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Live sport on SN this weekendWhy Buckley expects Port Adelaide recruit to be excellent in 2025 after leaving Collingwood
Lachlan Geleit • March 3rd, 2025 5:04 pm
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley was seriously impressed by Joe Richards’ first official hit-out for Port Adelaide in their 44-point AAMI Community Series win over St Kilda.
Richards played in a half-forward role for the Power at RSEA Park and helped himself to a goal, 20 disposals and seven score involvements in what was an eye-catching performance.
Buckley described the 25-year-old’s performance as excellent and he sees Richards as a high-half forward that can push up the ground and catch his opponent out heading back to goal.
“He was excellent,” Buckley told SEN Whateley.
“I would suggest that the Pies have got a lot of good small forwards, but the majority of them are forward 50 small forwards, (Bobby) Hill and (Jamie) Elliott do their best work in the front third.
“The prototype high forwards in the Kane Lambert-style, like Brent Daniels, Dylan Moore, Sam Switkowski and Gryan Miers is another who gets up the field and heads back. I see Joe Richards as that type of player.”
While Richards heads to Alberton in his mid-20s, Buckley thinks there’s plenty of development left in him given he joined the AFL from country footy.
After watching him go about his work against the Saints, Buckley thinks that Richards could have even been a first-choice player for Collingwood in 2025 if he remained in black and white.
“He's been lightly raced. He's come in as a mature recruit,” Buckley said.
“I could mount an argument that he would have been the player best set up to play a high-forward role for Collingwood.
“But they are stacked in the forward line, and he wasn't going to get much game time.
“I think he'll be excellent at Port.”
Richards will hope to make his Power debut when they face his former club the Magpies at the MCG on Saturday, March 15.
