70 ‒ FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2016

SPORT AFL themercury.com.au Deledio brushes off talk of trade

MICHAEL WARNER and LAUREN WOOD

RICHMOND star Brett Dele- dio has said he will retire as a one-club player. The Tigers’ 4-7 start to the season has prompted calls for the club’s older elite talent to be shopped at the trade table as part of a major overhaul. Ruthless But the 238-game dual All- Australian yesterday declared he was a Tiger for life. “I know I won’t be going anywhere. I’m a contracted player for next year and I’ve always said that I want to be a Suns drop one-club player,” Deledio said. “From the very first day I got to Richmond, I looked straight away as to how many games had played in the No.3 and I wanted to try and beat that.” Hall over The 29-year-old rejected the need for a rebuilding. “I don’t think there needs to be an overhaul — we just need our players playing consist- ently well, certainly our leader- ship group and our senior form slip SHOCK OMISSION: players,” he told RSN. Gold Coast’s Aaron “But also we just keep chal- Hall. Picture: GETTY lenging the young blokes to keep getting better. The sooner we can get them better, the sooner we play better.” Defender said TOM BOSWELL “He hasn’t been running as games of the season, including 1 per centers. If you’re not pre- the players copped a confront- strong through the lines as he a career-high 40 disposals pared to do those he is prob- ing review after last Friday AFL greats Peter Everitt and was,” Brereton said. against Carlton in Round 3. ably not prepared to play you. night’s thrashing at the hands say Gold “If you’re not an absolute But he has suffered a drop- “That’s a good message he of North Melbourne. Coast coach Rodney Eade has beast and you’re sore you tend off in the past two weeks, col- is sending to the club. It doesn’t “There were a lot of glaring drawn a line in the sand by to avoid contact. You tend to lecting 20 and 19 disposals matter how many games mistakes and issues we want to axing the Suns’ most prolific avoid areas that will put you against West Coast and Syd- you’ve played, if you’re not stamp out so they don’t ball user Aaron Hall for Sun- back in danger’s way and per- ney respectively. doing the things they ask — become habit,” Rance said. day’s clash with Richmond. STATEMENT: Peter Everitt, haps Aaron isn’t quite running Everitt said Hall’s axing and sometimes the basics are “We probably kick long In a selection shock, Tas- left, and Dermott Brereton. to the traffic or even through could have been harsh given the things you ask for — if down the line a bit too much at manian Hall was last night the traffic like he has when he many of his teammates had you’re not doing those then the moment, which really dropped to the reserves despite Trent McKenzie, Sam Day, has been at his very best.” suffered longer periods of bad you’re out.” plays into a lot of other teams’ being among the club’s best Rory Thompson, Sean Lem- Hall, 25, drew praise from form this season. Eade didn’t return phone defences hands.” this season, collecting the most mens and Matt Shaw added to those within the game for his “I think he has been the best calls last night but said in a club Finals are all but off the disposals (286) ahead of cap- an extended 25-man squad to stunning start to the season player over the season so far, statement he had made the de- table for Richmond, but Rance tain Gary Ablett (271) and face the Tigers at the MCG. and has been given the second especially the first half a dozen cision because of Hall’s drop in said there would be “some- (265). Everitt said Eade’s decision highest amount of votes by rounds when they were going form and to give him con- thing wrong” if the team did But two quiet games after proved “no one’s really safe” at Suns fans in the race for the all right,” Everitt said. fidence again. not keep the hope alive. returning from a shoulder in- the Suns, while Brereton added club champion award, one vote “Rocket at this time of the “I’m certain he’ll be back. Skipper did jury resulted in the midfielder Hall had paid the price for shy of Tom Lynch. year is looking for those little He’s too good a player to be not train yesterday due to ill- being the fall guy for the club’s avoiding contact after his Hall exceeded 30 posses- selfless acts like your tackles, out for too long and I’m certain ness but is expected to play eight-game losing streak with shoulder injury. sions in five of the first eight your shepherds and all those he’ll be back in very soon.” against Gold Coast on Sunday.

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