting, who has been brilliant.

JA: Before Richmond you were with South Melbourne/Sydney and North Melbourne. When did you first see Carey and Longmire play?

GM: As 12-year-olds up in Darwin at a Primary School carnival. Four years later I arranged a meeting with John Longmire and his dad, Fred, at the Corowa Golf Club, so picked them up. Ron Joseph had agreed to provide a brand new Holden as a sweetener. We parked the car with the keys in it and at the end of the meeting, when John agreed to play with us, said goodbye. Fred said “how are we getting home” so I just pointed to the car and said take that.

Richmond president Clinton Casey holds a BBQ at his residence for the new draft picks. (L to R) Danny Meyer, Brett Deledio, Clinton Casey, Richard Tambling, Terry Wallace, Adam Pattison, Dean Limbach and Mark Graham.

JA: You played footy with South Melbourne as an undersized full-back in the 1970s.

GM: My third game in 1972 I played on Peter McKenna at Victoria Park. He kicked 11 goals and I had four touches. My fourth was against Richmond full-forward Ricky McLean, who told me before the game he would belt me if I ran off him. So I ran off him and got belted, about 10 times for the game.

JA: And your fifth match?

GM: That was round 1 of 1973, again at Victoria Park on McKenna, but I did a lot better as he only kicked eight and I had seven possessions.