Retired Daniel Rich #1 (2008-2023)

[lions_den]

Assuming Brown's time is up after the completion of his current contract, I could easily see Rich being our next captain in 2013.

 

[Grimreepah]

Leigh gave him a bit of a rap at half time on FNF saying that like Selwood and Rioli before him, Rich had improved the side in his first year.

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

Daniel Rich outshines Jack Watts in 2008 draftee battle as Lions cruise
By Laine Clark
June 27, 2009

An AFL draftee put in a standout performance at the Gabba - unfortunately for long-suffering Melbourne fans it wasn't No.1 pick Jack Watts.
Instead of the much-maligned Watts, fellow 2008 draftee Daniel Rich dominated to inspire the Brisbane Lions to a 16.15 (111) to 8.8 (56) win over the Demons to keep their top four plans on track.

All the pre-match talk had centred on Watts.

The scrutiny was remarkable considering the 18-year-old arrived in Brisbane with just two games under his belt.

But it is par for the course for a top draft pick in AFL's fishbowl existence in Melbourne - as Watts is quickly learning.

While he plugged away - along with the rest of his hapless teammates - the star of the night took just moments to emerge.

Rich kicked the first goal with his booming left boot 35 seconds in before showing poise beyond his 18 years and 13 games to dominate the Demons.

The Lions would tell anyone who would listen how surprised they were at snapping up Rich at No.7 in the 2008 Draft.

Now everyone knows what all the fuss was about.

Certainly the Demons can after yet another impressive performance by the Subiaco junior.

While Watts compounded fears that he wasn't ready for the AFL - kicking just one behind from plenty of chances - Rich showed why he is an integral part of the Lions' resurgence.

Rich finished with two goals to his name but also proved invaluable to skipper Jonathan Brown (five goals) and Daniel Bradshaw (four) as the Lions romped to their third win in four games.

 

[Helix]

Link

Isn't he 19?? Anyway, quickly becoming my three favourite words:

"Rich to Brown!"

 

[whatboutbob]

Isn't he 19??

in a few days.

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

The jury is still out. But the early signs from last year's draft are all very good, from freakish power athlete Nicholas Naitanui to ready-made midfielder Daniel Rich.
Unless the landscape changes significantly, Rich will win the NAB Rising Star and win it deservedly and comfortably.
But will he be the best player three years down the track? Possibly not, given there is not a lot of development in his 183cm and 85kg frame.

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

The difference between the impossibly polished Rich and Melbourne’s embattled number one pick, skinny schoolboy forward Jack Watts, is like comparing a three-year-old colt with a group one in the bag to an unbroken yearling fresh from the saleyards.
Rich booted the first of his two goals 43 seconds into the contest before turning in another performance that showed poise, maturity and cleverness well beyond his 18 years. Is he for real?
For third-gamer Watts, who lead around the park the wistful look of the last kid picked in backyard cricket, a wonky seven-kick, one-behind outing was another steep learning curve in his thorny AFL education.

 

[Stocka]

I don't buy into this "not a lot of development left in him" stuff.

There have been some great players over the years who have been very good right from their first season who have also gone on to improve throughout their careers.

I have little doubt that Rich will improve further as he continues to adjust to the pace of the game and become more consistent from quarter-to-quarter and week-to-week. Inevitably, Voss will also require him to step up and take greater responsibility in the midfield than he currently is doing. With these developments over the next few years, Rich will continue to improve.

On the flip-side, there is nothing to guarantee that players who still have "a lot of development left in them" will turn out to fulfill their potential (although, no doubt many will). Rich has already set a standard that many of his fellow draftees will struggle to achieve.

 

[Zhesty]

I don't buy into this "not a lot of development left in him" stuff.

There have been some great players over the years who have been very good right from their first season who have also gone on to improve throughout their careers.

I have little doubt that Rich will improve further as he continues to adjust to the pace of the game and become more consistent from quarter-to-quarter and week-to-week. Inevitably, Voss will also require him to step up and take greater responsibility in the midfield than he currently is doing. With these developments over the next few years, Rich will continue to improve.

On the flip-side, there is nothing to guarantee that players who still have "a lot of development left in them" will turn out to fulfill their potential (although, no doubt many will). Rich has already set a standard that many of his fellow draftees will struggle to achieve.

Agree. It's a bit like the talk by some people that Gibbs will end up a better player than Selwood just because back in 06 Gibbs was seen to have more potential. People need to remember all the players who were not seen to have as much potential as others but went on to surpass expectations ala Simon Black.

 

[chopperduck]

I think its because he is such a well rounded footballer. There isn't one great strength that he has. He is a good kick, good tackler, runs hard, has a great footy brain, does the one percenters. There probably isn't anything he needs to 'add' to his game. Yet, i think a player with his natural ability can and will still improve all these things. He seems to be very keen to improve himself. He is blessed with a body that can play at this level, but he hasn't been a professional athlete, so there will still be a lot more he can get out of himself.

I also dont like how they compare rookies of totally different positions. Nic nat will be a star, but you can't say he will be better than Rich or the other way around. They are different players and were drafted for different reasons. Time will tell, but in the end, potential is impossible to measure except in hindsight.

 

[acuguy]

There is massive scope for improvement in Rich in terms of performance, he isn't going to grow taller, he isn't probably going to get much bigger, he will get fitter and more confident. at the moment he gets between 15 to 20 touches a game. The improvement is that in 2-3 years that will be up to 30-35 touches a game. That is going to be massive for our team. His kicking is going to be the biggest weapon along with Nic Nats jumping over the next 10 years. This kid is special, he is a pure bred footballer, he has the awareness of Williams, the aggression and courage of Voss and a kick better than Buckley! What a steal!

 

[Cousin Jed]

Link

What is Jon Anderson's screen name on bigfooty?

Daniel Rich must be the first ever first year player with no improvement in him. I am sceptical.

 

[POBT]

What is Jon Anderson's screen name on bigfooty?

Daniel Rich must be the first ever first year player with no improvement in him. I am sceptical.

To be fair, Anderson said there's not a lot of improvement in his frame...not necessarily as a footballer. That's probably right. In a physical sense, Rich's improvement will come from improved endurance rather than significant leaps forward in his muscle mass. There's a bit of muscle he could put on but my suspicion is that the training staff will want him lean, given that he clearly has natural strength anyway.

 

[chopperduck]

Yup, one could argue that not having much development left in his body is irrelevant, his body seems to be going just fine the way it is. Im sure it will be refined more, get better core strength and conditioning, as well as endurance. He doesn't need to add any more strength to his body really.

 

[Grimreepah]

Link

McCartney added it was unfair to compare Watts to two other players also chosen in the top 10 at last year's national draft, Nic Naitanui and Daniel Rich - both of whom played senior football in the WAFL. Naitanui, the No.2 pick, has created plenty of excitement at West Coast, while Rich at No.7 has starred for Brisbane.
"Jack Watts has copped a bit of heat, I reckon unnecessarily - you can't compare him to Nic Naitanui or Daniel Rich," McCartney said.

 

[Stocka]

I guess we're just going to have to look at off-loading Rich at the end of the season while there is still some trade-value left in him. He has no room for improvement and is probably only 2 years out from retirement. No-one will be interested in him if we hang on to him for another year.

I have a feeling that it may end up being like the A.Corrie situation, with Rich playing every game this year and us merely taking a late, throw-away pick in exchange, because it'll be the best we can get for someone who has clearly already reached their prime.....

 

[Grimreepah]

Michael Voss

There’s been a lot of talk about Daniel Rich. Has what he’s been able to do been a surprise or what you expected of him?
I think when anyone comes into the organisation for the first time you try to minimise the expectations. In Daniel’s case he had already come with expectations about what he might be like and when he might be ready. I don’t put the expectations on them because I can’t put any greater ones on than what they place on themselves. They’re very, very impatient, I was when I came through, and I wouldn’t expect these guys coming through to be any different. The way he’s applied himself, he’s earned his spot. We haven’t given him the spot, he’s earned his right to be there and continues to do so. We’ve been very impressed with the way he’s gone about it, but he’s done that because he’s worked hard.

 

[chopperduck]

Reminds me of Black in so many ways. WA boy, loves a surf, is a gun but is very level headed, has no ego and is always looking to try improve himself.

 

[Helix]

And he can take a hit. This kid is special.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Rich is Voss.

 

[Tim the Toolman]

I cannot agree with you more (the Rich is Voss comment not that stupid signature about Skase the Vampire).

If that is not Michael Voss personified today than I don't know what is? To get up after that knock and then start running into the opposition thank God we have that boy and thank God higher that he has actually re-signed with us!

 

[acuguy]

Leadership Group- add D.Rich

 

[Ceebee]

Hope he doesn't have any ill effects from that knock and will be ok for next week. Love the little bloke, I may finally be over Vossy retiring

 

[Grimreepah]

Daniel Rich runs back with the flight of the ball and takes the mark before getting crunched by Troy Chaplin.

 

[Stocka]

I'm glad Rich got crunched. I'm glad that he got crunched and then got back up and played on. It was an opportunity that gave not only confirmation for himself, but also sent a message to opponents that he's a serious player who is not going to be overawed or out-muscled easily.