Matthew Parker wasn’t expecting reigning premiers Richmond to throw him an AFL lifeline in the mid-season draft.
Delisted by St Kilda late last year, Parker now calls Punt Road home after the Tigers snapped up the South Fremantle forward with pick No.10 in Wednesday night’s draft.
“They spoke to me once, but it was brief. It wasn’t too much,” Parker told Sportsday WA.
“I wasn’t expecting too much leading into it so I’m pretty pumped and surprised.
“There wasn’t much talk … no clubs approached me. It was pretty low key and they (Richmond) just popped up out of nowhere. It was great.”
Parker says he returned to South Fremantle with a point to prove after he was let go by the Saints.
The 25-year-old kicked four goals and collected 26 disposals against West Coast reserves last week and recently represented the WAFL in a state game against the SANFL, kicking two goals.
“I took it (St Kilda delisting) on the chin,” Parker said.
“Came back to Souths with a chip on my shoulder and let my footy do the talking. It’s been a pretty good year so far, now it’s time to do the hard yards even more.”
Stay up to date with all the latest news from SEN. Sign up HERE.
Parker will reunite with close friend and former South Fremantle star Marlion Pickett at Punt Road.
Pickett, a mid-season draft selection in 2019, made his Richmond debut in the Grand Final win over GWS that same year and is now a two-time premiership player.
“It (mid-season draft) can change people’s lives,” Parker said.
“You look at Marlion for instance, he’s already got two flags and it’s just changed his life because of the mid-season draft.”
Parker played 19 games across two seasons at St Kilda.