RICHO’S TOP 10: If Nick Watson wins Coleman Medal, it will be one of the most brilliant moments in AFL history

1. This is a quick statement. If Nick Watson wins the Coleman Medal, it will be one of the most remarkable achievements in AFL history.

Not because he isn’t a superstar, he is. But because he is a 170cm genuine small forward. He isn’t the No.1 target in Hawthorn’s forward 50. He’s the fourth-most targeted, behind Jack Gunston, Mitch Lewis and Mabior Chol.. He is currently only five goals behind Sydney superstar Charlie Curnow with three games to go. He is the shortest player to kick 50 goals for 80 years in the VFL/AFL. An extraordinary player.

2. This Fremantle team is now the best Dockers side in club history in a home and away season.

Optus Stadium has been a fortress for them, they are now 11-0 there this year. With one home game to go and a minimum two home finals secured, they can be the first team in history to go 14-0 at home in a season. Optus is a 19th man for this club and as games wear on, the relentless dockers and their fans are simply overwhelming the opposition in second halves and piling on scores late. Turning tight games for two-and-a-half, three quarters into comfortable wins. They have won 18 of 22 quarters after the long break while scoring 95.79 (649) points for and 37.50 (272) points against. It’s really hard to not see this team in a grand final at the ‘G. They get a good look at the home of footy this week against the Demons on Saturday. It is the match of the round.

3. I just don’t see how Josh Fraser is not appointed the next coach of Carlton.

Yes, there may be a candidate with a slightly better resume. There might be someone that does a slightly better PowerPoint presentation. But the great unknown with any candidate is that you do not know if that person is going to connect with the playing group. To me, that’s obviously the most important criteria. Well, we know that Josh Fraser connects with this current Carlton group of players. The job has to be Josh’s.

4. So many recruits have added so much to their new teams in the AFL this year.

Charlie Curnow at Sydney, Clayton Oliver at the Giants. Jack Silvagni has been rock solid at the Saints. The one I’m enjoying the most currently is Sam Draper at Brisbane. It’s been a perfect fit, particularly with the retirement of the much-loved Oscar McInerney. Big O was a culture guy and hard to replace. Looks to me that Draper has fitted in really well. High-energy guy that you want to be around on and off the field. His importance to the Lions is growing as the season moves into the business end. The changing of the ruck rule could not suit him any more with his leaping ability at centre throw ups.

5. No such thing as a stupid idea and if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

Two traditional sayings but only one of them is true. The general consensus on the different pre-game Collingwood put together last Thursday against Geelong was that it didn’t work. Fans didn’t think the traditional pre-game was broken. They love singing the club theme song. I agree. I don’t mind the use of another song like Port Adelaide do right before the bounce with INXS’s Never Tear Us Apart or Fremantle’s guitarist belting out a Queen riff. But when the players run onto the ground and then through the banner, the club’s theme songs must be played. No ifs, buts or maybes. I’ve got a strong feeling that’s the feedback Pies fans have given the club in the past week.

6. Speaking of, Tasmania has put together a panel to select the theme song for the Devils.

I was thrilled to be asked to join by CEO Brendon Gale. As a Taswegian, it is an honour to be asked. What an important job the panel now has. There are so many highly-talented artists currently working on potential theme songs. This is going to be a tough job. My personal view is it has to have that traditional club theme song vibe with some brass instruments that pumps along and builds into an obviously a catchy chorus that the masses can sing along too. The lyrics should have some historical Tassie references that the whole state can relate to as well. The last theme song created was the GWS song, written by the Cat Empire’s Harry Angus. What a ripping theme song that is! Can’t wait to hear all the submissions. Time to get busy.

7. I’ve haven’t been a fan of long-term player contracts over the years.

To me, anything over five years feels way too long. So much can happen in that time that changes for player and club. Look at Clayton Oliver, for example. He signed a seven-year deal at Melbourne in June 2022 and by early 2025, things had soured between him and the Dees. There are numerous examples of this situation. But I would make one exception at the minute and that is with Connor O’Sullivan at Geelong. Into his third year, this guy is a superstar defender with a level wise head on his shoulders. Key position backs are hard to find. He has it all. I’d give him a 10-year deal and I’d be very confident he’ll play quality footy until the end of that contract. A 300-gamer in the making.

8. This will be the final time I whinge about the stand rule.

The AFL loves it and it’s here to stay. The AFL’s footy boss Greg Swan said as much in the last week. That’s fine, but it’s a pity so many fans, influential past players and media pundits haven’t been listened to on this one. We understand the idea of the ball moving quicker but most think the look of it and, at times, the adjudication of it can be inconsistent. Not to mention, the 50-metre penalty is far to severe. So my last plea is that we allow a slight bit of movement from a player on the mark, left or right, and that we reduce the penalty to 25 metres. I can deal with that. Oh and can we tell the umpires that there is no need to yell ‘STAND’ every time? We get it, we really do.

9. It’s such a shame to see both Tyson Stengle and Bobby Hill parting ways with Geelong and Collingwood, respectively, this past week.

For whatever reason, the demands of the game for both these lads has just become too much for them. The AFL as an industry really needs to get to the bottom of why it appears too much for these young men to commit to a career of professional sport. As spoken about a few weeks ago, I’m glad the AFL has committed to opening up opportunities for category B rookies on AFL lists for young Indigenous footballers. These young players have too much to offer the game to be lost to the sport. Here’s wishing Tyson and Bobby well and I hope we see them gracing the AFL arenas again in the near future.

10. I often hear people saying AFL players get paid too much.

Firstly, the game generates a lot of money and the percentage of that money that gets paid to our players is less than a lot of other professional leagues around the world. Secondly, and I rest my case with this one, go and rewatch the last 45 minutes of St Kilda and Sydney last Saturday. Both William Edwards and Jack Silvagni left the ground injured. Unbelievably tough athletes who don’t get paid enough, in my opinion, to put their bodies on the line for this great game of ours.