Riley Collier-Dawkins was Richmond’s top pick in the 2018 draft, but has still yet to make his debut for the club.
Will Martyn and Rhyan Mansell – who only joined the club in February – were handed club debuts over Collier-Dawkins this week, raising plenty of questions why two newer players on the list were selected ahead of someone that is entering his third season on Richmond's list.
Justin Leppitsch, who was an assistant coach at Richmond between 2016 and 2020, conceded that he was “concerned” Martyn was preferred to Collier-Dawkins, but offered an explanation into the selection call.
“I was a bit concerned that someone like Will Martyn had gone past (Collier-Dawkins),” he said on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“(Rhyan) Mansell played as a half back so that’s different, but Martyn probably hasn’t been a name (you'd have making his debut so soon) so you could probably ask the question there and could be concerned.
“Listening to (assistant coach) Adam Kingsley (on AFL Nation) last night, they wanted someone that could spread a bit more (from stoppages). He felt that Riley’s inside work was elite, but they wanted someone that could get from contest to contest.
“Maybe that’s the feedback Riley is getting and it’s not as dark as we think.”
Collier-Dawkins will continue to press his claim for senior selection, with Richmond’s VFL side to open their 2021 campaign against Sandringham at Punt Road next weekend.