Commerce Whispers, Richmond Tigers, Jack Graham, Fremantle Dockers, Connor Blakely, Joel Western, delisted

A Richmond star has backed his membership to maintain “doable captain” Jack Graham as rivals circle.

Plus, an axed Docker will get on the entrance foot seeking a brand new membership.

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TIGERS STAR BACKS TEAMMATE TO STAY

Richmond star Jack Riewoldt says the membership wants to hold on to teammate Jack Graham, regardless of rumours rivals are circling.

With GWS duo Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto making an attempt to land at Tigerland for 2023 and past, there’s fears the additions might power a variety squeeze.

And one participant who might get caught up is Graham.

Already with the likes of Dustin Martin, Shai Bolton and Dion Prestia taking part in mid-forward and Trent Cotchin happening for one more season, the brand new Giants duo might trigger some choice complications.

However Riewoldt believes there’s sufficient room for Graham to remain – and he hopes he does as he sees the 24-year-old as a possible future captain.

“I firmly consider that Jack Graham goes to be an excellent participant for us going ahead,” Riewoldt informed SEN Tassie.

“Fridge, that’s his nickname, he can play anyplace. It’s simply discovering the precise stability of these inside mids.

“I might be completely flat (if he left).

“He is a superb individual, and a participant we firmly consider might be chief – doable captain materials.”

Graham was recruited by the Tigers from South Australia and was already a two-time premiership participant by the age of twenty-two.

When going by way of the draft course of, Graham was as soon as likened to a younger Luke Hodge and infamously performed in a grand last in simply his fifth AFL sport after taking part in a starring position for Richmond late in his 2017 debut season.

Earlier this week, Sam Edmund reported Graham was “gettable” by rivals if a sexy supply was introduced.

Graham nonetheless has another yr to run on his Richmond deal.

AXED DOCKER READY TO PLAY ON

Forgotten Fremantle midfielder Connor Blakely says he’s keen to maneuver to anyplace in Australia in a bid to maintain his AFL dream alive.

Blakely was one among two gamers delisted by the Dockers this week – alongside Joel Western – after spending the 2022 season on the rookie record with out taking part in a sport.

Chatting with SEN after his time at Freo ended, Blakely mentioned remained hopeful one of many different 17 AFL golf equipment would present some curiosity.

“I nonetheless am a younger man – I’m solely 26 so I’m hoping that my profession isn’t over but from an AFL standpoint, that’s for certain,” he mentioned.

“Positively blissful to relocate and go anyplace round Australia.

“My managers are working arduous, each Paul Connors and Robbie D’Orazio, they’re speaking to principally each membership to see if I can match on their record someplace.

“The benefit of it’s that I’m a delisted free agent now so principally I don’t must get traded, I can simply be added on the again finish of an inventory at any time when they see match.

“I’m truly going over to Melbourne for the grand last … Robbie’s within the pipeline of organising a few conferences with a few golf equipment so hopefully seeing them in individual will assist my case.

“On the similar time, is Plan A if going onto one other record doesn’t work out, I’ve bought Plan B and Plan C and issues like that in place so I’m not placing all of my eggs within the one basket.

“I’m hoping that I can nonetheless proceed on.”

Blakely was virtually traded by the Dockers again in 2020, however in the end recommitted to the membership to see out his contract to the tip of 2022.

The 26-year-old described the previous few years on the Dockers as “tough” as he fell out-of-favour beneath coach Justin Longmuir and didn’t characteristic at senior stage this season – named as an emergency for simply three matches.

“The final three years have been positively a problem,” he mentioned.

“I might have cherished to have extra alternative than I did.

“Everybody’s bought to again themselves in – when you don’t again your self in, nobody else will. I positively nonetheless have the opinion that I’m adequate to play AFL, therefore why I’m fairly eager to see what else is on the market.”

Blakely mentioned he’d improved his health and labored carefully with Rob Wiley on his kicking in latest occasions to make sure he was greatest positioned to remain within the AFL system.

Blakely even flagged a doable transfer to the Gold Coast to try to win a contract in Queensland, given pals Sam Collins and Lachie Weller are on their senior record.

Blakely performed 78 video games for Fremantle in seven seasons after being drafted with choose 34 in 2014.

However he mentioned he knew his time on the membership was numbered when youthful gamers had been chosen forward of him in latest occasions.

“It was positively on the horizon (being delisted), particularly after the beginning of the yr after I was taking part in some respectable footy within the WAFL and sadly within the derby and video games like that early on, they determined to blood like a Neil Erasmus and some different lads forward of me like Nathan O’Driscoll and guys like that,” Blakely mentioned.

“So I form of thought from that time, with out forecasting precisely that my time was finished, that I believed it was going to be an uphill battle from there to play.”