AFL Trades 2015: Richmond strike deal for Jacob Townsend from GWS Giants

RICHMOND has secured GWS midfielder Jacob Townsend and is close to deals involving David Astbury and Chris Yarran.

NEAFL NT Thunder V GWS Giants, Giants Jacob Townsend

RICHMOND has landed GWS Giants midfielder Jacob Townsend.

The hard nut will head to Punt Rd in a swap for pick 70 in the draft.

Richmond also receives the Giants’ seventh-round selection — currently 120. That pick could be used to upgrade a rookie to the senior list.

Known as a ferocious tackler, Townsend, 22, has played 28 games in four years at GWS after being recruited with a NSW/ACT zone selection in the 2011 draft.

He has averaged almost five tackles a game across his career.

Richmond has said a clear objective in this year’s trade period to snare another inside midfielder to help Trent Cotchin.

“A big-bodied midfielder is something we consider is a real need for us,” Tigers football manager Dan Richardson said.

“We think that Jacob will provide the sort of midfield grunt that we need some more of, and he will provide good support in the midfield.

“We’ve been watching GWS clearly quite closely over the last few years — not only their AFL team, but also their NEAFL team.

Very excited to hear the news that we are welcoming @JacobTownsend31 to tigerland and in particular a great addition to the mids 👌

— Trent Cotchin (@tcotchin9) October 16, 2015

“We recruited Anthony Miles from the Giants a couple of years ago, and we are confident Jacob will make the same sort of impact Anthony has had over the last two seasons.”

Defender David Astbury is expected to join the Brisbane Lions in a deal that is likely to include Brisbane’s pick 21. That pick will be on-traded to Carlton to finalise the Chris Yarran deal.

Richardson said on SEN he hoped the Yarran deal would be done early next week and the Tigers were likely to take pick 12 — if they hang on to it — to the draft.

“Chris is our priority to bring in but should we be in a position to do that and keep pick 12, who knows how the rest of the week unfolds.

“Things move pretty quickly so you never say never,” he said.

He said forward Liam McBean was contracted and Richmond had no plans to trade him.