First year Richmond coach Adem Yze has opened up on trade discussions revolving around vice-captain Liam Baker, as well as a trio of premiership-winning teammates.
With the Tigers sitting a game clear on the bottom of the ladder heading into the penultimate round of the home-and-away season, speculation over the future of the club’s senior players continues to boil away.
And while the out-of-contract Baker and two-time premiership player Jack Graham has increased as the season’s gone on, noise around the future of Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton has also amplified.
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Both Baker and Graham have been linked to Western Australia, with the latter specifically connected with a move to West Coast at season’s end according to Channel 7’s Ryan Daniels.
Speaking to Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Monday night, Yze noted that he nor the club were any closer to knowing of a decision for the 26-year-old’s future.
“Not really (closer to knowing); realistically, as it gets close to the (end of the) season he’s obviously going to come to that decision … he’ll come to that decision, he’s out of contract – and same as Jack Graham,” Yze explained.
“They’re in a position right now they’ve got to make a decision, and whichever way that goes, we’ve just got to embrace it – as I’ve mentioned all along, we just want them to be happy and really enjoy their footy and show some leadership throughout the year.”
Rioli and Bolton however are in a different boat; both contracted at the club long-term until the end of 2027 and 2028 respectively.
Rioli has been linked heavily to the Gold Coast where former coach Damien Hardwick now resides, while Bolton looks to be strongly on the radar of Fremantle.
“Daniel and Shai are contracted players, and as you saw on the weekend – are very, very good players,” Yze continued.
“Those discussions will happen at the end of the year, and right now we see them obviously as required players and very talented players.
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“The guys that are out of contract (are) a different situation; as I’ve mentioned all throughout the season, I could see at the start of the year the stress that it created on ‘Bakes’ especially as a vice-captain – so we went and had breakfast, and just spoke through the whole thing and were really open about it.
“I just want him to play with freedom and not worry about letting people down when he does come to that decision – if he does at the end of the season decide to go, we’ll be obviously shattered that’s he’s going, but we won’t forget what he’s done for our club.”
Yze was then asked by AFL 360 host Kath Loughnan on his thoughts on the league potentially following the NRL’s culture of announcing player movements mid-season; opposed to the current structure of waiting until October before official announcements are made.
“I think for the unrestricted free agents it makes sense; I saw with ‘Bakes’ the anxiety it puts on the players, and I don’t think it helps their performance – I wouldn’t be against it,” Yze ended by saying.
Baker missed Sunday’s clash with St Kilda after suffering a concussion at training late last week, while Rioli amassed a career-high 36 disposals off half-back.
The Tigers take on a rampant Hawthorn this Sunday afternoon at the MCG, hunting their third win for 2024.
Source Agencies
