Richmond may look to utilise their strong draft hand this trade period in hope of moving further up the order of this year's National Draft in November.
The Tigers currently hold picks 7, 15, 26, 28, 38, 42 and 47 in this year's count -ย arguably the strongest bundle of selections Punt Road has owned - and could gain further selections with the pending departure of Callum Coleman-Jones.
With a number of higher first-round selections understood to be gettable this exchange window, Richmond could look to package multiple draft assets in order to move toward the top of the queue.
Gold Coast's No.3 overall pick is understood to be on offer to keen suitors, with the Tigers having already been linked to the first-round selection.
The Bulldogs are also likely to look into parting ways with their first-round selection - currently Pick 17 - in order to acquire the needed draft points to land father-son prospect Sam Darcy toward the top of the draft board.
Should the Tigers look to move any of their five first/second-round selections, they could place themselves in the frame to land a top echelon teenager.
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According toย The Herald Sun,ย the Tigers have their sights set on Horsham product Ben Hobbs, who is touted as a top-three midfielder in the 2021 crop that would not warrant a bid from an already attached club.
Hobbs' selection would likely fall earlier than the seventh overall pick however, meaning Richmond could get creative in trading their top pick in order to further ascend up the draft order.
Draft prospect Ben Hobbs returned yesterday from a two-month layoff and collected 34 disposals and kicked 2.2 for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels. A big-bodied, strong inside midfielder who could be a top-10 pick. @AFLcomau
— Callum Twomey (@CalTwomey) June 20, 2021
The Greater Western Victoria star was named in the midfield for the NAB League Boys Team of the Year last week, joining fellow top prospects Nick Daicos and Josh Ward.
Hobbs is seen as a strong leader that is destined to captain an AFL side in the future, with the Tigers themselves mulling over who will pull on the proverbial armband in 2022 following Trent Cotchin's decision to relinquish his duties as captain.
Richmond are likely to look toward a number of midfielders at this year's draft given the age of their current engine room pecking order, with Shane Edwards, Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Kane Lambert and Dion Prestia all 28 or older.
Coach Damien Hardwick was able to get good minutes into promising midfielders Riley Collier-Dawkins and Jack Ross in 2021, while premiership stars Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and Jack Graham had stellar seasons in the yellow and black.
