In a special summer series, Richmond Media is counting down the top 25 Tiger recruits from rival AFL clubs throughout the past five decades. Coming in at No. 8 is Toby Nankervis.
While star midfielder Dion Prestia’s trade from Gold Coast to Richmond in October 2016 attracted plenty of publicity, the Tigers recruitment of young Sydney ruckman Toby Nankervis during that period went through quickly and without any fanfare.
Nankervis, who had played just 12 senior games in three seasons with the Swans, informed them of his desire to join Richmond, and he was traded the next day for pick 46 in the 2016 AFL national draft.
Less than a year later, Nankervis was the No. 1 ruckman in the Tigers’ drought-breaking 2017 premiership team.
Just three years on from that, he was a triple Richmond premiership player.
Then, before the start of the 2022 season, Nankervis was appointed the team’s co-captain.
What a bargain-basement bonanza he has proven to be for the Tigers!
Nankervis adapted quickly to the mantle of the team’s No. 1 ruckman in 2017, utilising his fiercely competitive nature, aggression, toughness, mobility and first-rate clearance work.
From his first game with the Tigers, in the opening round of the 2017 season, he has been providing inspirational on-field leadership through his robust style of ruck play.
Although slightly undersized for a key AFL ruckman these days at 199cm, Nankervis still wins his fair share of hit-outs, as evidenced by his average of 23.8 per match throughout his time at Tigerland.
And, when it comes to winning disposals, Nankervis ranks right up among the competition’s best ruckmen.
He is averaging an impressive 15.4 disposals in his 109-game career so far with Richmond, further underlining his importance to the Tigers team.
His AFL career-high total for disposals is 29, which he’s achieved twice – against Port Adelaide in Round 21 last season at Adelaide Oval and v Collingwood, Round 6, 2018.
Nankervis also has stepped up in strong style on the game’s biggest stage, Grand Final day, with valuable contributions in Richmond’s three recent premiership triumphs.
In 2017 v Adelaide, he finished with 18 disposals, 11 contested possessions, four marks, five inside-50s, three clearances, five intercepts, four score involvements, 28 hit-outs, three tackles, 225 metres gained and four one-percenters.
Against Greater Western Sydney in 2019, it was 17 disposals, eight contested possessions, five marks, three clearances, three score involvements, 22 hit-outs, three tackles and four one-percenters.
And, in the historic 2020 GF v Geelong at the Gabba in Brisbane, he had eight disposals, seven contested possessions, four clearances, 25 hit-outs, six tackles, along with a team-high nine one-percenters.
From a fringe player at Sydney to a crucial member of Richmond’s line-up and team co-captain . . . it’s been quite a football journey for Toby Nankervis.
