Josh Jenkins believes the Richmond Football Club are “genuine contenders” to win the wooden spoon in 2024.
The former Cats assistant coach made the bombshell call on AFL Trade Radio’s The Late Trade just a month on from Richmond finishing 13th on the ladder.
It’s on the back of Richmond’s lack of young core and poor hand at the 2023 National Draft. The Tigers gave up plenty for Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper this year, but have left themselves with just one pick in the top 44 in return.
With the lack of top draft picks in recent years and after trading more for their new midfield duo, Jenkins fears the Tigers have left themselves in a hole.
“Unless Shai Bolton, Dusitn Martin and probably a returning Tom Lynch have very, very strong years next year, I think Richmond are a genuine contender to finish on the bottom next year,” he began.
“I think Hopper has got a lot of upside on what we saw this year… whether it will equate to what they’ve given up in a pick six sense I don’t know, and that’s going to play itself out over the long term.
“But they don’t have much to take to the draft, that’s problematic in itself. When you spend five years competing and winning premiership, you don’t get access to top end talent.
“But then when you fall off the other end, if you move those picks and it doesn’t necessarily work in your favour it makes that hole even larger because you’re expanding the time you haven’t had top picks.”
Taranto did claim Richmond’s best and fairest this year in a strong debut season at Punt Road.
But Bolton is the only Tiger on Richmond’s list to be under the age of 25 and have played more than 100 games. It’s a fact that will concern new coach Adem Yze, who hasn’t put a ceiling on how high the Tigers can go under his watch.
“I want the players walking into the footy club thinking they can make the top four next year. I can’t wait to get started,” Yze said when appointed last month.
However, Jenkins identified several problems with the club’s youth.
“Of their young players… Rhyan Mansell finished 20th (in the best and fairest) and Tyler Young – who was awarded their best young player – was equal 14th,” the former Cat and Crow continued.
“A lot of club lists have a youngster or two who feature, who jump up in there and prove themselves a driver of the club.
“Josh Gibcus is the one who can be a long-term key defender for them… Jack Ross has shown enough to suggest he can probably, with some more experience, be a really serviceable wingman.
“I like Samson Ryan, but he’s got a lot of development to do… Ben Miller has done a really admirable job of being a backup ruck and being a key forward, he’s undersize significantly so I don’t know if there’s that much to work with him.
“Jacob Koschitzke comes in, the jury has to be right out on him… hand up, I don’t know some of the other guys well enough to make an assessment on them, to be fair we haven’t seen them at the level, so that tells us one thing.
“There’s a query on Maurice Rioli… Hugo Ralph-Smith I’m not certain has a long term future… Thomson Dow burst onto the scene… and his form and selection has really plateaued.
“Noah Cumberland has a bit of talent but has some things he really needs to work on… so I’m not certain where the young players are to ensure that you avoid the cliff, the cliff that always is there when you’re challenging and competing for premierships.
“With great reward comes great risk of really dropping off, and that’s what Geelong has balanced for 15 years… Richmond really risk falling away on the back of no picks, questions over their young talent and we know a lot of their ageing players are gone or about to be gone.
“So genuine questions on Richmond for the immediate future and probably the mid-term.”
Hawks forward Koschitzke has requested a trade to Richmond but the Tigers overall are set for a quiet trade period given their lack of assets.
The club farewelled greats Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
It comes after the Tigers won three premierships in a period of four years under coach Damien Hardwick, who departed mid-2023.