#29 Joe Richards

[Charlie Oneeye]

Richards is a good player but still on the fringe and an unproven regular performer, an extension is not guaranteed after 3.

Pies offer a house, Port a house and a $400,000? 'cash bonus'.(Providing salaries are equal).

When the 4 year deal is over, still young enough for an extension if he is good enough.

I would take the 4 year deal.

[K]

I dont think I would be that disappointed if we lost Richards. The one thing we aren't short of is talented small forwards with Bobbie, Beau, Schultz, Harrison and others who could play that role. I think Richards is very talented but he is a small body that wont get a lot bigger. He has difficulty applying effective physical pressure, both when tackling and in packs, and is likely to remain an outside player for most of his career. ...

Apart from Hill, the others you list are very... err... working-class. If Joe "has difficulty applying effective physical pressure", then Beau is the opposite. He only has physical pressure. At some point, you want more than that... Can't have three defensive forwards, no key power forward and expect to win flags. (Hill's not gonna win Norm Smith every GF!)

[Piesnchess]

According to a very reliable source on Utube, Joe has been offered by us, the same contract deal that Port is offering, so he aint going nowhere , staying a Magpie.