Richmond National Recruiting Manager, Rhy Gieschen, spoke to Richmond Media to preview the upcoming AFL Draft, set to take place on Wednesday and Thursday night.

On how the Tigers will approach prospects tied to rival clubs via academies: 
"They're quality players and we've been tracking those players for three years. I think I've been on record before as saying if they're at the top of our list when our pick comes, we'll place a bid, and I think that's the only way that the system works and what the AFL's put in place. Those guys are certainly right at the top of our order, so if it comes to be, we'll bid and I think the clubs that are getting them are really lucky because they're quality players and quality people."

On the potential of trading our picks (3, 4, 38, 81):
"It's always on the table. These days with recruiting, you've got to be really flexible and stay ready for whatever the best outcome for the Club is. We've had a lot of discussions internally, we are pretty comfortable picking at the top, and at this stage we'll be just picking at our picks, but you never say never and we plan accordingly, and work through what the best outcome we think will be for us."

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On drafting the best player available vs drafting for a specific list need:
"It's something we talk about quite a bit, and that's both in our list management conversations and our draft conversations. I'm really confident that at the top of the order, we just go on best available talent. If you look at every player who's been taken up the top end of the draft, clubs have just picked for the player that they think will be a really long-term successful player…that's our strategy. As it goes deeper in the draft you might consider what your list needs, but we've always been draft the best available player and then you can work through that in list management later on."

On the strength of this year’s draft class:
"It's strong…we love it, we're really happy to be picking up the top. It's been a strategy of ours and we're really excited to pick those guys up the top and then we've obviously got pick 38 as well, which is a good place to come back into the draft. We think there's some guys there that can really add value and it'll just be a waiting game to see who gets through and excited to pick someone there as well."