Richmond Tigers ruck/forward Mabior Chol will return to Queensland in the upcoming free agency period after agreeing to terms with the Gold Coast Suns.
On the same day that the 17th club announced decorated former Richmond captain, Wayne Campbell, as their new General Manager of Football Performance, the club landed its first target in the 2021 offseason.
Chol meets a position of need for the Suns as a mobile marking target with goal sense and the size to provide a chop out for the regular ruckman, as he did for much of this season at the Tigers as their ruck division was depleted.
A product of the Brisbane Lions Academy, Chol went undrafted by his club and ended up being taken in the rookie draft by Richmond and was the first of four players scouted by the Tigers from Brisbane’s youth program in recent years.
Because Chol is an unrestricted free agent and was previously delisted and re-rookied, all that needs to occur is the paperwork to be filed early next month and the move will be finalised.
Richmond will be hoping that the deal for Chol is substantial enough to warrant the AFL issuing a possible compensation pick, although details of contract length and salary were not divulged.
Bombers fans wishing for Chol to swap his yellow sash for a red one will be disappointed, although Windy Hill has one of the tallest lists in the AFL and the 24-year-old preferred to go to a club with better chances of playing top-level footy.
St Kilda had put in a late offer to Chol, but the temptation of returning home closer to family – something that is becoming increasingly cited as a motivating factor for player transfers during the pandemic – won over the big man, with his agent announcing the news on Wednesday evening.
He is the fifth fringe Tigers player to join the Suns in recent seasons after Anthony Miles and Corey Ellis came in the 2018 trade period, Brandon Ellis came in the 2019 free agency period and Oleg Markov came in last year’s trade period.
Although he hasn’t been chosen in any of the grand final teams, he did play in the 2020 qualifying final loss to Brisbane and rounded off a breakout 2019 with a VFL premiership.
For a young man who began life in the Sudanese civil war and came to Australia as a refugee at age 8, Chol has led a far from ordinary life and his homecoming will be welcomed by his large family, while the local South Sudanese community will welcome having such a role model with Chol’s years of experience volunteering with refugee youth in Melbourne.
The Suns had also put an offer in front of Callum Coleman-Jones, who has decided to pursue a trade with North Melbourne, but that story will have much more to play out given the clubs will start far apart on trade value and they have the whole trade period to bargain.
The Gold Coast has so far announced four list changes, with foundation Suns Jarrod Harbrow and Zac Smith, plus Jack Hombsch and Jordan Murdoch announcing their respective retirements, leaving the Suns with two vacant rookie spots and a lot of list shuffling to come.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Jack was staunch for us in 2019 when all other tall defenders were injured. Then in the 2020 preseason he copped the knees of Ben King through his ribcage, which effectively ended his career at the top level even though he played in the VFL this year. It’s a brutal position to play for an undersized key defender. I reckon Jack would have played on just about every key forward in the comp in his time. He’s been a terrific mentor to the young backs coming through the ranks and I reckon he’ll have a future in coaching if he decides to finish playing altogether.
The Sports Lover
Roar Rookie
I was surprised to read Hombsch retired. I followed his early career with interest, when he joined Port Adelaide. Thom, can you tell me how he went at the Suns? Was it injury that forced his retirement. He had several very enterprising seasons at the Power. I was sorry to see him leave.
Clear as mud
Guest
So you aren’t playing a silly game but there’s the history and it all seems pretty benign That’s wasn’t so bad, was it? Ps maybe you are old enough now to make the Tigers your team? Well take you.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
I don't hate Richmond, mate. I wanted to go for them when I was a kid but my step-dad wouldn't let me because he was pissed off at them for making stupid front office decisions. He was born in Richmond and played U19s for them, but shifted his loyalties to the frigging Bears and we all had to follow. I'm not going to play your silly game because I'm actually of the opinion that the whole player exodus is a media beat up. The reason I say Richmond and Hawthorn were predatory is that they struck twice each, with Prestia and Lynch, plus Jaeger O'Meara and Jack Scrimshaw by the Hawks. Brisbane have been predatory as well, sweet talking players up the M1, but the Suns have done the same. In fact, Richmond have poached no less than 4 Brisbane Academy players and I am reliably informed that their Queensland scouts have their eyes on the Suns kids this year. The arrival of Craig Cameron at the Suns has changed the way the list is managed. He's moved on 42 players since late 2017 and that number will grow next month. He used to be at Richmond and I believe he intervened in the Lynch standoff with an agreement that the Suns wouldn't match the Tigers' bid IF they agreed to do some deals to get experienced players. Miles and C.Ellis were traded for the difference between 3rd round future picks, a deal worth the equivalent of pick 52, but which had the potential to be a negative trade it was so generous. Then Richmond didn't match a bid on B.Ellis and let the Suns come and take Markov. They probably could have withheld Chol too with a decent contract. I'm not saying it has been grand collusion, but the Suns could have matched the Lynch offer and forced Richmond into a trade not unlike GWS did to Geelong with Jeremy Cameron. That would have destroyed Richmond's whole strategy.
Clear as mud
Guest
seeing as you are a Suns encyclopaedia, how about listing from, say. abut 2014, all the players the Suns traded in... and out. From memory, Richmond have Prestia and Lynch - for pick 6, and pick 3. (Took Prestia the same year the Giants preyed/predated/stole Deledio.) Two trades in 11 years? Geelong took Zac Smith and Ablett, at least. Where do Richmond sit in the order? May the people's hero left the same year? Melbourne aren't predators? Freo, for taking Bennell? And then, Malceski to the Suns. Ellis to the Suns. who else? Taking Corey Ellis, Miles. Who else did the Suns trade for. --- there's a chance you can convnce me if you can provide the overall picture. until then i suspect you are fully triggered by hate for Richmond, and Lynch. which is your business.
Clear as mud
Guest
I think you mean prey
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Peter Wright was a salary dump combined with getting him to a good destination. The guy is from the Bombers catchment and was compassionately traded. Look at the Richmond trades to the Suns and you’ll see similar values placed on players as well as the free agency returns. The Suns have goal kicking issues, but with injury and development those issues aren’t permanent. Not sure where you are getting your Witts information from. All injured players are on track for a preseason return. Suns may also get another veteran ruck to bolster if things deteriorate.
justif01
Guest
The problem is he isn't the type of player that will help them make the finals. The Suns traded away two metre Peter for a packet of chips and after King he was their best marking option up forward. Case in point the Bombers made the finals, the Suns didn't.
justif01
Guest
The problem is though the Tigers players the Suns have recruited aren't going to help them win a flag let alone a final. Richmond had a poor year sure but they still have 19 of their 2019 flag side and 20 of their 2020 flag side as well as a decent bunch of draft picks this year. Witts will miss the first half of next year with the ACL injury and Smith is retired so you can't expect Moyle and Chol to compete with the best rucks week in and week out. Apart from King two metre Peter was your best attacking option up forward and the Suns traded him away for a 4th round pick!
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Coming after two of the Suns’ best players was predatory. All clubs had a plan to predate on the expansion clubs. Carlton and Collingwood went after GWS, Richmond and Hawthorn went after the Suns. It is foolish to deny it. I call Tom Lynch a bedwetter (I didn’t coin the term, it’s fairly universal among Suns fans) because he went home to Mummy so he could find a new club midseason while the team he captained went on a massive losing streak broken only when the young players galvanised around their real captain, Steven May, to defeat Sydney in Sydney after hearing of their fake captain’s betrayal.
Clear as mud
Guest
Predatory. And you call Lynch a bedwetter?
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Ross Lyon had many opportunities to win a flag and took none of them, although he should be commended for his apprenticeship with premiership coaches Robert Walls, David Parkin, Denis Pagan and Paul Roos. The reason I personally consider Neil Craig as the more complete package is the way he changed the sport. He played a long career in the SANFL before moving into sports science and working for Charlie Walsh with the Australian cycling team. He went to the Crows as their new fitness adviser and set about turning a bunch of no-names into a dual premiership juggernaut.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
We have different views of the Kangaroos/Gold Coast experiment. Perhaps it is because the CEO and Board of North were selling the relocation idea to the Gold Coast people while the members and rebel factions at North were mobilising against it. The Gold Coast residents embraced the Kangaroos and attended the home games believing that they were getting an AFL team of their own.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah that does require an ambitious AFL management and I’m afraid that Gil is not that. He is very Victoria focused and as I’ve said before is focused on neoliberal corporate managerialism rather than actually looking after the problems in the AFL
HedleyLamarr
Roar Rookie
What on earth are you on about? I don’t think I’ve read more contradictions in one comment. And you haven’t answered one question i put to you Thom. To think for a second that four players or administrators makes a justifiable case for a merger or relocation to Tassie is the dumbest thing I’ve read. North and their members did not want to go to the Gold Coast. That was an AFL agenda, not Norths. Pull ya head in pal. Do you even call your yourself a journalists? or what is it these days a blogger?
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
I've never called for North to be disbanded. I was a supporter of their proposed merger with Fitzroy that was ultimately rejected by other AFL clubs, but in the end the AFL made Fitzroy merge with my old team, the Bears. I think North has done very well to shift so many home games to Hobart and still play enough games in Melbourne to keep both fanbases. But I do have very good reason to be anti-North and that is how your club so shabbily treated the city of the Gold Coast when back-flipping on relocation after years of negotiations for the Kangaroos to become the Gold Coast's team. I understand why Melbourne clubs never want to be another South Melbourne or Fitzroy, but the fact of the matter is that there are too many teams covering a small area of Victoria and North are the prime candidates to go to Tasmania. Of course, what that looks like could be anything. Scott Clayton, David Noble, Aaron Hall and Tarryn Thomas are all from Tassie. Seems you missed one of my articles where I gave the club pretty high praise. https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/01/01/trade-and-draft-review-north-hits-self-destruct/
HedleyLamarr
Roar Rookie
And btw Thom, considering GC is such a basket case what issue do you have with the North Melbourne Football club? I’ve read your articles and comments. A club with a 150 year history. A club right at this minute that does more for any community in the AFL. One year in the last fifteen without making a profit. The first to denounce pokies as a revenue source. Grass roots sort of stuff. 50,000 paid up members and and a State Government grant to allow that to expand even further. Basically an inner city region that includes ongoing education in the most dire regions of Melbourne. A place were a community can grow, for kids to play. Yet you want this great club and all the people in it to disband, merge or relocate. I don’t think i have come across a person with so much venom directed at a club like you have. All for what Thom?
HedleyLamarr
Roar Rookie
The kid is uncontracted. North do not have do anything except offer the kid a contract. If he agrees to said contract come the PSD, Richmond have absolutely nothing in their power to stop him. Nothing! No picks, no nothing! He then walks to the PSD draft. The only reason i mentioned pick 38 was a semblance of good will between the two clubs. What you have done is skirt the issue and blamed someone that happenened to work at GC. You see? Not once have you bothered to answer those fundamental questions.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
He's had a bigger role and is getting more of the ball at the Suns. His personality is infectious and it really helps with some of the more timid Suns to come out of their shells. They know his story of rags to riches and he really sets an example they can follow. There hasn't been a hint of softness about his play and the only time I've seen him indecisive (yes, I was a hater back in the day) was in the interview after the Suns beat the Tigers when he said he had mixed feelings.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
You have taken my comment out of context. I said that North will offer low and Richmond will demand North's 2nd round pick. Chuck said North will try to offer their 3rd with a future 2nd, which is about the equivalent of pick 11 if the Kangas finish bottom 4. I'm saying Richmond would prefer something they can use such as pick 20, even if it meant giving back a 3rd round pick that they can't use anyway. You see? North offer something neither can use this year while Richmond demand a pick they can use to replace a key tall they spent a first round pick on just 4 years ago. North's List is run by Scott Clayton. He was the bloke who assembled the brilliant Lions list that went on to dominate footy for 4 years. Then he went to the Western Bulldogs and put together a list that played finals most years and the core of which won a flag. Then he ran the Suns list for 8 years, the foundation of which have led the rebuild. He won't put that reputation for fair dealings at stake for a gettable player at a fair price. Nobody would want to deal with him ever again! Look at what happened to SOS when he colluded to bring Jack Martin through the PSD?!