Richmond’s decision to overlook emerging Fremantle superstar Murphy Reid in the AFL draft has now been labelled the “miss of the century”.
The Dockers snapped up Reid with pick 17 in 2024, and in his first year in 2025 Reid impressed everyone to win the league’s prestigious Rising Star award.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Richmond’s costly draft miss on Murphy Reid
The 19-year-old is showing no signs of second-year blues, either, enjoying another fine season this year with the competition’s ladder leaders and collecting the Glendinning-Allan Medal on Friday for his dazzling display against West Coast.
It must be a painful watch for the embattled Tigers, who are once again languishing on the bottom of the AFL ladder. And just to add salt into the wound, the young Victorian has signed a fresh contract extension with Freo.
Agenda Setters host Craig Hutchison can’t understand how Richmond missed out on Reid in 2024, given the club had four picks before Reid was selected, not to mention the fact he had a relationship with Richmond coach Adem Yze’s family.
“It’s the draft miss of the decade, maybe the millennium, maybe the century,” Hutchison said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
“They had four goes at this.
“He barracked for the Tigers, he was mates with the Yzes ... They were over in his lounge room the day before the draft.
“They had four selections ahead of 17, and now they’ve got to watch Murphy Reid play in Fremantle until 2032.
“That is the miss of the century by the Tigers.”
AFL expert Kane Cornes could only utter one word: “Ouch.”
Richmond had a massive draft hand in 2024, with seven picks inside the top 30.
With their first pick they took Sam Lalor (the No.1 selection that year), at No.7 they took Josh Smillie, at No.12 they selected Taj Hotton, and at No.14 they snapped up Jonty Faull.
Reid has played 43 games for the Dockers, while injuries have restricted Lalor to just 20.
Smillie has been ravaged by quad injuries, is yet to play at AFL, and has been ruled out for the remainder of this season.
After Reid was removed from the board, Richmond took Luke Trainor with selection No.21., Harry Armstrong with 23, and Thomas Sims with 28.
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