RICHMOND has revived the career of Ben Cousins by selecting him with pick six in Tuesday's pre-season draft.
The Tigers had been hoping to select the former West Coast captain at pick seven.
But after the league rejected the Tigers' bid to have injured utility Graham Polak placed on the rookie list Richmond football operations manager Craig Cameron said it was 'highly unlikely' the club would pick Cousins with its remaining selection as it planned on taking a young player with that selection.
However, the Tigers had a late change of heart on Monday night and decided to give the 30-year-old a chance to add to his 238-game career.
Cousins, whose 12-month suspension for bringing the game into disrepute following his much-publicised drug addiction was lifted in November, will be subject to up to three urine tests per week and up to four hair tests per year.
Meanwhile, Melbourne chose Northern Territory youngster Liam Jurrah with pick one while Josh Carr will return to Port Adelaide after the Power selected the former Fremantle midfielder with pick two.
Essendon revived the career of former Adelaide midfielder Hayden Skipworth with pick three.
Skipworth has been out of the AFL system for two seasons but since then he has played for Essendon's VFL team Bendigo, where he won the best and fairest this year.
Carlton chose former Melbourne defender Chris Johnson at pick four while Brisbane selected promising youngster Tom Rockliff at five.
2008 AFL Pre-season Draft
1. Melbourne - Liam Jurrah (Yuendumu Magpies)
2. Port Adelaide - Josh Carr (Fremantle)
3. Essendon - Hayden Skipworth (Bendigo Bombers)
4. Carlton - Chris Johnson (Melbourne)
5. Brisbane Lions - Tom Rockliff (Murray Bushrangers)
6. Richmond - Ben Cousins (Port Melbourne)
2008 AFL Rookie Draft
Round 1:
1. Melbourne - Jordie McKenzie (Geelong Falcons)
2. West Coast - Liam Bedford (Geelong rookie)
3. Fremantle - Casey Sibosado (Oakleigh Chargers)
4. Port Adelaide - Wade Thompson (North Adelaide)
5. Essendon - Bryce Carroll (Western Jets)
6. Carlton - Jefferey Garlett (Swan Districts)
7. Brisbane Lions - Daniel Murray (East Perth)
8. Richmond - Robin Nahas (Port Melbourne)
9. North Melbourne - Marcus White (Calder Cannons)
10. Adelaide - Ricky Henderson (Trentham)
11. Collingwood - Tristan Francis (Gippsland Power)
12. Sydney - Kristin Thornton (Sydney Swans)
13. St Kilda - Zac Dawson (Hawthorn)
14. Western Bulldogs - Jamason Daniels (Murray Bushrangers)
15. Geelong - Adam Varcoe (Central Districts)
16. Hawthorn - Riley Milne (Murray Bushrangers)
Round 2:
17. Melbourne - Rhys Healey (Bendigo Pioneers)
18. West Coast - Adam Cockie (Subiaco)
19. Fremantle - Matthew de Boer (Claremont)
20. Port Adelaide - Danny Meyer (Richmond)
21. Essendon - Tom German (Calder Cannons)
22. Carlton - Luke Stanton (Northern Knights)
23. Brisbane Lions - Pass
24. Richmond - David Gourdis (Richmond)
25. North Melbourne - Luke Delaney (Geelong Falcons)
26. Adelaide - Chris Schmidt (Brisbane Lions)
27. Collingwood - Jarryd Blair (Gippsland Power)
28. Sydney - Taylor Gilchrist (Sandringham Dragons)
29. St Kilda - Tom Simpkin (Geelong Falcons)
30. Western Bulldogs - Liam Picken (Williamstown)
31. Geelong - Bryn Weadon (North Ballarat)
32. Hawthorn - Haydn Kiel (Brisbane Lions)
Round 3:
33. Melbourne - Danny Hughes (Melbourne rookie)
34. Fremantle - Hamish Shepheard (East Perth)
35. Port Adelaide - Daniel Stewart (Labrador)
36. Essendon - Christian Bock (Woodville West Torrens)
37. Carlton - Greg Bentley (Port Adelaide)
38. Brisbane Lions - Pass
39. Richmond - Andrew Browne (Murray Bushrangers)
40. North Melbourne - Ben Speight (Norwood)
41. Adelaide - Pass
42. Collingwood - John Bennell (Peel Thunder)
43. Sydney - Kyle Coney (Tyrone, Ireland)
44. St Kilda - Brad Howard (St Kilda)
45. Western Bulldogs - Pass
46. Geelong - Tom Allwright (North Hobart)
47. Hawthorn - Luke Breust (Temora)
Round 4:
48. Fremantle - Clancee Pearce (Swan Districts)
49. Port Adelaide - Matthew Martin (West Adelaide)
50. Essendon - Kade Klemke (Murray Bushrangers)
51. Carlton - Darren Pfeiffer (Carlton)
52. Brisbane Lions - Pass
53. Richmond - Alroy Gilligan (Claremont)
54. North Melbourne - Alan Obst (North Melbourne)
55. Adelaide - Brian Donnelly (Louth, Ireland)
56. Collingwood - Toby Thoolen (Collingwood)
57. Sydney - Michael Pyke (Canada)
58. St Kilda - Steven Gaertner (Dandenong Stingrays)
59. Western Bulldogs - Pass
60. Geelong - Ranga Ediriwickrama (NSW)
61. Hawthorn - Carl Peterson (Richmond)
Round 5:
62. Fremantle - Jay van Berlo (West Perth)
63. Port Adelaide - Jesse Lawrie (Claremont)
64. Essendon - Michael Quinn (Longford, Ireland)
65. Carlton - Lachie Hill (Carlton)
66. Brisbane Lions - Adam Spackman (Morningside)
67. Richmond - Pass
68. North Melbourne - Conor Meredith (Laois, Ireland)
69. Collingwood - Lachlan Keefe (Non-registered)
70. Sydney - N/A
71. St Kilda - Ross Tangatulum (St Mary's NT)
72. Western Bulldogs - Chris Ogle (NSW)
73. Hawthorn - Garry Moss (Hawthorn)
Round 6
74. Fremantle - Greg Broughton (Subiaco)
75. Port Adelaide - Pass
76. Carlton - Sam Jacobs (Carlton)
77. Brisbane Lions - Daniel Dzufer (Brisbane Lions)
78. Collingwood - Scott Reed (NSW)
79. Sydney - N/A
80. St Kilda - Sam McGarry (Sandringham Dragons)
81. Hawthorn - Matthew Suckling (Sandringham Dragons)
Round 7:
82. Brisbane Lions - Joel Tippett (Brisbane Lions)
83. Sydney - N/A
84. St Kilda - Blake McGrath (NSW)
85. Hawthorn - William Sierakowski (NSW)
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THE AFL career of former West Coast captain Ben Cousins appears to be over after Richmond announced it would be 'highly unlikely' to draft him.
The AFL rejected an application from the Tigers to put injured utility Graham Polak on the rookie list, leaving it with just one pick in tomorrow's pre-season draft.
Richmond football manager Craig Cameron said while the club will consider its position overnight they are more likely to select a young player.
"It's unlikely the Richmond Football Club will select Ben with six. Our position with pick six has been fairly well documented," Cameron said.
"This (the AFL's decision to reject its bid to rookie-list Polak) is a decision that was unexpected by us. It's our prerogative to take a deep breath and consider our position."
"But it is highly unlikely we will select Ben."
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RICHMOND has written to the AFL seeking special permission to allow Graham Polak to be placed on its rookie list next season.
Polak, who sustained brain injuries earlier this year when he was hit in the head by a tram is making steady progress but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to return to the playing field ever again let alone next season.
If Polak is granted mature-age rookie status the Tigers will use an additional pick in next week's pre-season draft.
A Melbourne newspaper is speculating that if the AFL approves Richmond's request then they will select former West Coast captain Ben Cousins despite Tigers' recruiting manager Craig Cameron stating last week that the club 'won't be taking him in the pre-season draft.'
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RICHMOND ha announced a profit of has announced a profit of $395,000 for 2008.
The Tigers posted a net profit of $8.01 million but that included significant grants from the Federal and State Governments for the Punt Road redevelopment and the creation of the Australian Institute for Indigenous Learning and Development.
Richmond has now recorded a profit for the past four years - those profits have netted the club more than $10 million.
The Tigers also posted a record a membership in excess of 39,000, which is a four per cent increase on 2007.
The consecutive profits recorded by the club has coincided with a $3 million expenditure increase on the football department, including an additional $1.4 million in 2008.
Despite posting a profit, Richmond chief executive Steven Wright said the club has taken a conservative approach to planning for next year given the current global economic climate.
"Difficult challenges remain for the club, particularly in the areas of sponsorship and corporate income for 2009, but we are currently proactively pursuing all options," Wright said in a statement.
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RICHMOND defender Chris Newman has been named as the club's new captain following the decision by the skipper of the past four years in Kane Johnson to step down.
Newman, who won the Tigers' most courageous player award this season just two years after suffering a career-threatening broken leg midway through the 2006 season, becomes Richmond's 39th captain in the club's 100 years in the AFL.
The 26-year-old will wear the No.17 jumper - worn by club legend Jack Dyer - which is always allocated to the Richmond skipper.
Newman is Richmond's youngest captain since Tony Free was appointed at the age of 24 in 1994.
Midfielder Nathan Foley, who shared the vice captaincy with Newman this season is now the Tigers' sole vice-captain while fellow midfielder and this year's best-and-fairest winner Brett Deledio and promising defender Kelvin Moore have been elevated to the leadership group.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said Newman was the right man for the job.
"We just think that Chris sets the example as how the game should be played, certainly the way we want the game to be played at the Richmond footy club," Wallace said.
"He's hard-nosed, he's got a strong approach, he always puts his head over the football.
"When it's pressure times in games you can always rely on Chris to do the right thing."
Newman said it was a 'massive honour' to be named captain and that anything less than a finals appearance for the club in 2009 would be considered a failure.
"It is such a massive honour and I'm really grateful to the club for putting such trust in me," Newman said.
"You don't want to be making any bold statements this early in the year but I think not playing finals next year would be a step down."
"We just want to continue on with those building blocks we set last season."
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RICHMOND will have a new captain next season after Kane Johnson announced he will be stepping down from the role effective immediately.
The two-time Adelaide premiership player said he felt the time was right to step down.
"It has been an enormous privilege to serve as captain over the past four years but the time has come to hand over to someone else," Johnson said.
"We are a young and emerging side and the timing is right for generational change. I still see myself with a role to play in terms of mentoring the younger players and I look forward to helping out the new captain, whoever that may be."
Richmond coach Terry Wallace paid tribute to Johnson, who took over from Wayne Campbell at the beginning of the 2005 season.
"Kane took over the captaincy at a difficult time and helped develop our young team," Wallace said.
"Kane has an extraordinary presence both on and off the field and will continue to be a highly respected player at our club. His work ethic is second to none and his positive influence over the playing group will remain," Wallace added.
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RICHMOND has axed highly-rated junior Danny Meyer after four disappointing seasons at the club.
Meyer, who was taken with pick 12 in the 2004 national draft, managed just 17 games and never once managed to pick up 20 disposals in a game.
The 22-year-old, along with Travis Casserly, who did not play a single game due to persistent soft tissue injuries, was delisted by the Tigers on Thursday taking to four the number of changes to Richmond's list following the earlier axing of veteran duo Greg Tivendale and Chris Hyde .
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PORT ADELAIDE youngster Adam Thomson has joined Richmond in exchange for the Tigers' third-round pick in November's national draft.
The Tigers gave up pick 42 to secure the 22-year-old, who managed just 28 games in four season with the Power.
Richmond football operations manager Craig Cameron said the club believes there is plenty of upside to Thomson.
"We are impressed with what we have seen of Adam and believe his skills and attributes will be a good fit at Richmond," Cameron said.
"It is worth noting that Adam has averaged 14.7 disposals this year despite only 60 per cent game time.”
Port football operations manager Peter Rohde said the trade was fair to both parties.
"Adam made it clear to us that he intended to take the opportunity to play at another club next year so we consider a third-round pick as fair compensation," he said.
"In what is considered a critical draft for all 16 clubs, and one deep in talent, we are confident we will be able to use the third round selection at the draft to bring another quality young player to the Power."
Port now has selections four, 22, 38, 42 and 54 at the November 29 national draft.
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RICHMOND is unlikely to be able to come up with a suitable deal to secure West Coast ruckman Mark Seaby, according to Tigers football operations manager Craig Cameron.
Cameron admitted that the club is keen on Seaby but said the Tigers are not willing to release one of their early picks to secure the 24-year-old.
"I don't think it's going to get done and we haven't really progressed at all today," Cameron said.
"The Eagles have asked for a first round pick in exchange for him but we are pretty keen on keeping our first and second round picks this year and if they want a first round pick for him
I wouldn't embarrass them by offering our third round pick for him."
Cameron said he expects Seaby, who has played 97 games and was a member of the Eagles' 2006 premiership team, will elect to stay with West Coast where he remains under contract.
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RICHMOND has strengthened its on-field future with the re-signing of 10 players.
Shane Edwards, Jack Riewoldt, Jay Schulz, Andrew Collins, Daniel Connors, Angus Graham, Jake King, Kelvin Moore, Matthew White and Chris Newman have all signed contract extensions with the Tigers.
Newman said there are exciting times ahead for the club.
"We have an exciting playing group that combines youth and experience and we are all really looking forward to next year," Newman said.
"We finished the season very strongly by winning eight of our last 11 games and we now have to build on those promising signs and consolidate our hard work."
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September 17th 2008 23:22
RICHMOND midfielder Brett Deledio has capped off an impressive season by winning the club’s best-and-fairest award on Wednesday night.
Deledio won the Jack Dyer Medal with a total of 250 votes to beat fellow midfielder Shane Tuck by seven votes.
Matthew Richardson finished third with 223 votes while vice-captain Chris Newman (186 votes) and much-improved full-back Kelvin Moore (176 votes) finished in fourth and fifth place respectively.
The 21-year-old averaged 24.4 disposals per game as well as seven marks and kicked 28 goals in 2008.
Deledio is Richmond’s youngest Jack Dyer medallist since current Essendon coach Matthew Knights won the award as a 20-year-old in 1990.
In other awards, Matthew White won the Tigers most improved player award , Trent Cotchin was named the club’s best first-year player while Newman took out the Francis Bourke Award as Richmond’s most courageous player.
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RICHMOND has consigned Melbourne to its first wooden spoon since 1997 with an 80-point win at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers dominated after quarter-time, slamming on 16 goals to four to cruise to a convincing 18.13 (121) to 6.5 (41) victory.
The Demons could have gotten off the bottom of the ladder with a win on Sunday but were simply outclassed by a Richmond side that finished the season with a better than 50 percent winning strikerate for the first time since 2001.
Joel Bowden starred for the Tigers with a game-high 34 possessions, 13 marks and three second-half goals while Brett Deledio was equally damaging with 25 touches and four goals.
Chris Newman and Shane Tuck were prolific in the middle, racking up 30 possessions apiece while Greg Tivendale was a busy contributor in his last game for the club with 24 disposals and one goal.
For Melbourne, Matthew Warnock did a superb blanketing job on Matthew Richardson, keeping the Richmond star goalless while Adem Yze (25 possessions) tried hard all day.
It was a disappointing performance by the Demons and a poor way to send off veterans Jeff White, Ben Holland and Yze.
The Tigers dominated the opening term, entering inside their forward 50 19 times to Melbourne's seven.
But they failed to translate their dominance onto the scoreboard, booting a wasteful 2.5 for the quarter to take just a four-point lead into the first change.
Richmond broke the game open in the second term, slamming on six goals to one to take a commanding 38-point lead into the main break.
Any hopes of a comeback by the Demons in the second half were quashed by the Tigers as they slammed on four goals to one in the third quarter before steamrolling Melbourne in the final stanza with six majors.
MELBOURNE: 2.1, 3.1, 4.4, 6.5 (41)
RICHMOND: 2.5, 8.9, 12.10, 18.13 (121)
GOALS: Melbourne: White 2, Green, Whelan, Holland, Sylvia
Richmond: Deledio 4, Bowden 3, Riewoldt 2, Jackson 2, Morton, Tuck, Tivendale, Connors, Foley, McMahon, White
BEST: Melbourne: Warnock, Yze, Buckley, Green
Richmond: Bowden, Deledio, Tuck, Tivendale, Newman, Foley, McGuane, White, Johnson
INJURIES: Melbourne:
Richmond: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Richmond: Pattison replaced in selected side by Connors
UMPIRES: Margetts, H Ryan, Ellis
CROWD: 37,046 at the MCG
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