Two potential Category B Rookie signings from Ireland will join Richmond’s pre-season training in November, as the Tigers’ global search for talent heats up.
Richmond’s National Recruiting Manager, Rhy Gieschen, travelled to Ireland at the end of the U18 National Championships, where the Club put 25 Irish athletes, between the ages of 18-23, through their paces with AFL Draft Combine testing.
The testing included a combination of athletic measurements, including 2k time trials, 20m sprints, jumps and more, while football training sessions were part of the rigorous program implemented by the Tigers. Gieschen also spent time with the families of the prospects, conducting home interviews across Ireland.
The athletes came from a variety of sporting backgrounds, including Gaelic football and hurling.
Gieschen explained how the Club is excited to build a strong connection with a country steeped in AFL history.
“We want to leave no stone unturned in our search and pursuit of talent, and expanding our footprint in Ireland is an important part of that plan,” Gieschen said.
“Our goal is to build a long-term relationship in Ireland and plant our flag in the ground there. It’s no secret that Irish players have been successful in transitioning over to our game, and we have been planning this over the last 12 or so months. We felt the timing was right, with a Category B spot available at season's end, to commence this process in our men's program.
"It has been great to see Aoibhin Cleary and Ana Mulholland in our AFLW program come in and have an instant impact both on and off the field.
“Through our comprehensive testing we have identified some Irish athletes who we believe have the potential to become impactful AFL players.
“We are excited to welcome some of them to Australia throughout our pre-season, where they will be embedded into all aspects of our AFL program in the hopes of securing a Category B Rookie list spot.”
A Category B Rookie list spot has opened for Richmond, given Oliver Hayes-Brown has spent the maximum three-years under that list designation through AFL rules. Ruckman Paddy Carr is the Tigers’ other Category B Rookie.
Richmond enters November’s AFL Draft holding picks 2, 20, 38 and 56.
