Tigers excited to unleash 'special talent' for AFL debut

Taj Hotton will make his AFL debut when the Tigers take on the Bombers

Richmond's Taj Hotton. Picture: Richmond Football Club

RICHMOND coach Adem Yze has high hopes for "special talent" Taj Hotton as the first-round draft pick prepares to make his AFL debut.

After overcoming an ACL rupture suffered last year before he arrived at Punt Rd, the 18-year-old will begin his career at the MCG on Saturday night when the rebuilding Tigers face injury-hit Essendon.

Yze joined Hotton to surprise his family at their home to let them know he would finally make the step up to AFL.

Hotton is the son of former Carlton and Collingwood player Trent, who played 78 games between 1994 and 2002.

He collected 25 touches and kicked a goal against the Northern Bullants in the VFL last week

"He's just a pure forward, so we can play him at either line," Yze told reporters of Hotton on Friday.

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"He can go deep, he can play a high-forward role.

"Then he has pinch hit in the midfield in the VFL the last couple of weeks, so we might see him around the ball late in the game as well.

"He's a special talent, when you've got the ability to jump and mark like he does and then at ground level do things, it's really hard to coach.

"It's the reason he went so high in the draft and the reason we rated him so highly going into the draft."

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Hotton was one of six players Richmond secured in the first round of last year's draft in an attempt to supercharge its rebuild following the premiership era under Damien Hardwick between 2017 and 2020.

"Then there's his work ethic, to get where he (Hotton) is today to be ready to play at AFL level after three VFL games is a credit to him," Yze said.

"The spotlight is going to be on him like it was on (No.1 draft pick) Sammy (Lalor) earlier in the year and like it has been for all our first-round picks."

Richmond will have extra motivation to win as triple premiership defender Nick Vlastuin runs out for his 250th game.

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Hotton is among five changes to tackle the Bombers, with premiership hero Jayden Short the most experienced inclusion.

Essendon also swung the axe, dropping Archie Perkins and Jade Gresham, even with a lengthy injury list.

Mason Redman, Elijah Tsatas, and Oskar Smartt, who becomes Essendon's 12th debutant of the season, have all been included.

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