In the lead-up to triple Richmond premiership star defender Nick Vlastuin’s 250-game milestone against Essendon at the MCG on Saturday night, we take a look back at his arrival at Punt Road via the 2012 AFL national draft, taken by the Tigers with their first pick (No. 9 overall).

Here is a selection of comments at the time about young Vlastuin’s impressive football attributes, followed by Richmond great Matthew Richardson’s assessment of his senior debut with the Tigers in Round 5 of the 2013 season against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval.

Northern Knights regional manager Peter Kennedy

“One of the reasons his peers really gravitate to him is because of his actions on the field. He’s very courageous, and one of those players that once he crosses the white line, he becomes a competitive beast. He really thrives on the contested side of the game, so when it becomes a little bit brutal, you know he's in there winning the contested footy.”

Vic Metro coach Rohan Welsh

“If I had to compare him to an AFL footballer, I would say that he reminds me of a young Michael Voss. He is tough, hard at the footy and the man with the footy, leads by his actions, and uses the ball well.

“Tigga is just so hard that sometimes you can forget that he is actually a super smart footballer with great skills. He is an old-school footballer, who just loves competing and getting the best out of himself and his teammates. He isn’t an athlete, who has been turned into a footballer – he’s quite the opposite.

“When I think back over Tigga’s 2012 carnival, where he led us to the title, the one action that stands out in my mind was when he dived across in front of a leading SA forward, who was at speed. Most players would have been stretchered off, but Tigga bounced up and, less than a minute later, dived across an opposition player’s boot to lay a smother.

“He led by his actions, not his words and his teammates responded.”

Richmond Recruiting Manager Francis Jackson 

“Nick displays the qualities so highly valued by the Richmond Football Club and coach Damien Hardwick’s player model – a fierce competitor, strong leader, and ability to win the one-on-one battles.  

“He averaged 17 disposals across half-back in the national under-18 championships and led his men by example with some fierce tackling and intercept marking. 

“Significantly, Nick played some of his best football while representing the AIS-AFL Australian team in their Academy games against the bigger bodies of the Geelong and Box Hill VFL sides over the past two years.”

Richmond great Matthew Richardson

“All Tiger eyes were on the Club’s first pick in the 2012 AFL national draft in his debut AFL match – and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Vlastuin looked composed, and he did the basics well, which I think is a really good sign first-up. 

“Of the 11 possessions he picked up, five were contested, he applied four strong tackles, which is a trademark of his game, and he took the right options at the right times. He also showed fine courage going back with the flight of the ball and looked mature beyond his years out on the field of battle.”